Moksha Challenge: Day 11

This quote is true in so many areas of life. Particularly for me right now this applies to my eating habits, my yoga practice, and the change I am trying to make within myself.
Today I did the 5:15pm power vinyasa class. It's my favourite class but unfortunately I never get to go to it because this is Mike's bmx day and I'm usually on puppy duty. It was a great class. I actually tried a variation of the pose in this photo (pigeon pose), rather than just bringing my upper body down the the floor which is typical in a Moksha class. My knees and hips are very tight but as they say, "practice makes perfect"!

Moksha Challenge: Day 10

Today I went to the 7pm Moksha class. It was great! I love when I am being guided through a practice by someone I really enjoy, someone who switches things up and challenges me a little, or a lot. 

This quote is amazing to me. We really are shaped by our thoughts. If you are negative about things in your life, you will be a pessimist. If you have positive thoughts, positive things will happen. Stress will leave, anxiety will leave, and all you are left with is the ability to be joyful and happy.

Moksha Challenge: Day 9

This quote is absolutely true. When I began yoga I suffered from a lot of anxiety, fear, stress, and I was a reactive person. I got defensive often, communication was difficult because I would immediately react to things before hearing a person out, and I worried a lot about what other people thought of me. It has been a year and seven months since I started practicing, and it's like I have done a 180 degree change.

When I am in class, I do not have any anxiety whatsoever. Not about whether I will be able to do a pose that day, or what others in class think of me. I have tried my hardest to live off my mat, as I do on my mat. I let things go easily that would have caused a reaction in my previous self. I am more open to trying new things, I care more about those who care more about me, and I have cut out a lot of the "fluff" in my life. My communication with others has improved a lot. I no longer automatically get defensive when someone calls me out on something...I take a breath and really think about what they are saying before I continue. If I see their point, I own up to it. The best part is that the anxiety I once had is no longer consuming my energy.

Today I practiced in the 8:30pm Moksha class. Great teacher guiding us through! Lots of abs which I love.

Moksha Challenge: Day 8

30 day challenge day 8 : Miracles of life.

Today I went to the 8:30 flow class. It was a different kind of flow than I am used to, and I didn't really think that it "flowed" very well. None the less I made it through class, and again it was a really busy one. After 8 days straight of Moksha, I am hoping that I won't become too bored with the sequence of postures by the end of the challenge. I am already starting to find myself getting impatient in class sometimes. Moksha has a sequence of postures that is typically the exact same every practice, so you can see how I may lose interest. I like to be challenged a little more, so even now in class when we go into bridge, I choose to go into wheel instead. I think I have to focus less on this though, and focus more on the now of being in the practice, that may help me get through.



Moksha Challenge: Day 7

Day 7, I'm a week in already! Time is going very fast in this challenge. I feel like it will be over before I know it. I am really enjoying practicing at the studio, it takes the planning out of yoga for me. When I was doing the 40 days challenge, I felt I had to have more motivation and time management to get my practice done at home. Now I just show up at the studio, and I am guided through a practice, and can then carry on with my day.

Moksha didn't post a quote today...not sure what to make of that. I also noticed that only in maybe 1-2 classes so far has the teacher read the daily quote in class. The way they described the challenge was that they would be relaying this quote in class as well as on Facebook and Twitter. It makes sense to do that because some people don't have Facebook or Twitter to check the quotes daily. When I signed onto Facebook this morning to check for Day 8's quote it was there, but still no Day 7. Not sure what happened there I will have to ask at the studio tonight. Makes it seem as though they aren't as committed to the challenge as we challengers are in a way.

Today was a busy day. We had puppy class in the morning, and Sunday there are only 3 classes I can go to so we rushed home and I just made it to the 12pm class. It was a good Moksha class, although I get bored of the sequence at times, and so I think in the next week I will try to go to more of the flow classes.

I also wanted to talk about how my meditation is carrying over from my 40 days challenge. Anytime I practice now, whether it be at the studio or at home, I always take time before or after to meditate. Usually this is between 5-10 minutes. I find that meditating before helps me focus in practice, and meditating after helps me relax for the time after my practice. It also helps me let go of the busy parts of my day, and lets me release anything that didn't serve me well that day.

The challenge is going great so far!

Week 4: Restoration

Week 4 is here! I'm more than half way through at this point, and feeling great!
This weeks focus is restoration. Baron says, "The time to relax is when you don't have the time for it...As we remove the rocks that block our wisdom and light, we find that we are able to set more and more time aside for the things that restore us: time spent in nature, solitude, meditation, intimacy, having heart-to-heart conversations that heal" (p.155).
I think this week was the hardest for me. Ever since I began this challenge I have had a go!go!go! mentality. The days are passing so quickly, and I feel like when I finally have the time to relax, I am only doing so to gain the energy to star the next tasks on my list. I have never had as much energy as I've had the last 4 months I'd say. Changing my eating habits has a lot to do with that, as I feel like I'm not being weighed down after eating. I used to eat dinner and then just want to hang out on the couch while my body used up all it's energy to digest all the food I'd just eaten. Now that I am eating more fresh produce and lighter meals I am able to get things done after dinner. I also have not had much problem waking up early. I have also tried to get a full 8 hours of sleep each night. But when am I really taking time for restoration?

Week 4: Yoga Practice
This week I increased my practice to 60 minutes. This wasn't really an issue because I normally practice at the studio for one hour. This week I had fun with poses like Halasana (plow), Karnapidasana (deaf man's pose), and Urdhva Dhanurasana (wheel). I didn't really have difficulties with any poses this week.

Plow

Deaf man's pose

Wheel

Week 4: Meditation
This week's meditation was 20 minutes. This was difficult for me, as I felt at about 13-14 minutes I would start fidgeting. The task this week was to focus on the now moment, and to let my mind appear as blank as a screen. When I notice a thought, image, or distraction, I was to step back into the gap between me and my thoughts and start over again with a blank screen. Baron says, "The point of meditation is to train ourselves to know the difference between thinking and being lost in thought" (p.175). This was easier said than done of course, but I did my best.

Week 4: Balancing Diet
This week involved a 3 days fruit fast/cleanse. The cleanse was to eat only fruit for 3 days. You could of course make smoothies, drink fruit juices, and fruit soups (like tomato soup) as long as they are natural and additive free. Unfortunately I didn't end up doing this cleanse. I was very busy and couldn't find the time to be cutting up fruit all the time. I think I will try this in the future though when I have the time to prepare fruit "meals" and focus. The cleanse can cause fatigue, dizziness, lethargy, and constipation, which is due to the fact that your body is releasing toxins and they are floating around in your body. He also mentions that it is very important that you come off the cleanse slowly, and not to binge eat. He suggests just adding back in the fresh foods you have been eating all along, in moderation.

Week 4: Excavation Questions
What excess baggage am I carrying around with me?
The thoughts, feelings, worries, and past situations I cling to that drain me are all my excess baggage. 
What do I most need to let go of?
Anger towards people in my life, stress about money, fears from past negative experiences. I learned a few months ago that I need to let go of anger that I had towards some people, because it wasn't serving me. It was draining me, and I realized that there is nothing I can do about how other people think, or what others will say about me. Stress over money has always been an issue for me, and I started teaching myself how to budget better. I also watch the show "Til Debt Do Us Part" a lot! She has some great tips that I've been using like limiting your weekly expenses to a certain amount. 
Do I really give myself enough time to relax and restore myself? How can I carve out more time for this?
Lately I haven't had much time for anything, let alone restoration and relaxation. Mike has helped me calm down a bit by expressing that I need to spend less time focusing on preparing meals (gathering recipes and ingredients is very time consuming at the beginning), and blogging. This is probably why these 40 days posts are still coming. Again, thank goodness I kept a journal!


Next up...Week 5: Centering.

Namaste!

Moksha Challenge: Day 6

Day 6 | 30 Day challengers | Dukkha, Suffering:

“When another person makes you suffer, it is because he suffers deeply within himself, and his suffering is spilling over. He does not need punishment; he needs help. That's the message he is sending.” 
― Thich Nhat Hanh

Today I did the 12pm Moksha class. It was PACKED! There are only 3 classes on Saturdays so that probably explains why. Anyways there were 4 rows of about 10-12, so lots of people. The energy is different in the room when there are lots of people. I find that I am more connected to my breath because I can hear the breath of those around me. Their energy also helps me stay with a pose instead of bailing out of it. It's a really positive thing!


This quote really made me think. I need to think about this the next time someone is causing me to suffer. Instead of reacting defensively, or getting aggravated, maybe I should stop, take a minute, and think about why they're projecting this suffering onto me. 

Moksha Challenge: Day 5

Day 5 |30 day challengers bring the JOY!

"the best way to cheer yourself up is to try and cheer someone else up."~Mark Twain

TGIF! I went to the 5:30pm flow class. It was packed and there was a visiting teacher which was a nice change. Everyone teaches a little different so it's nice to have a different kind of flow. Great class!

The daily quote is a good one. While walking the dog this morning, a lady that sees us almost everyday stopped me and told me how well we are doing with him on his walks, and that you can tell he is learning. It made me so happy the rest of the day! 

Moksha Challenge: Day 4

Gratitude: In daily life we must see that it is not happiness that makes us grateful, but gratefulness that makes us happy. Find something to be grateful for this very moment!

Day 4 was sunny and warm, I was grateful for that for starters! Here are some other things I am grateful for at this moment in my life:
-my health
-Mike
-my family and the time I get to spend with them when I see them
-my friends, and being able to see them be happy in their lives
-my home
-my puppy Mowgli and the energy he has forced me to have

Sometimes Mike and I talk about how happy it makes us that we have such great people in our lives today. We have surrounded ourselves with people who matter and people who care about our happiness. Whether it's our family or our friends, we are both so grateful that all of them are a part of our lives. Watching people hit milestones in their lives makes us grateful that we will get to reach those milestones soon too!

I practiced at the 8:30pm Moksha class last night, hoping to get some sun time in with the puppy after work. Unfortunately the second I opened the door to go to the park it started pouring. We settled for a regular walk and some play time in the basement (which he loves!). He is so hilarious! I'm definitely grateful that I have him in my life, I know he's just a dog but dogs really do lighten your life. No matter what mood you're in, or how much energy you have, he needs his walk and his play time. I think this goes back to Day 1's committment. A dog, now THAT's a serious committment!

Tuckered out!

Moksha Challenge: Day 3

Day 3 went well for me. I did the 5:30pm regular Moksha class. The teacher added in a few flows and some more challenging poses so that was good. When I first got to the studio I overheard some conversations about the cleanse. Most people seem to be experiencing fatigue, headaches, and cravings at day 3. I'm so lucky that I do not feel those things! I give them credit for being able to practice when they are feeling that way. Others haven't started it as of yet. It is recommended for 7 days, but I overheard some people wanting to continue the full 30 days. I'm going to continue eating as clean as possible as I have been, and maybe watch out for some of those foods that were to be eliminated.

I really liked the quote of the day. It speaks to me in the fact that I am forever trying to get a million things done in a panic. It makes sense though that "one thing done in peace will most likely be better than ten things done in panic". Give time to focus on that one thing, rather than spreading myself too thin and getting a bunch of things done, but not done well. I'll have to remember this one for my time management!

Namaste!

Moksha Challenge: Day 2

A jug fills drop by drop.
~Buddha

Day 2 practice for me was the 5:30pm Moksha flow. I really enjoy the flow class because it is a little more challenging. The climate change is making me feel so different in the hot room. I've felt the heat SO much sometimes during class the last two days that I've had to go into a restorative pose just to calm my breathing down. Good old child's pose!

Spring Cleanse
I had mentioned that I would include some additional information on the cleanse portion of the challenge. I'm not too concerned with it because I generally eat clean, if not then at least healthy. All of this information is from Moksha Yoga Brampton's spring cleanse package. This was emailed to me when I signed up ( I cannot attach the link unfortunately). I will only include any of the recipes if I try them, but as far as I could see I wasn't really interested in too many of them.
I am going to give you the guideline of foods to eat and those to avoid as per their General Detox Diet.

What to Eat:

• Water-purified, reverse osmosis, herbal tea, hot water with lemon. *Stay away from Brita it harbours mold apparently!
• Sweeteners-use honey or maple syrup sparingly
• Fruit-fresh fruits. *Stay away from orange juice (causes constipation) and grapefruit juice (can interfere with liver function)
• Vegetables-any are ok raw, steamed, juiced, stir-fried, grilled, or in soup.
• Dairy & oils-use rice or almond beverage. *No soy (contributes to hormonal imbalances and can be difficult to digest). Use butter, ghee (what now? I googled this and apparently it is a clarified version of butter most often used in South Asia), coconut oil, and cold pressed olive oil. Goat or sheet cheese yogurt.
• Grains-whole grains such as amaranth, barley, brown rice, buckwheat, bulgar, kamut, millet, steel cut oats, quinoa, 100% rye, spelt.
• Cereal-oatmeal, quinoa, rice congee (rice porridge made in Asian countries), teff (grain that comes from an African grass).
• Bread-Manna bread 100% sprouted (Manna is actually the name of the bakery), Ezekiel sprouted/flourless, kamut, 100% rye, spelt, rice crackers, and rice cakes.
• Pasta-brown rice, kamut, quinoa, spelt.
• Legumes-navy, kidney, adzuki, lentils, black beans, split peas, lima, red beans, chick pea, bean flours. To make a complete protein combine 2/3 cup grains with 1/3 cup legumes. *Use soy sparingly.
• Protein-eggs, fish (cold water), seafood, tempeh (a form of tofu), goat cheese/yogurt. Free range is best. Nuts and seeds-raw/roasted/blanched almonds, cashews, hazelnuts, pine, pecans, walnuts, Brazil nuts, pumpkin, sesame, sunflower, and any nut butters made from these.
• Salad dressing-fresh squeezed lemon, balsamic/apple cider/rice vinegar, extra virgin olive oil, flax seed oil, garlic and herbs.

What to Avoid/Eliminate

• Sugar and foods containing: sucrose, maltose, lactose, glucose, mannitol, galactose, date sugar, torbinado sugar, corn syrup, white/brown sugar, artificial sweetener and aspartame.
• Fruit-dried, candied, canned, bottled or frozen juices.
• Coffee and regular teas
• Alcohol
• Carbonated beverages
• Yeast/High fat-raised baked goods such as bread, rolls, bagels, donuts, cakes, and pastries.
• Wheat-all white & whole wheat flours (the gluten in wheat is very difficult for many people to digest, can cause cramping and constipation, can damage intestinal microvilli).
• Nuts-peanuts & pistachios (these nuts contain mold!).
• Anything processed/packaged/deep fried. Corn and popcorn.
• Pickled, processed & smoked meats-high in carcinogens, nitrates, and nitrites.
• Condiments & white vinegar.
• Antibiotics-cause overgrowth of yeast.

So there you have it! It's a pretty big list both ways, and I already follow most of it.  I feel so lucky that I have been eating clean (for the most part) for the past 3 months because my body has already adjusted to not having processed foods and sugars and things that are supposed to be eliminated during the cleanse.

Quick and Tasty Dinners

I probably won't have time to do my weekly meal post, mostly because of the challenge as I am not getting home until about 7pm and I am making quick (but still healthy) dinners. When I do find a recipe that I really enjoyed I will post it though. Here are a couple worth trying!

Salmon & veggies

We love salmon! I usually steam our salmon in my steamer, because then I can cook the veggies at the same time and it takes a total of 20 minutes to make dinner. But  I was in the grocery store recently and saw the frozen "PC Blue Menu en papillote-Salmon with Lemon & Herbs" I decided I wanted to try to make it myself. You can easily make your own parchment bags without buying the premade bags in the store which are usually $5 or so. A roll of parchment is less than $3.
I pretty much just made this one on my own, no recipe. The only thing I did do was look up how to fold the parchment paper so it stayed shut.
Here's what's in the bag:
-Salmon
-Zucchini
-Asparagus
-Mushrooms
-Approx. 1 tbsp e.v. olive oil
-Approx. 1 tbsp Mrs. Dash Garlic & Herb seasoning (I love this one because it has no salt or sugar added)
-Black pepper to taste
-1/4 lemon squeezed and left in the bag for baking. Don't squeeze all the juice out because you can squeeze it a little more after it's been cooked. Amazing!

I roughly chopped the veggies. Make the bag by rolling and crimping the long sides together over the fish and vegetables. Then roll and crimp the ends closed so the steam can't escape. Cook in the oven on a baking sheet at 350 degrees for about 20 minutes.

We had a baked sweet potato on the side.





Pizza Cups

I made these in about 20 mins (including prep time) and they were really cute and tasty. My original plan was to make them as an appetizer at our St. Patrick's Day party last weekend, but I already had so much food out. Here is the original recipe. I tweaked it a little to make it healthier:
-I used part skim mozzarella
-Didn't use the sweetener
-I only used about 2.5 tbsp of Parmesan instead of 1/4 cup
-PC Blue Menu whole wheat whole grain wrap

Use the lid of something to cut circles out of the wraps, I used the lid of my peanut butter. Spray a muffin tin with cooking spray and push the wrap circles in.
Mix the pizza sauce, spices, and Parmesan together. Put about a spoonful into each cup and spread around.
Top with cheese and pepperoni. Add any other toppings you want (I added bacon bits to Mikes).
Bake in oven at 425 degrees for about 12 minutes.

We had it with a spinach side salad.

Moksha Challenge: Day 1

Part of the challenge is that they will be providing a daily quote with a theme for the day (they post these in the studio, as well as on Facebook and Twitter). The theme for day one is committment. Here is the quote:

"There is a difference between interest and commitment. When you are
interested in doing something, you only do it when it is convenient. When you are committed to something you accept no excuses; Only results".
_Kenneth Blanchard

This is a great quote, and so true. I found that this perfectly explains things like dieting. When I first moved back to Ontario almost 2 years ago, I wanted to "diet"...not eat too many carbs, less take out, etc. It was right before the summer, so on the weekends we would be at the cottage. This usually involved all day drinking and snack eating. But I would make excuses like "Oh well it's the weekend", or "I'm pretty good 5 days a week I can have a treat".
When I decided to start eating cleaner, I really committed to it. It's been about 3 months now and I have lost weight and size, and feel amazing.
The same will go for this challenge, I am really going to commit to the full 30 days of yoga.

I received the Spring cleanse information I was waiting for from Moksha. It explains the cleanse, lists foods to eat and foods to stay away from. It also includes recipes and a shopping list. I will post some of that info here tomorrow.

I went to the 5:30pm class, and it was packed! I forgot my contacts and had a little trouble focusing with my glasses slipping off my nose from sweat! I tried without my glasses but could barely see which I think affected my balance haha. I made sure to pack them in my bag when I got home so I didn't forget them again. It was a regular Moksha class (I prefer the flow or power vinyasa) but it was still a good practice. It was even hotter than usual because of all the bodies in there (I'd say around 40?), I find when it's too hot I start to get a headache. I will increase my water intake to see if that makes a difference for Day 2.

Namaste!

Moksha Yoga Brampton: 30 Day Challenge

I just finished my 40 day challenge a week ago yesterday, and already I am anxious to embark on my next challenge. My local Moksha studio is having a 30 day Spring cleanse challenge, and it starts today! The cost is $120 incl tax, and it runs from March 19th-April 20th. Here is a link to the newsletter I received which explains the challenge.
Here is the breakdown:
-30 days of yoga: a daily practice. Doing 2 practices in one day does not make up for a missed day!
-Diet cleanse: I have yet to receive the package for signing up that is to have all the information about the cleanse but I will update once I have it. The Moksha Brampton newsletter says, "This Cleanse is an eating plan designed to improve your body’s ability to handle and dispose of toxic substances by eliminating foods and chemicals that you may be allergic or sensitive to. You are asked to remove certain foods, and food categories from your diet so that your body’s detoxification machinery, which may be overburdened or compromised, can recover and begin to function efficiently again."

They've given me 5 things to focus on during this challenge as well:
1. Accountability-writing down my goal of praciticing for 30 days and making myself accountable for it.
2. Prioritizing-make this challenge a priority in my life.
3. Time management and practice plan-figure out the best time to practice in my schedule.
4. Education-look at yoga more in depth, learn new things about it.
5. Journaling-record my experiences throughout the challenge.

I'm really excited to do my first studio based challenge, to see what the differences will be between it and my own 40 day challenge which I completed at home.

I realized during my 40 day challenge that I just didn't have the time to blog at the end of each week, because there were so many areas to address, but I think I will travel through this challenge with a little more ease so I hope to have more posts. I am not going to put too much pressure on myself though. I did find that journaling things each week is helping me with my backlog of posts though, so I will definitely continue to journal during the Moksha challenge.

Round 2...here we go!

Namaste!

Greek Yogurt

Greek yogurt quickly became one of my newest obsessions! While Mikes friend was visiting recently, he told me I had to try it. I had tried the plain version before, and found it so bitter! But I thought I would give it another shot, and boy am I glad I did!
There are many benefits to Greek yogurt such as being higher in protein, lower in carbohydrates, thicker and creamier, and lower in sodium. The low-fat and non-fat versions are CLEAN (check the labels of the flavoured varieties though because those often have sugar which then makes them not clean). My favourite is PC brand Greek yogurt with honey. The only disadvantage I've found is that it has less bone building calcium than regular yogurt.

Here are some of the ways I have recently enjoyed it:
1. Breakfast/snack-with berries, granola, or honey
2. Veggie dip-just tried this recipe  and loved it. Instead of onion flakes I just used onion powder
3. Fruit dip-either just the yogurt with some honey OR mix in a few spoons of Nutella for chocolate hazelnut awesomeness when you want to treat yourself (this is not clean)

Greek yogurt veggie dip cups at our St. Patrick's Day party

Greek yogurt & Nutella dip also at our party

Week 3: Equanimity

Day 15 is the start of week 3! This weeks focus is Equanimity.

"Equanimity is the art of meeting life as it meets you-calmly, without drama or fuss. This is the way out of frustration into the light" (p.124-125).
Basically it is realizing that there are things in life you can change and some things you cannot change. The things you cannot change need to be met calmly instead of reacting negatively. A perfect is example is traffic. All of us that live in the GTA know that traffic is a huge problem. We waste so much time commuting. When we get caught in traffic, or when someone cuts us off, most react negatively. For instance, I know someone who almost always has to give people the finger or drive up next to them and wave his hands around while swearing so they absolutely know that they just pissed him off. I won't name any names. Equanimity is realizing that the person has already cut you off, or that traffic is there, there is nothing you can do to change that. So you might as well just accept that it has happened and move on, use your energy toward something you can change. Drop the drama!
This week has really opened my eyes to how I react to certain things I cannot change. Boy do I waste a lot of energy being negative about them at times! I really tried to stop and take a minute to think about whether what just happened can be changed or not, if it can't then let me just take a deep breath and move on. It works. I even brought it up to Mike at times where he would start to get angry about something. "There's nothing you can do about it, so why get so angry? Don't waste your time."

Week 3: Yoga Practice
This week I was to increase my practice time by another 15 minutes...so that means I'm at a 45 minute practice now. I missed only 1 practice this week, and other days I did a full hour practice if I was at the studio. My favourite poses this week were sarvangasana (shoulder stand) and natarajasana (dancer's pose). Unfortunately I've never done shoulder stand in a Moksha class because they tend to keep it pretty basic, so I just do them at my home practices. They are a lot of fun! Dancer's pose I've always enjoyed, so this week I worked more on coming to my full expression and being able to stay in it for a number of breaths, rather than just rushing into it and not focusing which would cause me not to be able to hold it very long. A pose I had trouble with this week was Garudasana (eagle pose). For some reason I was having trouble balancing for this one. I normally wrap my leg completed around and tuck my foot, but this week I had to revert back to just crossing my leg over top or even some days having a "kick stand".

Sarvangasana (shoulder stand)

Natarajasana (dancers pose)

Garudasana in Jamaica May 2011 (I kept falling over every time I tried to snap a shot in Eagle pose...proof that I was having trouble with this one!)

Week 3: Meditation
This week the meditation time increased to 15 minutes. The focus was to set my intention to sit with strong determination, not to quit before the 15 minutes are up. I am to notice my reluctance to meditate and my desire to stop and walk out of the room. The focus is to just STAY. This is the practice of developing equanimity.

Week 3: Balancing Diet
There is no better place to see how we react to things we cannot change than in our diet. When our moods change, sometimes our diets do too. We get stressed, and we reach for snacks. We get sad, we reach for sweets. The dreaded "comfort food".
Baron says "...They overeat not because they are excessively hungry, but because they mindlessly shovel food into their mouths the minute an uncomfortable truth or feeling arises, as a way to hide" (p.149). People stay in their comfort zone, and if that means eating to not have to think about something they don't want to think about, then so be it.
This week's homework was to look at the foods I crave. He says that we tend to crave different things at different times. We crave sweets for energy and comfort, and salt for minerals and grounding.
What does sweetness mean to you? When do you usually crave the taste? Do you consider things like cookies, candy, and other sweets necessities? If so, why? This week when you have a craving take a breath before you reach for the cookie jar and ask yourself honestly what is causing it.
I don't generally crave sweets, but I love anything salty! I realized that my body craves salt often, and so I incorporated more mineral-rich foods like spinach into my diet. I changed my regular romaine lettuce salads into spinach salads at dinner time, and even started putting it in my pasta and other veggie dishes. I will also try to eat fish at least once a week going forward.

Week 3: Excavation Questions
In what areas of my life can I have less reaction and more divine interpretation?
I think I can react less to stresses at work, especially when I feel others aren't pulling their weight. I need to just focus on my tasks and get my work completed. Also when dealing with my puppy I need to have more patience, instead of getting aggravated when he is full of energy or behaving badly. I need to stop, take a breath, and focus on why he is acting this way. Reacting just gets him more wound up!

How can I enhance the quality of my life through a shift in my attitude?
This is a big one for me, because I really do believe that attitude is everything when dealing with a situation or life in general. I realized awhile ago that if I continue to live life with the attitude that I have failed in something, or something has not gone the way I wanted it to, I will be miserable. Take one day at a time is my new attitude, and it's been working pretty well. The reduced level of anxiety has really helped with my energy levels, whereas before I found that I often felt burnt out. 


What things are most likely to trigger reactivity in me?
Oh it's just a short list here:
-people not treating me right, or not treating others right
-people thinking they need to get involved in your business
-unnecessary negativity
-people who "pass the buck" onto me
-being taken advantage of by those around me
-liars
-when someone attacks my character
-being blamed for things without having a chance to explain my side of the story
-the puppy being restless when I have little energy
Ok so maybe it's not that small of a list. A lot of times when these things happen I will keep my reaction to myself. I think this helps me because instead of outwardly reacting, which can cause even more trouble, I give myself time to calm down and look at the situation logically rather than emotionally. I then decide whether it's worth my time to react the way I did. Most of the time the answer is no.


Week 4 is next!

Namaste :)

Faves

These have been 2 of my favourite things to eat since my 40 days started!

I've had an obssession with avocado for the last year, and guacamole is one of my favourite ways to eat it. It's SO easy, and great as a meal or snack when I'm in a rush. I use 1 whole avocado, 1 clove of garlic minced, fresh lemon juice, and pepper. Sometimes I will add in tomatoes and more seasonings. I use whole wheat greek pita because it doesn't have any sugar added.



Guacamole and pita



I've been eating PC brand greek yogurt with honey with my breakfast a few days this past week and just adding either blueberries or raspberries. I love it! It's tasty, fat free, and clean! I even had it as a snack after dinner the other day. I tried the plain one but it was not for me. The honey one does not have any preservatives just regular honey.



Greek yogurt with honey, and fruit



Weekly Meals: Feb 27-Mar 4

Monday
Balsamic glazed salmon
Recipe
-the recipe uses chicken but I used salmon instead
asparagus
Brown rice
-I steamed the salmon in my steamer for 10 minutes, then added the asparagus and steamed for another 10 minutes

Tuesday
-I wasn't feeling so hot today:( whomp whomp
I had leftover pasta from Sunday
Mike had leftover soup

Wednesday
Chicken quesadillas
-No recipe for this one, I just cooked chicken on the stove wtih a little chili poweder and cumin, and broke into small pieces. Then I sauteed the veggies, added all together in a whole wheat tortilla and topped with shredded cheese. Folder the wrap over and baked in the oven for about 10-12 mins at 350.
-I used red, green, orange peppers, onion, and mushroom
-Low fat mozarella

Thursday
Mike's friend from Calgary is in town today for the weekend! This means I probably don't have to cook very much because they will be off galavanting at the Toronto BMX show.
Pizza-this wasn't clean :(
Salad


Friday
Pasta with lemon, garlic, parmesan and spinach
-This wasn't a recipe either, just kind of threw it together and it turned out awesome! It was so easy which was great because Mike and his friend weren't home and it was just me I had to cook for.
For the "sauce":
-2 tbsp olive oil
-fresh minced garlic (I used 1/2 clove)
-juice of 1/4 lemon
-3 tbsp parmesan (not from a can)
-sauteed olive oil and garlic for a few minutes, added spinach and lemon juice, cooked until spinach was wilted but still had vibrant green colour
-used whole wheat egg white noodles and tossed in a bowl with "sauce" and parmesan

Saturday
I had leftover pasta


Sunday
I thought I would make the boys a real manly meal to top off their busy and active weekend, so I made pulled pork sandwiches. Now pork is not really considered a "clean" meat, but I made other aspects of the meal clean. This is my favourite pulled pork recipe, I think the jerk seasoning really enhances the whole thing. Plus we love jerk seasoning in our house so any excuse to use it is good!
Recipe
-I can never find boneless pork shoulder at the grocery store so I buy whatever shoulder they have lol, never had a problem
-I probably use a closer to 1.5 tbsp of jerk seasoning
-I used rootbeer
-I made clean bbq sauce!
Recipe
-The boys got white buns (Mike doesn't really like whole wheat buns for some reason, he says they're "scratchy"), I ate it on a whole wheat bun
-Seasoned potato wedges (recipe from last week)
-Spinach salad (I'm loving spinach right now!)

Clean bbq sauce

Lol I couldn't wait to take a picture, the smell lured me in

There wasn't much left!