Wednesday, February 24, 2010

Last Nights Run


I have to admit after a spinning class, teaching a hot yoga class, and then doing a 2 hour Pilate's training class....the thought of running was making me sigh....


I love the run club the energy is great, I have been running with a woman named Marnie, who amazes me in some ways. Our conversations are great.


As we warmed up I realised that I was okay, the energy was there, we ran up Cassels Rd in Brooklin a long hill, not too steep but about 1/2 kilometer long, we talked the whole way, at the top I realised it had been easy. Sometimes I avoid this hill, I can also remember running it in the summer with Misty and huffing and puffing. It's nice to see these little improvements.


Hills were always my strong point, I don't like them, but could barrel up them in no time...I just like to get them done....so seeing my strength back was great.


2 years ago I was diagnosed with Adrenal Fatigue.....fatiguing it was. I could barely run and soon lost my strength, my runs were short and not that often.


At the time of the diagnosis I was working way too much, my weight shot up and mornings were difficult as my exhausted Adrenal Glands were not producing enough Adrenalin to get me out of bed.


It has taken a lot to deal with this problem, major changes in my life, including my relationship with my husband....realising that I can't do it all and starting to scale back wasn't easy. And is an ongoing challenge.


Occasionally along the road I have had set backs but, they are fewer and fewer now.


I know many women suffer from this problem without even knowing it as we all tend to do too much.


Back to last nights run....it was mild and there was light snow, Marnie is great to run with, an easy uncomplicated person. Every once in a while we would meet other Brooklin Run Club members, and receive a smile and a wave, or a funny comment.


So once again I experienced the union of running, a sense of self connection, a sense of community and a sense of the vastness of the universe on a gorgeous Canadian winter evening.


Namaste,




Monday, February 22, 2010

Kama

I can't believe it has been 17 days since my last post, this month has been a whirlwind for me. I have taken on few new private students as well was teaching a make up course for some of the teacher trainees. I am happy but very busy...sometimes busy is good but recently I have begun to feel very tired again so I know I am too busy....

I am teaching about the 4 aims of life, Dharma, Artha, Kama and Moksha...which translate as Duty, Prosperity, Pleasure and Freedom. One of the things I love about writing and teaching is that if forces me to think about my life. The 4 aims of life are considered universal guidelines to life, working on keeping these in balance is not always so easy.

At any given time one of these aims may overtake another....making your life unbalanced...maybe you work to hard and don't play enough...or seek too much pleasure..which of your actions limits your freedom. In determining this you must ask yourself is what I am doing nourishing my soul or leaving me feeling empty and wanting more or something else.

Right now my work seems to way exceed my pleasure....but I am focusing on changing that, little trip to Briars for a weekend with my husband, made me realize how nice it is to lie around, swim and be served great food. Well I can't always afford that kind of luxury I can find ways to bring more pleasure into my life. Today for example I went to a local yoga class, I really like the teacher, it is a gentle class led by a woman who has a great sense of humor combined with yogic knowledge, I find myself laughing and enjoying some of her comments. After that I went to Chaptors and picked up a book I have been looking for Light on the Yoga Sutras of Patanjali, written by B.K.S. Iyengar...already I can see that I am going to love that book.

I have also booked myself into a spring yoga retreat...ahhha just me and my mat...followed by some time in Picton with my husband, cycling and resting. Yoga retreats area great holiday they are inexpensive the food is always divine and they seem to pull the stress out of my body.

I am also giving up one of my classes so I can trail run with friends...letting go is not easy but I am committed to adding some fun time back in my life....I hope....I can let goooooo......

I feel my bed calling my name...nap time

Namaste,

Friday, February 5, 2010

The Food I love

I been doing my Dharma (duty) this week by taking care of the household, well, grocery shopping is one of those things I tend to leave to the last possible minute, I should look at it with joy, a way to find good energy to sustain me, but I don't. Yesterday was one of those days that I preplanned some meals and went out and made the purchases necessary to prepare them.

I love food that tastes good and is healthy too, Misty has given me some good suggestions, and I am in love with the Brown Rice Wraps that Richelle suggested. The 10 years that I spent as a vegetarian really helped me evolve as an eater and branch out.

As I type this I have an organic apple cut up beside me and some toasted raisin and pecan Ezekiel bread, with a bit of almond butter. It is a delicious breakfast and will provide great energy to my body.

My fridge is stocked, organic spinach and salad greens make a great base for salads which I love with tons of stuff in them. I have a huge bag of organic baby carrots and I bought hummus yesterday, normally I love to make hummus but yesterday decided to buy it, it is not as good as homemade but not bad.

I was impressed with the meal I had last night, I love chicken souvlaki on Pita, so last night I made a healthier version of it.

I cooked chicken breasts and sliced them. On a lightly warmed brown rice wrap I spread a little tzaziitki, some light grated feta cheese, salad greens, green pepper and tomato, I topped it with some of the sliced chicken.
It was great, very tasty, healthy and sustained me through the teaching of 3 classes. At 9:00 I was a bit hungry so I had some plain yogurt with blueberries and a tablespoon of granola.

Energy Today

Breakfast, organic apply, Ezekial raison and pecan bread, almond butter.
Snack - carrots, cucumber with tzatziki and hummus
Lunch - Veggie Chili, on brown rice I am going to mix in a couple of handfuls of organic spinach when I reheat the chili.
Snack - not sure depends on my activity, maybe a cheese string and another apple.
Dinner - Maui Maui, Salad Greens, I am going to make this yummy dressing from an old Vegetarian cooking book I have it has olive oil, tahini, garlic, lemon juice, and vinegar, it mixes well with the greens is really good.

Tonight I am working out with Misty and have decided not to do a planned run because I have an high activity level this weekend and need energy. That too is something I am doing well right now, watching my activity level and saving energy for later.

Wednesday, February 3, 2010

Running and Union








I love to run, I run for the health benefits and for the mental benefits. A long slow run on a great day, can bring a sense of peace to me as I feel stress melt away it is similar to how yoga affects me.
If your life is without stress you probably need to live it a little more, stress affects us all.

Another thing I love about running is the people I have run with over the years, I have had great talks with people.

This year I met Katie. Katie is the Martha Stewart of Whitby, she is quite talented in that area. Every woman would want to marry Katie although I don't think I would want my husband to know about her he might want me to raise the bar a bit LOL.

Running with Katie is great, she is postive, gives honest but kind feedback and soon it doesn't seem like we are running at all, just a couple of friends sharing life. Katie is a good soul who always try to look for the positive in a situation, even when it is not sooo easy.

This is union, the goal of yoga is to be real and feel that connection with yourself, your community, your world and a power greater than yourself.

So running is for me a spiritual exercise as it seems to lift the clouds of doubt that seperate me, and has brought amazing friends like Katie into my life.
Food Today
Breakfast - egg white omelette, with a bit of grated cheese and salsa, one slice of ezekial bread with honey.
Snack - orange
Lunch - 1 cup brown rice, 1 cup veggie chilli
Snack - apple, nut butter
Dinner - Greek Salad

Monday, February 1, 2010

A Dreaded Plateau - I hope

After trying to be careful with my food and exercising all week I decided to jump on the scale today and it hadn't budged..I weighed the same as I did last week...hmmmm I tried not to feel disappointed because after all I feel good and there are tons of reason to exercise....so basing my happiness on a number is fleeting ...but still a little budge would have been good. I ran twice in minus 20 weather....I feel the extra weight on my body, it seems be lower energy.

I really had to breathe when I got off the scale and recenter my mind, bringing my thoughts back to what is real. I will continue on my path and not worry about the extra weight, it will come off.

Energy Today

Breakfast - Ezekial Bread (2), almond butter a bit of honey.
Snack Apple,
Lunch - salad with tuna
1/2 protien shake
Dinner - Greek Salad

I am soon going to do some yoga and then rest. Tomorrow is spinning and running.