So what has it been, two weeks? Maybe 3…I’m not sure, but it certainly has been a minute. With the craziness of the move, and a lot of other things going on, I couldn’t find the time to write. Well, I have been writing – journaling, and snippets of inspiration for a book in chewing on – but not here.
ANYWAY, we survived the move! It’s officially been a week and we’re nearly unpacked. When I say nearly, I mean we still have about 10 boxes sitting in the corner and a bunch of stuff strewn all over the place, but we’re settling in. I have been enjoying all the trails right outside my door, our beautiful pool, and A LOT more space.
Since I haven’t really had time to organize the kitchen and cook many proper meals, this week Foodie Friday is a salad – but a really AWESOME one! I made falafel the other night and put together this salad to go with it. If you’re saying to yourself ‘share your falafel recipe‘ Here it is, haha, you just add water.
So back to the salad…I am mildly obsessed with feta cheese – it goes on nearly every salad I make, & this one is no exception.
Weeknight Salad
- Mixed Greens
- Pine Nuts
- Tomatoes
- Cucumber
- Herbs (cilantro, parsley, & dill)
- Feta Cheese
- Shallot
- Balsamic Vinegar
- EVOO
- Salt & Pepper
I am pretty confident most of you know how to put together a salad but it’s all about the little things. For example, I buy raw nuts & toast them myself – TRUST, it makes a difference. Also, I don’t buy bottled dressing – get yourself some good EVOO and balsamic and just mixed them half & half. Last, add herbs to your salads to bump up the flavor profile – I always keep cilantro, parsley, and dill in my fridge but you can do whatever you want. Last, last, thing…just because its a salad doesn’t mean you shouldn’t add salt (salt literally brings out flavor in food). Generously salt and pepper your greens before you dress them. Now that you’re in the know, you’re ready to go!
’til next time, keep smiling! 🙂
I am quite skilled at forgetting to practice what I preach & it was time for me to take a deep dive into the root of the problem. I realized certain shifts had to be made, and while change may scare the shit out of me, it is inevitable. As my father always says, “The only constant is change.” If we want to keep succeeding and taking steps towards future goals, things have to change. So what did I change? I adjusted my studio offerings to give myself self care time in the mornings. I’ve started doing more meditation and activities I like, rather than exercise to look a certain way. I also stopped lying to myself. I didn’t want to admit it but I was living for others – trying to be perfect for everyone instead of just being happy with myself. I know that I need to be my most authentic self, & I can’t please everyone. I can only take responsibility for my own happiness & hope it rubs off on those around me. 
Oh, also Phil and I are moving to Walnut Creek. Yep, in a few short months we will be moving over the bridge & establishing a new routine in the East Bay. For the record, we are NOT moving because we are pregnant, haha (my family ALREADY asked), but we do think this is better for our family. The thought of leaving the city is bittersweet but I’m sure they’ll be more to come on that later.
Phil and I had such an amazing close to our first official ski season in Tahoe – perfect weather, great snow, and even better friends to share the fun. Doubly exciting is the official wrap up of the 16wks of 2016 Motivational Mondays! Phil and I have loved and are going to continue to work on making healthier choices, taking better care of ourselves, and nourishing our bodies. I’ve personally been able to maintain my goal weight & lose 5% body fat, while Phil lost 15 lbs and gained more noticeable muscular definition. We’re continuing with our healthy eating & regular exercise routine…if we make any major changes or decide to experiment with something new, I’ll be sure to share, but for now, Monday’s will sift – I’m calling this 16 wk series Meditation Monday…I’ll be getting started May 2 & am really looking forward to the opportunity to dive a little deeper.
This week I have 4 private client sessions, 14 studio classes, a social media challenge to prep, and quarterly goals/projections to complete – no one ever said going after your dreams was easy but when you love what you do I guess you can’t exactly call it hard either. I constantly catch myself in moments of self doubt, fear, etc… regarding the career/life choices I’ve made & in the blink of an eye something or someone snaps things back in perspective. As long as I keep walking my talk & offering up the truest version of myself, I can’t go wrong.
I’m in shock we’re 15 weeks into this year and one week out from the completion of our 2016 motivation challenge. I feel strongly that if you’re trying to make a serious lifestyle change, it takes about 16 weeks for it to become part of your routine…the proof is in the pudding, as they say, because not only do Phil & I make healthier choices but our bodies crave healthier behaviors. As mentioned before, we’re keeping things going even after next week and kicking it up with a leaner diet & lots of greens powder to boost our vitamin & mineral intake. The body is an incredible machine and I really enjoy playing around with my diet/exercise to see what happens.
I’ve found a new pool of inspiration and a resignation of my passion after this weekend’s event. Teaching for 
I can’t remember the last time it was a true 1st Friday and April Fools, so my lame attempt at a prank was posting now! I wish Phil and I were in the city so we could see the opening of the different art exhibitions. I used to love the Old City 1st Friday art openings while Phil and I were in Philadelphia but it all got very crowded and crazy so we couldn’t enjoy it. Even though we’ve been here a year we still haven’t done a 1st Friday in SF…I think May might have to be the month. We’re in Tahoe for some spring skiing and a break from the city. The ski season is coming to a close for us, only a few weeks left, and we’re both looking towards bikini season, haha!
Since it is officially the first Friday of this month, its a plated Foodie Friday and this week its fish, veggies, and a delicious range of flavors: on the menu is a thai curry tilapia, cheesy vegetable linguine, and gruyere grilled cheese. 
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What a beautiful weekend! We had such a lovely time enjoying the sunshine, taking things slow, and celebrating the culmination of Easter Week. Friday night was quiet and low key (in observance of Good Friday). We had some fish po’ boys for dinner and hit the hay early. Our weekend kicked off with a trip to guitar center to buy Phil his long overdo electronic drum set. We spent the afternoon enjoying delicious wine at our winery’s spring release event, and afterwards some shopping & pizza night! Yesterday was mass, an eggs benedict & mimosa brunch by yours truly, and rooftop yoga/ an evening of grilling & enjoying the sunset. 
We’re almost finished the month of March and even though Phil and I have been making healthier choices we still don’t feel like we’re kicking it up enough. So with three weeks left in our 2016 challenge we’re thinking we might extend things a few extra weeks and try something a little different. Starting next week, so with two weeks left in our original challenge, we’re going to start simplifying our diets & kicking up the healing treatments – epsom salt baths, heat/ice, evening and morning stretching, and myofascial release. We’ll be doing this through the month of May but will still report our results 16 weeks in. 
Keep working along with us or put your own spin on what we’re doing!! Let me know how it all works out…I would love to hear from anyone whose taking steps week by week to make healthier choices! We’re heading into OUR month with energy and enthusiasm….who else wants to make April their best month yet!
Its been another dreadfully rainy day in San Francisco but the weather is supposed to perk up for the rest of the week; which is good because I sure need a kick in the pants! This weekend with my brother and sister in law was wonderful but teaching 16 classes, playing tour guide and managing everything else on my plate has definitely left me a bit drained. Instead of looking at things in a negative way I’ve used today’s weather as an excuse to stay in bed and recharge – well, at least in btwn my 6am & 12pm class I squeezed in a nap, and btwn my 12pm class and my 3pm shift at the studio I did some yin yoga…it’s all about making time for yourself and listening to your body, right?!?!
We’re so close to wrapping up this lovely 16wks of 2016 Motivation challenge and I think both Phil and I have become that much more in tune with our bodys’ needs and how much the food we consume plays a role in how we feel. This weekend was full of more fried food and ice cream than I would care to admit and I’m feeling it contribute to my low energy today. I’m taking steps to hydrate, cleanse, & reboot for this week by adding some probiotics, as well as my trusty apple cider vinegar & lemon tea to help cleanse my system and have my feeling sharper/more alert. It’s GREENS, GREENS, GREENS for the first week of spring & we’re hoping they’ll have us feeling good as new in no time!
This relaxing but productive weekend was much needed after a week of feeling frantic and unconstructive. Some of you may have noticed a few more spelling/grammar errors in last week’s posts than usual…not that I’m making any excuses BUT that’s primarily because I was drafting entirely on my phone. Phil and I have had three computers (all admittedly old) crap out on us in the last 6 months and the last of which did so last Sunday. I thought we’d be shopping for a computer this past weekend but when Phil came home from his business trip he showed up with a brand new MacBook Air! I am so lucky!!!!!
The computer isn’t the only reason I feel lucky right now…this week I am adding a few new classes to my schedule and am excited to announce my new permanent schedule. Check it out on my yoga page or head to MoveWith to see my schedule! 
This weekend we both decided we’d kick things up a notch this week in preparation for our coming trip to Tahoe. We’re going up for an extended weekend and its going to have snowed a few feet of fresh powder by the time we dive in…I can’t wait! We’re in double digits now and it’s about to get interesting!!
Phil and I are skipping the mountains this weekend for a little alone time and some R&R. Phil is returning from his business trip this evening so its the perfect excuse for the two of us to curl up with a nice bottle of wine and chill. I am taking on more classes starting next week so I’m really trying to mentally & physically prepare for the shift. It’s a good thing I know just what to do.
For now, I am diving in fork first to these delicious dishes and I encourage you to give Plated a try! This box includes whole wheat flatbread w/mission figs, caramelized onions, & teleggio, red lentil daal, smokey eggplant & garlic naan, and salmon ginger cakes w/soba noodles & winter vegetables. Include your email in the comments below and I will send you a free box to try!
I hope everyone else enjoyed their weekend as much as Phil & I. When I said we wanted to get back out on the mountain and prove ourselves (to ourselves), I wasn’t lying. We took it relatively easy Saturday and totally blew past where we thought we’d get to on Sunday…with a little help from our friends. After a lunch time pow wow we decided to join our them yet again and tackle some tougher runs. We dove in head first and went down some of the more challenging terrain – it felt great! 
I of course couldn’t have survived the 6hr ski days without my yoga practice – starting the morning with some mediation / light vinyasa and finishing the day with some yin to stretch things back out. Now, it’s back to the power yoga grind with 11 classes this week (2 advanced, 1 beginner, 8 all levels).
Obviously there is no shortage of physical activity here, haha, but the dietary routine is on point too…it has to be to stay happy/healthy! We’ve got 7 more weeks to make some real changes & it’s feeling great!
Livingleen 