Namaste

I took my first yoga class in two years on Sunday. 

And before that class two long years ago, I hadn't taken a formal class in about, well, two years. Yeah. It's been a while. I've done poses during Barre workouts and random ones to deal with acute tension. My body is sorely craving fluidity and release. It felt so good to stretch and lengthen . . . I took another class on Monday morning. I actually signed up for the studio's new student pass -- $40 for a month of unlimited yoga. What a way to kick off the new year.

I plan to go to yoga three times a week this month. Two classes of flow on Tuesdays and Thursdays and a longer class on Sundays of align and flow. My goal? To better listen to my body. To breathe more deeply. To think more inwardly. To shed these aches and pains and feel . . . younger. Nah, 34 isn't old by any means. Still, I've been feeling rather stiff and blocked up both mentally and physically.

I'm also looking for connection and community. You see, the reason I've resisted filling in the rest of our monthly calendar is because I finally have a spot on it. And I like how it looks. When we installed it in the fall, Stephen had activities most days. Ada had a bunch of stuff, too. Even Eloise had play-dates, music classes, and other things going on just for her. Me? Nada. And now I've finally carved out my own time.

Of course, I won't be able to keep up such frequency at the studio. The price will jump considerably if I want to keep up at this rate. So, at least for now, I'll go as often as I can. My hope is that the regularity will get me in a good momentum. I intend to continue with a studio class a week the rest of the year . . . and to practice at home a couple more days. We'll see. This is a start of something, and it feels good in so many ways.

Are any of you rekindling your love for yoga (or any other long-lost favorites) in 2018?

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Making Weekends-Off Work For You

As you know, I am trying to modify what I’m eating during the weeks because I let too much sugar and bread and carbs creep in on the daily.  At the same time, I am going easy on myself and like to indulge. Striking a balance is hard, so over the years I’ve tried adopting a weekends-off approach from time to time. So far, it’s going well this time around.

I’ve learned I’m not alone in my struggles. So, if you’re interested in trying a similar approach, here are some keys for making it work.

// 1: Set Your “Weekend”

If you let it, the weekend off will stretch as long as you want it to. For me, I’ve set my weekend to Friday night, Saturday, and Sunday morning. It’s a two-day span of time that encompasses two breakfasts, two lunches, and two dinners.

But the traditional weekend timeframe might not work with your lifestyle. Maybe you do long shift work and have your time off during the week. Or perhaps you’re better at eating well when you aren’t working, so you’d rather your off days be when you’re at your busiest. Whatever the case, set your timeframe and stick to it so it doesn’t bleed into three days, four, five, six, and you see where this is going.

// 2: Plan and Prep

For me, the weekends off are easy. I eat at my favorite restaurants. Try a few new recipes I’ve been eyeing on Pinterest. And in all other ways loosen my belt for a couple days. It’s returning to the cleaner eating that’s more difficult. I’ve discovered -- at least for me -- it has a lot to do with planning and preparation versus will power.

For example, eating “off” means more convenience foods like bagels, pizza, cookies, etc. Things you can easily grab. During the week, the foods I eat require more time and attention, so making the switch back can feel labor intensive. For me, using a Sunday afternoon to go grocery shopping, chop veggies, boil eggs, write out a loose meal plan for the week, and regroup mentally is huge. And learning to love those alternative healthy foods makes a difference. You can find healthy foods you love.

Here are 20 great make-ahead meals you’ll love.

// 3: Get Into a Rhythm

Again, healthy eating isn’t quite as automatic for me. So, I need to be more regimented and planned for it to go down easily. I know all the right things to do, it’s the doing them that’s so hard. If you can, set yourself into a good cooking and eating rhythm. Make meal time predictable. Find your go-to meals for when you’re tired or sick or otherwise wanting to slip back into old habits.

One of the biggest things I’ve struggled with since leaving my desk job is having all the times in the day bleed together. And total access to my kitchen 24/7. So, I like to do things like “pack” my lunch and schedule my snacks. Sort of like when I was at work. I have all the food ready and waiting for me, and there’s no need to go digging in the pantry.

// 4: Keep Loose Track

Just because the weekend is “off” doesn’t mean that I give myself carte blanche. I don’t get absolutely crazy and eat all the foods. I’ll definitely go for that pizza. And the cake. But I try to keep my portion sizes sensible. I try to eat just ONE massively wonderful dessert at a time. And I try to make a lot of these foods from home to help with both portion and wholesome ingredients.

Often I’ve read that a weekends off approach does not work for losing weight. I am too early in my process this time around to truly know (and I’m also mostly using it to help curb my sugar tooth). But keeping loose track of what you eat in the off time will surely help avoid turning a few treats into a full-on gorge festival. There is a difference, though someone will need to remind me of that on Super Bowl Sunday.

// 5: Embrace Mindful Eating

Mostly, this is all an exercise in mindful eating for me. It’s a way of paying attention to diet and food so it doesn’t have to be some awful exercise in restriction. Instead, it’s taking stock of how food makes you feel. How mindless eating can slip in when we’re bored or tired or whatever else.

Here are some tips for mindful eating via Huffington Post:

• Eat more slowly -- I know I’m guilty of shoving food down my throat. Really chew your food. Pay attention. Taking your time will give your mind a moment to register if you’re full, etc.
• Eat in silence -- Obviously eating in silence at the dinner table can be hard. If you’re alone for breakfast, lunch, or a snack, you can try to focus on that meal with your total quiet attention.
• Eliminate distractions -- And this means switching off the TV, putting away your phone, and otherwise eliminating distractions.
• Pay attention to flavor -- Take in all the flavors and textures of your food. Following the above steps will help you get there. Appreciate each ingredient or component for its own unique qualities.
• Know your food -- Eat local foods when you can. Head to your farmers market. Visit your CSA farm. Check out a new restaurant in your area. It will give you a new appreciation for your food.

More Healthy Eating Tips

• #1: Stock up on frozen veggies 
• #2: Buy greens and actually USE them 
• #3: Create simple, go-to meals
• #4: Learn to love alternatives
• #5: Prep, Make, and Store
• #6: Add In: Convenience to your advantage
• #7: Eliminate Food Waste
• * 20 Ideas for Make-Ahead Meals

Do you follow a weekends-off approach? 

What works for you?

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Healthy Living: Jenn's Story

Jenn writes:

Hello (never home)maker fans! So great to see ya. Here is a bit about me and this story of health of mine:

I remember standing in the Texas Wal-Mart, full of frustration and thinking to myself, "Look at this body. Too much of this. Too much of that (pointing to my belly and my hips). No more food for the rest of the day Jenn. That banana and slice of toast you had is it." I was 15. And that became my world for the next 13 years.

I grew up in a healthy and active home. My mom raised me (and my two brothers) by herself. We lost my dad when I was 5. But she was the rock star of the house! We had everything we wanted: I danced, played tennis and volleyball. I had my first boyfriend in middle school. A very standard life, if you ask me. But in high school my standard life became a battle. A battle that I started. I began to hate my body. I began to think that it was never good enough, thin enough, small enough, or pretty enough. It just wasn't enough. I was still playing tennis, dancing and living my life with a smile. I still had a boyfriend. But on the inside, I lived in a world of restriction.

At 15, I began to do what I saw most of the other girls around me do, I stopped eating. I had a small breakfast, skipped lunch and then somehow either skipped or barely ate dinner. I got thinner. I got very thin. I got attention. I thought I felt happy. But not truly happy because you see, I was still never good enough.

One day after eating just an apple for breakfast, my mom picked me up from school. She had stopped at my favorite bagel shop on the way and the car was filled with the blueberry and starchy aroma. It was an incredible smell! Without even controlling my hand, my body or my mind, I reached into that bag and inhaled a blueberry bagel. By the time we got home I had eaten nearly 3. I topped off that day with about 4 bowls of Special K, a huge plate of pasta and a pint of ice cream. That was my first binge. I was 16.

This became my life through high school, most of college, and then my first few years as a professional. Restrict, binge, restrict, binge. Repeat. I gained 50 pounds, I lost it the wrong way and gained another 60. At 28 I was unhappy, unhealthy and lost. I had tried every diet in the book at least 5 times. Something had to change.


It was a Sunday. I was watching the movie Serendipity (I'm a sappy romantic!). Something in that movie made me pause and sit up. I can't even tell you what it was but all I remember was this: "I am not living my life. I am existing. And I am tired of it. I want to change." So, I marched into my room and grabbed the book that had been sitting there for about a month, titled "Intuitive Eating." I sat on the couch and read every single page.

On June 1, 2008, I changed my life with very small, simple changes. I stopped dieting. I stopped restricting. I gave myself permission to eat. And to eat well. This step took weeks to truly live. I had to remove the forbidden label from food and relearn how to listen to my body, to eat when I was hungry and to stop when I was full. Such simple but such powerful concepts. This was no easy task for me. Every food in my world had a good or bad label. It had a calorie count, a carb count and a protein count attached to it. And I had a rule book that existed in my head. But now it was time for a new rule book. One that encouraged making peace with my body and making peace with food.

My thoughts on exercise changed. I decided that exercise should be nothing but fun. Fun that makes ya sweat and sometimes yell because it hurts but overall, I wanted to have a blast with my workouts! I found out that I love kickboxing, spinning, weight lifting and hiking. I began using a workout called "Turbo Jam." That was when I really started to enjoy fitness.

These changes were small. They were simple. No pressure was attached. No expectations or results demanded. I just began to choose healthy. I began to choose to feel good, to eat what felt good and to move in a way that felt good. And yes, that often included Oreos and ice cream! Since June of 2008 I have lost 60 pounds. I have started a new career in health and fitness as a wellness and fitness coach. I love, love, love my job! I love teaching group fitness classes and live for sharing everything I have learned with others. It's been quite the road since 2008. I grow, learn, hit all the bumps on the road and try again.


But the best part is that I now feel that I am living my life FULLY. I am present. I am having fun!

Thank you so much for allowing me to share this story. I hope you will come and say hi, maybe even stay a while at www.LiveWellFitNow.com.

Jenn

In need of some healthy fitspiration? While you're here, you can read more great stories like Jenn's -- as well as submit your own healthy living story to be featured on our site!

Like what you just read? You can subscribe to the feed of these posts or follow us on Twitter or Facebook to be the first to know what the (never home)makers are up to. And we’ll love you forever!

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