Finding Balance

Life has quickly changed for us, just like the wise Will Smith once said, “my life got flip turned upside down.”  Although I did not move from West Philadelphia to Bel-Air, I did move from the city to a developing suburb, which feels about the same.  Life has changed drastically in the last year and even more so in the last month.

One year ago , I had just moved to Denver from Washington, DC and was adjusting to life while my fiance was deployed.  I was working at lululemon full-time, life coaching part-time and filling in the rest of my schedule with working out and blogging.  What little time I had left was spent trying to make friends in a new city.

Fast forward a year, my fiance is now my husband, we bought a house in the suburbs, we have wonderful friends, lululemon is a thing of the past and my coaching career has been kicked into full-throttle.  It’s taken a lot of work to get to this point and I anticipate a lot more hard(er) work to get it to the place that I want to be.  Patience.

Now that I am working at home I have had to learn how to separate work and home life.  It’s a hard thing to do for someone who is new to it.  But I am slowly learning (and attempting to teach my cat that his permanent home is NOT on my lap).

While I am turtle-stepping my way into the adjustment phase, I have been sporadic with my working out.  Today I had a slight epiphany.  While I have been searching for a life of balance, the one thing that makes me feel balanced was left out in the cold.  Working out.  Yoga, to be specific.  My excuses had crept back in with a vengeance and my body was taking the heat.

Yesterday I went for an hour-long run and today I went to Lifetime for a hot vinyasa flow class.  I felt like I have reconnected with a long-lost friend.  That might sound dramatic, but going from working out everyday for a year to three days a week was leaving a huge void in my life.  Working out is how I connect with myself and check-in on a daily basis.  Without some version of it (almost) everyday, left me feeling disconnected.

Although I am not ready to commit to another 365 days (primarily because of the blogging accountability and more priorities), I have decided to do something everyday that I can to bring some peace to my transitioning self.  Just being outside in our new neighborhood feels so peaceful with the mountain views and the occasional roaming deer.

Just writing this is making me feel more connected.  How do you connect with yourself?  What/who helps to hold you accountable?  Once you figure that out, hold onto it with everything you’ve got in you.  Your body will truly thank you.

*The deer picture was not taken by yours truly, it was found on google images without anyone to cite for photorights.  However, this is very similar to what I am lucky enough to see almost everyday.*

One Week Later

It’s been an entire week since the 365 day challenge was put into my rearview mirror.  Yawn.  Stretch!  Sip tea.  Walk to get the mail.  Stretch!  That’s been what my latest workout routine has consisted of.  I did not realize how much rest my body needed until it stopped for a while.  I now truly believe that Newton was right, “An object in rest will stay at rest and an object in motion will stay in motion.” 

I’d like to think that my body is still resting and that I have not flipped to the opposite side of the spectrum to become a person who does not workout.  I just joined a gym last night- from home, in my robe and slippers and decided that I would go today.  Except I did not.  Instead, I made a green smoothie, put together my new office chair, ate a piece of pumpkin bread, talked to web designers, had a client call, followed my husband outside as he taunts our cat with thoughts of escaping, and of course, went to get the mail.  It’s only 2:00 pm, but I’ve made the mental decision not to workout today.   I am enjoying finding the opposite of what I spent the last year doing, but know that this will come to an end soon.  I want my sweaty self back…when I’m ready.

Until then, my slippers will be the item that makes me sweat, not a treadmill.  In the mean time, try out this new smoothie recipe that fulfill most of the daily fruit/vegetable requirement:

 

Michael’s Half & Half Green Smoothie

• 2 cups spinach
• a handful of baby carrots or one large carrot
• 2 inches of cucumber
• 1 small banana
• 1 cup mixed frozen fruit
• 1/2 cup zero fat greek yogurt
• 1/2 cup water

 

Day 365: It’s a Done Deal!

Day 365:  Day 365 is here!   I cannot thank everyone enough for all of the love, support and encouragement this past year.  It has meant more to me than I thought possible.  A simple note from a stranger was enough to keep me going for a week, so thank you, thank you, thank you.  A really special thank you goes out to my loving husband who cheered me on every day.  Without him, there were times that I was not sure I would have been able to make it through.

I chose to end my year of working out the exact same way that I started this madness one year ago– except with more people there to love on me.  Mike and I ran 3 miles in Washington Park and then he dropped me off at Karma Yoga for a 75 minute Anusara yoga class with three of my friends.  I know that the instructor was great, but I was not able to concentrate on the words of wisdom that she was sending out due to overwhelming excitement of a goal coming to fruition.

After the class Michael was waiting for me in the car with flowers, a card and a donut (he knows the way to my heart).  We kissed, he told me how proud he is and then we talked about the last year over a cup of coffee at a nearby coffee shop.  It was the perfect way to end a year of lots of sweat, some tears and an overwhelming amount of love.

Here I am today, 365 days later, with a huge accomplishment under my belt and a lot less fat.   I thought it would be a good time to answer the questions that I have been asked over and over again in the last year, “Do you feel different?  Are you going to keep up with it?  Have you lost weight?  What are you going to do on your first day off?  What did you learn?  What are you going to do next?”

Now that I’ve had a year to reflect on all of these questions, I’d like to answer them as honestly as possible.

Do you feel different?  Yes, I do.  My body now physically craves working out on a daily basis.  Even more importantly, so does my being.  I know that it is the best way to elevate my day into a more blissed out state.  If I’m in a funk, it pulls me out.  If I’m not, it makes me feel better.  Almost every time.  I think that makes it all worth it.  Not to mention that every time I choose to workout over not working out, I am choosing to love myself more by making my health a priority.  If that’s not motivation, I’m not sure what is.

If you’re wondering if my body feels different, then I am also happy to report that yes, it does feel different.  Everything feels tighter and in a better place.  My arms and love handles have shrunk down (aka my “bad” spots).   Again, the mental piece plays a bigger role than the physical here.  I feel self-assured in a way that I have never felt before.  Regardless of what my body looks like I know that it is capable of far more than I ever would have imagined.

Are you going to keep up with it?  Yes and no.  There were days that I had to wakeup at 3 a.m. to workout or complete a workout that I was not fond of just to try to fit it into my day.  Those are the types of workouts that I usually do not support.  If doing it makes me upset and it feels unnatural (physically or with my schedule), then I’d rather save up my energy for a great workout the next day.

However I will make the time do it the majority of the week.  I’d like to say that I will stick with working out six days per week.  I know how important working out is to my state of being now and I’ll continue it in a way that feels natural to me.  With a lot less writing and more time sweating!

Also, by no means do I recommend this for everyone.  Potentially it could turn you off from working out and make you run away from your fitness goals.  Rather, set a goal for yourself that is attainable.  Once you attain it, reach higher and then higher….you’ll get to your own 365 days before you know it.

Have you lost weight?  This is the question that I receive the most from strangers.  I think it’s interesting that people care so much about the weight side of it.  From the very beginning of this I have stressed that it has nothing to do with weight and everything to do with a commitment to myself.   Since there is a lot of interest in this, I will answer it honestly.  I have lost 9 lbs over the course of the year.   I was happy with my weight 9 lbs ago and I am just as happy as I am right now.

What will you do on your first day off?   I was not thinking that I would take tomorrow off, but as I type away in my pretty new office my mind keeps drifting to a day filled with movies, a fluffy robe, a hot bath and perhaps a manicure and pedicure.  But those are just some ideas…

What did you learn?   I cannot sum up what I have learned in one paragraph or even in ten pages.  What I can tell you is what I think is the most important thing I learned;  listen to your body, it knows the answers to whatever you are seeking.   If you’ve been reading this blog, then I am sure you are not surprised to hear me say that.

By physically being connected to my body this past year I have been able to listen to what it wants me to do.  I am a firm believer that the body knows the answer to things more so than the mind.  The mind can get clouded by what society wants us to do/not do, look like/not look like.  But the body?  Oh it knows what it craves, you just have to learn how to tune into that.  If you want to learn how to do that more, send me an email, I’d be happy to walk you through some insider tips.

What are you going to do next?  I am going to keep this blog as a way to connect with the community that has been created in the last year.  I will update it every so often with workouts that I think should be shared, recipes, quotes, guest writers and coaching advice.  However, the majority of time and energy will be spent creating my new coaching website that will have its own blog.  It is in the works right now and I will make sure to share it with you when it’s launched in the next few weeks.

As a closing statement I want to reiterate how grateful that I am for you.  Your love and encouragement led me on groggy runs, pushed me through sweaty sculpt classes and told me to keep going everyday.  You’re the voice I will continue to hear when I feel like giving up and for that, I am ever grateful.

Day 364: Spin City

Day 364:  This morning Mike and I went to the Lifetime Fitness in Parker for our daily workout.  As we walked in we looked at each other and said, “see you in 90 minutes” and went our separate ways.

I started off on the treadmill for five minutes and then decided that I wanted to try out a spin class.  I hopped off the tread and headed towards the spin studio and luckily walked in right before the 8:30 a.m. class was starting.  Since I’ve moved to Denver I have been to one spin class and the year before that in DC I made it to two of them.  In the last two years my class time has been replaced by primarily yoga.   However, the year that I spent living in Boston I was hooked to spinning classes.  I made a weekly schedule of what classes I could attend and stuck to them.  Often times they were the highlight of my day.

After my two-year hiatus I was feeling pretty nervous.  Where do my hands go?  Is my back straight enough or too straight?  Are my legs moving at the proper speed?  Why am I the only person breathing so hard?  Did I just sing out loud for a second?  Has anyone noticed that I am the only person in the class of twenty-two without clip-in shoes?  Luckily, the lights dimmed and my frightening thoughts drifted away.   To my surprise two huge movie theater sized screens came down from the ceiling and started showing a documentary on Tour de France (with subtitles).  The 55 minute class flew by and before I knew it there was that same puddle of sweat next to my bike that I used to see every other night at Boston Sports Club.

Tomorrow I will be sore, but for now, I am just happy to have found something that I used to love.  After I was able to calm my breathing I went over to the free weight/ab section of the gym and knocked out 15 minutes of random mat work until my handsome husband told me it was time to leave.  We walked out of the gym hand-in-hand, ready for the last sweat session that I will be blogging about tomorrow.

It’s been one hell of a ride.  Thanks for taking it with me. xxoo

Days 360-363: The End of an Era

Day 363: After two and a half years at lululemon, I am sad to say that last Sunday I put in my two weeks notice to leave the company.  The part-time job  took me from an HR world filled with Fenway Franks and a lonely heart to a world filled with deep breathing, living with intention and more black luon than any one person should ever own.   The job has filled my life with more love, friends and happiness than I could have ever imagined.  It was one of the hardest decisions that I have had to make, however I felt like all the signs in the world have been pointing at me to go coach full-time.  Although it’s incredibly hard for me to do, I knew it was time.

Now I am filling my mind with how to get through the transition by filling my home office with as much happiness as I have gained in the last 2.5 years.  Hopefully I can send that on to my future clients.

With that being said, I went to my last staff meeting on Thursday morning and started with a 45 minute yoga flow led by my amazing co-worker, Jessica Lapham.  She led us through lots of community breathing and inspirational messages that made me teary-eyed for the newest transition in my life.

After work was done that day I came home and went on a quick 20 minute run to make me feel more at home in my home.

Day 361: On Friday I went for a 30 minute run in the snowy morning and was wondering the entire time what happened to Fall?  We seemed to have skipped that season in Denver this year!

Day 362:  Yesterday morning was another one of those, “how the heck am I going to fit in a workout?” type of days.  It really rattles me to the core when I feel stressed about how I will find the time, however, it always works out.  I took Mike to work at 6 a.m. and then went straight to Pura Vida gym for 45 minutes of cardio, followed by 15 minutes of weights and 10 minutes of abs.  Phew, got it in.

Day 363:  This afternoon my friend Katie and I went to my favorite Core Power Yoga on Broadway for a C2 class.  She introduced me to yoga five years ago by taking me to Pura Vida, where I fell on my face attempting crow pose in my first class.   After I let go of my ego, I eventually came back to the practice and it’s now changed my life in a way I never would have thought possible.  Namaste Katie, Namaste.

Days 358 & 359: Reservoir Ride and Mammoth Gyms

Day 358:  I don’t know about you, but I am one of those people who will not leave my house after a move until everything is in perfect order.  Does that sound crazy?  I have kind of felt that way the past few days.  It probably did not help that the only time I left the house was to go on a daily run to Wal-Mart.

I knew that the only way I was going to feel better was by exploring my new neighborhood.  The reason we chose this hood’ over other suburb hoods’ is because of the beautiful reservoir just 1/2 mile down the street.  I hopped on my bike and completed the 8 mile loop around while taking in some of the most breathtaking views and loads of cool animals.  I tried to get pictures of the deer and antelope that I kept seeing, but they blend in so well with their surroundings that they did not show up (which is surprising because I used my fancy camera phone!).

There was also the feeling of relief when I came across runners, bikers, scuba divers getting certified, paddle boarders, kayakers and people just sitting in nature.  It was a sense that I had found home in a place that I had never been before.

What a cool feeling to have such natural beauty so close to home and to have at our disposal whenever our athletic legs need exercise or our minds need grounding.  #watermountainviewlove

Day 359:  The only downside that I’ve found with moving to the suburbs is that I have to drive EVERYWHERE!  I have not had to do that since I graduated high school 5 years ago…or 11 years ago.  Its definitely going to take some adjusting.  Although listening to Matisyahu really loud and singing/screaming really helps speed up travel time.  The point of this driving madness is that I have to drive 15 minutes to get to a gym. That seemed semi-ridiculous to me until I stumbled upon the Wal-Mart sized Lifetime Fitness.  The mandatory tour took 25 minutes and then membership director dropped me off in a peaceful yoga studio for an hour-long hot vinyasa flow.  After that, I hit the treadmill for a 15 minute run and then came home.

The gym has so much to offer that my city gal pint-sized gym self was so overwhelmed.  It’s a big commitment to join a gym and an even bigger one to join a scary mammoth sized gym 15 minutes away.  Until I have to decide on a gym, I think I’ll stick to a routine that includes trips to the reservoir for runs or rides and throw in some trips to Denver to for my yoga fix.  Don’t mind if I do….

Days 353-357: Suburbia Blur

Day 353:  As my last few days as a city girl were approaching, nostalgia hit like a ton of bricks with every city block I crossed.  With all of my reflecting I realized that most of my favorite city things involve working out- Washington Park, Karma Yoga, Wash Perk coffee house (which I go to as a treat after I sweat) and Cherry Creek Trail.  For my loving city farewell I decided to take advantage of all of those things and some of my newer budding friendships.

Thursday I met up with an old friend, Katie, and a new friend, Jessica for a 90 minute flow at Karma Yoga.  With an old friend and a new friend (who both happen to be beautiful yoga instructors) practicing so close I realized how yoga has helped me cultivate some of the greatest friendships in my life.  For that, this city gal is ever grateful.

Day 354: Friday was closing day on the house!  I got up at 6:30 and ran to and around Washington Park for a total of 5.5 miles.  I could talk about how at every turn I said “ahh, this is my last time taking this turn while living in the city,” but I won’t bore you with that.

Day 355:  Moving Day!!  Mike and I got up at 5:30 a.m to pack, pick up a moving truck, load up our storage unit, then load up our apartment, stop for a pizza break with our saint friends who helped us all day, and finally unloaded everything at the new digs.  Throughout the day I think the moving team got really sick of me saying “this is what real crossfit is baby!”  Seriously, I said it a lot and nobody ever laughed.*

*Not even when I was doing “wall balls” with bags of pillows and throwing them in the truck.  Shocking…really.

Day 356:  Unpack, unpack, unpack and cleaned the old apartment from floorboards to the ceiling.  I was one stinky kid.  Again, “this is what real crossfit is baby!”  Did you laugh the second time?

Day 357:  Although the house is still not done, I decided I needed to take a real workout break this morning.  I laced up my kicks and headed out for my first suburbia run.  It’s definitely different.  No panhandlers, just kids.  Lots of speed walkers and very few runners.  Bunny rabbits every where I look and no stray cat to greet me at the door…just my own blissed out Jack.  After my run I went to my basement and setup my “home gym,” that will probably get a lot of use this winter.  Life really is different, but I think I’m going to like these rabbits and lots of sunlight that fills the entire house all day long.