Lovely Seafair weekend!!

It really doesn't get much better than this! Horse show, Blue Angels, and 90 degrees. I think it's time to start blogging again people!

Electrolytes and Heart Scare!

Who knew how important electrolytes were?  Well, I certainly found out this past week.  Last week I hit up yoga several times, was on an airplane, went running twice and went out for drinks Saturday night.  Last Wednesday I noticed my heart was skipping (palpitations) but didn't really think much of it.  Sunday it was VERY noticeable and then yesterday afternoon I was about to head to yoga and I was still noticing it.  So, instead of going to hot yoga again, I went to the dr.  As you can imagine I was pretty freaked out and convinced my heart was going to just stop beating and that would be the end.... turns out, I most likely screwed up my electrolytes last week.  This is a bit different than just being dehydrated, because I have been drinking a TON of water.  So, I'm waiting for my blood test results and in the mean time making sure to drink G2 in addition to water.  I'm still not totally convinced I'm not dying but the dr. didn't seem worried one bit.  I guess that makes me OK?!?!?  I did work out this morning and am still alive ;-)

In other news, I woke up to SNOW this morning.  YUCK.  Seattle depresses me this time of year when it is starting to get nice everywhere else.... Wait, Seattle weather is just super depressing.  Almost all year!

Over the past week I have really been upping my workouts and trying to make sure that I have my share of greens every day.  This is hard for me because I don't like vegetables.  I like a few but I'd really rather eat just about anything else!

I have NOT been doing well with my 40 day/Lent challenge.  I have had a ton of cheese and Sunday night the BF and I went to Whole Foods and picked up some grass fed organic steak for dinner.  So, I made it about 10 days.  It is a process and I'm just trying to be more and more mindful of what is going in my body.  If I am going to eat meat, I need to make sure it isn't mass produced junk.

 

Breakfast yesterday.  Today I had two eggs and just one piece of toast.

Don't you just love samples?  Miniature Chanel!  Loves. 

Who does this cat think she is?  Hm?

XoXo,

LG

Go hard or go home

Today, I think I'll go home.  It is one of those mornings where I'm really NOT feeling it.... (What "it" exactly is, I'm not sure.)  I think it stems from too much stimulus over the past few days and no real "me" time.  I actually crave me time.  I have to have it in order to function.

I don't remember the last time I had a weekend without a million plans.  I pack my weekends full of fun stuff just to get through the weeks.  That is life, I guess.

In other news, I'm doing VERY well with not eating red meat.  No more slip-ups!  I did have some parmesan last night.  Saying no to cheese is MUCH harder than expected.  I also meditated yesterday (but not today yet....) and went to yoga.  I nearly died in the yoga class.  Not sure what the deal was, it was packed, I hadn't worked out in 4 days, flew the day before, dehydrated.... not sure, but I had to go into child's pose during the balancing poses because I thought I was going to faint!  Fainting would be bad!

I totally miss Arizona.  It was amazing weather, got a tiny bit of pool time, and lots of family time.  Coming home to cold nastiness was NOT fun.  I'm fairly sure I was born to live someplace warm.

These two have the life.  Now India Mittens smacks Beau's feet when he is sleeping.  WTF is wrong with that cat?

Post run, still working on it.  Disappointed today that I gained 3lbs on vacation :-(  I want to cry.

Poolside in AZ.  Soaking in those last little rays.  

Does anyone else feel like they do things for other people instead of themselves?  I think I have done that my entire life.  Sometimes it seems like I don't even know how to make a decision based on ME and not what other people will think.  This is one fear that I have got to get over and, like everything, is a work in progress.  I'm always afraid that if I do something for ME then other people will think I'm stupid, or even worse, selfish.  Guess what people, you've got to be selfish.  That is how you survive in life.  I'm not saying to not have empathy or be a complete ass, but if you don't love yourself first, you'll never be worthy.

I've been debating on the direction I want to take this blog, or if I want to take it anywhere at all.  Because of the nature of what I do it is somewhat difficult for me to be too open or real.  Then again, it is nice to have a space that is (mostly) full of positivity and self-betterment.  For now, I'm not going to stress.  There is no point.  This is my fun space and my escape space.

Till next time.

XoXo,

LG

Hot dogs and cheese

So, this whole discipline thing is much harder than I thought it would be.  First thing Thursday morning I had a breakfast burrito at the airport with cheese.  Then, Friday at the horse show I had a hot dog!  And tonight I ordered pizza.... traveling makes it really tough to keep on track.  I haven't worked out since Wednesday!  Got to get back on track tomorrow and going to start the week off right with some yoga!

Week 1 - Presence.  Goal is 5-6 days of yoga, starting each day with a short 5 minute meditation and ending each day with a 5 minute meditation and balanced eating.  Adding more cooling foods into my routine (veggies and fruits.)

Weekly goals:  follow through with my Lent goals, take more pictures, eat right.

And now, back to the Oscars..... (anyone else rather bored this year?)

XoXo,

LG

Discipline and Lent and POWER

Well hello there friends, hope everyone had a happy mardi gras!  I personally spent mine at home cleaning and then reading in bed.  I lived in New Orleans for three years and fully immersed myself in mardi gras every year.  Wow, what an experience!  If you have never gone you absolutely SHOULD GO.  Do it.  But, last night I was perfectly happy to be in bed with Baron.  Baron Baptiste, if you must know.

On this Ash Wednesday I think I am actually going to give something up for the next 40 days.  I have had a really hard time with self-discipline lately (I totally decided to skip the meditation class last night to get in bed) and I think, in honor of my upbringing, I'll follow the tradition of lent this year.  Now, I don't plan on fasting during the daytime or going crazy.  Just two small things (which I fear are going to be huge in the end.)  Cheese and red meat.  I decided to not go with all dairy because I eat a lot of greek yogurt for protein and as a snack but I shall try to keep milk to a minimum also.  Of course, as I'm sitting here typing I have cream in my coffee.  I'm giving up red meat because I realize that I have been eating WAY too much of it lately.  In 2006 I gave up all meat entirely for over a year until my naturopath told me that the reason I was so sick and tired was b/c of my anemia.  (I still ate fish over that time but now realize there would be a much healthier way to incorporate some vegetarianism into my life.)  Now, I know there are ways to avoid getting sick/anemic but at the time I didn't realize that you can't just give up one food group without replacing it with other healthy alternatives (I don't think mac and cheese or pizza count as an acceptable replacement.)

It is no surprise that I have been struggling a bit with my weight over the past couple of years.  I recently started working out regularly again and I'm still not making much progress.  Last night I was immersed in "40 days to Personal Revolution" and decided that, on the eve of lent, this is my 40 days.  So, not only am I going to be giving up those two foods, I'm also going to be attempting a mini personal revolution of my own.  I'm always striving to be better, but what if I'm perfect, just the way I am.  Like Bridget Jones?  Seriously, why do I never think that I am "good enough?"  Well, this is what I hope to find out over the next 40 days.  I'll be regularly updating you on my progress!  I'm SO excited to start this journey.

Also, a few goals:

     1.  Career inspiration dream board
     2.  Fitness/yoga inspiration dream board

(And PLEASE, just because I am partaking in a religious tradition that I was raised with does NOT mean I in any way support or condone many of the views of the Catholic church.  This blog is not for an in depth discussion on politics, so please keep negative comments at bay.  *love you all*)

There are traditionally forty days in Lent which are marked by fasting, both from foods and festivities, and by other acts of penance. The three traditional practices to be taken up with renewed vigour during Lent areprayer (justice towards God), fasting (justice towards self), and almsgiving (justice towards neighbour). Today, some people give up a vice of theirs, add something that will bring them closer to God, and often give the time or money spent doing that to charitable purposes or organizations