John and I have been together for 6 years now. He was 20 when we met, 2-0!! Just a young lad 😆. I was 21 and coming off my final round of the self-destructive eating disorder world. We were both young and thin (him healthily though), in college, and constantly dancing at concerts and festivals. Studying late and partying late. The life! I was becoming used to eating regularly again, in front of people more too. I stopped running. Too much activity made me hungry (too complicated to get into right now), so I would walk, hike, do yoga. For years, I continued to do light exercise and eat small, very well portioned meals. Man, I thought, “I’ll be this size forever. It barely takes effort.” Just proper proportions. Moderation and portion control.
I have been a strict vegetarian for 7+ years and developed several allergies in the past few. Consequently, my diet is pretty healthy, and sometimes restricted, on a regular basis. I love pears, peaches, pineapple, broccoli, carrots, sweet potatoes, chia seeds, zucchini, but am allergic to kiwi, watermelon, pine nuts, rosemary (which is literally in everything! i.e Today I wanted plain crackers. I always check the ingredients, and there it was, rosemary! Just unnecessary, ya know 😝), and a few others. I also love pizza, gelato, and chocolate. And bread. Those are not terrible foods, but too much can really effect your body, inside and out.
Life is also beginning to take a tole on my body. No, I’m not old! However, my body is constantly changing, and that is always hard to accept. Instead of hating my body and fighting against it, like I did for so many lost years, I am changing my environment accordingly. That includes continuing a healthy diet of balance and more water! Small, reasonable changes, not drastic restrictions.
This step of intention should come from a place of love and patience. I’m not measuring or counting, nor do I have a “goal” in mind. A healthy lifestyle is what I am always aiming for now, and sometimes we just need to get back on track. I have been indulging on my favorites and other yummy foods, oh, since our honeymoon four months ago! My sense of balance has gone out the door, but this week I am determined to turn this path around. Today is the third day, and I feel pretty good.
Monday: To begin my healthier week, I drank water all morning and then had a late breakfast. Vegan yogurt with chia seeds and crushed, unsalted walnuts. I had a side of organic orange carrot juice. Lunch: Juice of kale, pineapple, banana, blueberries, water, and ice. All organic 😉 Snack: I finished off Alp’s kettle corn popcorn and mandarin orange. Dinner: Veggie Nuggets (this is my not-so-healthy weakness…soy nuggets) and organic corn and broccoli. Organic carrots and hummus. Late Snack: Light white cheddar popcorn.
Activities: I taught a hot yoga power vinyasa class (60 min) and a restorative class (60 min). I also did about 20 minutes of yoga on my own. *I don’t always count when I teach, unless I practice a lot with the class.
Tuesday breakfast: organic supergreen juice with acai berry, ginger, and kale. Lunch: Grilled panini on honey wheat bread with little feta and little mozzarella and organic onions. Side of organic sweet potato chips, portioned. Snack: Seaweed “chips” and Larabar (nuts and fruit). Dinner: Organic corn and broccoli. Half a serving of those veggie nuggets. Snack: chips and salsa, portioned. Dessert: John’s homemade Piña Colada (balance yall!)
Activities: 45 minute gentle yoga practice at home.
Wednesday breakfast: my husband made me a yummy juice of organic banana, strawberries, pineapple, kale, chia seeds, ice, and water. Lunch: organic tomato soup. Snack: mixed nuts and Vitamin water. For dinner: organic macaroni and cheese with green peas Snack: TBD!
Activities: Taught chair yoga class for 30 minutes and gentle yoga for 45 minutes. Light practice at home.
Today is only the third day but I’m beginning to feel a difference, feeling more comfortable. Tomorrow and Friday I will have more time to walk, hike, and go to a yoga class or a few, instead of teaching and watching children. I will continue to blog my changes for at least a week. Hopefully, I can show that making healthy choices may not always be easy, glamorous, cheap, or fun, but it can be done! Little steps!
Our body is a beautiful and complicated structure that needs attention. Bodies constantly change, a thing that we constantly are confused by and struggle with. Make the effort to change with your body, but always choose balance and love to guide your beginning.
✌
Sarie
Yoga with Sarie 
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