Here we go again

Hey ya'll!

I've missed writing these last few months but I think I needed a quiet space in my life to process, grow, and advance. A tremendous amount has happened in less than a year's time and I feel badly for starting over here yet again. But I think it's necessary to reevaluate our lives and the things we do to make sure it's really for us and not anyone else. This blog included (not that anyone else is reading Lol). 

I think my 180 Degrees in 180 Days was a remarkable journey that was absolutely necessary in my life at that time. I am so grateful for the chance to have executed it even if I didn't celebrate my last days of the journey here for all to see. 

I'm inclined to believe that now I'm in a place in my life where it is really time to develop, dig, and expose my love for family, life, food, yoga, travel, and myself. The Most High is aligning the stars and I am sitting listening for once as opposed to trying to force things to happen. I intend to return regularly and share what unfolds as my life progresses. 

I am grateful for these new open spaces in my life and intend to fill them with only things that make me happy, allow me to feel secure, and align with my Creator's will. Thank you for being patient with me over the years, I know this will grow and morph into something beautiful. 

Peace and Namaste 

180 in 180 Days 156-158

Hey Ya'll,
I finally got back on my mat yesterday and I'll be honest, it took until today to really feel like I was comfortable on it again. But I think that had a lot to do with the video that I chose to start out with yesterday. As a speaker and yoga enthusiast Sean Corn is great, but her Vinyasa Flow Yoga Breath and Movement dvd is not easy to connect to. The first disc is very slow and she talks excessively. The second disc she doesn't speak at all, not even to give verbal cues for the next posture. I find that rather ridiculous. So today I pulled back out my Beginner's Ashtanga with Nikki Doane and that did the trick. For an hour I got to pray, breathe, and sweat...It was beautiful and I am grateful. I have another run tomorrow to pair up with my yoga session. So off to bed I go to survive 3 miles.
Peace & Namaste Ya'll

180 in 180 Days 153-155

Hey Ya'll,
I survived!!! I officially finished my Jillian Michael's series yesterday and I have not felt so relieved since I moved this Summer Ha!! I'm just taking a 3 week break from her to shake things up in my routine before I hit a plateau. Ashtanga and Vinyasa Flow yoga will be a nice change for my running routine. I could definitely use some time on my mat and my flexibility has been lacking over the last 12 weeks. Jillian isn't exactly all that keen on extensive stretching in her cool downs. I'm ready for my body to ache in a different way.

I was supposed to take part in a 5k tomorrow, but I guess those plans have changed. I'm not really all that sure yet. I won't find out for sure until tomorrow. I guess I will let ya'll know what happens. I don't think I ever imagined my life would be where it is right at this every moment, but it could definitely be worse. And I am so grateful that it is not worse. The perks of being a "Sunny Side-up" type of person is that it takes a lot to bring you down and when you are brought down it takes twice as much to keep you down. Which just reinforces that I made the right choice to leave my old life behind me. That life I somehow managed to get myself stuck in was killing my spirit and it was all I could do to keep from being lost completely.

This life that I am rebuilding just for me as such endless possibilities that I have to remind myself occasionally to take one step at a time and do exactly what makes me happy. No fear. No second guessing. No answering to anyone else about how it can be done, how it will make me enough money, how it will fit into anyone else's plans for life. Don't rush it. Don't question it. Don't do it if it doesn't make you happy. Most of all  don't forget to breathe. Breathe deeply. Breathe slowly. Breathe deliberately. Breathe to remind yourself that you are still alive. Breathe to center and breathe to focus. I thank my Creator for bringing me to yoga. Yoga has helped me in being able to hear better. To understand better. To react better. To be more grateful.

What has yoga helped you with?

Peace & Namaste Ya'll

180 in 180 Days 151-152

Hey Ya'll,
Last night was a bit rough, for some reason I had a stomachache. Maybe because I disrupted my current eating patterns. The progressively cooler weather is changing my desires so I'm going to need to come up with a Fall and Winter eating plan quick fast and in a hurry. (plus any other synonyms you can think of for Now) Today was no different actually, I ate differently than I have been with my shake in the middle of the day for lunch instead of at the beginning and end. I've decided that the beginning and the end need to remain in place until I am out of mix. Which honestly will only be about another 4 or 5 days. After that I have to just keep things in check, I'm just terrified that I will somehow mess up all of the good work I've done these last two weeks. I'm determined to keeping moving forward in this just like with the rest of my life. No looking back and no falling back into detrimental habits. I have plenty to look forward to in just the near coming months alone and that is keeping me motivated.
Day 151
Breakfast I was chilly outside and an ice cold shake was not going to cut it.

Homemade Sweet Potato Bread with turkey bacon and Orange juice
I was so hungry I nearly forgot to take the picture.

I think the last two days have been so different in my eating because I seem to have been way too hungry when finally deciding to make a meal. Hmm, I'll have to force myself to be more aware of this tomorrow. 

I did forget to take my picture this time until after I finished eating
Chicken wings, and about a cup of Shrimp Fried Rice

For dinner I was not hungry so I simply mixed up a cup of the Accell metabolism drink by Zrii

Day 152

Breakfast was courtesy of my mother, I couldn't resist it was smelling amazing and my run this morning was long and draining.

Tomato, Sausage, and Spinach Fritatta (fancy word for baked omelette)
Homemade Sweet Potato Bread and Unsweetened Applesauce

Lunch day 152

Lunch Dutch Chocolate Achieve by Zrii and 32 ounces of water to wash it down

snack shared with my kiddo

Air-Popped Popcorn (yes my weakness in snack choices)

So I did in fact fail to photograph dinner, my mother cooked yet again.

Oven baked bar-b-que chicken with baked beans and potato salad.

I made sure to drink 16 ounces of water before beginning to eat, 8 ounces while I ate, and another 8 ounces as I finished eating. All 32 ounces of water helped me to feel full well before I normally would have if I waited to drink until I was nearly finished shoveling food into my face. 

I only have 2 more workouts with Jillian Michael's before I set her aside for a couple of weeks and sink deeply into my mat for some much needed yoga refocus. If you couldn't tell, I am so ready to be finished with this body revolution. My body has been revolutionized and is now in need of a small break Haha! I thank each of you for any time that you may take to come by and see how I am doing. if you have some positive energy to send out into the world I ask that a simple thought be sent my way for just a moment. I could use a little extra good juju to help bring my first journey to a close. If anyone else needs good energy sent their way I have plenty to share. Until next time 

Peace & Namaste Ya'll

180 in 180 Days 149 - 150

Hey Ya'll,
I'm slightly at a loss for what to leave you with today. I'm missing elements of my old life but not nearly enough to subject myself to the toxicity of my former surroundings. So I'll just be sure to keep in touch with the loved ones that I actually miss and take some time this week to prepare the foods that remind me of home. I'll be sure to take plenty of photos on those days.
Day 149 had a bit more food than planned but again not bad. I've been making some noticeable progress and I'm determined not to mess that up. I'm finally beginning to actually look different, not just live different. I've been waiting for my body to catch up with the rest of me for months now. Now I just need this to snowball and get my outside to match my insides. I know I sound impatient, I'm trying not to be, but occasionally I find myself there so I just breathe and keep moving forward.
Day 149:

More Dutch Chocolate Achieve by Zrii and literally a gallon of water for the day

I split this plate with my daughter, she ate most of the cheese and all of the tomatoes LOL
Tuna salad and cucumbers Mmmm mmmm

So this wasn't actually my plate of spaghetti, I forgot to take a pic of mine, but this was about how much I had. 

I think I'm struggling tonight with my dialog because I'm tired, and still quite a bit hungry, so I'm going to call it a night early and start fresh tomorrow. 

Peace & Namaste Ya'll

180 in 180 Day 148o

Hey Ya'll,
As of today I realize just how excited I am about finishing my current exercise routine and taking on the challenge of pouring myself over my mat again. Of course I touch it to some extent fairly often, but not nearly to the extent that I was earlier this year. Making big changes has a tendency to disrupt habits of all kinds. But I only have one more week left of Jillian Michaels before yoga intensives become my focus again. Yoga is more than a great stretch or a good workout for me. It's a way to calm my mind and open my heart enough to hear the responses that my Creator has to the prayers I send up so regularly. Without it I struggle to hear or see what is meant for me sometimes. With it I float through life secure and at peace.

Okay, so clearly I was a bit contemplative today but I didn't over think my meals. They were simple and slightly odd. But nothing was overdone.
Breakfast and dinner the same today:

Dutch Chocolate Achieve by Zrii and 4 - 32 ounce containers of water

Lunch consisted of a hodgepodge of leftovers as usual:

Sauteed Cabbage with Cornbread
I also had a small Granny Smith Apple and 2 sticks of String Cheese
(I know kind of random, but it's what I had)

There was an evening snack before my dinner shake today. Which I hadn't been doing lately, but it happened: 

Reunited with my favorite snack Air-Popped Popcorn

I'm proud of where I am and where I am going...even if I don't yet know exactly what direction that is in right now. I do know for sure it's not backwards and that is perfectly fine with me. May ya'll have peace, love, light, and tasty bites throughout your life. 

Peace & Namaste Ya'll

180 in 180 Days 146-147

Hey Ya'll,
So yesterday I did some investigating into my future....Have you ever gotten the feeling that the "normal" route into something just might not be meant for you? Oh well, I'll try anyway and if it's what The Creator has in store for me then it will happen. If not, then there are always alternate routes. The front door isn't the only way to access the home.
I do know that I need a new camera and a way to make some money. But then again, it seems that is what most of us want these days (including the new camera) LOL. But I am fighting the urge to over think anything and just continue to listen. Because I was out and about all day yesterday I failed to collect pictures of any meals. But I do have the photos from Thursday. Nothing special, and still working through my bag of Dutch Chocolate Achieve by Zrii. Oh yeah, I can't afford to continue with the Zrii (yet again) after this bag. So I'm going to have to just snatch my habits in and keep photo documenting for accountability. To be honest the photos are twice as effective as any food journal has ever been. As a matter of fact, as soon as I upgrade my phone I think I will connect to InstaGram to keep things going from Zen_Tasting beyond the 180 in 180 project.
Day 146 Breakfast and Dinner:

The cup holds 30 ounces of water
Dutch Chocolate Achieve by Zrii

Day 146 Lunch:

I'm sure putting up recipes is going to become necessary very soon, especially once I figure out how to gain my control of the kitchen. Right now, it's not really something I do because I so often just throw things together without thinking about it.

Steamed Brown Rice, Sauteed Kale, Simmered Red Beans, with Tomatoes Jalapeno and Onion

Night 146 I went to bed feeling accomplished and hopeful. Night 147 I went to bed feeling hopeful but uncertain.The big difference now from 147 days ago is that hope is still present. The worst thing that could ever happen to a soul is for hope to be lost. Lost hope causes the world to fade to gray and the air to thicken. I have hope for you out there; that in your own journey hope finds you again and never leaves.

Peace& Namaste Ya'll