recalibrate...

ahh...  peace and quiet, breathtaking views, time to relax, some awesome yoga practices and most of all, amazing company!

This afternoon I returned from a yoga and fitness retreat that I had the opportunity to co-lead with a good friend and mentor, Darlene Maclachlan, owner of the Yoga and Wellness Studio in Smiths Falls, Ontario (just outside Ottawa, our nation's capital).  Here's a little peak at our view out over the lake from the lodge!

We were thrilled to host the retreat at a beautiful lodge about 30 minutes away in one of the most sought after cottage areas in the province (Rideau Lakes).

This retreat was an opportunity for me to bring together 2 of my loves - yoga and food!!!  While my partner in crime took care of organizing the schedule and instructors and everything else, I took care of menu planning, buying supplies for and preparing the weekend's meals.  And, while to others this may have seemed the worst responsibility possible, for me it was pure bliss.

I love cooking and I especially love cooking for others.  I love good food and I love sharing good food.
So for me, this was HEAVEN!

The weekend's menu was simple - nothing too complicated, it being the first time cooking for such a large group.  Oatmeal, fresh fruit, homemade almond milk, quinoa salad, spinach salad with roasted veg, fruit salad, vegetarian chili, mushroom tacos and more.   Here's lunch!

Between happy time in the kitchen, spending time with long time friends and new friends and having some downtime to relax in a beautiful space, this weekend was indeed a time for me to recalibrate.

Much appreciated to have had the opportunity to cook for all of you this weekend and hoping to do it all again soon!  Next time at the lodge, I'll pick out one of the books they've got on site and find a corner to curl up in - as you can see, lots to choose from :-)

learn to run follow-up

Back in November, I wrote about learning to run outdoors again and getting off the treadmill once in a while.  How's that going, you wonder?   It ain't.

I managed to get out a few times before a cough settled in - for weeks on end!  I was still coughing at Christmas.  Then a cold/flu paid a visit and knocked me on my arse for a couple of days.  Thanks go to Buckley's for expediting the end of that! 

When I'm teaching yoga, I always counsel my students to be accepting of what is.  So, taking a bit of my own guidance, for now I'm accepting that for whatever reason, outdoor running just isn't going to work for me.  I can however be grateful for the opportunity to be able to run, even if it is on a treadmill - there are many who can't at all. 

When the weather starts to warm up a little more I'll give the outdoor running thing a try again.  Disappointing, but not the end of the world.

For now, I continue to lace up for treadmill time and, more recently, the local indoor running track with an awesome friend!  

meal planning and I are not getting along

How does your meal planning work for you?  I don't know what it is, but I have failed every single time I've tried to do meal planning.  I'm good for a couple of days, then by the time Wednesday rolls around, I just don't want salmon anymore.

This time was no different.  For the last 2 weeks I have tried creating and sticking to my meal plan.  By mid-week, it and the junk mail are best buds.

I've identified 2 barriers to my meal planning success:

1) I don't "feel" like having what's on the menu
2) I forgot to take something out of the freezer

Barrier 1 eg I don't "feel" like having what's planned is the most significant of the two.  And quite frankly, I'm not sure why this should be viewed as bad.  Barrier 2 is easily remedied with no shortage of defrosting methods, so not a real concern.

I've learned to listen to and be aware of what I need from a nutritional point of view.  Salmon may have seemed like a good idea for Wednesday's dinner on Sunday, but by the time Wednesday rolls around, what I'm really needing is a big veggie stir fry.  Is that really a bad thing?   I don't think so.

Where this can become a problem is if I end up running out to the store to pick up stuff because I "feel" like something different.  Expensive and wasteful of the food already in the house.  What I have been very good about is working with what I do have in the house - and there is plenty of it, thanks to the CSA we're part of with Heritage Harvest Farms.  Every week throughout the year, we get a delivery including meat, produce, homemade artisanal bread, eggs and various other sundry items, all homemade (ketchup, sauerkraut, chili, salsa, maple syrup, etc).   There is definitely no shortage.

So where does this leave meal planning?  Well, I'm not going to beat myself up about it.  I've resigned myself to the fact that it may never work for me.  And at the end of the day, I'm ok with that because we consistently have healthy, nutritious meals full of fabulous foods from our local farmer.

The type-A in me is not happy about having failed at this little project but the foodie in me is rejoicing!  Who knows, maybe one day we'll make it work.  Until then, adios meal planner!

how about a do-over?

Yikes, I'm not sure what happened last week but my "to-do's" went out the window!

I managed to get 2 workouts in (out of 6), my meal plan lasted until Tuesday, and my daily yoga practice?   Well, we need go no further on my list of "did-not's".

I don't know where the week went.   I figure that, in and of itself is worthy of reflection.  No doubt there are a few nuggets of learning to be gained.

So, off to the races and wish me luck!