Bike riding, Yoga, food and Daily observations 6/14/10

BIKE: So I rode my bike last night for about an hour looking for the “Fresh and Easy” grocery store that I thought I knew where it was. I was wrong. This is where handy old GPS used to come in. I rode right past it. WHOOPS! There weren’t people really out and about that I could ask either, so I just kept riding. My yoga instructor today was talking about being aware of why you are doing a pose and what you are stretching or doing. Sue, my mentor/therapist/life coach/ROCKSTAR says to pay attention to what is going on around you at all times and encourages my sight of different things often. Why I say all of this, is because as I was riding last night I was really paying attention to every movement of my body and what was going on with my muscles. My hamstrings and my calves.The way one moves and flexes as another muscle takes over and relaxes the others. The body is magnificent!
The other thing I was paying much attention to were the smells, and sights I captured with my senses. A dog started barking at me as I passed by his fence. Could he see me? Or smell me? Or was it just sound? An amazing little boxed vegetable and flower garden @ this elementary school where I wondered: are the kids in charge of helping keep this precious gift up? And what a blessing it was to me. I said hello to everyone I passed or good evening and smiled because I wanted them to feel the joy I was feeling with the wind in my hair and face. I spotted a cat watching some birds, or maybe it was a nest. ..but that cat was for sure lounging in the evening sunshine prowling the chirps up near the gutter on the roof.
And then I thought about the roses again. They are EVERYWHERE and I am going to be sad to see them go soon. Their beauty has romanced me here in a city where there is a lot of smog and cars. What makes them grow so well here? I thought on this topic for quite some time and I will be asking my mother to explain to me what she knows. She’s an amazing green thumb! And I really like knowing the why’s behind things, so I will ask her.
YOGA: attended my first Yoga class today @ noon. The instructors name is Michelle and she’s a substitute. She looks just like the Octa mom and Allanis Moresette mixed together. She was a wonderful instructor full of energy and laughter. I loved the way she taught and asked questions throughout the entire class.
I really like Yoga. I like that I feel better after I take a class, like my body is so loose, and yet fuller somehow. I like the breathing that is incorporated as well because I really am able to get centered when I concentrate on it. Meditation and focusing on my body, what it’s doing, how it’s feeling, where I ache, control of movements and postures and awareness. All great stuff! And strength building. Wow…I keep visualizing the day when I can stretch farther than my body allows now. Daily, it is a goal of mine. Flexibility is so super important!
FOOD: Like I said in my last blog…food, is tasting different to me. I wondered as I was walking home and thinking on this topic more, if it’s because I also haven’t smoked in over a month. I really quit back when I moved to Chicago, but have had a couple of lapses here and there until about a month ago when I said, no more even social smoking. Maybe with the amount of exercise I’m doing, the amount of water I am drinking, my taste buds are back!? I will have to do some research into this topic. I know that smoking dulls the senses of smell and taste, so I’m guessing that is part of this for sure, but either way…I LOVE IT!


DAILY OBSERVATIONS: Blog world, I have been thinking on this one certain topic. What does a daily routine do for you? “you” being the proverbial sense of the word here. For me, being a person of non structured behavior, having a routine sets me free. Especially my free time. I am able to do and be and spontaneously decide what I do with my free time when I have the rest of my affairs in order with a daily routine.
My daily routine these days looks something like this: (M/W/Fri)
5:15-6:00 get up, go out back and pick a lemon, juice the lemon, drink a glass of lemon water while I prepare breakfast, eat a small snack(smoothie) leave for BOOT CAMP
6:00-7:00 BOOT CAMP
7:15-7:20 Walk home
7:30-9:00 make and eat breakfast, have quiet time, reflection, mediation, ect.
9:00-11:30 Blog, read, journal
11:30-12:30 Make and eat lunch
12:30-2:30 clean a room in the house (unpack stuff), read some more, journal, write letters, paint, play guitar or piano, work on voice stuff,
2:30-4:00 lay out by the pool, do exercises in the pool
4:00-5:30 Bike to store(picking different routes daily), grocery shopping, bike home
5:30-6:30 Make and eat dinner
6:30-7:30 Plan the next day(food/what I need)
7:30-9:30 watch a movie, journal, read, play Wii Fit Sports
9:30-10:30 PM Yoga/or Swim
10:30 BED
The only thing that changes on Tues/Thurs is that I substitute Yoga @ 7:30 for Boot Camp in the AM and have BOOT CAMP in the PM. Wednesdays @9:30 AM I have Weight Watchers and Thursdays @ 9:00 I have therapy with Sue via Skype. Pretty amazing how little changes from day to day. But, honestly it helps me. On weekends my plan is to go somewhere like the beach, or the mountains, or a museum and getting some of the LA culture in. A different church each weekend at least for the next couple of weekends, and soon I will begin visiting friends and family in the area. The tough part about visiting, is eating correctly. I have only been back in Weight Watchers for a week, and let me tell you how hard it can be at times. I LOVE the realizations on how much I have been consuming or what food looks like in regards to health. I’ll explain it like this…
Portion sizes of places are WAY larger than what we need to consume. And going out to eat or eating at a friends home, you have no idea how an entrée is prepared. I am still such a beginner at the Weight Watchers deal, that I don’t know the tricks to making sure I get my points but don’t go over. Learning to gage portion sizes, and what not isn’t as easy as I remembered it to be. So I’m drawing a boundary and holding off until I’m better @ it. 
Currently reading: Self Talk Soul Talk by Jennifer Rothschild
AMAZING book about “What to say when you talk to yourself” It combines so much of what I’ve been learning about. Especially regarding taking captive thoughts and making them obedient to Christ, and relabeling the names we call ourselves. I am BLOWN AWAY by this and will for sure be Skyping some thoughts on this to Sue this week.
Currently watching: Howard the Duck
I used to watch this as a child and I seriously LOVE this movie with all of my heart!!!

Recently watched: Paul Blart Mall Cop and Talladega Nights
I thought this movie was very cute! I laughed hard at a couple parts and think that Kevin James is is absolutely adorable. I love his tough guy look that he attempts at the end. And Will Farrell is geniously hilarious!
Currently loving: Sweet Chili Sauce from Trader Joes and nectarine and banana smoothies
I have been using the sauce as salad dressing and as a marinade. It’s just delicious. High in sugar but you decide.

Nectarines are totally in season right now and they are delicious with a banana and some yogurt and ice in a smoothie. YUMMY! Go buy a couple, you won’t be let down!!!

Recently listened to: Andrew Phillips “Naked”and lots of Yoga music.

Incredibly gifted worship leader similar to Keith Green in my opinion.

New Age music is all so airy. Like a leaf floating down a river noises!!!