Been A Minute

So it's been a minute. Been a little busy moving across the country, state lines, and then across the county.  Lots going on since the last time I was on here. I am not going to go over all of the details - just some recent info that might interest you.

I am sure as hell NOT going to talk about the Pandemic that is happening in our world. It's already everywhere so I am SURE that you don't want to read about it AGAIN.....so moving forward and upward. 

I decided a few months ago that I am DONE with TV and anything else streaming (for the most part - there are some new things coming out that I do want to see, but that is besides the point).  The point is, I missed reading. It's so calming and relaxing. I am a super slow reader - are you the same? I fall asleep. It's like my eyes just get so heavy - like 10 pound dumbbells or something - and I can't keep them open. It doesn't matter how good the book is either. I just can't. I want to but I just can't. 

I would love to hear what you are reading. Comment below so I can find a new book. I am always looking!

 I clearly don't have enough books (insert my sarcasmic eye roll), even though my B&N credit card is completely maxed out. BUT, did you know that they will send you $25 gift cards! But, honestly, have you EVER, ever in your life, kept it under the gift card amount? I think I did ONCE! Actually I know that I did it once. It was a new book, just released and one of my very good friends had sent me the title and told me how good it was.  FYI, it was AHHHHMAZING! And I couldn't sleep at night for like a week because it was THAT GOOD! It was SUPER Skkkkkkerrrrry! But soooo good!

Because of that, I have a new favorite author! 

By the way, my ADD just kicked in - Have you heard about this? Drunken elephants

I am pretty sure this is my favorite story EVAH! 

My last words of advise for the day:

Be An Elephant! 
💜
Have a fantabulous day! 

Yoga for Gardeners

Per request of a client, I have been asked to write about yoga style of stretching for the gardener. 

Since I am still learning as much as I can about Yoga, I had to look up a few names. I know a lot of the moves and the correct form of the ones that I do know but still learning the names. Heck, I still learn names of exercises on a regular basis......Life is a world of knowledge. If you close the door to learning, you close your options to the world. 

The first two exercises that go hand in hand with each other is a very basic yoga move. Cat and Cow.  Once you are in each move, you want to breathe slowly. About a 4 count. ie. inhale, 2, 3, 4 - exhale, 2, 3, 4. Do a few of those and really focus on your breathing as you are doing this. If you are doing it outside, listen to your breath, the birds chirping, or whatever else that is in your environment. You want to take it all in. Enjoy it. 

Next move is the Bird Dog move. Press back with your left heel and reach with your right hand. Feel this in your flexed foot at the heel area. Really reach out through your fingertips. Hold for a breath and then repeat 5 times on each side. 

Uttanasana (those crazy yoga words) --- Get into a standing position. Reach your arms around your back and then with soft (slightly bent) knees, hinge forward at the hips. Repeat your breathing technique and try to lift your arms up to the sky with each exhale. Hold for two or three breaths and then hinge back up to standing position. Repeat 4- 5 times. You should feel this in your hamstrings (back of your legs) and possibly into your calves as well as in your shoulders and upper arm area. 

Relax your arms and shake them out loosely.  After you are back to your comfort space, grasp your hands behind your back again and lean back and open your heart to the sky. Breathe. Let the sun envelope you. 

Don't forget to breathe! Very critical in all aspects of exercise. By practicing yoga regularly, your breathing will come easy with all other exercises and your daily life. 

I hope you feel refreshed before and after your gardening. You can do these exercises any time you feel "tight" and want to relax your body. There are many more......Soon to come! 

Nameste 

I AM BACK!

I am back! I am more than happy to be back. I tried out a new website and got very bored with it very quickly. I would much rather do my own thing on my own page and just have fun. This is what I like and this is what I do. I am cool with that. This was supposed to be me time and it turned into work. THAT, I didn't like. 

Been in Arizona for over a year now. Love living here. Have made some amazing friends and started a great job and have moved around the company quickly already. My year mark with MSF is this month - dang, that went fast!

Here is my only thing that I have to complain about --- I haven't hit pavement in months! My job keeps me busy and so does my family. It has been hard finding the time to get out there and run. In the middle of the summer, you can't run just any time during the day. It has to be early - and I mean EARLY morning or late - and I mean LATE - in the evening to run. I get up most mornings before the sun comes over the Earth, and it's already in the 80's. All day long, sits in the 100's. Evenings are still in the 100's until late at night. Since, I am not a night person, early morning is my only option. That's when I get most of my detailed work accomplished. 

I am not a treadmill runner. It doesn't give me the same high so it doesn't fulfill my needs. I guess I am just going to wait it out until fall. It will be here before we know it. 

I think I am going to get back into cooking and posting recipes up on this blog. That was fun! I think my viewers enjoyed it also. Any other suggestions of what you would like to see on here? I can even get my YouTube videos on here from my latest site. There were a few good exercise techniques on there. 

Anyway, just wanted to say HI and let all you googlers know that I am back to have some fun!

Chicken and Cauliflower - leftovers

The picture doesn't give this meal justice!

Last night, I cooked chicken. Just cut up some chicken and threw it in a hot skillet of fat free Italian dressing. While that cooked, I steamed frozen cauliflower in the microwave in a Tupperware (my Mom sells this so I have to give a shout out to it....honestly one of my best purchases evah! --- If you want some, I will get you in touch with her). Anyhoo, while I was steaming the cauliflower, I put a little bit of grapeseed oil (you can use EVOO or whatever healthy fat oil you want) and 2 cloves of garlic in the skillet.

After a bit of the chicken cooking, I threw in some red onion and yellow and red peppers.  Let that cook up nice and brown.

Back to the other skillet: I added some mushrooms and tomatoes. Once the cauliflower was done, I drained it and mashed it. I put it in the skillet and let it simmer together. The last minute or two, I put some reduced fat mozz cheese on top.

That was my dinner last night. What was left over, I put in a TUPPERWARE container for lunch today. I put it on the stove and heated....added a few more veggies.

The flavors completely complimented each other!

Think of all the nutrients you get with this meal! Not a lot of carbs. High in protein.

Peppers - Lots of Vitamin C
Onion - Studies show that it can help lower your cholesterol and triglycerides
Chicken - Loads of protein
Cauliflower - More protein and low carbs

Two meals in one. And not an expensive or hard to make meal!

Can't beat that, can ya!

Try it and let me know what you think (below in the comments)

Arizona Bound

The past couple of days have been a complete blur! We looked at over 20 houses and a few apartments while visiting Arizona last week. But, believe it or not, we found one! One that the three of us agreed upon. The others will love it as well! NO DOUBT! Pool, grill, bball court, and a veranda. Wow! I am STOKED! 

But now, back in Ohio. Reality! In a matter of weeks - I will be an official Arizonian! (ftr, I will still scream for the Bucks - even though most of the time we don't need to scream...we just win) 

One minute, I am happy with tears, and the next minute, I am sad with tears. I can't believe that this is finally happening!

I am trying to stay positive. Look at the great things that are to come. Example - there is a freakin' BIKE TRAIL next to my house! I mean, it connects to my lot! WHAT! Oh, and I bought a yoga backpack last week. It will hold my laptop, all my other goodies, and my yoga mat. Which means, I can ride my bike to Yoga and to the coffee shop. Again, WHAT! This IS the life I have always wanted. I just didn't expect it to come so soon. Or so far away from everything I know. 

But wait, this is a good thing. I have to stay positive and keep my head high! My family and friends will visit. If I get too homesick, it's an airplane ride away! Only 3 hours and 45 minutes to fly back home! That's IT!

I can do this!
I am going to do this!
And I am going to freaking LOVE this!

My front yard view.....yes, that's a mountain - Camelback Mountain to be specific 

Stretching - the Importance

This website for runners is amazing! I have used it quite a few times and have shared it in my classes, with my clients, and my running friends. It really seems to make the body do the things in better form. After a long run, it's such a nice release to stretch out - but to have so many cool stretches, makes it even better. It's easier to run the next day or two. 

Stretching and warming up are critical when it comes to any type of working out. Whether you are cross training, taking a Pilates class, cycling through a Spin class, or going out for a run ~ warming up and cooling down are as important as doing the actual exercise....if not better. 

Key note to ALWAYS, ALWAYS, ALWAYS remember ---> static (holding the stretch in one position for a period of time) stretching is for the cool down - the after part of your workout. If you just stretch into one move and hold it and then do another stretch and hold it, you are pretty much putting your muscles back in square one. This is what you want at the end. Put your body back to the beginning. So instead, you want to slowly move and breathe into each stretch. Constantly moving into a stretch. Examples would be easy jogging in place for a minute OR reaching your hands above your head and grasping each hand and pulling over to the side and stretching out the obliques (sides of your belly) 

After you done, you can hold your stretch as long as you want! 

HAPPY STRETCHING!

AND REACH FOR THE SUN!

My opinion..............

So I was skimming on LinkedIn and came across this article which was amazing to read. I am 110% on board with this. He has more education and experience than I do so I will let him lead the conversation. 

The author brings up many reasons why I didn't bring it into my gym and I won't ever try it myself. I did offer a CoreFit program at my old gym but it was basic (but high impact) moves and I always pushed for form. I would stop my workout watch to ensure that people kept their form. That was more important to me than any of us burning a few extra calories. Once you get hurt, you are OUT! And who knows for how long! 

Since I ownED a gym, I always kept my opinions private. Only a few people knew how I felt about this.....but now that I don't own a gym, I can put this out here that I not a follower for CF and I wish it wasn't a fad. 

THE END.