TGIF: 5 Things I’m Pumped About!

1. I’m leaving in FIVE minutes to take a Power Yoga class at the gym. I haven’t taken yoga in a gym-setting in ages so this makes me super giddy. Power Yoga is especially exciting, because it’s a fitness based yoga, with emphasis on strength and flexibility while holding challenging poses. I love challenging my body!

2. The yummy gluten free waffles from Trader Joe’s that I just had for breakfast…topped with agave and Smart Balance Butter…with a little Teddie’s PB on the side. Do I even need to explain this one? I was in heaven. Oh and I paired it with cinnamon hazelnut coffee with vanilla soy. YUM!

3. I’m going to see The Social Network tonight with my roommates. I’m not only excited to see the move, but I’m thrilled for a night of relaxation & non-drinking. 

4. Boston Local Food Festival is finally here…TOMORROW! I can’t wait to volunteer and then spend the day tasting delicious, local food! A plus? It’s supposed to be a crisp 66 degrees and sunny tomorrow : ) 

5. I’ve been focusing lately on strength training and I’m feeling wonderful. Yes, strength training is possible to do WITHOUT a gym ladies! The other day I did a 30-minute On Demand Jillian Michael’s workout and last night I did 45 minutes of weights, lunges, squats, sit ups and push ups in my room. I was sweating more than I do from an hour on the elliptical machine. That’s saying something!

Impatience is Not Pretty

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This morning a side of me I don’t like came out: impatience. Blah. Impatience. It’s both unnecessary and unhealthy. It even sounds unhealthy. I would say in the grand scheme of life I’m a pretty patient girl, but this morning I was far from patient, and I don’t like to be that way. I don’t know if I woke up on the wrong side of the bed or what, but something was up. It may have been the fact that my mother woke me up at 7:30 a.m. and tried to have a conversation with me while I was half asleep (sorry mom, it wasn’t really me). Anyway, my not-so-patient mood increased when I was informed that UPS was indeed not going to redeliver my package I missed on Saturday, and that I had to go pick it up. Grrr, I don’t have a car. They expect me to walk? Why can’t they just bring it to me? (impatience getting the best of me in my head. They are busy too. I’m not entitled for royal treatment). 

Once I realized that I was not going to win this battle and that the package was not going to come to me from the sky, I put on some yoga pants, grabbed my umbrella and hiked about 2 miles to the post office in the rain. Usually when I go on long walks, I’m cheery and happy, but today I was not having it. I nearly knocked over these poor innocent people because they were “walking too slow.” Speed it up. I have places to be! (In reality, I didn’t. Why couldn’t I just slowww it down and take a deep breath? The package will be there in 5 minutes and in 55 minutes…no need to rush Rach). Once I finally got to the post office, there were two women working, and I was next in line but they acted like I wasn’t there. Suddenly, I started getting all jittery, like one of those rude people who look at their watch every minute or roll their eyes in long lines at the grocery store. Helloooo! Aren’t you going to help me? Hurry up already. (Yeesh, who was this bitchy girl speaking in my head? I can wait 2 minutes. It’s not the end of the world). 

Once I finally signed for the package and the debacle was finally over, I headed to the cozy cafe next door for some blogging, time for myself and most importantly: coffee. Once I took the first sip of my large iced coffee with soy, I forget about my hectic morning and everything was OK (I tell ya the power of caffeine). That’s when I realized how silly and crazy I was being all morning. My mom was just calling to say hello. UPS was only doing their job. The post office people were busy. I was being an impatient psycho. 

It got me thinking about how much better the day goes by when you act patiently, when you live patiently. That’s why I’m going to start doing more yoga, taking more deep breaths and simply realizing it’s all going to be OK and my “problems” really aren’t anything but trivial in the grand scheme of things. To think what other people are going through in life (and have gone through in life) and I’m going to complain about a long line? Pathetic. But at the same time, sometimes you can’t stop that impatient bug from getting to you. 

Next time I get this way, I’m going to close my eyes, take a few deep breaths and try to see the bigger picture. I encourage you all to do the same, and maybe a few vinyassa flows and a childs pose or two. Hey, it can’t hurt. 

Do you ever get impatient over trivial things? What do you do to “snap out of it?” 

6 Non-Trends I’m Loving Right NOW

I’ve never been too much of a trends girl. In fact, if we’re talking fashion I’m farrrrr from “trendy.” I wear what I think looks good on me and what I feel comfy in. Yes, I have a pair of Uggs and no, I don’t think they look cute by any means. I just think they are the most comfortable things to prance around with in the winter. If people are raving about a certain restaurant or bar, I don’t fall for it until I try it myself, and I thought the whole hot yoga thing was ridiculous until I took a class. BUT, I do make my own trends and there are a few things I’m absolutely loving right now that I thought I’d share with you. Trendy or not, here goes:

Dog Days are Over: Yes, the song. If you watched the VMA’s then you surely saw Florence and the Machine’s performance of this absolutely amazing song. Seriously, it’s so inspiring and motivating, making for the absolute best song to run to. If you haven’t heard it yet, listen to it now. Just don’t blame me if you want to start dancing crazily around your apartment (or at work). 

Butternut/Spaghetti Squash: It’s official: my two favorite squashes are back. I saw them both on sale at Trader Joe’s the other day, and I can wait to get my hands on some of them. I plan to make butternut squash baked with cinnamon, agave syrup and nutmeg, the absolute perfect fall dish. I also can’t wait to make my famous “Spaghetti and Meatballs” made with turkey meat balls and spaghetti squash. Nifty, huh? 

Fall dresses: Even though summer’s over, I loooooooveeeee wearing dresses in the fall. I’m a dress girl. If you look in my closet, you will see that 85% of it is dedicated to dresses, of all colors, lengths and patterns. I particularly like pairing flowery dresses with boots and a cute scarf, or neutral dresses with a pair of flats. If you’ve got a summer dress that’s a little short but still wanna rock it, pair it with some cute leggings and some flats!

Mixing Coffee Flavors:  Going out for coffee every day can get expensive, so I’ve been attempting to make it from home. Lately, I’ve been exploring new coffee flavors, instead of always sticking with my same old french vanilla. I also love mixing flavors you never would have thought i.e. chocolate truffle with hazelnut. Just do a scoop of each, add in a cup of water and you’re golden! Lately, I’m obsessed with the cinnamon hazelnut I found at the supermarket the other week. Cinnamon hazelnut with fresh vanilla? YUM. I just add in a little vanilla or chocolate soy milk and it’s to-die-for.

Twitter: If you haven’t noticed, I’ve recently became mildly obsessed with Twitter. I know this is something everyone is doing, but it took me a couple years to get into it. I’ve had a personal account for more than a year, but never seemed to get into it. (Maybe that’s why I only had 50 followers?) Anyway, now I officially love it, and have been updating my status quite frequently every day since last month when I created my account. Follow me @healthy_chicks to join the fun!

In-House Yoga: I know it’s not as fun or “classy” as joining a fancy yoga studio surrounded my cool, hip yogis, but when you’re on a budget this will do. I’ve been doing On Demand Yoga in my apartment, and particularly like the quick “Less is More” segment I came across the other day. I also have been attempting to practice my own yoga, going through several flows both standing and on the floor. So far, so good. Maybe soon I’ll be doing it in the park…once I get a little more confident in my poses that is! 

What are some things you’re obsessed with these days? Anything out-of-the-ordinary we should all know about? 

Quit Taking Life So Seriously: A Lesson from My Yoga Class

This morning during my Vinyasa yoga class the instructor said something that really caught my attention. In the midst of our downward dogs, chair and tree poses, he shouted, “Go ahead, have fun with it! I promise you if you let loose and don’t take yoga so seriously you’ll enjoy it a lot more.” It was true: the entire class was wayyyy to serious, as that’s the “normal” way to practice yoga. When I looked in the mirror and saw my fierce, intense, semi-scary looking expression, I decided I needed to relax and put a smile on. After all, that’s what yoga’s all about anyway, right? Relaxation, enjoyment, restoration. Why the need to be so serious all the time?

I have to say while it was a little odd at first to break my usual yogi mindset, I had one of the most enjoyable classes of all time. The instructor was upbeat, the room was buzzing with positive energy and instead of the usual music (you know the serene sounds of waterfalls and other instrumental tunes that make you want to fall asleep), he played an energizing mix of jazz and light rock. I was diggin’ it. I was able to let go of all thta tension and extreme focus, and just be.

So, learn a lesson from this inspiring yoga class of mine: try to take life a little less serious. Don’t be afraid to laugh at yourself. Goof off. Be your crazy, wonderful self. Really, it’s OK. Actually, it’s more than OK; it’s absolutely fabulous.