Hot Yoga, thank you.
Dear Hot Yoga,
Thank you. You were not what I was anticipating tonight, and that’s a good thing.
I had some doubts after my first time with you. It was hot, oh so hot, sweaty, crowded, difficult. Then I left you and it was even hotter outside. I swore I’d never come back to you again. I just couldn’t possibly understand why someone would want to drown in their own sweat, while standing so close to someone else that they could also feel droplets of their sweat on them too. You disgusted me.
But then I decided to give you another chance. Your followers really are your best asset, as they can be very persuasive with their stories about how much they love you.
Guess what – this time you were different. First of all, it was cold outside, very cold. And the room wasn’t crowded, and it was peaceful, and you didn’t make me do as much cardio as before. I thought, okay, I can do this.
Then we got going and I felt like I might die. I thought, Oh, now I remember why I don’t do yoga.
But through the pain and inner complaining, I realized something. This was the first time this week I hadn’t been focused on work or my personal problems. I was legitimately only focusing on my breathing, the poses and the present moment. For that alone, I thank you.
First you feel like dying, then you feel reborn. And that’s exactly how I felt by the end of it. Reborn into a new day with new strength and new peace.
As we lay there at the end just breathing and letting go of our body (my favorite part, if you were wondering), your instructor said, “Take a second to memorize this moment. You can come here whenever you want.” Ah. (deep sigh)
Somehow you won me over tonight. So again, thank you.
xo xo, your new yogi
Meet Georges aka GSP, my new best friend
Okay friends, I’m going to be honest with you. I’m kind of a workout flake. I’m all talk, no action. Wait, let me correct that – I’m all talk, no action lots of action for about a week, maybe two, sometimes a month if we’re lucky.
Well, husband is sick of me complaining about my body and is forcing me to take action. (Isn’t that what husbands are for??) I’ve been so proud of him working out consistently the past few months so I decided to take a similar course of action.
We both downloaded the iPhone app Touchfit: GSP. I’ve only done two days so far, but I love it. It’s quick, but challenging. It tracks your progress in real-time. It never gets dull with more than 500 videos. It tailors the workout for your fitness level. And it’s on your phone so you can literally work out whenever, wherever.
So it begins again, and I just pray I can stay committed.
Enjoy a few of my other exercise related posts below. xo xo
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A hilarious Thanksgiving experience (Thanksgiving Begins With A Kick (Literally))
My running playlist (No matter how slow you go, you’re still lapping everybody on the couch)
Some motivational quotes (Just do it)
A Lenten commitment (Lent: Prayer + Dance)
I even created a blog JUST to share my P90x experience … which lasted about two weeks. (P90X … Bring it!)
7: Media
Okay friends, it’s about that time. Time for our media blackout. As part of our 7 challenge, for two weeks we will be giving up:
- TV/Movies
- Social Media (for personal use, since it’s my job I can’t necessarily give it up all together)
- Blogging
- Video Games
- Radio
- Texting (only texting out of necessity is allowed, no texting conversations)
- Internet (except what’s needed for daily life for bills, etc.)
What will we be doing with our time, you ask? Good question. I keep asking myself the same thing. Here’s the typical night in the Alderman household: come home from work, take Olli out, turn on the TV for background noise, cook dinner, eat dinner in front of the TV, watch TV, go to bed.
Yes we watch too much TV, I know that. Yes we shouldn’t eat dinner in front of the TV, I know that too.
In the same vein, here’s my typical day in social media consumption: wake up – check FB/Instagram, head to work & while sitting at a traffic light – check Twitter for morning’s news, periodically throughout the day – check all three (most of the time Instagram, over and over and over), get frustrated because people aren’t updating their lives regularly enough on social media, get back to my job (about social media), heading home from work while sitting at a traffic light – check Twitter for evening news, periodically throughout the night – check all three. repeat.
It sounds exhausting, doesn’t it? But I have a feeling I’m not the only millennial with those consumption habits.
All that to say, this is going to be a really tough two weeks for us. If husband wrote this blog he would talk about how hard giving up video gaming is going to be for him. He has replaced Saturday morning cartoons with Saturday morning video games while I sleep. Video games are his stress reliever, as blogging is mine.
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Here’s the plan to combat media withdrawals:
Read. Read. Read. – I have at least two books I want to finish, but I’m shooting for three.
Take Olli on long walks every night after dinner.
Enjoy more quiet time with God.
Deep clean the apartment.
Invite people over and spend quality time together.
Do a DIY/Craft project together.
Attempt more complex recipes.
Games! – We are officially kicking off our media sabbatical by hosting a game night for our community group Sunday night.
Start a workout routine. – Insanity or P90X does not count as TV, per the council’s decision.
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Next time you’ll hear from me will be March 24. I plan on journaling our process (in a REAL journal, not a blog) and sharing some of our insights, pains, joys and photos from our weeks apart. If you need me, call me, or just stop by our apartment. I’m sure we will be happy for the company.
xo xo
You might also enjoy: 7: Possessions // Week 1, 7 : Waste
Gluten Free for 40 Days
Gluten via Wikipedia: a protein composite found in foods processed from wheat and related grain species, including barley and rye.
Gluten via Urban Dictionary: while your friends eat oreos, cake, and other hallmarks of the wondrous American diet, you must crunch dry rice cakes and order salads without croutons or most dresses.
(or this one via Urban Dictionary: To be used as another word for Drama, Bullsh*t, Haters, i.e. I don’t want any more Gluten in my life. — irrelevant, but hilarious.)
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I decided to give up gluten for Lent for two reasons:
1. I had been eating very poorly, putting a lot of junk inside my body and I just wanted to get it out and eat clean.
2. I wanted to challenge myself.
What is gluten in you ask? Oh just about everything. So instead I’ll tell you what it’s not in: fruit, veggies, lean meats, potatoes, beans, rice.
After doing some research, I decided I would not go the path of replacing my regular foods (bread, pasta, etc.) with the gluten-free variety that are now plentiful in most stores. To compensate for gluten, most products include more sugar and thus, people typically gain weight on a gluten-free diet. While I’m not doing this to lose weight (though it would be a positive side effect), I do not want to add any more unnecessary sugar in my body. See reasons above.
Here’s my typical gluten-free day menu:
Breakfast: Yogurt (some are gluten free and some aren’t), fruit
Lunch: Salad packed with veggies and a lean meat
Dinner: Lean meat, veggies, potatoes/rice (We made these Southwestern Stuffed Peppers the other night and they were perfect)
Snacks throughout the day: fruit & peanut butter, veggie crisps, nuts
The hardest part for me has been the inconvenience of eating gluten free. For breakfast I often grab a Special K bar, for lunch a sandwich or pasta for dinner. I have to plan ahead and be very mindful of what I’m eating, which is exactly what I wanted to make myself do.
Since I don’t have Celiac Disease and eating gluten doesn’t harm me, if I accidentally eat some here or there because I don’t recognize it in the ingredients, I’m not beating myself up about it. (Or if I’m STARVING and the only thing in our 5-hour meeting is a cookie … :)) I am also allowing myself Sundays as cheat days, typical of Lenten sacrifices. What did we eat last Sunday?? Pizza and beer and ice cream. NOM.
I’ll keep you posted… 31 more days to go! xo xo
just a few things.
After a whirlwind Vegas weekend two weeks ago, this week I headed to West Palm Beach, FL to experience my first ever commercial shoot. It was challenging, but interesting and always fun to do something different. Next month I’m off to Cleveland!
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During my travels, I found this via Lauren Conrad. What a great idea to give up something different every month?? I wish I’d found this sooner, but nevertheless I’m starting No-Fried February! So look forward to the aches, pains (and hopefully positives) that come out of this experience. Husband and I are also working on an exercise plan I’m going to share with you and see if you will join us in our journey. More to come on that.
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Books, books, books. I’m trying to read more because when I do read and finish a really good book, it is just so gratifying. I recently finished Where We Belong and Where’d You Go Bernadette, both of which I’d recommend. However, I made an impulse buy in the West Palm Beach airport knowing I had a 2 1/2 hour flight ahead – Bossypants. I finished it on the plane and absolutely loved it. Every page was hilarious, and if I hadn’t been on a plane I would have been laughing out loud the entire book. Tina Fey does a tremendous job of providing hilarity, wit and advice. As if I didn’t already love her before thanks to Mean Girls, SNL and 30 Rock, now I adoooore her.
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The second book is one I just picked up that husband and I will be reading together as part of our new couples Bible study. 7 – An Experimental Mutiny Against Excess is a challenge to cut down areas of excess in life: food. clothes. spending. media. possessions. waste. stress. I hope to share our challenges with you and inspire you to do the same.
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Oh, and if you don’t follow me on instagram, (first, you should: @milledavis) here’s another tidbit you missed…
Adorable Adam Brody from The O.C. meets fashionista beauty Leighton Meester from Gossip Girl = cutest new couple ever!
xo xo
m.davis xoxo 