So this was dinner tonight.  I feel like I’ve definitely gotten better at whipping things together, which is way more my style (for better or for worse) than undertaking elaborate cooking projects.  I’ve been reading some fantastic blogs written by fantastic vegans lately, and while all of their cooking projects seem like the best idea in the world when I’m reading them on Sunday morning, in practice I’ve been getting home from work and really been too tired to attempt a culinary masterpiece.

That is most certainly not to say that I won’t be doing a lot of cooking this month, but it is nice to know that when I feel like something easy, I can get there without my default chicken breast and salad.

I bought some organic sprouted tofu last week, and I wanted to try it in something.  I happened to have tomatoes and kalamata olives (a fave ingredient of mine) in the fridge, and I picked up some spinach and pita bread (turns out my usual pita brand contains honey!  Surprising!).

First I sauteed the spinach just until it got soft in a little olive oil and garlic, then I added the chopped olives and tomatoes.  

Then I diced the tofu and I added that.

I toasted the pita bread, spread the inside with just a smidge of hummus, and filled the pocket up with this delicious little greek inspired stir fry.

It was good, if a little salty.  Both my sous chef and I agreed that it could use a little textural variation.  Maybe some flax seeds sprinkled in there or some other sort of crunchy grain.  I don’t really know, because my culinary repertoire is fairly limited.  If you have any ideas then throw them at me!

It’s a work in progress, but I was satisfied with my efforts for the evening!

-C

For some reason day six was the hardest day to be a vegan so far.
It all started when I woke up in the morning, and I just wanted cream in my coffee. Cream in my coffee is one of those little indulgences I give myself that really make my days better. I know I know – I sound pretty terribly whiny and dramatic, but coffee just hasn’t been as satisfying without it, and on day six I woke up jonesing for some cream. “normal!” I kept thinking all day, “I want normal and easy!” Whine whine whine.
Being a brand new vegan, meals have definitely taken more planning and effort as I’m getting used to new cooking styles, different kinds of food, and different varieties of snacks. So I was very excited to learn that there is a beacon of familiarity in this novel vegan world: pizza.
Pizza Pi is a vegan pizza parlor in Seattle, and it is right near where I live! As some of you may know Seattle has been snowed in this past week, and I have been off work. I was tired of cozying around inside, I was ready for an adventure, and vegan pizza seemed like just the thing. I bundled up, convinced my most loyal vicarious vegan that trekking 2 miles uphill in the snow for pizza was a good idea, and off we went.
I ordered the “hoity toity” pizza. Spinach and artichoke sauce with chicken, sun dried tomatoes, kalamata olives and a light sprinkling of cheese. I honestly didn’t know what to expect. I thought vegan cheese might be waxy or plasticky. I couldn’t have been more wrong. It was soft and mild. It conveyed the idea of cheese without trying to be cheese. The toppings were really flavorful and definitely did most of the work in the taste department. The sauce was good too. It was tangy and complemented the zippy sun dried tomatoes perfectly. My vicarious vegan also gave it two thumbs up, even though we did stop on the way home to get him some very non-vegan ham and pineapple pizza.
Having a pizza party was the perfect way to make my frustrations about veganism into a thing of the past. I’m back in the saddle, and I think my next recipe will be Thai coconut soup. Perfect for a cold winter day!

-C

For my fourth day of veganism I made a variation of sweet potato black bean hash.  I found it in the Moosewood Cookbook (amaaaazzziiiinnnggggg recipes – all either vegan or vegetarian), and didn’t quite have every ingredient so I improvised a little.

I have been noticing the distinct psychological adjustment that comes with eating mainly one dish meals.  As a meat eater, I could use salmon or chicken or some kind of meat as the main part of the meal, and then have side dishes like vegetables and salad and bread with it.  I have noticed that many of the vegan recipes that appeal to me are kind of everything all mixed in one.  I’ve been liking the idea of different kinds of soups and stews, stir-frys and casseroles, and plating something that is only one dish can be a challenge. I have been attempting to add side dishes by experimenting with vegetables prepared in different ways, fruits, vegan friendly bread, and of course salads.  Ultimately, since this is primarily a psychological hurdle, I would like to be able to just get over it.  I have been having fun experimenting with different styles of cooking though!

Last night, to surmount this problem, I made Kale.  I washed and destemmed the leaves, sauteed them with garlic and olive oil or a few minutes, then poured some balsamic on them and put a lid over the pan for about 8 minutes.  I sprinkled on a little sea salt and it ended up being a spicy, hearty side dish that went really well with the soft and sweet yams I put in my sweet potato hash (told you I improvised).

Since I have been animal product free, I have already just 5 days later started to feel so good.  I have had a seriously finicky stomach for about 6 years now, and for the past week, I haven’t had any serious stomach problems at all.  I have had this sense of buoyancy in my body that I haven’t had in a long time. Part of me suspects this may really change my eating habits – for more than thirty days.

Comfortably yours,
C

As most of you know I don’t believe in new years resolutions, but I still wanted to kick off 2012 with something special. I’ve covered a lot of territory this year: the no Facebook challenge, the 8k, a second 30-day Bikram challenge. I wanted to try something a little different, something both personally challenging, as well as something that challenges social norms and explores cultural trends. Enter the 30-day vegan challenge. My first challenge of 2012.

I’ll be the first to admit that veganism isn’t exactly unheard of, especially in a city like Seattle, but I think it is an interesting way to begin exploring cultural attitudes towards diet, trends in food marketing, and it will be lots of fun too! I have already compiled a variety of recipes, done some research on nutrition, and come out to my friends as a temporary vegan (my announcement garnered mixed reactions). I have grocery shopped for the necessary supplies (almond milk, vegan cereal, earth balance, Annie’s lentil soup, and massive amounts of fruit and veggies), and I’m actually already on day two! So go me.

Meatlessly yours,
-C

Do any of you remember my post about wearing my glasses in yoga class? I found them better than the alternative (blindness) but still awfully distracting. Not to mention, I had to take them off for balancing stick and I didn’t put them back on until tree. It was bad for my balance, bad for my form, distracting, uncomfortable, and just plain annoying.

in late fall, I started wearing contacts, and the difference has been wonderful. I feel like the increase in peripheral vision has really improved my yoga.

There isn’t much more to say, I just wanted to lay it down for the record: yoga in contacts > yoga in glasses.

Framelessly yours,

-C

I have some exciting news to report: Sometime in the last 6-8 weeks, my back stopped hurting.

I have been babying my back for many years now. I have been careful about forward bending and posture and lifting heavy things. I have been afraid to fall down, afraid to sleep without a pillow under my knees, and afraid to even sit for too long because I never knew what might start it hurting again, and when it decides to start hurting, it can be pretty debilitating.

That all changed one day recently, as I was talking to a physical therapist friend of mine. I mentioned to her that my back hurt all the time and that I was frustrated by my tight hamstrings. I was sure that stretching them made my back hurt worse. “No!,” she exclaimed, “tight hamstrings are probably making your back hurt!” Wow. So all this time I have been treating my back like an acute injury, and never moving into a phase of rehabilitation.

A lot of times in class, we are reminded to just listen to the words of the dialogue and follow them exactly. As students of yoga, we are encouraged to have faith in the practice, trust it, and the more I do that, the better my practice becomes. I decided to do exactly that, especially for the postures, such as rabbit and hands to feet pose. My hamstring flexibility has increased tremendously (although they are still pretty tight!) and I think that is the number one thing that has lead to my decrease in pain.

I will admit, that at first my back hurt much worse. I used a little ibuprofen at work, and some heat and ice, but I continued to really push myself in class, especially in these postures that are so challenging to me. I simultaneously tried to work extremely hard in the spine strengthening series, and consistently keep my core engaged throughout class.

My back pain, miraculously, began to subside. I can’t pinpoint the exact day it went away, and there are still days when I have some pain, but I realized recently while I was at work that I felt fine. In fact, I felt great.

I am beginning to feel more balanced and more comfortable. I am slowly losing that off-kilter in my body feeling that I really think was contributing to my back pain. My posture has also improved quite a lot since early November, and I’m sure that helps too! I guess this is just another lesson in learning to trust the practice.

Bikram’s really does heal all!

-C

Disclaimer: I’m obviously not a doctor. Always consult a qualified medical professional before beginning any nutritional program or exercise program. Never disregard professional medical advice or delay in seeking it because of something you have read on 30dayyogi.wordpress.com.

Yoga and writing to me have been inextricably linked from day one. Bikram’s teaches me so many things, and I get excited about them and feel like I need to share my insights. Blogging is my way to document my mental growth.

Yoga is most certainly a form of exercise (especially Bikram’s) but, what I’m sure is already abundantly clear to you all, is that yoga is also an exercise for the mind. Learning how to overcome pain, and push through drama and difficulty to attain success; to build up your sense of self efficacy, boosting your confidence and driving you to become mentally healthier. Yoga helps you practice being in the moment, not getting caught up in the transitive phenomena we are confronted with daily, and hourly. Yoga is an incredible workout for the brain. But I don’t have to tell you that.

Do you know who I have to tell that to? The teachers at Bikram Yoga Seattle in Fremont. I’m not linking to their page, I’m not trying to slander them. I know I have discussed before the reasons why I dislike that studio (and the reasons why some people might prefer it!), but that is where Kaleesha and I ended up doing our 30-day challenge. Just to recap: there was a groupon sale that got us an incredible deal on unlimited yoga for a month at the Fremont studio. I decided to go for it, even though I knew I hadn’t particularly liked that studio in the past, and that was a huge mistake. I didn’t particularly enjoy the classes there, I didn’t get that same incredible spirit lift there that I do going to the Sweat Box. I didn’t know why that was for a while, but I soon realized that it is because the Fremont studio completely ignores the mental aspect of the practice.

I will admit I did an awful job of documenting my most recent 30-day challenge, but it’s because a massive part of my practice was missing. I didn’t have anything to say, because my landscape of epiphanies was stark. My hopes for that strength of mind, and greater wisdom that comes with a challenge like that were sadly unfulfilled.

Right after I finished my month at Bikram Yoga Seattle, I went directly to the Sweat Box and began taking classes there. I finished my challenge at the sweat box in October, and since then I have been attending classes at the sweat box about 3-4 times a week. I feel so grounded, and so comfortable in my own body right now, and I am definitely in better shape than I was in over the summer. Most importantly, despite the fact that I have been working in a preschool, my back is in wonderful shape (that’ll be a topic for another post!).

I am so happy to report that unlike my 30-day challenge three years ago, I have been able to continue to work my yoga into my life post-challenge.

Here’s hoping you all have a wonderful holiday, filled with friends and family and love.

Namaste!

-C

Hi Readers,

I did something a little different today.  

As some of you may know, I haven’t snow boarded in a long time.  A long time as in about 5 years.  In fact, last time I was on a board I was in high school and I broke my wrist and hurt my back, and I have been uncharacteristically terrified to go back ever since. Today, when my parents left for their instructor training clinic (I happen to be part of a family of snow-sport instructors!), I thought to myself, f**** it.  I’m going too. Of course when I got to the mountain I realized I couldn’t even remember how to lace my boots right, much less consider riding down the hill, so I swallowed my pride and decided to take a private lesson, and my instructor was Zach Reifert from the Summit Learning Center at Snoqualmie Pass. (Note: pretty sure that’s his last name! Great instructor, not so great handwriting)

Usually I just write about my challenges, but since I have been a terrible blogger this year, and since I don’t currently have a formal 30-day-challenge in the works, and since Zach was such a great instructor, I thought I’d write about my experience today.

I was apprehensive about signing up for a lesson. I always think those situations where you’re hanging out with someone who is being paid to be nice to you tend to be awkward, but Zach wasn’t awkward, and more than that he was an excellent teacher. He has an almost scientific understanding of the physicality of snowboarding, and he’ll explain it to you, with his somehow humble seeming disclaimer: “let me know if this is getting too technical!”

I appreciated the fact that he seemed to understand where I was coming from, having had an injury, and he was the perfect balance of encouraging, and respectful of my limits. I have always said that what makes a a person a great teacher, is being able to read and respond to a student’s needs. That is definitely what makes Gary my favorite teacher at the Sweat Box, and it is what I strive to do as a teacher. Zach has that gift.

A good instructor is something valuable beyond measure, so when I find one, I obviously have to share the wealth! Hopefully some of you yogis also happen to like snow sports, and if that is so, I have to recommend Zach as my top pick for a private lesson. He’ll have you doing 180s on your first day!

-C

We set a tentative date of september 15th to start our challenge. My boyfriend left for Washington DC for a few months on the 7th, so I figured I’d have one week to cry on the couch and eat ice cream, and then be forced to actually do something. What ended up happening, though, was quite fateful. Kaleesha and I get e-mails from Groupon, and one morning, the daily deal happened to be one month of unlimited Bikrams yoga at Bikram Yoga Seattle for $30. We had to do it.

This time around I am structuring my challenge a little differently. Reading over my blog posts about my previous 30 day challenge, I gave myself some advice for if I did this again, and I’m going to follow it. First of all, I am going 5 days a week. This extends the challenge by 2 weeks, making it more of a 6-week challenge than a 30-day challenge, I guess. I’m doing this to decrease burn out, and to give my body time to rest and reap the benefits of the practice. The next thing I am doing, is I have photographed myself in several postures (camel, standing bow, standing head to knee pose), and I am going to photograph myself again in 6 weeks to gauge my improvement, and to see if my body has changed. I am excited to find out, because it is something I was really curious about during my last challenge.

It’s always interesting starting back into Bikram’s. I haven’t practiced regularly for about a year, but my body fell pretty naturally back into it. I did start to feel pretty nauseous when it was time to get into camel pose, and I could hardly bend back at all the first day, but by the second day, my intense nausea was quite diminished, so I was able to participate more. I feel like the first day was kind of a “get through the class” kind of day, but by the second day, I was getting used to making those minor mental and physical adjustments, and improving my postures. I kept thinking about Katie’s advice, (she is one of my favourite teachers from Vancouver BC) “it’s yoga practice, not yoga perfect,” and it made me unafraid to try things. I’ll never forget the class I took from her during my last 30 day challenges. It was me and five other students, and it was far and wide the best yoga experience I have ever had. Katie was an amazing teacher, and I miss learning from her. I am lucky to have her voice in my head when I do yoga elsewhere.

As my readers know, I don’t love Bikram Yoga Seattle. I prefer The Sweatbox, and unfortunately, that has been very much confirmed for me over the past two classes, and I have also figured out why. Bikram Yoga Seattle is completely missing the mind part of the mind-body aspect of yoga. I prefer teachers that share Bikram’s knowledge and words of wisdom, are encouraging, and help take their students to a mental place where our physical boundaries can be challenged. Since I have done a lot of this kind of yoga, I have certain things that teachers have told me that I can keep in my mind as I practice. Things like “one millimeter today, one millimeter tomorrow, and eventually you’ll get there.” or “move with the class, don’t think, let the teacher be the mind and you be the body.” These words, among others, float around in my mind and guide my practice, but I imagine for someone who has never done Bikram’s anywhere else, it must be less fulfilling. The sad part is, those students don’t even know how much their practice could be improved with better teaching.

Anyway, since I am doing 30 days, 5 days a week, I have six weeks of yoga to do, and Kaleesha and I decided that for our last ten classes we will go to The Sweat Box. I can’t wait to take more classes from Gary!!

I am kind of sore this weekend, but I think I will be ready to go on monday again (I almost wish I was going today!). I am relaxing, icing my back to prevent injury, and going to the baseball game tonight.

Motivationally yours,

-C

The things I have missed so far? The constant exchange of cultural information, the ability to gather opinions quickly about current events or other important issues, and the sharing of joys and sorrows via status update. I missed reading about the reactions to the Canuck’s Stanley Cup loss, for example. I missed the usual and fun fourth of July exclamations.

I will be looking forward to returning to Facebook on the 12th, but I also hope that I will start using it differently. I hope that I will be able to take the parts that I like, and avoid the time suck that it can become.

Remotely yours,

-C