I love, love, LOVE this excerpt from the book Feet in the Clouds by Richard Askwith (via Ben Saunders):

"We are richer now, but more overworked, more deeply in thrall to the addictions of getting and spending. We have more possessions, and they tyrannise us. Each new mod con must be shopped for, maintained, insured, upgraded; each new thing must be stored, kept track of, kept secure, tidied; and the whole package is paid for in overwork, time-poverty, round-the-clock availability and round-the-clock insecurity.

We have more, and we have less. In such a world, freedom is both more precious and more elusive than ever. And one of the few surefire ways of liberating ourselves from the tyranny of the consumer society is to put ourselves beyond its reach."

What a poignant and perfectly said point.

We love our iPhones and our Blackberries; our Kindles and our DVRs. But just for now, just for a day or two, let's power-down and put them away. Let's go offline. Let's talk to our families, drink tea, and read paperback books. Let's feel the excitement that our kids feel on Christmas Eve. Let's taste our food. Let's take deep breaths. Let's relax for reals.

Thank you to all who have visited my site, subscribed to my blog, or shared Get Natured with others. I am excited to begin a new year and I so look forward to hearing from you!

Happy holidays and happy New Year. May you find some peaceful, untethered togetherness with your favorite people!

My second season of triathlon training is about to kick off (in January). Yoga is an important part of my exercise regimen (triathlon training or not) and I am considering new ways to fit more practice time into my life. I have a favorite yoga class that I attend when I can but, because children and life are unpredictable, I can’t always get there in time. If I can carve out just a little extra time at home to supplement my class, I should be able to get many of the benefits of yoga by establishing a home practice (this has been a goal of mine for some time).

I have occasionally used yoga DVDs at home and I thought I’d share a favorite for others considering adding this to their lives as well.

First, please note that a DVD is not a complete substitute for attending a yoga class, especially if you are a beginner. In a class, you are given feedback and coaching on your poses and alignment that are just not possible at home with a DVD. Also, flowing through a yoga sequence in a room with others offers a feeling of connection and peace that can add so much to your practice.

A simple, short, nourishing yoga DVD:

A.M. and P.M. Yoga

With Rodney Yee and Patricia Walden

These routines are short (about 20 minutes each) and are not particularly challenging. What I like about this DVD is that, in addition to basic yoga poses, it does a great job of introducing new practitioners to the meditative flow yoga. I just love easing into my day with the sound of the ocean and distant gongs that complete the meditation section at the end of the A.M. session.

This time of year gets the control freak in me all fired up. I'm itching to make lists of resolutions and spreadsheets of goals. My approach to this tends to change slightly from year to year to year. Over the past couple of weeks I have been reading the excellent blog of Chris Guillebeau (The Art of Non-Conformity) and I am inspired by his ideas.

This year I left the corporate world to be at home with my kids. This change, I'm now completely aware, was long overdue. I feel that it has opened up so many possibilities for me. I'm overwhelmed by those possibilities, frankly, but in a good way. I am very excited about the energy that I can feel building somewhere deep in my heart. The place that knows what's next but that hasn't shared that with my brain yet.

Right now, my goals are just gut feelings without definition and I feel like I'm hovering. I have been adjusting my focus to gather input from my intuition and I have begun to have "ah ha" moments when I notice feeling weighed-down. I have started to question some things that have been a part of my routine forever. Things that I normally don't give a second glance, like exercising in the gym. I've done that for 20 years now, but isn't it much more inspiring to run outside? After running a half-marathon in October, it became quite clear to me that I hate treadmills. Thirteen miles of the most beautiful parts of San Francisco passed so quickly. A few miles on the treadmill since then? Not so much.

Right now I'm gathering information. Soon, I hope to have a more lucid definition of my goals. Today I signed up for an e-course called Mondo Beyondo that I'm very excited about. The timing of my finding this course was serendipitous. I love it when things just fit together like they were put in place by a me from the future who is sending myself love notes in the past!

Resources:

1. The Art of Non-Conformity - How to Conduct Your Own Annual Review
2. Mondo Beyondo

I recently ran out of my favorite facial moisturizer (which is pricey) and I decided to look around for a less expensive alternative. I had a few in mind so, to help me decide which to buy, I visited the Skin Deep Cosmetic Safety Database. Whoa. Yikes! Have you seen this database? It is incredibly helpful but a little scary at the same time. I was afraid to enter my favorite products for fear of finding out that they were highly toxic.

How does the database work?
From the home page, you can browse for products by type or search by brand, type, or ingredient. The search results provide a safety rating based on the product ingredients.

From mascara to man soap, the database has a little bit of everything and searching for products can be addictive. Check it out!

Skin Deep Cosmetic Safety Database

Because my post on 16 ways to increase your energy contained a lot of suggestions about what foods to eat, I thought it might be helpful if I provided some meal ideas with those things in mind. Here is a one-day menu of high energy meals.

Enjoy!

Breakfast
Cream of Wheat Berries with Cranberries and Cardamom
Serves ~4

(Note: this is a slow cooker recipe and takes 6-8 hours)

1/2 cup wheat berries*
1/4 cup cracked wheat
1/2 cup rolled (old-fashioned) oats
4 cups water
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon cardamom (you can substitute cinnamon or allspice if you prefer)
1/2 cup sweetened dried cranberries

Suggested mix-ins (these amounts are PER SERVING): 1 tablespoon ground flaxseeds, 1 teaspoon gelatinized maca powder, 2 tablespoons sliced almonds, regular or vanilla soymilk.

*Please note that many of the dry ingredients can be found in the bulk foods aisle at your grocery store.

Snack
1 cup of soy yogurt, any flavor
1 cup of fresh raspberries

Lunch

*Tempeh is available at Trader Joe's or in the natural foods aisle at your grocery store.

Snack
Air-popped popcorn tossed with nutritional yeast, to taste.
1/4 cup walnuts

Dinner
Red Lentils with Kale
Makes a lot; freezes well!

1 1/2 cups rinsed and drained red lentils
3 cups water
2 cups chopped tomatoes (fresh or canned)
1 Tbsp soy sauce (or to taste)
3-4 carrots, chopped
1 red bell pepper, chopped
a few big handfuls of kale, chopped
about 1/2 or 1 whole onion, chopped
1 jalapeno pepper, minced
3-4 cloves garlic, minced
pinch of red chili flakes
1 teaspoon dried basil

Serve lentils over cooked quinoa or brown rice and with a slice of whole grain toast on the side.

Is it just me or does December feel like the shortest month of the year? Somewhere around the first of the month I am usually feeling on top of things. Then it is suddenly the 15th. Then the 20th. Then it is a new year. How does this happen?

Time flies when we're having fun, it is true. But, it also speeds by while we're driving 100 miles an hour to the mall and back every day. We know we should slow down, simplify, and focus on the reason that we are celebrating instead of the amount that we are spending, of course. But how do we savor the sparkly days and peaceful nights of this month? How do we look forward to the celebrating instead of dreading the workload of the holidays?

I believe that the answer lies in creating rituals or traditions that genuinely make us happy and give us something to look forward to from year to year.

Here are two ideas:

1. My husband and I have a new Christmas family tradition. Our goal is simple: to look forward to this time of year and celebrate with the same joy that we see in our children. This year we set up a Christmas "village" on our dining room table. The boys were SO excited as we unwrapped each building and set up the little town. All four of us are delighted by each and every piece and I know that we will love adding to and setting them up each Christmas.

2. Last New Year's Eve, our boys were both under three years old and we were still not getting uninterrupted sleep at night. We wanted to celebrate the new year but in a quiet way. We sent our oldest son to Grandma's house for the night (he loves that!) and put the baby to bed. Then we kicked off our evening with wintery music, champagne, candles, and a cozy spot on the couch. We spent the entire evening talking, listening to music, and feeling truly relaxed and connected. It was so what we needed and we plan to recreate that evening as best we can this year. Sorry Dick Clark, we have a new plan for December 31st!

I had dessert for breakfast yesterday. I know, scandalous right? Actually, not really.

It started out as a small bowl of oatmeal made with soy milk. I added a couple of scoops of my new love: Trader Joe's Valencia Peanut Butter With Roasted Flaxseeds. So yum! (Thank you Claire, for the recommendation!) Then things took a turn...I had some leftover apple crisp in the fridge. Apple crisp contains apples and oats- that is breakfast-y, right? Yes! I added a big scoop of crisp to the top of my oatmeal and topped the whole thing off with just a little more soy milk.

Remember how I offered the suggestion to try new recipes like "breakfast cookies" to nurture yourself this season? Well, this is just another way to put a smile on your face in the morning without going overboard. This turned out to be a delicious breakfast and it wasn't complete diet debauchery.

As a part of my "dessert breakfast", I also included a tablespoon of ground flaxseeds and two tablespoons of hemp seeds. If you're not familiar with hemp seeds, don't panic! I know they sound like something that you have to buy in secret, but they aren't. Hemp seeds are a great source of protein, iron, and omega 3s.

Here are the numbers for protein and iron (not including the apple crisp):

This time of year can feel like we're preparing to hibernate. We are constantly presented with opportunities to eat like crazy and reasons to slow down our exercise. Our to-do lists seem to take up every waking minute (as well as some I-should-be-sleeping-now minutes). We're spread thin. We're busy!

So, what to do? As with most everything, my favorite mantra applies to this situation: something is always better than nothing. If you don't have time for your regular exercise routine, consider interval training to maximize the time that you do have.

Use intervals to maximize the efficiency of your workout.

Believe it or not, a short interval workout can be just as effective at building and maintaining cardiovascular fitness as a significantly longer endurance (steady-state) workout. Here are some examples to get you started.

Beginner:
Choose your favorite cardio machine or activity for this workout:

This workout will last 22-36 minutes.

Intermediate:
Choose your favorite cardio machine or activity for this workout:

This workout will last 25 minutes.

Advanced:
Consider trying HIIT (High Intensity Interval Training) or the "Tabata Method" (read more here). Choose your favorite cardio machine or activity and complete 6-8 intervals:

This routine should take a maximum of 14 minutes.

Don't forget to stretch when you're finished. Now, get back to baking those Christmas cookies!

*Disclaimer: Please note that I am not a personal trainer. I am sharing sample workouts that work for me. Please be sure that you consult your doctor before starting an exercise program and for any questions about whether performing these kinds of exercises is safe for you.

“Peace, it does not mean to be in a place where there is no noise, no trouble, or no hard work. It means to be in the midst of those things and still be calm in your heart.” ~Unknown

In an effort to avoid totally stressing out during the holidays (or anytime, really) I made this list to remind myself to take care of me and to slow down to enjoy the special times and little moments. I hope you find some of these things useful as well.

1. Create a simple morning ritual to greet each day. This might mean doing a few sun salutations or it may be as simple as making a pot of tea and choosing an intention for the day. Your intention should be something that will add to your happiness, e.g., "I will eat slowly and taste each bite of my food today." Don't choose an intention that you can use as a stick to beat yourself over the head, e.g., "I will get everything on my list done today!" Consider making a bowl of matcha- it is both delicious and healthy and its connection to the Japanese tea ceremony can make it an extra special addition to your morning.

2. Go outside. Get some sunlight and connect with nature. Don't bring your iPod! Observe with all of your senses: what do you hear? Is it cold outside but warm in the sun? Do you smell fireplaces, flowers, grass? Are you having a snack or a hot drink while you're outside; how does it taste? Can you see lots of plants and trees in different shades of green or autumn colors? You get the idea.

3. Nurture your body. Get lots of sleep. Eat fresh whole foods and drink lots of water. If you're chilled to the bone, treat yourself to a Bikram yoga class, a few minutes in the sauna or spa at your gym (if that is available to you), or take a hot bath at home. Exfoliate, moisturize, buff; whatever it takes to make you feel nourished and refreshed.

4. Get some exercise but don't force yourself to hammer out miles on a treadmill if you hate the treadmill. Try snowshoeing or trail running/walking. If you must use cardio machines, try intervals of higher intensity to up the efficiency of your workout and reduce your boredom (e.g. walk 1 minute, run 30 seconds, repeat). The ready-set-go days of November and December are not a reason to let go of your healthy goals. But, do shift your focus from calorie burning to doing exercise that energizes you and gives you a happy glow.

5. Fuel your body with foods that make you feel healthy and strong. Eat whole grains and go overboard on veggies. Add spinach to your morning smoothie. Have a salad with lunch or dinner every day. Include two veggie side dishes with your meals. Make snack bags filled with your favorite raw veggies that you can "grab and go". Include small containers of hummus or bags of nuts for protein. Get your omega 3s- ground flaxseeds, walnuts, and hemp seeds are good vegetarian sources.

6. Mono-task. Do one thing at a time and focus on that only. Set yourself up to not be in a hurry. Finish one thing before starting another- don't be in the middle of ten things at once. Don't create an impossible "to do" list. Stop everything that adds unnecessary things to your schedule. Cook simple food and clean as you go so you don't end up with a sink full of dishes at the end of the evening. Let your magazine subscriptions expire. Don't sign up for too much. Tell your inner perfectionist to take a hike. Find your boundaries and stay within them.

7. Take a time out. Try yoga or meditation, light a candle and have a cup of tea, go for a walk, get a massage, browse your local library or a bookstore, meet a friend for coffee, read a book that really sucks you in. Don't fill up every minute of the day with "have to". Find, accept, and savor some downtime (even if it is only five minutes at a time).

8. Make a list: "I want my holiday to be..." This is a time to focus on "I want to" not "I have to" or "I should". Eliminate things that are not congruent with your list. Do what you have time for and make those things special.

I did a few too many squats at the gym yesterday so my legs are really sore today. I thought it might be helpful if I shared my "secret" recipe for beating muscle soreness. These things are most helpful if you do them before the muscle soreness sets in, but later is OK too.

I completed my first triathlon in July of this year (.5 mile open-water swim, 16 mile bike, 3 mile run). Fully expecting to be sore the next day, I did these two things a few hours after the race and I wasn't sore at all the next day.

 

1. Ginger "tea": Ginger is a natural anti-inflammatory that is kind to your tummy, unlike ibuprofen. To make ginger "tea", grate fresh ginger into a mug (I use about a tablespoon). Then add boiling water and let it steep for at least 10 minutes (the longer it sits, the better). You can strain it with a tea strainer or drink the grated ginger along with the "tea", it's your choice. You may also add sweetener if you wish (I recommend agave nectar).   

2. Epsom salt bath: Add two cups of epsom salt to a warm bath and soak away your tension. Epsom salt is available at any grocery or drugstore.     

 

This isn't a miracle cure, but I do think that these things are very helpful. I have heard that "ice plunging" is beneficial as well. I'll let somebody else test that one!  

I am a vegetarian. As soon as those words leave my mouth, many non-veg people begin to look confused. To some, I might as well have said, "I eat only dirt and unicorn tears."

As most vegetarian people can attest, the first question is usually, "where do you get your protein?" That is followed by another confused look and a question like, "so...like...what did you have for breakfast?"

First, I need to tell you that I am NOT a vegetarian snob. By that, I mean that you can eat whatever you want and I'll still like you. If you order a steak when we are at a restaurant together, I won't move to another table. Unless, of course, you wave it under my nose and say, "are you sure you don't want some of thiiiiis?" But you wouldn't do that, would you?

Ok, back to protein. Where do I get my protein? From lots of different foods. I eat some tofu, yes, but there is also protein in vegetables, beans, lentils, peas, pastas, whole grains, and nuts and seeds. In hopes of dispelling the myth that vegetarians are protein-starved and weak, I'll occasionally share the ingredient list and protein content for my meals. I wish to illustrate this point: eating a variety of healthy vegetarian foods will provide ample nutrients, including protein. I will sometimes include information on iron and/or calcium as those seem to be of concern as well.


Appropriately, I think, I'll start with breakfast. I am a huge breakfast fan. Love it! I tend to eat quite a bit in the morning, so your portions might be smaller if you prefer a lighter meal.

Allison's "keep-you-full-for-hours" oatmeal: