RESOLUTION TO NOT RESOLUTE

I never make resolutions. I might go as far as to say "I'll try", but really, I make no promises (something that is also prone to get broken). I do have some tentative plans for the New Year, like crossing a couple of things off the Life List. Speaking of which, I need to go in and make some edits on that thing. I'm pretty sure I can find something else to replace "run a marathon". I just don't like running. There. I've said it. One thing for sure that's happening in the New Year is getting back on track with the food. Chris and I have gotten a little out of control (particularly around the Holidays). We're still sticking to 90% organic, it's just that we're eating so much of it. Like gobs and gobs of food in one sitting, inhaled in minutes. Not good. So I've talked Chris into doing 4 weeks of the Yoga Body Diet. Actually, it turned out to not be much of a hard sell. He usually says no to my cleansing diet schemes.

Today starts week one, which turns out to be pretty simple. You start with mindful eating, devoting at least 20 min three times a day to your meal. No multitasking while eating. No reading, no TV, no internet and no sound. Next step is drinking water. If you feel hungry between meals, drink two cups of warm water. The ideas in the book are based on an ayurvedic diet. Warm water is supposed to help flush out the system where as cold water causes blood vessels to constrict restricting things like digestion. The next thing on the list for week one is mindful breathing. I teach it to my students as three part yoga breathing, filling the belly, the ribs, the chest and then emptying belly, ribs, chest. Again, this is simple because I do it everyday. I just need to start applying to times when I'm not teaching or doing my own practice.

I thought it would bother me this morning to not have the TV on, or the iPad at my side while eating breakfast and lunch. But it wasn't that bad. I was conscious of every bite and at lunch I even had leftover crackers to snack on before teaching my evening class. I can't say that we'll be following the four weeks exactly. I've looked ahead to week four where they expect 3 hours of yoga a day from you. Sure, if I didn't have a day job and taught yoga one to two times a day already. And I will have to have that 3 or 4 o'clock snack if I'm going to make it through my classes. Snacking will just have to happen, but I promise that it will be smart snacking.

Next week has us eating to benefit our Doshas. The topic of Dosha is a blog entry for a later day. Also, I promise that I have an entry planned about my 365 day project. It's in pieces in my brain and I need a bit more time to put it all together. But the most important thing is that I finished it and I don't have to take a picture of myself today.