L, Limone.

I'm catching up on my Italian for the trip. I love citrus. I just got a lemongrass lotion at the "Park Silly" market in Park City today. The farmer's market downtown also started yesterday. It sure is a mood booster. You know I also like guava so much. Like I said before, I think most water-based fruits and veg like cucumber can give you a lift once you cut into them and get a whiff. The Food Network inspired me (Thank you Tyler Florence) to make this drink that looked like a blueberry mojito. It's muddled blueberries, mint, and lime juice; with a ginger simple syrup (I cooked agave instead of sugar) and mineral water. No I didn't put anything else in it. ;)

I felt a little guilty and started eating local tart cherry preserves alone with a spoon. About 30 minutes later I'm bouncing off the walls, but in the way that I wanted to do yoga for another 30 minutes and dance on my toes! It got to the point that I could balance on one ball of my foot. I think this diet and weight lifting is working. I'm also doing more abs, and speaking of I did about 30 leg raises on the floor tonight just because I was on this pectin/cherry high. Mon dieu! It was cool. My abs are showing through more and my waist is smaller. But I don't condone eating cherry jam on a regular basis. I meant the clean-eating is working. I made Reno's shrimp ceviche in an avocado shell for lunch and it was amazing. For dinner I just had quinoa with Matt Amsden's Raw marinara which I made. Today was another 6-small meal day, which Reno recommends.

Workout: 1-hour walk up and down Park City's Main Street. 30 minutes yoga. A million ab exercises. Okay maybe 60 but still!!

Smobergirl

Morning.........

You want me to teach yoga at what time? ;)

6 am. It happens. However I'm not complaining at all because it's yoga for one, it's a teaching gig for me, and it was at a swanky hotel. Oh yeah the pay wasn't bad either. Six girls out of 15 employees showed up (I think they had a late night) and they liked the class, yay! I did basic Hatha yoga stretches both standing and sitting. I thought it was good for only my fifth class teaching. My father, the business man, suggested I make cards and take them to other hotels. Not a bad idea. Have I been up for 8 hours already? I got up at 4. Had a Luna bar and water with green powder. I felt a little heavy. I definitely feel better having a smoothie in the morning. Then I had a tofu scramble with new potatoes at 8 am at the bakery where my art is hanging. I felt good, but I'm concerned if there is a lot of salt in it or not. I didn't ask questions. And that should be the healthy person's rule! Now it's almost noon and I made a salad of farmer's market spinach, Thai basil, red onion, avocado, raw portobello mushroom, mint hummus, basil, quinoa, lemon juice, and mango. Then I had dessert of farmer's market tart cherry preserves and a honey brick with mango. Awesome!

To sleep or not to sleep. I read that you can't make up for sleep, and when I nap I usually feel groggier, but boy am I tired. I also have an evening commitment tonight at 9:30. I do have coffee in the french press. I think I'll lie down though. Great day so far, don't get me wrong!

Smobergirl

Day 390

Lunch

I LOVE persian cucumbers! You can get them in packages at the grocery store, or singly at some places like Liberty Heights Fresh and Asian markets. They are known as 'pickling cucumbers' and are small and skinny. I slice them up and put them in a pitcher of water, or eat them like this with cracked sea salt or cayenne salt. They are a great alternative to chips. You get your crunchy salty fix. I made quinoa with radish sprouts, 1/2 avocado, cherry tomatoes, basil, moroccan olives, and hummus. I had so much energy after breakfast, but now I'm kinda sleepy. More detox? It's not the food, I was tired before lunch. Hmmm.... I'm still happy, don't get me wrong.

Errand time and then I'll come back to put a yoga class plan together and paint, play guitar, and get on the tramp if the cat finishes his nap on it. Awwww......

Tropical breakfast

When I was in Hawaii for my brother's wedding we ate pineapple and papayas every morning. I'm sure Hawaii helped, but the fruit increased dopamine levels or something. I told you that citrus is a natural anti-depressant, and I believe all or most fruits can elevate your mood. I keep making Tosca Reno's Take Me On Vacation Oatmeal because it just makes me feel so good!

1/2 cup rolled oats
1 mango, peeled and diced (sometimes I use pineapple)
1 tsp flaxseed
2 tbsp chopped cashews (sometimes I use slivered almonds)
1 tbsp flaked coconut
1 cup almond milk (sometimes I use coconut water)
1/4 cup protein powder (optional)
1/2 oat bran (I use buckwheat instead)
A pinch of sea salt
(and I added dried cranberries and pomegranate seeds my mom gave me from Trader Joe's. I have tons!)

Reno cooks the oats, oat bran, and salt first, but I just throw everything together raw. Unless there is some scientific evidence that you have to cook oats or it's more nutritional, I find that they soften up and taste just as good in cold liquid. I discovered this when my father would squish a peach over raw oats and eat that. I want to remind you that I lose more weight quicker by eating oats too. Plus it's cancer-fighting, lowers bad cholesterol, and has vitamin E and magnesium. Speaking of vacation, the butterflies are getting bigger!

I have to thank a good friend for asking me if I wanted to come to a free outdoor yoga class up in Deer Valley yesterday. It was the perfect setting for a class. Talk about elevating! Afterwards we had a nice dinner and I met some really cool girls as well as seeing someone I knew from a long time ago. It was a really nice time. I'm teaching that 6am class tomorrow so it was good to get a challenging workout in right before. I'm in a good mind-set. Plus this group mainly wants to do light stretches so it will be nice and relaxing.

So, my arms are looking better! This weight lifting thing and no processed foods/sugar/heavy sodium dealy-bob seems to be working. I have had the occasional bread slices but I have cut down a lot and my new love is marinara over brown rice instead of pasta. I could have been more of a nazi last night and ate hummus with a fork instead of eating 2 pita bread triangles. And I had 2 toast points with mussels. The pita eating was an excuse because everyone else was digging in (oh the peer pressure! ;) and I was just starving in general after that good workout. Plus I have been so or more than good on Reno's diet, and I ate the bread in moderation EVEN THOUGH YES, THE GOAL WAS TO FOLLOW THIS DIET TO A T. Whoops caps. Well there's a statement. This is a good example of depriving yourself then giving in. Extreme diets do not work. But Reno eats hearty and healthier breads, it's not something you would find in a restaurant. That's why she eats almost everything at home. I do feel fine with it because I'm at a great weight and I know how to eat occasionally and in moderation when it comes to processed and baked goods now. Long-term foods will show up in your body, and I eat mostly water-based fibrous foods to look and feel good. So change of plans, I'll eat at home as much as I can to save and eat clean, but if I'm invited out again I won't say no, order smartly, and have a taste of a treat if I'm offered. Portion size. Or as I like to say, "Portia size". Ha ha.

I find what tones my middle the most is dance (like the Zumba classes). And power yoga tones under my armpits and back, as well as strengthens my thighs, helps me reach the top shelf, pick things off the floor, keeps me flexible, calms my mind, etc. (you know I adore yoga already). However for my arms the resistance training is definitely working. I keep a kettle bell in the living room to swing around too. If things are in my view I am more likely to use them. Shoot, now I better put my rebounder (mini-tramp) back in the living room. Okay done. :)

Smobergirl
Day 389

Morning!

Karma keeps flowing in. I was at Carlucci's Bakery yesterday and the owner asked if I had art ready (I was going to show last year but it ended up just not happening) because the last artist took his stuff out early. So voila! Farmer's Market starts this Saturday too at Pioneer Park across the street so that's a huge bonus. The place gets a line out the door during the market. Woo hoo! It's really nice to be me lately. :)

Breakfast: Leftover pineapple cilantro shake and a bowl of oatmeal, buckwheat groats, slivered almonds, chia seeds, pineapple, coconut shavings, and coconut water. Tropical bowl of deliciousness!

Love,

Smobergirl

Favorite Shirt

There was an old 80s song called "Favorite Shirts (Boy Meets Girl)" by Haircut 100 which is now stuck in my head. For about ten years honestly I've been looking for the perfect button-down oxford, and with my daily $30-$60 wine and cig money I found one I like at Urban Outfitters for $39. It will be trip-worthy too. :)

Breakfast: Pineapple Cilantro Shake

Lunch: Uh, kitchen sink salad? Leftover Trio mixed greens and olives with raw taco 'meat' (walnuts, cumin, coriander, and nama shoyu), a torn portobello mushroom, and radish sprouts. Pretty tasty.

Smobergirl

Day 387

Day 386

Workout: 20 minutes fast walk on the treadmill, biceps, back (pulled resistance band on my back door), and yoga.

Lunch: I had a salad at Trio that was so pretty I can't believe I didn't take a picture! Mixed greens with oranges, beets, and pistachios. Side of Mediterranean olives.

Speaking of the Mediterranean, I leave in two weeks! I ran into a friend today who just got back from Spain and he gave me some great tips and made me even more exited.

I got a birthday coupon for Cactus and Tropicals, so I got a small orchid to go with my other one, which I got about two months ago with another coupon. I was really hungry two hours after lunch, and Reno eats about every 2, so I had a hard-boiled egg and oats, buckwheat groats, honey, maca, and chia seeds in coconut water.

David Rocco's DOlce Vita is an Italian cooking show on Cooking Channel. He made two simple orange salads I want to try:

Orange Salad With Oregano

4 oranges
20 kalamata olives
1/4 cup/58 ml extra-virgin olive oil
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
Dried oregano

Slice the skin off each orange, removing both the peel and white skin or pith. Coarsely chop the oranges. Place the chopped oranges and olives in a salad bowl. Drizzle with extra-virgin olive oil, salt, pepper, and oregano. Toss well and serve.

Orange Salad With Anchovies

4 oranges
10 anchovy fillets, coarsely chopped
1 red onion, chopped
20 kalamata olives
Bunch fresh basil leaves, torn
1/4 cup/58 ml extra-virgin olive oil
Salt and freshly ground black pepper

Slice the skin off each orange, removing both the peel and the white skin or pith. Coarsely chop the oranges and reserve the juices. Place the chopped oranges, orange juice, anchovies, onion, olives, and basil leaves in a salad bowl. Drizzle with extra-virgin olive oil and season with salt and pepper. Toss well and serve.

Smobergirl