8/13/2018 2 Comments It's Not Depression... But Something Doesn't Feel Right: My Struggle with Postpartum AnxietyI, by nature, am not an anxious person. That was, of course, until Dave and I decided to start trying for a baby. Suddenly, I was ridden with anxiety and self doubt--a feeling that was very foreign to me. It was one of the first “goals” in my life that I could not achieve simply through focus and determination. There was, of course, the obvious act necessary to make a baby that I could participate in, but beyond that… I couldn’t will my body to conceive the moment I was ready. It became quickly apparent that a Type A personality was not going to play in my favour when it came to making and raising babies. The root of this? Control. Or lack there of, I should say. I am writing this from a very vulnerable place and it is not something that I am fully comfortable with. To shine light on a time when I felt out of control and less capable is, in fact, a very uncomfortable thing for me to do. I think as women, but particularly as mothers, it can be hard to show others that we battle with self doubt and mental health. For some reason, we feel there is this expectation to be Super Woman at all times. But, from everything I have learned through this experience, I can say with confidence that every mom feels this way at some point in her journey, if not on the regular. It is my hope that, by sharing my story, I will help other women climbing similar mountains know that they are not alone and that, with time, and maybe a little help, this too shall pass. You may feel weak, but you possess endless amounts of strength and wisdom. Know how I know? Because you are a mom. And no one can love or care for your child like you can. No one can know and understand their needs better than you. You are a mother. And that is synonymous with strength. The day our daughter, Ayla, was born was the happiest day of our lives. We could not have been happier or have loved her more. But, as very early days passed, I recognized the feeling that was settling into the pit of my stomach as all too familiar. It was the same feeling I had when I worried about not being able to get pregnant. However, this time, the anxiety was more difficult to pinpoint because I wasn’t sure where its roots lay. My daughter was healthy and thriving, so why did I always feel plagued by anxiousness? Even being on the other side of postpartum anxiety and writing about it months later, it is difficult to put these feelings into words.
The term postpartum depression is something that pops up all over the place during pregnancy. You are educated on the signs and symptoms well before baby arrives. It wasn’t until after Ayla was born and I was faced with daily anxiety that I began to research other postpartum mental health issues. I had no idea that postpartum anxiety was even a thing! Turns out, not only is it ‘a thing’ but it is extremely common. Most of my anxiety tended to be around how much Ayla was sleeping as well as the anticipation of anything new (like breastfeeding outside the comfort of my own home. Flash forward a few months and you can find me nursing anywhere and everywhere). I have a very vivid memory of Ayla waking one night at 10pm and me freezing in my tracks, not knowing what to do. As a new mom with a very young baby, I could only rely on one thing and that was Ayla’s night time sleep. She would go down at 7pm and wake twice for feedings, sometime around midnight and 3am and then wake around 7am. She would sleep well until those feeds. So when she broke routine one night and woke before midnight, I panicked. She broke her one consistent behaviour and that threw me for a loop. Was it a big deal? Of course not. Would I even blink an eye if this happened today? Nope. But then, in my very vulnerable state, something small like this rocked me. Another evening, I remember Ayla had gone to bed as usual and was sleeping soundly. Dave and I were enjoying our evening together, something that I continue to cherish today, but that was very precious to me in the early days of motherhood. The day had been fine. Nothing significant had happened. And yet, I remember sitting on the couch consumed by anxiety that I could not explain. My stomach was in knots and I was breathing deeply, trying to calm my nerves. That was an upsetting night. It was when I knew hormones were determining my emotions and that there was likely nothing I could do about it except let them run their course. During this time in my life, I was very thankful to be a reflective person. I understood that these feelings were rooted in hormones and generally triggered by situational factors. My fluctuating hormones combined with my need to maintain control was the perfect cocktail for postpartum anxiety. When I would talk to other moms about what I was feeling anxious about in regards to Ayla, they would assure me that this phase wouldn’t last and that I could relax and let her run the show for a bit. And although I knew they spoke logically and truthfully, I also knew I had to experience everything for myself. I had to watch Ayla grow and I needed to learn as a mother. I needed to see her go through various phases of her newborn life and live through them with her before I was able to successfully relinquish control and come to peace with the fact that, when it comes to babies, it’s often best to roll with the punches (within reason, of course. I can’t completely change who I am!). By the time Ayla was three months old, the anxiety had almost completely disappeared. A moment that stands out in my mind is when I took Ayla to the doctor’s for a routine check up. I had, of course, scheduled it perfectly to fit in between naps, but his office was running behind. Soon, I found myself right in the thick of nap #3, but certainly did not have a sleeping baby in my arms. I watched the clock as we sat in the waiting room. Nap time came and went. It was then that I realized that the world didn’t end when things didn’t go as planned. Ayla made it through to bedtime, perhaps a little crankier than usual, but no one was worse for wear. And I hadn’t succumbed to my anxiety either. I remained calm and my baby, happy. This sounds so insignificant, especially writing it today, but in the moment, it signified that I had emerged on the other side of my postpartum struggles. Aside from my own hormones settling a bit, I had also been a mother long enough to figure out that every phase a baby goes through is relatively short. So to try and control a particular baby behaviour is like trying to hold on to a fleeting moment. It’s barely worth the energy because it will be such a flash in the pan. The term, “this won’t last forever,” became all but my mantra. And it is these words that continue to keep me calm (as possible) through motherhood. Although I do not miss my anxious days by any means, I am, in a way, thankful for this experience as a new mom. It taught me valuable lessons about myself and provided me with ample opportunity for growth. I got to experience something difficult in the midst of something incredibly joyous, and then come out the other side, where even more joy awaited me in the calm. I love talking to other new moms, in the throws of hormonal chaos, not knowing which way is up, so I can tell them it gets easier. Today, Ayla is seven months old. She is our greatest joy and gives us, as parents, new and profound purpose. Every day brings new lessons (for her and myself) and some are more challenging than others. But, as physically and emotionally taxing as being a parent can be, I wouldn’t trade these days for the world, as I am sure other moms would agree. Each day I find myself begging time to, please, slow down as the months fly by. If you are a mom struggling, in any way, postpartum, I encourage you to talk about it. Acknowledge your feelings and give them a voice. I promise you are not alone and you will quickly find a band of women who will flock to you in support. I also believe that talking about these feelings and emotions allows you to make sense of them and get out of your head, so to speak. This was, without a doubt, my best coping mechanism. And although it was just time that my body needed to sort itself out, talking about my feelings and realizing their root, made the difficult days so much easier. If Dave and I ever give Ayla a sibling, I obviously hope that I can skip this phase. The unknown surrounding life with a newborn is now behind me and these life experiences are hopefully enough to keep my anxious triggers at bay and prevent me from playing into the crazy hormonal shifts. But, if I don’t, I will remind myself once again that, “this won’t last forever”. I will reach out to my support system to raise me up and I will come out the other side. Articulating this period in my life has been difficult. Not because I don’t like talking about it, but because I was worried that I wouldn’t be able to describe what it was truly like. I hope that this story finds its way to someone, somewhere who needs it. I hope that my journey through postpartum anxiety brings another woman comfort knowing that they are not alone and encourages them to soak up the joy of this precious, very short lived period of their little one’s life.
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When Dave and I found out we were pregnant, we were filled with a myriad of different emotions: joy, wonder, excitement, nervousness, anxiousness… the list goes on. With all of life’s uncertainties, nothing can prepare you for the overwhelming feeling that comes from knowing that, together, you created life. And now that life will continue to be sustained inside of you for the next nine months. To say that this is a miracle is an understatement. Even now, 17 weeks in, there isn’t a day that goes by that I am not amazed by what is happening inside of my body. There are so many couples who have difficulty conceiving. I think about these individuals daily and am sure to never take this miracle for granted. Even through the difficult days (and there have been quite a few), I feel blessed to have been given the opportunity to become a mother. Excitement is an emotion I have felt every day since finding out we were pregnant--excited to meet our little bean, excited for the ways in which our family is about to change, and excited for Dave and I to take on our next big gig: becoming parents. That said, my first trimester was anything but easy. As many mothers-to-be do, I experienced a variety of unpleasant symptoms that early pregnancy brings. Of course, I knew all of the possible symptoms that I may be faced with and how common they were. I knew about the ongoing nausea and un-heard of levels of exhaustion and inability to eat or live in ways you were used to, pre-baby creation. And yet? It still hit me like a ton of bricks. Originally written for www.leanfit.com
1. It’s not always as simple as calories in vs. calories out. For people looking to lose weight or gain muscle, it isn’t always as simple as eating in a calorie deficit or calorie surplus. Depending on where you are in your nutritional journey, this may be a good starting point, but it will only take you so far. The type of calories (or macronutrients) consumed will have an impact on how much energy you expend during your daily activities. Various foods have a different metabolic effect on your body, and that’s an important consideration when working towards composition goals. Protein, for example, has a high thermic effect, which means the body literally burns more calories when breaking it down than, say, carbohydrates. For example, when you eat 100 calories of carbs, and 100 calories of protein, your body will actually burn more calories processing the protein. This is quite a complicated topic, with plenty of related science to consider, but if you can remember that a calorie is not just a calorie, this information will take you a long way. 2. What works for your neighbour will not necessarily work for you. Nutrition is a complex topic, and our bodies are even more complex. People are often quick to jump on the diet bandwagon as soon as they witness someone having success with a particular eating plan. When they don’t experience the same success, they are left feeling confused and discouraged. Instead of playing the never-ending game of musical diets, jumping from one nutrition fad to the next, be consistent. Make simple and realistic changes to your daily eating habits. Choose sustainable practices that you can maintain and that work with your lifestyle. This is the first step on the road to healthy eating. 3. A little tough love: you might be eating too much. This is a bit of a sensitive topic, because I meet many women, in particular, who are actually not eating enough. They’ve been on a calorie-restricted diet for years, and as a result, are experiencing some level of metabolic damage. Or, people limit their calories for days at a time, resulting in a huge binge at the end of the week, and consuming far too many calories for their body type. However, more often than not, people are fooling themselves. They believe that as long as they make healthy choices and are consuming nourishing foods, they should be good to go. The fat will take care of itself. And, although I wish it were as simple as this, calories do play a role. Now, this may seem contradictory to my first point of calories in vs. calories out, but we can’t deny that calories are important. If you are eating too much on a consistent basis, you will gain fat. It’s science. So that extra handful of nuts in the afternoon, eating mindlessly straight from the cereal box (guilty), or taking too many samples from the lady in Costco can really add up. All of the sudden, you’ve eaten 400 calories over your daily goal and you didn’t even notice! 400 calories x 7 days = 2,800 extra calories a week! Another example is falling into what I call “the smoothie trap.” Don’t get me wrong—smoothies and shakes are a convenient, nutrient dense meal to add into your nutrition routine. I have at least one every day. But, too often, people begin loading in the fruits and fats, without being cognizant of serving size. And, sure, every ingredient is real, nutritious food. But, suddenly, they’ve made a 900 calorie smoothie without even knowing it. It’s important to gain an understanding of what you are consuming in a day. Try tracking your food for a week, using an app like My Fitness Pal (see my previous post for more info). This will provide you with an overview of what you are consuming on a daily basis and areas of nutrition where you may be falling short (or going over!). So, to sum here, here are the top 3 things I wish everyone knew about nutrition: 1. It isn’t always as simple as calories in vs. calories out. Our bodies process different foods in different ways. Pay attention to the types of foods you are consuming and find a balance between macronutrients. 2. Just because a particular eating plan works for your neighbour, does not necessarily mean it will work for you. Find sustainable and healthy practices that fit your lifestyle and be consistent. 3. You may be eating too much. Try tracking your food and begin to gain an understanding of what you are actually consuming in a day and changes that may need to be made. Knowledge is power. 4/15/2016 1 Comment Food Trackingļ»æOriginally written for www.leanfit.com
Client question: What is the best way to track my nutrition? Tracking nutrition is a great tool for those looking to gain a better understanding of what their daily food intake is. It helps build awareness of nutrition and often shines light on areas of our diet where we may be falling short. Although it isn’t for everyone, and certainly not a strategy that needs to be used daily, all year long, it is a tool that people can utilize to get their nutrition on track and learn how their eating style may be affecting their body composition and goals. In today’s era of technology, tracking is easier than ever. Numerous aps and online programs have been developed that allow people to simply track their daily food intake. By far, the most popular of these aps is My Fitness Pal. MFP offers a variety of features, including goal setting, macro, calorie and exercise tracking, progress reports, and sharing your journey with friends. MFP is an awesome tool, particularly for those who are working towards a specific goal. Remember: the more specific your health and/or fitness goal, the more dedicated you must be to your diet. MFP allows you to track each meal and lets you know when you have hit your calorie and macronutrient goals. As much as I love this tool, there are certainly downfalls to be aware of. First, anyone can add foods to the MFP database, and it’s not always clear whether the nutritional information on these items is correct. The best way to combat this problem is to use the barcode scanning feature (available through the app, but not the online interface) if the food is packaged, or look for similar foods with the green checkmark beside them. This means the content has been verified. Another tip to remember when tracking your food is that “eyeballing it” isn’t always the most reliable method. Serving sizes may be misjudged, and that can be enough to throw you into a calorie surplus when you’re trying to eat in a deficit (or vise versa). Unless you are loosely tracking to ensure you remain relatively on point with your diet, I do recommend weighing and measuring your food when possible. Again, this is for those individuals who are striving to reach a specific goal within a given time frame. Otherwise, a more relaxed approach to tracking is acceptable and recommended. Another factor to be aware of is that, by no means, is tracking a perfect science. Not only can there be error in the data, but everyone processes calories and nutrients differently. So it’s very difficult to know how your body will absorb and utilize the amount of calories documented for a specific food. If you are working with a professional, nutrition tracking may be as simple as keeping a food journal. Your coach or nutritionist can then view your log and provide suggestions moving forward. In conclusion, I think food tracking is an excellent tool to have in your nutritional toolbox. It can help build food awareness and support you in reaching your goals. That being said, it can be time consuming and inaccurate. So take it with a grain of salt and only use it if it makes sense to do so. Tracking is not a strategy that needs to be employed 24/7, so take advantage of it when it can be most useful to you. If you find yourself obsessing over the numbers, it may be time to opt for a less all-consuming nutrition approach. 12/22/2015 1 Comment 5 Holiday Nutrition Survival TipsāI love the holidays. Although there is Christmas buzz everywhere you go, everything also seems so much quieter. There are fewer things open, no deadlines to worry about, and a pull to just snuggle in with the family on snowy days. And of course, my other favourite part: consuming copious amounts of delicious food. Unfortunately, all of the indulging can often lead to a feeling of full-until-it-hurts, and the infamous food (or other) hangover the next morning. So how can you indulge without losing sight of your goals or feeling like you have to deprive yourself for weeks, post-Christmas? Well, with these challenges in mind, I decided to share my tips for surviving the holidays without sacrificing your waistline: 1. Backload your day This is my favourite trick of the season. If I know I have a holiday event in the evening or afternoon, I will plan my meals accordingly. This might mean a light breakfast that is higher in protein and fats (knowing I will be having a meal wuite high in carbohydrates later), or I may even remain in a fasted state until late morning or lunch, if that feels right. Fasting during the first half of the day not only sets you to eat more in the evening, but it also puts your blood sugar in a good position for eating more insulin-inducing foods (think shortbread, assorted chocolates, and sausage rolls. Oh my). These practices can also support your energy levels. By keeping sugar low during the first part of the day, you encourage healthy cortisol levels (providing energy), and limit your insulin response. Later in the day, when you are indulging in some yummy holiday treats, cortisol levels decrease as insulin levels are heightened. This is also helpful for our hormone levels, as the pattern supports a natural sleep cycle. Have you ever noticed how you become a bit sluggish after a large meal? Thatās the power of a high insulin response. So keeping insulin levels low in the morning, can help aid in supporting a natural sleep cycle. Ultimately saving your calories for the afternoon/evening will allow you to really enjoy the holiday treats without worrying about limiting yourself. ā2. Find time for activity So you ate until you couldnāt move last night and washed it down with four glasses of eggnog. So what? You had a blast and laughed with friends and family until your sides hurt. Sounds like an evening well spent. But now is a really awesome opportunity to put that food to work. Once you awake from your food coma, engage in some resistance training. You might as well turn those carbs into muscle, am I right? You are stocked up on glycogen stores and your body can use those to help you hit new PRs. I like to focus on large muscle groups on these days (such as legs or back) to ensure I get the biggest bang for my buck. I will also incorporate some full-body movements, just becauseā¦ it canāt hurt. My bet is you have a great workout! 3. Show you body's systems some love when you can After a bit of an indulgent meal, I like to fill the following day with lots of detoxifying foods, like lemon and greens. In fact, I generally start my morning with a green smoothie, incorporating lots of mixed greens (or greens powder) and lemon juice, usually with a fruit of some sort. Grab my free smoothie guide here to get your hands on some fresh recipes! Get lots of vegetables in during the rest of the day, and drink plenty of water and herbal teas so encourage your body to move things alongā¦ 4. Ditch the crap It never fails that, during the holidays, my counter top and refrigerator become filled with a variety of Christmas treats. But letās be honest: thereās enough of these items at the 17 get-togethers we all inevitably have (other than in the year 2020). So get rid of the extras. Thereās no need to pick at a plate of Aunt Carol's traditional Christmas baked goods every day of the week (sorry, Aunt Carol). Save the treats for social gatherings and your regular diet the rest of the time. I may keep my favourite dark chocolate in the freezer, but I usually chuck the rest after a day or two. I have a sweet tooth myself, and definitely donāt need Christmas cookies taunting me 24-7, because I know overindulging doesn't make me feel well. I become low-energy and foggy. So you can wait until Boxing Day or January 1st for the traditional trashing-of-the-treats, but I recommend just doing it now. Youāll be thankful you did. 5. Enjoy Last but not least: enjoy. The Christmas season comes around once a year. There is no reason why yours should be filled with endless moments of temptation, post-binge guilt, and social gathering avoidance (again.. unless it's 2020). Set yourself up for success using the tips listed above, and enjoy time spent with family and friends, while eating delicious meals. Food is one of the great pleasures in life. Why deprive yourself of something so wonderful? I am a huge proponent of balance, and believe that the holidays are meant to be enjoyed, whatever that may mean for you. So indulge. Eat and drink until your heart desires, but plan accordingly and put strategies in place that allow you to do so with minimal damage. From my family to yours, happy celebrating, and Merry Christmas!
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Dave and I at our own family Christmas celebration. Matching by accident, I swear.
For the last few of years, I have immersed myself in the health and fitness world. Social media is an incredibly powerful tool and it has allowed me to be constantly surrounded by inspiring, strong, fearless women who motivate me to be better every day. I feel so fortunate to not only be able to learn and grow from these individuals, but to share my own journey with them and connect with others when I am in need of support or guidance. Platforms like Facebook, Instagram, and of course other blogs and podcasts have made this so easy, and have literally connected me with incredible people all over the world. There’s nothing more comforting than surrounding yourself with like-minded individuals. Nutrition and fitness are my passion. Learning about and practicing both ignites something in me. It is when I feel the most like myself (does that make sense?). And there is nothing I love more than sharing this passion with others. This interest has sparked conversations with many women in my life, some of who have become clients, and some who are just looking to chat or grab my opinion on a particular topic. This is often when the reality of mainstream media sinks in. I am dumbfounded when I learn that women are still doing an hour on the treadmill a day while consuming 1000 calories--and not getting the results they’re looking for. Nutritional supplementation is a question that comes up a lot in the health and nutrition world. Should you be taking any? Which ones? How much? Which brands? Supplements are everywhere: from the multivitamin you can pick up at the grocery store, to the weird brown smelly tincture your naturopath recommends (speaking from experience). But how do you know which supplements are really necessary and which ones you can leave on the shelf? Before diving into this discussion, it's important to note the two kinds of nutrients (all of which can be supplemented if necessary): essential and nonessential. Essential nutrients are those found in food that are important in order for our bodies to function optimally. It's important that we get them through diet, as our bodies do not have the ability to create them on their own. Essential nutrients include vitamins, minerals, essential fatty acids, and amino acids. Since these nutrients are found in food, we don't necessarily require supplements (think: fish oil, for example). However, many of us don't quite hit the mark when attempting to consume the proper amount of these nutrients for our age and size. Before you turn to supplementation, however, turn to whole foods. Food is a powerful tool. Don't underestimate what it can do for you and your health. Try to find food sources rich in the essential nutrient you are lacking. It's always better to go straight to the source, and quite honestly, it's simpler too. There are far fewer factors to consider when choosing whole foods over a supplement. Amino acids, for example, are proteins. So work to increase your daily protein consumption through foods like pasture raised organic meats. Lacking in vitamin A? Look for vegetables like sweet potato or pumpkin to boost your A consumption (but make sure you're also getting enough D. The one doesn't work without the other. Nutrients are tricky like that). That being said, it's not always possible to get what we need through whole foods. Maybe you're on the road a lot for work, or vacationing in an area where certain nutrient dense foods are difficult to find. In that case, supplementation can be a great strategy to ensure your body continues to get what it needs. Maybe you like to travel with a high quality protein powder and powdered greens to make quick shakes on the run. Many North American's are deficient in several micronutrients. There are so many to be conscious of, that a multivitamin and/or multimineral may be the route to go, purely for simplicity reasons. Cod Liver Oil is an incredible source of vitamin A and EFA's. Find a reputable brand (Like Nordic Naturals or Genestra) to ensure purity. .And remember: just because you begin taking a supplement, doesn't necessarily mean that you need it on the daily. It can be something you keep on hand for those days you know you're going to come up short. They can also be something you rotate. Our bodies are very intelligent and adaptable. Rotating certain supplements can help ensure their effectiveness. Nonessential nutrients are nutrients that the body is able to produce on its own, assuming you are upholding a quality diet. They also include nutrients that are not necessary for carrying out any physiological functions. There are far more nutrients that fit into this category than the latter. You may recognize many of them as buzz words in the health and fitness world, such as creatine, glutamine, and green tea extract. Some of these supplements may have positive benefits when used correctly to enhance a particular function. However, many have also gained popularity simply through crafty marketing strategies by the supplement industry. We may be talking about health... but they're talking about money. I would suggest really doing your research before taking any supplement, but particularly those in the nonessential category. Speak to a professional before deciding that supplementation is the way to go. Additionally, there are a lot of garbage supplements out there. In many cases, you may end up peeing out your hard earned money, as there wasn't much there to absorb in the first place. Find out if life satisfaction is impacting your eating behavious and overall health. Creating awareness might be the ticket to making better food choices.Do your homework and make sure you are buying from a supplement company you trust. One strategy I recommend is sticking to brands that a healthcare professional (educated in the supplement world) has recommended, like a naturopath of functional doctor. Generally, you can trust their professional judgement knowing they have done their due diligence. Then, when hunting for a new supplement, keep your eyes peeled for those preferred brands. Supplement quality control can be a little bit sketchy, particularly in the United States, where the FDA does not test the effectiveness, safety, or purity of a supplement product. Here in Canada, we can relax a little bit, as products must be approved by the Natural Health Products Directorate (NHPD) before hitting the market. Licensing and manufacturing practices are more strictly regulated, which helps the consumer feel a little more confident in the the information on the label. If you're hunting for a quality supplement, and still feeling overwhelmed, another site to try is Lab Door. Lab Door is an excellent site to help you research and find the highest quality of supplements available. This company does extensive testing on various products and uses a ranking system to determine the quality of each one. Although you won't find every brand on their site, it's definitely a great place to start. You can simply begin by choosing the type of supplement you're looking for (a multivitamin, for example) and Lab Door will give you their top ten suggestions (#1: Garden of Life, Vitamin Code for Men). Or, you can search up a particular supplement and brand in question. If you are an athlete looking for a particular supplement, or a coach thinking of recommending a supplement to a client, you should first ensure that it is not on the banned substance list for said activity. You can check out www.wada-ama.org for that list. Supplements is a topic that really deserves a 5 part series. There is so much that can be said and even more that can be debated. If I tried to cover it all, we'd be here all day. So I will leave you with this information for now. However, if you have any questions, feel free to shoot me an email and we can chat further. I would love to help you out on your supplement journey. Be sure to follow me on Instagram for more health and wellness tips + healthy recipes for the whole fam. I found out very quickly that the end of a school year + working on a course + planning a wedding/honeymoon meant not a lot of spare time for hobbies. So, it's been a while since my last post. However, Dave and I returned home to the chaos that is our condo a few days ago and I am ready to get back into it!
I wanted to begin by saying that we had an absolutely amazing wedding day! The sun was shining, to say the least (we apologize for any cases of heat stroke that may have been endured by our guests), and Dave and I both agree that it was the best day of our lives. It's difficult to describe the feeling of being surrounded by loved ones from all walks of life. It was surreal and humbling and the room was filled with so much love. We could not have asked for a better day. I now understand why everyone says that they wish they could go back and experience it all over again! We only have photos collected from family and friends, but here are a handful of pics to get the ball rolling: 4/26/2015 0 Comments Creating Space For YogaUp until recently, I was not a yoga lover. I would take a class, from time to time, but usually only if a friend asked me to tag along, or if I was healing from an injury that prevented me from doing anything high impact. As a past Lululemon employee, the confession that I was indifferent towards the practice (a very “meh” attitude, if you will) was basically sacrilege. Practicing yoga is a big part of the Lululemon culture, and ultimately what the clothing line was inspired by. I was tremendously fortunate as a part-time employee--the company offered free yoga classes all over the city. I had the opportunity to try out any type of yoga I wanted, at various studios. Unfortunately, I really didn’t take advantage of this generous benefit as much as I maybe should have. At the time, I was working two jobs (or was back in school), and was just trying to keep my head above water while staying in relatively decent shape. To me, yoga was not an efficient use of my time. I wanted to get faster and become stronger. I didn’t have an hour to waste lying in a heated room, downward dog-ing it, taking part in an ‘om’ or two. I just didn’t have the space for it in my life. And when I did attend a class, I felt even more weighed down, as I was determined to fit my regular workout into my schedule as well. Keep in mind that during that time (and still today, as I am very lucky to have remained friends with a group of those amazing women, despite our ever changing lives) that I was surrounded by yogis. These girls (and some guys) lived, breathed, and sang the praises of yoga practice. I felt like a fraud in their presence. Years have passed since these days, and many life experiences have been had. My life looks very different in many lights. And suddenly… I get it. I have arrived at a place where I see the purpose for yoga in my life. And you better believe I am making room for it. I have now seen two ND’s who have told me that in order to support my adrenal glands and proper cortisol production, I need to chill out. Sound familiar? We live in this world that is constantly on the move. For some reason, there is this mentality that if we aren’t on ‘vacation’ then we do not have the luxury to relax on a regular basis. Relaxation is indulgent. So we ensure that we pack every spare moment with activity or chore. Only recently has this realization hit me… and I am not taking it lightly. I finally see that finding stillness and quiet is part of leading a healthy life. It can literally heal your insides. And this is something that I am absolutely in control of. I have the power to create that environment. So why haven’t I? Both naturopaths have suggested meditation. But, when I decided to give that a go, I woke up on the couch half an hour later. Turns out I think traditional meditation means napping. So I turned to the only other thing that I was familiar with: yoga. I am committed to creating and maintaining my health. It’s amazing how this commitment has allowed me to see yoga in a completely different light. Suddenly, I realize how it can fit into my life with purpose. When I lay on my mat for the first time with this intension in mind, the practice became something new to me. I found quiet for the first time in a long time. Now when I practice yoga, I will my body to release tension and stress. I clear my mind and find this amazingly silent, still place that I didn’t know existed. And knowing that I am actually using this practice as a healing tool for my body allows me to recognize its importance and appreciate its value. I am trying to hit my mat at least twice a week. Some days I head to my favourite neighbourhood studio, and others, I hit up one of the many amazing yoga channels on YouTube, and practice in my living room. There are really no excuses. Time, as it is for everyone, is still an issue for me. Life is busy. This new activity means that I may, some weeks, need to replace one of my regular workouts. Now that I understand the many benefits yoga can provide—not just mentally, but physically—I’m ok with that. There are many things in life that are beyond our control, and that can be frustrating. So when you have the opportunity to take your health and well being into your own hands, do it. Don’t deny yourself healing that you have the power to create. Namaste. The world of nutrition is a complicated one. Head to the Health and Wellbeing section at your local Chapters and you’ll see what I mean. There are literally walls of books telling us what to eat, what not to eat, how to cook it, and when to eat it. This would all be well and good… except that they all seem to contradict each other in varying ways. So how are we expected to make it through this life with a healthy approach if the so-called professionals can’t even agree?
I pride myself in being able to read nutrition advice with an objective eye. I gather what I have learned from past resources and make my own judgments on what is truth and what is fad. Are all of my ideas surrounding health accurate? Probably not. Nutritional information is so vast, how could I possible know it all? But, I don’t feel too bad about it, considering that even world-class scientists haven’t got it all figured out yet. It is an ever-growing body of knowledge. That’s part of what I love about the industry. Things never get old. However, as confident as I am in my own journey, if I’m not careful, I too can find myself feeling muddled by over exposure to information. I start to give in to the confidently worded, persuasive writing offered up by some health guru, meditating on a beach in California. I begin to question what I know to be true or effective. Although questioning your awareness and constantly building upon what you already know is an important part of learning, it isn’t always necessary, depending on your information source. |
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