Pilates

Sun Sweet Sun

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Dear Spring,

I miss you dearly and look forward to your return.

Fondly,

Faith

P.S. Thank you kindly for today’s sweet, sweet teaser of what’s to come, it makes your absence a little more bearable.

Sorry for any of you dealing with winter today but hallelujah for 58* and blue skies!  I love a good snow storm and all the coziness and excitement that comes with it but Spring is truly where it’s at.

Dining al fresco

Seriously, I sat on the back porch and had to take my jacket off.  I may have gotten a little sunburn.  Ahhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh

The painting is coming right along, if you are in the Cville area you’ll have to stop by for our Grand Opening festivities on February 19th to take a gander.  There will be free demo exercise classes, food & drink (Kefir Water Soda!), talks about Chiropractic care, and a special guest presentation on eating real food.  Who knows, maybe we’ll even throw in a door prize or two!  Go ahead and put it on your calender but don’t worry, I will keep reminding you as it gets closer!

This afternoon I am heading back to the gym (I went for Pilates Reformer this morning) for a “Goal Setting” session with a trainer.

My month pass included two sessions with a trainer but first I must set my goals.  Hmmm, I am not exactly sure what to tell him.

“Tone up” is so generic…

Can I tell him that I want him to kick my ass?  Really, I want a challenging workout that uses all of my muscles at the same time, just for the hell of it.  I only have a few more days on my pass to fit in 3 sessions, whoops and yep, I am a total procrastinator.  It has gotten better over the (nearly 13 years!) time I have been with Tate, the man’s a serious go-getter, but sometimes I revert to my old habits.

My plan for the afternoon was to set some goals then take a yoga class but I am thinking I will trade yoga for a walk, it’s SO nice out it would be a shame to be in a windowless studio.

Speaking of goals, I have some lofty ones for February, including

  • get health insurance (I know, I know, it’s preposterous that I don’t have it but I was out of the country and I am a procrastinator!)
  • walk 100 miles (anyone care to join me?  It’s only 3.5 miles a day!)
  • run 30 miles
  • start teaching exercise classes
  • practice lots of yoga
  • begin choreographing my dance for May (more on this soon)
  • start my garden
  • eat lots of amazing food with amazing people

Do you have any goals for the coming month?  Setting goals can bring you Clarity for Success!


So Soda Crazy

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“Rain, sleet, freezing rain, snow…”

Yep, still January!

I just got my butt kicked in Pilates Reformer class.  It was a new-to-me teacher and she was super tough, 2/3rds of the class was leg work! Ugh!  I love it though, I feel so amazing when I walk out of there, strong, lean, and flexible.

Someday I will teach Pilates Reformer and have access to Reformers all the time!

The training to teach Reformer is extensive and expensive so for now (well, once my gym membership is up next week) I will settle for teaching and doing Mat Pilates. 🙁  (Which I also LOVE.)

It’s official.  I am obsessed with Water Kefir Soda.

One of the reasons I wanted to get to Ikea on Saturday was to pick up some bottles for my soda!

Vanilla on the left and grape on right.

Oh but wait, there’s more.

Yeah, it’s a little out of control.  For real.

That chunky stuff on the bottom right is ginger.  Mmmmmm homemade Ginger Ale.  I’ve also made Lemonade, Grape-Vanilla, and Coconut (yuck).

Wondering what’s the deal with this stuff?

It is a fermented soda made with Water Kefir Grains

These “grains” have the power to turn sugar water into a probiotic rich beverage.

Probiotics is a catchall term for thousands of live microorganisms that deliver a myriad of health benefits.  Basically it means that it is full of healthy, live bacteria that promotes gut health.  Maintaining a healthy belly is crucial to keeping your immune system healthy.

Why am I on a Kefir Soda kick?  Because it’s

  • all about the probiotics
  • rich in B1, B6, B12
  • an awesome source of right-rotating lactic acid, which is really important in cancer prevention and heart health
  • bubbly
  • low-sugar (the grains eat the sugar in the fermentation process)
  • delicious

And SO easy to make.  The only challenge, besides finding the space to store all of your soda :), is obtaining the grains.  I scored mine for free from a very random encounter but they can be bought online.  I’ve heard that the best source to buy them is at Cultures For Health.  They may seem a little expensive but they not only last forever, they multiply!

But really, does it taste good?

YES!

It is lightly sweet with a fine fizz, super tasty and refreshing.  The fermentation continues even after removing the grains so it gets less sweet, more fizzy, and a slight yeasty taste as time goes on.  The grape is the winner and coconut the loser but all of the flavors have turned out fantastic.

Time to paint!