Healthy, Whole, and Balanced: A Process, Not a Product

Oh holy yoga, how I've missed you!

I have to confess that I've strayed from my nightly Relaxation Ritual. I've mainly been consumed by other stuff. I've traveled out of town/state the past three weekends, so I had to move all my weekend work to the week. It's been a bit overwhelming.

But my schedule is clearing and I am once again making time for at least 15 minutes of yoga each night. It's amazing how it healthifies my entire attitude. For example, doing yoga makes me want to eat better.

I want to commit to eating more balanced foods (enough iron, calcium, protein, etc.). I want to eat more fresh fruits and vegetables (hello, green smoothies!). I want to drink at least 120 ounces of water a day. Eighty ounces is honestly not cutting it. I'm still getting what seem to be dehydration headaches.

I want to commit to saying no to empty calories. No to the cake at the monthly faculty meetings. No to the chocolate that shows up in my mailbox at school. No to the processed foods that my students bring for our community snack.

I want to commit to saying no to the restaurant binges that promise to lift my mood but inevitably leave me feeling worse.

I want to commit to adding new recipes to our binder that are healthy, whole, and balanced.

I'm probably going to head to a yoga retreat in Western Massachusetts with my best friend in June. It's funny how I'm motivated to adopt healthier habits in preparation for that trip. How very Western to focus so obsessively on the goal! Instead, I need to commit to the process. Healthy living is a process, not a product. It's daily and weekly conscious living. It's stretching and eating whole foods and moving more. It's not something I can achieve and then leave behind.

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