Yoga Day = Self Acceptance Day

Hi Friends! Happy Saturday! Happy Yoga Day! Despite my best plans to go out to one of the many free yoga classes happening today, I just wasn’t feeling going anywhere in a hurry today.  So, I woke up around 8:30, enjoyed a leisurely breakfast….

plain greek with pb puffins, nanner and maple syrup drizzle

Did some cleanup and then celebrated the day as it should be – with the best, longest, hardest (TWSS) yoga practice from Yoga Vibes.  I chose a Flow Yoga class that was 82 minutes long and from MA! I can say that the location did have a bit to do with my choice, but I’m so glad I did choose this one.  Within the first few minutes I was literally shaking with fatigue.  It was extremely challenging but also very mindful.  Perfect yoga in my book. :)

After a shower I was more than ready for lunch.  I decided on a sandwich thin with crunchy pb, raw tempeh slices and apricot jam along with a salad of mixed greens and red bell pepper tossed with Goddess dressing.  Definitely did the trick!

I’ve been working this afternoon on a bunch of school work and its been nice to have a quiet house (Brian is off skiing with some buddies).  I just took a break and happened across my good bloggie friend HomecookedEm’s post.  I have been meaning to write more on my current food and exercise philosophy and Em inspired me to make it today. 

As you may have noticed, for a blog with “running” in the title, I haven’t been doing much of it lately.  My “intense” running really started in college when I began running on the cross country team.  We weren’t very serious about it, but we practiced regularly and ran in meets every weekend during the fall.  I had a ton of fun increasing my mileage and really seeing what I was capable of. 

When I moved out on my own to Massachusetts after college, running became something that I relied upon.  It was a difficult transition to living by myself and running was a way to get used to my new surroundings and de-stress (as we all know). 

I’m not sure when it happened, but much like eating became in high school, running became something that I felt I needed to structure severely and felt a huge need to run 5 or 6 days a week the hardest I could.  If I wasn’t under a certain time or over a certain amount of miles, it wasn’t a good enough run - I wasn’t good enough.  While I had made some great progress with removing my eating restrictions, I found that running replaced the compulsiveness and it started effecting my view of food again – if I didn’t run, I couldn’t eat as much.

Finally, with yoga entering my life as well as some great friends (bloggy and otherwise) and Brian, I realized that running (as well as eating) should be something that I do for myself, to make myself feel better – not something that I felt I had to do, or that I used to criticize myself.  I was tired, cranky, and felt like I had no solid foundation – I only felt good when I got that long run in and ate this or that – I wanted to feel good being me, run or no run, ice cream or no ice cream.

Over time, this desire has meant that I only run when I want, I can go a day or two without a workout (although I do genuinely love exercise!) and that I enjoy a glass of wine (or two) and a brownie or tortilla chip (gasp!) when I so desire.  I feel so happy having realized that I can be me and accept moderation in all aspects of my life.  I feel balanced and beautiful, just as I am. 

While I do feel silly sometimes with a blog that touts running, I am so grateful that I have this outlet and so many great friends who visit by here. 

Before I go, I just want to mention that my experience with running is entirely unique to me and I am in no way putting it down.  I still love running and when I can be sure that I have a healthy relationship with it, I will most definitely be back at it.  Besides, the Troy Turkey Trot has become tradition in my family – I have to hit the pavement at least once a year. :)