What number is this?

Oh well, I'm calling it "Have the Body of My Dreams!"

First I want to clarify that I like my body. Actually, I love my body, and I don't have many reservations about it. Still, I can honestly say that I've never looked like my ideal self, and I'd like to make that a goal for this year. My solution? Hire a personal trainer! After all, paying rent isn't THAT important, right?!

I'm not trying to lose weight or anything. I just want to add a little bit of shape and definition... and LET ME TELL YOU, working for that is no joke! I thought that since I have a pretty good foundation I'd have an easier time. Not so. As of now my trainer is kicking my butt with walking lunges, cardio that would make Lance Armstrong pant, and core work that would bring a grown man to tears.

It's only week two and I'm already seeing results, so once I'm satisfied I'll post a picture (ooo, scandalous!). I think if you have your body and your mind right, everything else will follow. You can't have internal harmony and live a life that isn't consistent with how you feel. I don't think it's possible.

Yoga: The Half Naked & Very, Very Sweaty Kind

I teach a form of yoga myself, so I probably shouldn’t have had such a strong prejudice towards Bikram, but I did. For those of you who don’t know, Bikram yoga is unique because the room you practice in is gradually heated from 85 to 105 degrees over the span of the class, which is usually about 90 minutes. The idea is that such intense heat cleanses the body from the inside out. So you see why I hated it from the get-go.

First of all, I hate the heat. Don't misinterpret me here - Florida is my home and I love it dearly and there's cool things to do all over the place, but my goodness if there's one thing I can do without, it's Florida's heat. So ANYWAY, I hate Florida for its summers and overall balmy temperatures, I’d run my AC at 65 year round if my bank account dictated I could, and nothing puts me in a worse mood than hot weather. Nothing (well, for the purposes of this blog, nothing).

Also, I so badly wanted to come back to everyone with a hilarious account of how terrible my first Bikram yoga class was. I wanted desperately to compare it to Dante’s Inferno and drone on and on about how torturous it was and that I’ll never ever go there again. Instead, you have to hear about what a pleasant, soothing class I had. I’m not even cranky!

I enjoyed every part of this class. The heat wasn’t that bothersome. You do sweat a lot, especially if the room is full, and in this case it was. Did I mention you sweat? Like, A LOT? Your clothes are drenched and cling to you like Saran wrap, sweat drips from your chin and those little hairs on the back of your neck. Your back looks slick and your hands are slippery and the humidity rivals any that we experience here in the south on a summer day. But, I liked it.

I think all the sweating (okay, I know that sounds absolutely disgusting, but go with me on this one!) actually helps, because you don't feel weak. Even if you aren't as flexible as your neighbor, you both look the same: Your legs are trembling, you're gritting your teeth, and you're silently swearing to yourself that you will NOT come out of this pose. You're both just as sweaty, just as unsteady on your feet, and working as hard as your limits allow you. I don't know, it felt like there was some kind of silent camaraderie in there.

I feel refreshed and I SWEAR I’d even go as far as saying I look radiant (WHOA!). It’s very likely this is all in my head, but I feel lighter and relaxed… I may even go back next week, because at the studio I went to (Yogani) you get your 2nd class free.

As a sidenote, the studio was beautiful. Very clean, very friendly, and very simple and warm. I loved it.

Now, onto more important things… lunch!

We're Gonna Get to 100 With This Thing!

I HAVE to get to at least 100!

There’re an infinite number of things to do on earth. And even if ‘infinite’ isn’t the right word, there are certainly more than a person can do over the span of one lifetime. But for some reason, I’m drawing a blank as to what other things I can add to my list. I’m already five days into this and I haven’t actually done anything. Sure, some things take a little bit of planning, and I have a few things lined up for the next two weeks, but I can’t think of 100! Seriously, I almost wish I did this for ’09, because I did a lot last year. Like a lot, a lot. I learned so many new things and did stuff I never even would have thought of like feeding monkeys by hand and taking a break from school. I took trips and spoke new languages and faced fears and made unexpected friends.

I think my brain is a little too comfortable and proud of all my teeny accomplishments from last year and is refusing to give me any more ideas for 2010. I would LOVE to ski, but I’ve looked into that one and financing a trip would run me a couple thousand at least after lodging, flights, and equipment. Plus the cost of food and any spending money...

Skydiving is another one that I could technically do, but I’m too terrified. I want to do it in my lifetime, but I’m scared of crossing two things off my list: jumping out of a plane and plummeting to my death. Oh, and projectile vomiting at 13,000 feet.

I’m definitely not an adrenaline junkie (I don’t think), but for whatever reason, I have this unrelenting desire to collect as many experiences as I can. One of my biggest fears is that I’ll be nearing the end of my life and think, “I should have been more free.” Not even the end of my life, but even by the time I’m 40 I don’t want to think that I haven’t done anything worth talking about. And I think we should ALL want this for ourselves. Why not?

Bottom line is, I want my life to make an awesome story.

Anyway, The Secret still hasn’t arrived! But…

2. Take a Bikram yoga class (or “hot” yoga)
3. Take pole dancing lessons! (In the name of fitness!)

Happy 2010!

I guess today was technically the first day of my project this year. I haven't done anything new except get sick (hey, first cold of 2010, YEAH!), but I'm ready for some new stuff and will welcome any changes or opportunity that come my way.

Oh and here's something new: apparently my butt is so big it actually RIPPED my pants. No seriously, I bought brand new yoga pants (you know, the kind that are supposed to stretch), wore them for a total of a few hours and have discovered a hole in the seam that strategically lines the middle of my ass. Love it.

On a similar note, one thing I need most this year is a kick in the butt. I know I'm young, but I think people my age (myself included) overestimate the amount of time we have to establish ourselves in this life. I'm not talking about setting goals you don't think you can keep for yourself, but setting your focus and tirelessly working towards it NOW so you don't end up doing later and longer in life.

I just feel like time is about to start whipping past me faster than I can keep track of it, and I don't want 20 years to pass me by without having done anything of any consequence to speak of.

For now this 100 Things Project is a fun thing, but I hope something will come from it. I'm not even sure what yet.

Thing #1: Buy and read The Secret.

100 Things Project

My New Years Resolution is to do 100 Things I've Never Done in 2010.

The more I tell people this, the more daunting it seems, but I'm doin' it! ... and I think everyone can do this. It's small things just as much as it's big things. Start a gratitude journal, read a book, go snorkeling. It's anything, and I'll be the first one to start.

I'm gonna cook a live lobster, fly in a tiny stunt plane, take pole dancing lessons and about 97 more! Watch me in my success and failure and excitement and anxiety and pride and shame.

It should be fun. Just watch.

Raw Chocolate Truffles

Do you really need a better intro than that?

I recently named the raw food chef Ani Phyo as being one of my favorite people. All of her recipes are simple and quick, and I finally took a crack at the one I've been drooling over for the past month: Raw "Superfood" Chocolate Truffles.

It's just a few ingredients, and since they're a little tricky to find in your local health food store (at least they are in Tampa), she has them packages in a Ready Made Kit that you can order for less than $10 and have it delivered to your doorstep.

I love dark chocolate, but the thought of eating a truffle comprised of nothing but pure cacao butter and pure cacao powder left me a little confused. Bitter is good, but that bitter? I don't know...

I was so wrong! These are delectable. They taste as if you're eating something right out of the Halloween candy stash, but they're packed with antioxidants, healthy fat, and minerals. Pure, raw cacao is one of nature's superfoods, so eat up and enjoy!

A Week of Positive Thinking

I didn't want to put a limit on this, but I figured if I didn't I'd end up giving up in about an hour.

So yes! Here we go. I need a kick in the butt in life right now, so I'm going to try to go one week without actively thinking negatively. That't not to say that something won't go wrong, but instead of lamenting my misfortune, I'll try to put a positive twist on everything.

My day so far: I ate too many cookies, I keep remembering I'm working all day Saturday, my hair is annoying me, and my jeans are too tight.

I'm annoyed with today. Can I start tomorrow?

But, on the flip side, I've been published 7 times in the past 6 days on AssociatedContent! That's great because I'm getting paid to write (even though it's just for pennies)... finally!

Okay, no more down-time. The rest of this day is gonna be great because I'm gonna buy a smoothie with a $1.00 off coupon, and we're going to a friend's house later.

Let's go!