Leftover Lunch and a Yoga Filled Weekend

It?s Friday! You made it.

For the last few days I have been starting every morning with a cup of hot tea. This morning I went for the Celestial Seasonings India Spice Chai. So spicy and delicious, the perfect way to wake you up in the morning!

 
A while back, after attending a yoga and ayurveda workshop, I drank hot water every morning when I woke up, as it is said to help digestion and get your system going. It actually made me feel quite good! But EWW, hot water is really boring and doesn?t taste good. Well, I guess it doesn?t taste like anything! I figured hot tea would be an okay alternative, a great way to jump start digestion. I?m going to continue drinking a cup every morning. Definitely possible with yummy teas like this around!

I also munched on a new bar?

These are really crunchy and good, but very sweet! I wish I took a picture of the actual bar because they are very pretty! You can see all of the nuts and seeds and dried fruit. Next time. I enjoyed it with my tea and it held me over quite well through a 90 minute yoga class.  I also had a plum and a few other various snacks. I woke up STARVING.

I had one of my favorite snacks when I got home,

but was hungry about an hour and a half later. Lunch time!! Just some leftover crispy chicken on some greens and some FAGE 2% with the rest of the baked plantains and a sprinkle of granola.

The plantains got super sweet and were actually almost too sweet for me! Almost. And of course the salad was delicious. It?s my favorite Summer lunch!

Off the Mat: To Yoga Class We Go?

Tonight marks the beginning of another yoga teacher training weekend! I?m rather excited, as I love every yoga-filled minute and am constantly itching to learn more. I love these weekends because I am surrounded by such a supportive and FUN group of yogis who are always there with open hearts and open minds. I?m constantly learning from my fellow ?class-mates? and feel so lucky to get to spend so much time with them each month. 

As part of the program we are required to have a home practice; six days a week with 30-120 minutes of asana and 5-20 minutes of meditation. Well, I have to admit that I am not as diligent with this as I should be. We are only supposed to go to two group classes a week max but I am finding lately that I just crave that group setting, much like what I experience during these full immersion weekends. There?s just something about practicing with a group that is so exciting. I can?t keep myself away from class!

Don?t get me wrong, I love my alone time too! But lately my home sessions have been short, about 30-45 minutes each and I find myself counting down to the next group experience.

What do you think? For you yogis out there?group or alone? Which do you like best? And everyone else, do you like the group exercise setting? Or do you like to workout on your own?

Me? I think it comes in waves. Sometimes I need that group energy, the feeling of support, knowing that I?m not alone in this whole grand scheme. Other times I like my alone time. Just me, my mat, and some groovy tunes.