Chill (the eff) out.

These were the words I definitely said to myself on more than on occasion last night — mid-meltdown. 
…yes, mid-meltdown.

You see? It’s time that I truly listened to my words and recognized the meaning behind them.

“Chill (the eff) out.”

Code word for: just. stop.

Slow down.

Stop putting so much pressure on yourself.

Quit seeking perfection when you know seeking excellence is a better mission.

Run away from structure now and then.

…stop being so concrete.

That last one got me good. Scott’s words, not mine.

Said to me when I was SO up in my head, SO unable to well, chill (the eff) out, that I wasn’t even seeing it.

“It” being the red sign, the warning symbol, the big blaring flashing lights: Slow. Down. Way, way down.

So this is me. Telling myself that it’s ok not to be perfect all the time. That it’s ok to let go of structure in favor of truly living. Without boundaries, rules or limits.

It’s ok to just be.

(and on that note…don’t be surprised if you don’t hear much from me between now and post-wine country. I’m thinking I’ll be a little busy ‘truly living’ amid the vines, the grapes, the company, the moments. I know you’ll understand…)

Double digits and tweaks in (marathon) training

((oh look! Another uber-sweaty post-run picture to entertain you with!))

That would be our sweaty, hot, but still smiling, faces after hitting our 10-mile run on Friday, firmly planting ourselves back in the double digit club. And I’m proud to say that this run was far, far less mental than our last long run was. I think my brain was too consumed by the fact that it was suuuuper muggy and warm on Friday and it chose to keep the mind games at bay for the most part. Thankfully, my body firmly remembered how to run in the heat — and we got through the miles fairly uneventfully. I will say that the last mile, mile-and-a-half were built on sheer willpower. My body was just done by that point, I even got that goose bumpy feeling I sometimes get when my body is being pushed to the limits and that’s how it likes to tell me it’s got (almost) nothing left. I’ve only experienced that sensation a few times but it’s always been during a long run, and that’s how I’m interpreting the random goosebump thing (even though I could be totally wrong, haha). I mean, I definitely wasn’t cold in the muggy heat!

But anyway, I’m really happy with how this run went. Scott and I didn’t really talk all that much this time, but we did work our asses off to get through it. And yes, we brought water and fuel (honey stingers rule!) so we wound up feeling pretty good when all was said and done. Y’know, after we finally stopped sweating. 😉

In other news — I’m already looking at tweaks to my training for the marathon. 
…but it’s for good reason(s).

Reason #1 — I’m going to start teaching another barre n9ne class which I am PSYCHED about. That’ll make four classes on the schedule on a regular basis which makes me suuuuch a happy little instructor. I just love to teach and the more I get to do it, the more and more I love it. The only slight “downfall” is that this means that I’ll no longer be running my long runs this summer on Friday mornings (as I’ll be teaching at 6am and I don’t want to hold off on a long run until after 7am, no way man!). Which means a change in the handy-dandy little schedule of mine. I won’t lie — I did OATT over it a little bit while editing it, but I figured out a good alternative. My long run will now happen on Wednesday mornings each week. Kind of a nice way to break up the week and the training now that I’ve let the change settle in a little bit. But it IS a change, and that always takes me a little bit of time to process. Which brings me to reason #2 for the tweaks in training.

Reason #2 — I need to keep my eye on the prize: the marathon. Which means giving up some of the beloved fitdates I have been hanging onto like hell over here since starting training (a mere two weeks ago, lol). Since I’ll now be running my long run on Wednesdays, it’s no longer a very smart move for me to keep up the run-barre-rundates on Tuesday mornings. At least not regularly, and definitely not as the miles creep up for those long runs. The run-barre-rundates are a KILLER on the legs and the last thing I want is to run 16 miles on dead legs. No bueno. So I’m loosening my grip on these fitdates a bit (insert sad face). At least for now. I’m also going to have to give up my love of the Wednesday morning fitdate with my sis ala barre n9ne fusion class followed by a rundate. A killer fun workout, but one that no longer ‘fits’ with training. Again…at least for now.

Eye on the prize. The marathon. On running smarter, not harder. On making every single run count. Avoiding burnout. And not allowing marathon training to overtake my life entirely.

I can do this.
…right? 

A wine country bucket list

A wine country bucket list. 
…oh yeah, it’s happening.

And I’m hella determined to knock every single one of these off my list while we’re out there next week.

You see, a little back story for any of you newer readers out there. Scott and I were supposed to go back to wine country for an epic three-peat with my sis and M and a few friends last fall. And then…Scott landed his first ever teaching job, his dream job, and our little life really fell into place in SUCH the right way. Worth. It.
…but it meant canceling at the last minute our beloved trip to wine country.  

So, Scott and I are basically jumping out of our SKIN with excitement over the sheer thought of returning to Healdsburg (in Sonoma county), our absolute favorite spot ever. And to be going with Jo and M and two of our friends who we absolutely ADORE is just awesome. Also helps that our friends joining us were with us last time, but one of those friends was newly pregnant and thus, didn’t get to fully experience wine country like the rest of us. She *did* make a helluva good designated driver, I will say that. 😉 So this trip is VERY much for her as much as it is for us. Jo and M are just lucky sh*ts that they get to go back after just being there last September. 😉

…but I digress. 

Back to this bucket list idea. Usually you think ‘bucket list’ and it’s items you hope to one day experience. It’s a wish list of sorts. But for *this* bucket list? I’m legit hoping to knock them ALL off the list while we’re there. Think we can do it??

THE  wine country bucket list: 

Go ziplining. Over the redwoods. As in wicked, wicked high off the ground. As in, omfg this is going to be crazy scary. But we’re doing it. It’s already booked. No backing out now. Plus, it’s on the bucket list, so now we HAVE to do it, right??

Find a pinot noir I actually like. I’m suuuuuch a fan of big, bold reds that for me, pinot noir is just too light for me, too “grape-y” <—yes that is proper wine terminology, what of it? However, a colleague of mine suggested we try Lynmar while we’re there, promising that I’d love the pinot even if I’m not a pinot drinker, normally. I totally trust this dude, he lives in Napa for crying out loud, I think he knows a thing or two about wine (and not gonna lie, totally jealous that he LIVES among the vines!!)

Do a barre n9ne “class” among the vines. With friends, if possible. The house we rented is on a private vineyard and is utterly gorgeous. I’m thinking a (fairly) early morning barre n9ne workout before we head off to drink our asses off our day of touring and tasting might be pretty awesome. In fact, I’m already thinking about how I can get a fusion-style class together in my head, with only a resistance band and my own bodyweight to do the trick. Totally doable.

Go to a tasting, pretending to be one of those uber-snotty wine connoisseurs. Y’know the ones I’m talking about. The ones that talk about the “nose” of the wine, spending ten minutes just swirling the wine in their glass, letting it “breathe” before they take a sip. And even when they *do* finally take that first sip, they first must swirl it around in their mouth, swishing it around to get the full “mouth feel” before swallowing (um hi, TWSS much?). Yup, I’m thinking we’re ALL in on this one — maybe one of us can stand in the back of the room and snap a quick video of this charade as it plays out. tee hee

Run among the vines. Prettty self-explanatory, no? But really, I’m not talking balls-to-the-wall training runs out in wine country. Nope. I’m simply talking about running a few miles a couple of times while we’re out there. Wait, what? You say I’m training for a marathon right now? No way! Whelp, guess that training plan is staying home in Boston for the week. Don’t miss me too much Mr. Training Plan, I’ll see ya on the flip side, I promise.

Skinny-dip in the pool and/or hot tub at our house. I have *maybe* gone skinny dipping once in  my life and even then, I don’t fully count it because I was in and out of the water in about 30 seconds. And I highly doubt anyone saw me in that fleeting amount of time. Ironically, it was with the same couples we’re going to wine country with. Naked among friends can be fun, no?? Wait…don’t answer that. 😉

Annnnnd done. That’s the bucket list for wine country.  Pretty decent list if I do say so myself. And now that it’s all in writing, I guess I better work on my ‘man-up’ skillz so I actually make this entire list into a reality next week, hmmm? Can you guys tell just how badly I am in need of this vacation?? After starting this year with a new job; Scott’s new job and adjusting to that; becoming barre n9ne-certified; deciding to tackle my first-ever marathon; running my ass off all winter; killing the barre n9ne 60-day challenge – one year later; and truly making this my year of ‘no limits’ — I think it’s high time for a little down time. Whoa-ly. (though, by the looks of this list, we’re going to be busssssy out in Cali, huh??)

(((grapes)))

On “body” memories

I thought about titling this post “muscle memory” but that would be misleading — so I’m calling this my thoughts on “body'”memories instead.

You see, something I’ve noticed a lot more lately, especially as I get more and more into the whole intuitive eating thing, that my body remembers a LOT of things.

…it remembers how good it feels when I fuel it with real, nourishing, whole, YUMMY foods.

…just as it remembers how not-great it feels when I cave to something far less nourishing (think: nachos).

…it remembers how much more energy it has when it’s fully hydrated. especially in the heat we’ve been experiencing up in my neck of the woods.

…it remembers how light and airy it feels when the body is rested, without too many two-a-days thrown into the mix.

…just as it remembers how badass (in a good way) it can feel after a particularly killer week of workouts, as the one I’m experiencing right now has been (more on this in a minute).

…and it remembers what it feels like to run, run hard, run far(ther) and recover. (much more on this in a few, too)

…the body just knows, responds, refines.

I’m consistently struck by this thing called ‘intention.’ That ‘thing’ I’ve been working on a lot this past year — living with intention, eating with intention, working out with intention, “being” with intention. A lot of that plays into what the body knows and how it responds to living intentionally.

And I am really digging that right now. I’m feeling very ‘at peace’ right now…with everything.
…and it makes me feel very blessed. Incredibly thankful. And very proud.

I’ll be thinking about this tomorrow while Scott and I tackle our long run of the week…week #3 of marathon training. We’re going for 10 miles, our first double-digit run since the half marathon in May.  And I’m feeling excited and energized about it. Not anxious like I mentioned in my post last week about that very mental 9-miler. And I like to think a lot of that has to do with this feeling of ‘peace’ I have going on right now. And the fact that my body remembers what it feels like to run in the double-digits and takes very little time at all to recover from it. I wind up feeling really GOOD after I stretch and re-fuel (ohhh oatmeal!) after a long run like that. I used to feel completely wiped, drained, OUT of it after a long run.

The body remembers. My body does. I dig it.

(and let’s hope it remembers how to run in the heat, even though we’re going out early morning, it’s VERY humid around here, not entirely adjusted to it yet. Body, please remember!!)

<< Oh – and another note: this killer workout week of mine. I’m calling it my last-chance workout week before the very EPIC return to wine country we have planned for next week. I am BURSTING with excitement about it. I seriously can’t sit still for the life of me. More on the trip in my post tomorrow…but for now, just know that I’ve been doing my best to kill every single workout this week while I can…especially at the barre, I’m going to miss barre n9ne in a big way next week. However, I do believe the ‘sacrifice’ is worth it. hehe. >>

Workouts *can* be fun (and still qualify as “badass”)

After last week’s very mental 9-miler, I’ve been trying to shift my focus a little bit. Sure, I’m in ‘training’ for my first marathon this fall, but does that mean my workouts — and really, my “me” time — need to be uber-serious and uber-structured all the time (if at all)?

I say, nope!

And this morning’s workout is total #PROOF that workouts can indeed be fun and still qualify as totally badass and totally sweatastic, too.
#PROOF:

(note the barre n9ne sign behind us, hehe)

As you can see — we’re *still* smiling. Which is rather surprising given the workout two-fer we just put ourselves through:

— 6am barre n9ne fusion class with Julianna, who always seems to find a way to sneak in some new moves on me when I least expect it. Today was totally killer and I LOVED it. Fusion is a nice switch-up from the classes I’m used to taking and teaching since this is a barre-less class, relying on bodyweight-style moves coupled with resistance bands for strengthening while lengthening and the evil (but I love ’em) gray 1 lb balls. ❤ it.

— we oh-so-smartly followed this up by trying a new running route near the studio that would get us about 5ish miles of rundate fun in, directly after class. Rookie mistake on my part? *Not* bringing shorts to change into after class. I literally had to peel my Lululemon wunder under crops off before I could shower. Holy sweatfest.

What I loved about this workout? Sure, it was totally killer and badass and all of that good stuff, but really? It gave me time to catch up with my sis who I see a little bit less of now that she teaches in the barre n9ne studio near her and I teach at the one near me, so we don’t get nearly as many fun fitdates in as we used to. And I KNOW — 22 mins apart is TRULY nothing in the grand scheme of things, but when you’ve been spoiled by living a mere 5 minutes apart (or less) for years, it feels a heck of a lot farther.

I also loved that we were able to pull eachother up, running-wise. We’ve both battled a bit of the mental mind game thing lately so it was really good to shake that off together, chatting away as best as we could while “bunny creeping” as Jo calls it. (for the record: we only saw ONE bunny, two if you count the same bunny twice).

So this is just my little blogger PSA for ya’ll on this super-steamy winesday Wednesday: workouts *can* be fun (and still qualify as “badass”) — quit taking yourself so seriously sometimes. It’s kinda nice now and then. 😉 

On hunger vs. habit.

I’ve made it no secret that I keep a food log. I’ve been doing so for over a year now (since the barre n9ne 60-day challenge kicked off last May) and it’s been nothing short of eye-opening. Not just in terms of what I was doing before that was undermining my efforts to get healthier and more fit, but also in terms of what my body truly needs for fuel and how strongly addicted to “patterns” we all are.

And by “patterns” I mean eating out of habit or scheduled “feeding time” versus eating when your body tells you “I’m  hungry.”
…eating out of hunger vs. habit.

So that’s what I’m here to talk about today. Not rehashing the whole “why I log” thing or what I’ve learned from it (I’m thinking I’ll cover that in a future “why I log: revisited” style post in the near future), but what I’ve been noticing lately about my journey towards mindful, intuitive eating. And patterns. 

For me, what’s been so cool lately is to see my body naturally telling me more and more clearly just what it needs, when it needs it, instead of blindly eating just because it’s my normal “lunchtime” or “snack time” or whatever.  And even if I am eating during a ‘planned’ feeding time, what I’m eating is changing.

For instance — I used to be very, very tied to a specific idea for what my PM snack should look like, how many calories it should have and when I should be eating it. Typically, my PM snack time would fall between 3-4pm and would usually be a greek yogurt or something equivalent to about 150-175 calories. And I’d eat it regardless of how hungry I was. I’m finding that lately I’m really questioning myself first before I eat. “Am I hungry? How hungry am I? Do I need more of a snack, less of a snack today?”

I’m basically measuring my hunger by what my body tells me, ignoring previous patterns or habits. <–a huge mindset shift for me

So sometimes my PM snack becomes an iced coffee and a Healthy Bite (courtesy of this girl, who rocks – like whoa), on a day where my lunch was more filling than other days. Or I’m honestly just less hungry than I was the previous day at snack time for whatever reason.

And other times, my snack becomes more substantial — a Chobani yogurt, or cottage cheese with fresh fruit and chia, or an apple with peanut butter.

I’m now eating out of hunger, not out of habit — or worse, out of a need to mindlessly munch (my biggest pitfall before).

Another example. Lately,  lunchtime has been my “hungry horrors” time of day. For those of you who follow me on twitter, you’ve seen a lot of #isitlunchtimeyet hashtags from me. 😉 Since that time of day has been my super-hungry time lately, I’m naturally gravitating towards really fueling, energizing lunchtime choices. Which lately have involved lots of wraps — I’m on a huge wrap-with-lots-of-protein-and-other-yummies kick with a side of fresh fruit or veggies.

(my lunch last Friday — a Flatout wrap with tuna made with greek yogurt, chopped cucumber and pickles and a side of mini sweet peppers)

And I’ve been noticing just how filling that option has been for me — when in the past, I would’ve been ready for a snack a couple of hours later, I’m now finding that my lunch has been filling me up really fast and sticking with me for a long, long time.

I’d like to think this is my body telling me how happy it is with the amount (and type) of calories its getting from me on a regular, very consistent basis now.

And now that I’m jotting all of these learnings down here, I’m starting to think that I might finally be at that point where I can call myself an intuitive eater. It’s something I’ve always wanted to get to — the point where I’m learning to eat what I want, when my body needs it, not just when I happen to want to munch – regardless of hunger.

(and it couldn’t come at a better time when I’m diving into marathon training and will *really* need to tune into my body’s fueling cues in a smart, mindful way – vs. allowing myself to fall into the trap of “well I ran 12 miles, I can eat all day if I want to, even if I’m not hungry.” Been there, done that, not doing it again.)

Seeing my body respond the way it has lately has been really, really cool — and to see me listening to my body in that way is a new experience for me (new as in a year long journey), and one that I’m really proud to share with you here. Not just because it’s been a long road to this mindful place, but because it’s something I’d urge you to really think about. Are you eating out of hunger? A pattern? A habit? Nothing at all (i.e. mindless)? 

Mental miles for 9

Saturday was my second long run of Chicago Marathon training.
…and it was a far more ‘mental’ 9 miles than I would’ve liked.

This after just virtually cheering on this girl through her longer and longer ‘long’ runs leading to her first half marathon, and reminding her to get out of her head and to just trust her body — and here I am struggling with the exact same thing.

Hmph.

That’s what I was thinking about while I struggled to get out of my head on Saturday. I didn’t talk much at all to Scott, was too busy mentally chiding myself for allowing my brain to take over. This mental mind game went on for a good 4-5 miles before I finally said something to Scott.

“I’m having a mental day today.”

To which Scott said: “Stop. It’s a beautiful day. We’re spending time together. It’s been a busy week. Just enjoy this time.”

Just that simple comment was what I needed to start turning things around up in my head. I won’t say that it was a sudden ‘lightbulb moment’ or anything, but it helped me to start to pull myself out of my head and to truly see the beauty around me while starting to let my body work, my mind wander.
…vs. letting my mind ‘work’ and my body suffer for it.

It helped that the weather was ideal for this run. It was low 60s, very breezy, bright sunshine — downright gorgeous. It also helped to be running along one of our favorite routes, right by the water for portions of it — seeing the sun glisten on the water, the boats floating around out there on their slips, so effortlessly and calmly. Just seeing the  serene waters helped me to calm down.

We wound up doing an extra loop on our return trek back over the bridge to give the bridge time to go back down after letting a boat pass through. This switch-up helped me tremendously. It meant that after we crossed the bridge, making our way back home — we only had a couple of miles to go which helped me to get the whole “long run” anxiety out of my system. Now we were just running home, essentially.

It’s those little mental tricks that sometimes make all the difference in a mental run like Saturday’s. The comment from Scott, plus the switch up in our route, and I was able to overcome the mental shenanigans going on in my head.

And when all was said and done? We rounded that last corner and made our way home — and I felt great. I didn’t feel like I’d just run 9 miles. Sure, I needed to stretch (like whoa), but other than that? I felt strong and totally conditioned for the distance. Which, after the fact, really boosted my confidence.

I just have to remember that not every run is going to be without it’s bumps and bruises — and every single run will teach me something new about myself and my abilities as a runner.

…2 weeks down, 16 to go. Whoa. 😉

Source: 25.media.tumblr.com via Jess on Pinterest

Foodie Friday — a picnic in the park

For those of you who follow me on Instagram (@jessfit654), you might remember seeing this picture last weekend:

That would be Scott and I — at the start of our impromptu picnic in the park on Saturday. We’re all smiles. ❤

Like I mentioned in my post on Wednesday, a lot of what ‘life’ is about are those unplanned, real, present moments. Saturday was exactly that. It was just Scott and I, a blanket and a picnic basket. As simple as that.

So I thought I’d dedicate today’s Foodie Friday post to what “our” version of a picnic looks like: 

Three parts fruit — watermelon, pineapple, cherries…

Two parts  LOVE…as in LOVE GROWNgranola and Scott’s favorite guilty pleasure…gummies!

And one giant helping of cuddle time…underneath a brilliant blue sky, a warm-ish breeze and lots of sun. 

See? Picnics can be EASY. They don’t have to involve lots of prep work, planning and all that jazz — simple is GOOD. Simple leads to quiet moments together, lounging (and napping) in the sun, enjoying total and utter presence. I highly recommend it.

(and ps. am I the only one that could literally exist on fresh summer fruits and not much else ‘cept for wine  for the duration of the summer months?? I. Am. Obsessed.)

On rules: revisions and refinements

The other day, I mentioned that I sort of broke my own self-imposed “rule” — that I don’t run more than two days in a row if I can help it. Yet, last weekend I wound up running Friday, Saturday and Sunday and felt pretty great and very strong when all was said and done.

Heather left me an insightful comment (as she usually does) and it got me thinking:

	Heather Iacobacci (@hriacobacci)	Submitted on 2012/06/12 at 8:40 am Yes – strong IS beautiful. So glad you were feeling strong with your running this weekend. Sometimes I think it’s ok to just go with it even if you don’t normally run 3 or 4 days in a row. You’re listening to your body and that’s smart.

Hmm.

Have I been imposing my own set of rules a little bit too strongly in some cases? 
Is that why I have been sort of “off” feeling about marathon training? 
Why I’ve felt sort of antsy of late and unsure of why? 

I’m kind of thinking that’s been the problem. I’m letting my own rules get in the way. Instead of relying so heavily on my rules, why am I not spending more time listening to my body and recognizing when it’s telling me to “GO” vs. “STOP.”  We know I’ve learned to become great at listening to it when it tells me to stop, but am I losing my knack for “hearing” it when it’s telling me to go for it?

…I think so. 

I mean, I’ve been talking about this being my year of “no limits,” of pushing past boundaries, of breaking through (self-imposed or not) barriers. Yet, I sometimes have a hard time revising or refining my own set of rules or guidelines.

Now that I think about it, I notice this popping up in other areas of life. Of not being able to “go with the flow” more like my husband would like me to. Learning to be more un-planned, more spontaneous, less structured or rigid. Hello Type-A much? I think I need to tone it down juuuuust a wee bit.

And before you all think I’m just trying to justify working out MORE or something silly like that, I promise you this is not the case. I’m a huge fan of working smarter, not harder. HUGE. I’m also a huge fan of rest days. All I’m saying is that I could stand to loosen my grip on my own rules now and then, with workouts — sure, but with other areas of my life too.

This will certainly play into how I approach my marathon training plan as well. For instance — I told you that I had planned on three solid runs per week (one long, two mid-range) to get my endurance up where it needs to be for the marathon. And that is still very much the plan. However, there is that little thing called the run-barre-rundate that I happen to ADORE. I’ve been doing it for the past few Tuesdays with my friend Steph and I LOVE it. I don’t want to give it up just because it doesn’t fit so neatly into my marathon training guidelines. So I’m not going to. At least for now. If I need to cut it out later, I’ll do it. But for now? I LOVE how badass that workout makes me feel. I LOVE how accomplished I feel when all is said and done. And I LOVE the “fit date” time with Steph. We have some of the best chats on Tuesdays because of it. (she’s the best!)

The bottom line here is that the old adage “rules are meant to be broken” is definitely one that I could stand to lean on a little bit now and then. Not all the time, no. But sometimes…it’s ok to revise, refine, or all-out break a rule.

(The sky will not come crashing down around you, I promise (note to self…).)

Source: glossfixation.tumblr.com via Jess on Pinterest

NOTE: I’d revise this to say: First Learn the Rules. Then break them (smartly)

A scattered blogger.

Sooooo — I’m feeling a little scattered and kinda uninspired as a blogger.
(you may have picked up on that fact based on yesterday’s “up in my head” style post…)

Now. I’ve always said — and still firmly believe –– that I ultimately blog for me, often to just get my thoughts out of my head and onto “paper,” but part of me obviously also blogs for all of you. To share things that I think (hope?) will inspire and uplift you. Which is why some of my posts end up being about perspective, motivation and things like that.

What I don’t do as a blogger is blog “just to blog” or because I feel like I need to keep up with a certain schedule, style of posting or regime. I never want my blogging to feel so scheduled, so downright planned that I’m no longer blogging for me and for you.

I blog with intention, always.

So now that I’m moving into a rather scheduled time in my life – thanks to that little “project” of mine called the Chicago Marathon — I’m sort of wondering where to take my blogging ways from here.

…do I want to share my training plans week-to-week, day-by-day?
…do I want to write about marathon training runs? All of them? Some of them? Just the long runs?
…do I want to spend more time talking about my evolution as a barre n9ne instructor?
…do I want to blog at all?

Of course that last one sorta snuck in there at the last minute. I mean, of course I still want to blog. Right?? I guess it’s been weighing on me lately — how long do I want to sustain this little ‘home’ of mine on the Internet? I LOVE it here, I truly do. But part of me also wonders if disconnecting more and more from all things ‘plugged in‘ is better for me in the long run. I have such a habit of getting totally sucked in – to blogging, to tweeting, to Facebook and Pinterest. Is it too much? Is it worth it?

…for now, the answer is this: I need to get back to better balance. Disconnecting more. Being present more. Not fearing that I’ll be ‘missing out’ if I’m not blogging as regularly or watching my twitter feed as regularly.

But I’m digressing.
Back to the blogging thing — because this blog is still very much “around” as far as I’m concerned. So I guess I’m answering my own question here.

The future of my blog will be all of the things I list above. I may share my detailed training plans for the marathon. But more than likely, I’ll share snippets and highlights (and learnings) only. I may also spend more time delving into how barre n9ne teaching has changed me already and what I’ve learned and continue to learn every single time I set foot in the studio. And it wouldn’t be “me” if I stopped sharing those perspectives and motivational words of wisdom I pick up from all over the place (Dove Promises, anyone?).

So I guess this is me, blogging it out, yet again. And coming to my own conclusions on the future and direction of this blog. BUT — I’d be seriously remiss if I didn’t ask you guys what you thought. What would you like to see here at EatDrinkBreatheSweat? Anyone? Bueller, Bueller… 😉