I came from an incredibly active and healthy family. My parents were both athletes and they directly translated their love for the outdoors into raising my sister and I. Growing up we had a fire engine red, diesel Suburban...super intense. But having nature-dork parents and a huge car just meant that you could pack more camping gear and food for days in the back of the car. As much as I was exposed to the outdoors and parents who cooked dinner every single night, I still struggled with eating nutritious foods up until college, and if we are being honest, after college. I get it, really I do, veggies, proteins, less sugar, it’s all good for you. But all I wanted was candy and carbs :) Literally, fajita night at my house was amazing, and somehow my plate ended up being a tortilla with butter and cheese...because why would you ever need to put anything else in it? I was blessed with a high metabolism that allowed me to eat a lot of sugar, but it doesn’t matter what your size, it is ALWAYS better to eat clean.
I used to go to yoga with my mom here and there in high school, and then every so often in college, but it wasn’t until I graduated and moved back home to Baltimore that I really got into a daily practice at a Baptiste inspired studio. I got hooked right away to the hot yoga, and made a commitment to go regularly. Conveniently, next door was a a smoothie bar that used healthy ingredients in their drinks, and my friend, Erica, and I, would stop in their together after sweating out all the yuck, and feed our bodies with nutritious goodness. I played tennis, rowed crew competitively, rock climbed, and so many other sports...but yoga is the one form of exercise that got me to want a healthy lifestyle...to want change, internally and externally, and to feel good all the time. I am now entering my first week at the Institute for Integrative Nutrition to become a certified Health Coach. Nutrition, yoga, thai massage, and well-being, are my calling, so here starts the journey to spreading the word of healthy living to everybody. Teaching yoga allows me to share all my knowledge and all my gifts, just as everybody should, because as Amy Ippoliti says, “If you are not sharing your gifts, you are doing a disservice to everybody around you.” All of my contributions are gifts to you...and each post and each recipe are tools for you to use and share. The following is one of my favorite recipes for starting the morning...get into the habit of drinking smoothies for breakfast and see what it can do for your energy, your mind, and your body.
Kale Smoothie:1 Banana1/2 Apple (I use Gala)3 large leaves of KaleHandful of Almonds1/4 cup Chia Seeds2 cups Almond MilkBlend until fine
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