January 2nd, Day One

I made a delicious vegetarian lasagna for New Year's Day dinner. I used ground soy and it turned out amazing. Now it is time for me to get back on track, tomorrow I will be following weight watchers points with emphasis on less sugar/fats/sodiums and more whole grains, produce and tons of fresh water. If I eat bread it will only be ezekial bread, or grains with at least four grams a fiber.

I normally eat very healthy, and I was down twelve pounds before the holidays. Then Thanksgiving came along, and our  San Francisco trip and I went a little overboard. When we returned I was terribly ill with either stomach flu or food poisoning, and I am still not 100% yet. My body is craving clean eating since I have not felt well in weeks, it is telling me it is about time. I look forward to the challenge and the bonus of feeling better again, in body and in mind.


Tomorrow will also be the first day of my fitness plan, I will start with an hour long walk which I plan to do Monday through Friday, five days a week. My fitness plan also includes mind/body/beauty transformations. This week I am going to begin with dry skin brushing to my grooming routine.It is believed by Ayurvedic practictioners that dry skin brushing helps the body naturally cleanse itself of toxins and stimulate blood flow and the lymphatic system.
Brushing should be done once a day, on rising before you dress or before retiring at night. If you are taking a shower, skin brush before the shower so that the dead skin and other debris will be washed away. Use upward strokes avoiding the heart area. Not only a terrific way to detox but also exfoliate winter dry skin.


I look forward to beginning my brand new year tomorrow with my first changes for the month of January. Now these resolutions will be ongoing, a routine from month to month I plan to keep up with. They say it takes twenty one days to develop a new habit. I have a month to make this resolution my habit.

One of my best friends has a terrific blog, http://www.fitnessbender.com/ She helps keep me motivated; as well as my wonderful friend Tracy Gittens who teaches aerial yoga in San Diego CA, and her amazing sister Nadiah Gittens who is a terrific personal trainer. You can check them out at http://www.galaxylifestyle.com/. These woman all live health and fitness every day, they are an inspiration to me and role models to be the best you can be for you.
We are all unique creatures, shining our light and living our best life,  authentic and true.

Next month I will roll out new resolutions for February, as well as keeping up  with my new found health habits. Happy New Year's resolutions to all, may 2012 be the best year ever for everyone. Love, light, and good health to all.

Brand New Key

It is almost the last day of the year here on the west coast. January 2012 is almost among us. I do not get sad for the passing of one year, I reflect on my blessings and prepare for the beauty of a brand new year.

For me January is going to be a month of renewal, cleansing, and preparing for all of the possibilities that come with a fresh start. I feel like George Bailey in some ways when he realizes he gets a second chance at living, or Ebeneezer Scrooge when he wakes up to a brand new Christmas morn.

Every new year is another chance to be better than we were the year last. I find it extremely motivating even if I have failed at resolutions in the past. This year is going to be different, especially since I am making my resolutions public, I am now held accountable to my muse.

I will be breaking down my resolutions from month to month, with fitness and diet beginning in January and becoming an ongoing resolution and habit.

In January  I will follow a  new workout routine. I will walk 5-6 days a week, weights 2-3 days a week.Yoga once a week. I am going to start tracking my weight watchers points and watch my sugar/sodium/fat intake. My diet is pretty good since I am a vegetarian but this helps me stay within my calories and have some balance instead of obsessing. I will allow sweets only  now and then, in small quantities and as a treat and not as a staple. My body will be treated like a temple not a rest stop.

It may be January but for me it will be spring cleaning and organizing time. One cannot make changes if surrounded by clutter and chaos. January will be the month that will prepare me for each new month to follow, setting up my year of success. I will make changes in my  health, home and personal life; reconnect with family from afar by remembering special dates and sending cards to those I love. I have dropped the ball on this one in the past and  I feel it is time to stop making excuses and just do it.

More to follow, but that pretty much sums up my first 2012 resolutions for the month of January.

What New Year's resolutions are you making? Does a new beginning inspire you?

Happy New Year to all, wishing you blessings and abundance in 2012.


The journey of a thousand miles begins with a single step
       - Lao Tse

Getting Ready For New Years Weekend.

It is December 28th, 2011 and I am reflecting on the blessings of the year. My husband and I found our footing in Los Angeles, CA with our two beloved cats.We fell in love with Malibu and walking on the beach every weekend. We visited San Francisco for the very first time and had a trip of a lifetime together. Now we get ready to celebrate the weekend together, praising the past and bringing in the brand new year and all of  its possibilities.

I am going to make a wonderful Lasagna for New Years Day, with faux meat since I am vegetarian. We both were sick through Christmas so a New Years Feast will be a welcomed treat as we start to feel better. I have many resolutions, some large and some small that I will be conquering and documenting in this blog. My husband  quoted the line in the  movie The Shawshank Redemption recently before our San Fran trip. "Get busy living or get busy dying." That resonated with me and inspired me to make 2012 the best year ever.

What are you doing to bring in the New Year? Does the beginning of a brand new year inspire you?