August 30 Day Challenge - week 2

Second week of the Challenge also went really well – some new habits may be forming?
I admit to drinking coffee, but not from the yucky vending machine in work! And that has lowered my daily consumption from maybe 5-8 cups to 1 or 2 cups per day. That is progress.
I also managed to bike to work 3 days which added up to 51K for the week. I did yoga in the park on Tuesday (felt fabulous afterwards) and I went for an hour’s walk in the evening on Wednesday. Foodwise there was not really any fish or vegetarian dinners and that I have to improve on this week.

August 30 Day Challenge - week 1

First week went very well! Not a single cup of yucky machine coffee in work, 36K on my bike to/from work, one yoga class in the park, one fish dinner, one fish lunch, one vegetarian dinner and one vegetarian lunch.

This week has started out well too: 18 K on the bike yesterday despite rain in the morning and annoying headwind going home, and tonight a yoga class in the park. And still no machine coffee had in work. I am keeping my hands off those buttons. Yeah!

Be grateful for your toilet

I am a lucky person; our house has two toilets. This is not a good fortune shared by some 2.5 billion people who lack toilets. Each year some 5 million people die from diarrhoea type diseases which are the result of this lack of toilets. In India 3 out of 4 people do not have a toilet – they have to go to a field or up into the hills to “move their bowels”. There are parts of India now where families will not let their daughters marry a man who does not have a toilet. Good for them!

I watched the Swedish TV show “Korrespondenterna” yesterday where the topic was sewage. Apparently the river Thames receives a disgusting mix of sewage and rain water every time there is a big rainfall in London (and that happens 50-60 times a year!). Rowers who use the river for their practice frequently get ill from this not-very-lovely-water … RATS (Rowers Against Thames Sewage) is trying to bring more attention to this issue. How can a modern city like London allow this? And the word is that the same happens in Paris, New York …

I am stunned at how ignorant I am about issues like this – I take my toilet and well working sewage system for granted. Time for some reflection I think ….

Off to a great start!

My August 30 day challenge got a great start yesterday:
Biked 18 Km,
1.5 hr yoga class in the park,
and not a single cup of coffee.
Sweet :-)

August 30 Day Challenge

I feel another 30-day challenge coming on:
I am back from vacation, refreshed and excited to make some new healthier habits.
This month I shall focus on exercise and what I eat and drink.
So here it goes:
More exercise (mainly biking and yoga),
Avoid (like the plaque!) the coffee machine at work, and
Exchange some meat dinners for fish or vegetarian alternatives.

Yoga in the park

Yoga in the park on Saturday.

Thanks to my yoga instructor Cristiaana Sabella (http://www.truthisyouridentity.com/)

I have now experienced yoga in the park.

What a truly rewarding experience!

The postures feel bigger and somewhat easier.

My body feels longer and more able to rest in a position.

It seems less of a struggle to hold certain positions when you are surrounded by nature.

And that despite the yoga mat sometimes not being exactly a flat surface ...

I warmly recommend yoga outdoors.

Things to smile about: Two

I got an orchid for my birthday in 2007.

I do not really know how to treat an orchid so I mainly just ignore it.

And water it once per week.

And still, every year it rewards me with beautiful flowers.

Right now 7 flowers and one bud on the go.

It is really beautiful.

Something to smile about today.