creating a new habit

"it's not just our own minds that try to trip up our new habits, it's also the situations themselves...[which] provide a whole new set of temptations to lure us away from our new habit. We go on a diet and cakes, chips, and beer are suddenly everywhere. Or we decide to walk to work and then it starts raining every day."

-Jeremy Dean,
Making Habits, Breaking Habits

on public speaking

"if you realize that you have a chance to be generous in this moment, to teach and to lead, you can leave the self-doubt behind and speak a truth that the audience needs to hear. When you bring that to people who need it, your fear pales in comparison.

The faster we get over ourselves, the sooner we can do a good job for those tuning in."

-seth godin

“I'm afraid that if you look at a thing long enough,

 it loses all of its meaning.” - Andy Warhol 

“ It is not abstinence from pleasures that is best,

but mastery over them without being worsted. ” — Aristippus

On getting in shape now:

 "why not see what potential you have now? Eat some plants, lift some stuff, run somewhere, get on a machine to nowhere, whatever...it’s a goal you can see and feel, and lessons from it often translate well to career or other goals. Oh, and try boxing."
-found here

"you want to try and be at the front,

otherwise it's like running through a forest where all the other trees are running with you."

-Casey Neistat, here

following

As I sit on the T, bundled in a thick scarf and the latest copy of Edible Boston, I realize that my dreams are unfolding.

I am on the way home from a Slow Food Boston Board meeting where I am a board member. I am humbled in the presence of the other members and I can only aspire to be as articulate as they are.

The tasks that I have before me are to write the minutes for Slow Food, to test recipes for Joanne Chang, to finish an assignment for Medical Nutrition Therapy, and to practice my choreography for a Body Pump class. These are all things that I dreamed about when I was in Texas. 

As I opened my latest copy of Edible Boston, I was greeted by familiar names and faces; these are the magical aspects of getting older,

I hope to get wiser, as well, and to become better at practicing gratitude.

"the amount of work required to succeed is tremendous,

 and there’s no reason to do that work, no boss, no deadline, it’s totally on you and your desire to create. So do the work and be brave, is what I always say. Work hard and take chances. And it definitely scares a lot of people."

Casey Neistat, here

"Good sense prevailed,

 however, and the cake lived to see another day. But that was all. After night two, with about a quarter of it left, Jenny dumped it into the trash and banned it for life. “Don’t bring that into the house again,” she said. “It’s too good.” – Andy
Dinner: A Love Story

how you do anything...

is how you do everything

six months

Six months since the Boston Marathon. So much can change in such a short period of time.

challenge yourself and

get smarter

by:

Seeking Novelty, Thinking Creatively, Doing Things The Hard Way, and Meeting Lots of Great People

found here

"One should

 not pursue goals that are easily achieved. One must develop an instinct for what one can just barely achieve through one’s greatest efforts." —Albert Einstein

"The journey begins

 with a single step, a wise man said, and for me that first step is simple:

Admit I don’t know.

Learning begins by emptying your cup, so that you can fill it with what you find. Emptying your cup means getting rid of pre-set opinions."

Zen Habits, found here

"Your drudgery

 is another person's delight. It's only a job if you treat it that way. The privilege to do our work, to be in control of the promises we make and the things we build, is something worth cherishing."

-Seth Godin

I dream and think

in colors and flavors. 

I study words and methods to be better at my craft, a challenge that makes me feel like the goldfish trying to ride a bicycle.

We all face uncertainty,

but when nothing is sure, everything is possible.

“There are two basic motivating forces

fear and love. When we are afraid, we pull back from life. When we are in love, we open to all that life has to offer with passion, excitement, and acceptance. We need to learn to love ourselves first, in all our glory and our imperfections. If we cannot love ourselves, we cannot fully open to our ability to love others or our potential to create. Evolution and all hopes for a better world rest in the fearlessness and open-hearted vision of people who embrace life.” 
-John Lennon

reflecting, part 1

on my first year back in Boston

yesterday was the first day back at my second year as a graduate student. I am working towards becoming a Registered Dietitian at Boston University and I am obtaining my Master's in Dietetics, which means that I have been back in Boston for 14 months (!). I am reflecting on my experience to asses the past year and to determine what I hope to accomplish in the next year.

I moved to Cambridge last June.

My first stop? Trader Joe's for a super spinach salad (the dressing! the quinoa! the pumpkin seeds!) before I moved all my stuff to my apartment next door. I was terrified. I had been in Texas for 9 years and I was overwhelmed with the sense that I was starting a new life.

My new place was charming and I didn't take too much time to settle in, I started my internship at Simply Ming Season 10 within my first week of moving back:

Next up? Another internship, Foodicine, with guest star Sara Moulton. I was so star struck! she is lovely, witty, and full of energy:

So amazing. In the meantime, I explored Boston and Cambridge:

And my 10 year old Jetta died. But I still managed to make brunch at CBC and a Slow Food Olive Oil tasting. Obviously I have my priorities straight.

rest in peace, little Jetta.

Next up? I got a job at Cambridge Athletic Club teaching group fitness classes; this was my first time auditioning for a group fitness director, but the Group Fitness Manager at CAC is amazing and made me feel at ease.

I had a bio class to finish, and my new mode of transportation was a combination of my own feet and the Boston system of public transportation, so finding the ideal job was both flexible and convenient to get to.

part 2 coming soon!

beautiful

slow food.

I felt so thankful last night to be surrounded by such inspiring women at the Slow Food Boston board meeting. 

what is slow food, you may ask? good, clean and fair food for all. celebrating local flavors. slowing down to enjoy amazing company.

this is slow food, at its best:

Slow Food board meeting featuring local greens from Allandale farm, cucumbers, homemade polenta, tomatoes, and whipped feta and cookies from the amazing Sofra bakery

recipe testing

I am teaching a healthy harvest cooking class in September with my friend who is an amazing chef. We spent Friday afternoon testing our menu with great success:

moosewood curried lentil sliders with basil yogurt, rainbow fresh rolls, Flour's vegan chocolate cupcakes

menu

healthy harvest w/ loni & leah

late harvest sangria

w/ autumn fruits

individual soup shooters

sweet potato soup w/ caramelized onions and savory nut brittle

fresh rolls

vegetable spring rolls w/ yogurt dip two ways: herbed and sambal lime

big grain salad

warm farro w/ pomegranate, feta, kale & warm spices

homemade vegetables chips

thinly sliced root vegetables

veggie burger sliders

curried red lentil burgers w/ yogurt and stone fruit chutney

mini chocolate cupcakes

Flour’s vegan chocolate cupcakes w/ whipped cream and berries

Dinner on the Farm

Volante Farm, Needham MA

"In my head

 I may not know what I feel down in my soul"


-Back's Against the Wall, Judah and the Lion

So easy to be a critic

instead, be the performer

"Now I had a real mission,

and someone worthy of having a mission for"

Patti Smith, Just Kids

Slow food

I ate a fabulous outside dinner at Allandale farm last night, celebrating the new board of directors at Slow Food Boston.

The dinner was a salad pot luck; I chose to make a massaged kale salad with kale from Atlas Farm in Deerfield MA that I picked up on Tuesday at the Copley Square Farmer's Market.

The dinner could not have been more magical. The food was amazing, the company was incredible, and of course Allandale farm was the perfect setting for such a magical evening.

Don't miss the chance

to do something good because you're waiting to do something great

"A lot

of people have gone further than they thought they could because someone else thought they could"

zig ziglar

"one in a million shot,

You know when you do something unconscious like that. Then you try again, for show, and it's impossible? I dig that."

-the starboard sea

Nothing is

wasted, even if it is allocated in a different way than you expect

I ran my first 10k yesterday morning and it felt so good. I had pre-race jitters, but the energy immediately energized me.

This was the first BAA event since the marathon and the support and enthusiasm were such a motivating start to the summer. Even if I am not feeling my best at the start of a race, I always feel re-inspired when I see the fastest runners and also the new runners who are making their way towards their first finish line.

“We don’t abuse lettuce, turnips and oranges

But when a highly processed food is eaten, the body may go haywire. Nobody abuses corn as far as I know, but when you process it into Cheetos, what happens?”

found here

Attempt

the impossible

"bitter compounds

can orient themselves into both sweet receptors and bitter receptors at the same time, resulting in bitter-sweet sensation."

improving

performance is not a one time event

"You see

several years ago, I was watching some undoubtedly average “healthy cooking” show where the chef suggested that one take half the pasta they wish to eat, replace it with chunks of cauliflower, boil them together and then cover it with marinara sauce. Even though I never made it or even considered making it, it turned my stomach so much that to this day, I can’t seem to forget it. Yes, let’s cook cauliflower in the least appetizing way possible because it is “health food.” Right. Where do I sign up?!"

-deb, smitten kitchen

The experience

Doesn't define you

Start

Somewhere

If you want to have something you've never had before

You have to do something you've never done before

Staying in the game

Running working and studying

(early) ochem study sess

powered by baptiste yoga and mint tea

lets make it better

top 25 sources of calories among americans...

table 2 on p 12

Gettin it

"try

to make one positive change in your life today. do the same tomorrow. you won't believe your life in a year"

craving/own it.

grab and go healthy homemade goodness to fill me up

home made granola bars/20 minute applesauce cookies/life changing loaf of bread

oh mumford and sons 



a long run in the sun

Because, it's true, we are all weird

-seth godin

good stuff

John Bellaney

my (current) workout trifecta

=

4/7 running

+

1/7 (baptiste) hot yoga

+

2/7 bodypump

first of feb

make it happen

last (pretty)

morning in Cambridge

svegliare

to wake up

adventure.

Source: fortyone.tumblr.com via Jessica on Pinterest

new

Newness is exciting, uncomfortable, and a little terrifying. 

I  am embracing change and embarking on new adventures with more of an open heart and mind. 

So far 2013 is off to a great start; I passed body pump initial training!!!

"doing

the same old same isn't going to change the game"

-David Kyle, Body Pump

practice

while you still can

-Gene Miller

"It is the earth

 that gives us food and culture, strengthening our communities and families and allowing us, if we wish to, to share the knowledge that is our true wealth. Nor can we forget food which, when virtuous, is the highest possible expression of our interaction with the environment in which we live and of which we are an integral part."

-Carlo Petrini