I’m having such a wonderful time here in Sedona – Day 3 and 4 were long days, but I’m learning tons at the abundant lectures. The workouts have been great – I’ve been doing yoga every morning, but I do need to switch it up before I leave.
Here are some pics from the last few days… We did a 7 mile hike and almost got trapped in a forest fire. The food is still amazing and I’m not as hungry as I was.
Enjoy the pics!
Sorry, no pictures yet. I left my cell phone in my room [it’s charging]. But, yesterday was GREAT. I think my all-time favorite part was dancing to Pharrell’s HAPPY song. I’m transforming and all of the people around me are.
Let’s talk about the food….it’s delicious. I’ve gotten plates of food and it’s great. Vegan, plant-strong, low fat, no salt, no sugar, no oil – (yes, no oil – yes, not even coconut oil)
Breakfast: Oats, fruit, kale with a delicious salsa
Lunch: Nottingham spread sandwiches, salad, soup (yep, we get to eat ALL of it)
Cooking Demo: We made our own nori rolls – SUPER YUM!
Dinner: Beans and rice extravaganza
The hardest part about all of this is that there is no snacking. If you work with me or just know me, I’m ALWAYS snacking on something. (I’ve smuggled oranges out of the dining hall twice already). Another hard part about this experience is that I am so pissed off about western medicine. 8 months ago, I spent some time with a local naturopath and they told me to keep eating eggs and meat (if fact, she said I MUST eat one egg per day for the minerals). Well, there’s NO nutritional value in eggs – it clogs your arteries, people! I spent HUNDREDS of dollars on supplements, blood work, green drinks, etc. If you don’t believe me, there’s a few doctors here to back it up with scientific evidence. (watch Forks Over Knives, and watch it again if you’ve already seen it).
Other than that, life is good in Sedona! I can’t wait to tell you more about today….breakfast with Dr. Caldwell Esselstyn and his spitfire wife Ann, hiking, yoga, and more yummy food.
Greetings from the Welcome Center at the Sedona Mago Retreat Center in Sedona, AZ. It is truly magical here. The retreat center is insane – I’m in a lovely casita up on a hill and I can’t wait to explore more. The Engine 2 portion of the retreat has been good so far, but we’re just getting started.
Last night, we had introductions with all of the staff from Engine 2 and we all had to go in a circle and introduce ourselves. There’s 94 brave souls embarking on the same journey that I am! Dinner was great last night – I finally got a chance to try the infamous Engine 2 lasagna… Yes, it’s beyond delicious!
I’m excited to see what else is in store for me…. my transformation has just begun.
The Oprah Chai, My Way Oprah, the goddess of all things good, a wellness warrior, a meditation junkie, mentor, role model, and (hopefully) future president recently released a drink in partnership with Teavana and Starbucks.
I am a fan of Starbucks? Yes, when I need a quick coffee or tea – but not so much because they only offer soy as their only milk alternative. But in a few recent internet reads, I found out that Starbucks uses GMO-filled products by Monsanto. Barf! How could such a mega-brand offer such crappy drinks? After spending over $8 on 2 #OprahChai(s) – my mission was clear; I had to highjack the recipe into a healthier, easy to make at home indulgence.
I went no further than my kitchen – I needed 2 items:
1/2 Cup Organic Unsweetened Vanilla Almond Milk (I used Whole Foods Market’s 365 brand)
1/2 Cup Water
1 Allegro Indian Chia Tea Bag
Take your mug; use the tea bag and make your tea as usual but fill it with water halfway. Then, heat up some of your vanilla almond milk and fill up the rest of the mug and VOILA!
If you are a trained barista, you can make some frothy foam for the top, but my skills are gone missing when I quit my little job at Borders Cafe when I was in my teens. (whoops)
[me on a lazy Sunday morning with my favorite elephant mug]
Hi All! I’m making a conscious effort to blog more. I just wanted to write a simple post on some things I’m into lately!
Agoya Yoga Tote: The lovely people at Agoya sent me a beautiful purple yoga tote loop. It’s so minimal and chic and I take it to all of my yoga classes. Thank you, Agoya!
Getting this tattoo: I love triangles. They are the symbol of change. I am constantly changing. There’s also spiritual meaning in the triangle – mind, body, soul and the trilogy – father, son, holy spirit. It’s also a part of the AA symbol. Although I’m not in AA anymore (I’m still sober), it served as a major transformational time in my life.
Core Power Yoga: I’m a notorious yoga studio hopper. I like to switch things up and I can’t stand when a yoga class is the same routine over and over. I recently found my neighborhood Core Power Yoga in Encinitas. It is literally right across the street from me. I love it and Cici’s class is my absolute favorite!
Engine 2 Immersion Retreat: I leave for Sedona, AZ in a few days and I am so excited. My work is sending me there to learn all about plant-strong living and living without using oil, sugar, and salt. Sounds completely scary, but I want change in my body and my routine. I’ve done the Engine 2 Diet before and loved it and worked really well for me so I’m ready to dig deeper and learn more and be an ambassador for healthy eating in my job. Another post on that when I return!
grace is the new glam 