Life in OM

Life in OM: Moving House (or Cleaning it)

 

Have you seen that show Hoarders?  I haven't watched it but the advertisements make my skin crawl. I honestly don't know how people live with tons of crap.

In the past 10 years I have moved 6 times- the 6th time this past week. It's not really a conscious decision to keep moving but it just happened to work out that way. With each move I found I was throwing more stuff out and moving less and less. At that point in my life,  I was practicing non-attachment and didn't even know it.

Now I'm not saying go out and get rid of all of your things but every 6 or 12 months take inventory of what you have and decide if it's something you need or is it just taking up space.

Clutter makes your life and your space messy and complicated. You know that great feeling you have after cleaning out your closet- that's how it feels when your surroundings are clean, simple and organized.

Here are a few tips for keeping things uncomplicated:

Books, DVD's, CD's or any other kind of Media- Lord of the Rings was so cool when it first came out but four years later How to Speak Elvish is just not getting that much face time. So if you haven't picked it up in a year or you've lost interest in it, sell it.  Amazon makes it so simple to sell your unwanted items and you can make quite a few dollars doing it.

Clothes- I used to be one of those people that kept everything. It either belonged to the school of one day I'll fit into it or I'll hold on to it just in case I need a bigger size. Living in the present moment is not just about your mental state, it's also about your wardrobe.  If it doesn't fit and it hasn't in a year get rid of it.  If you owned it when you were 18- bin it. If you look at it and cannot understand for the life of you why you bought it, say goodbye.  But don't throw your clothes or shoes out. Put them in bags and donate them. There are drop off bins everywhere and there is always someone who could use them.

Furniture: Is it old, ratty or a horrifying shade of hot pink?  Do you have TV's from the black and white era?  Is your garage full of bikes that never get ridden? Throw away the old stuff and give what's in decent shape to goodwill.

Cleaning house is really about taking stock of your life. Where are you now?  How different are you from the person you were 2, 3 or 5 years ago. The past is gone and letting go of it also means letting go of the physical clutter that comes with it. 

Remember you are not tossing away the memorable stuff just the junk that you've been carrying with you. Take a moment to really look around your home  - what are the things you really need versus the stuff that's just taking up space.

I thought I had really made progress in 10 years and I still had 25 bags of donations and trash this time around. Not to mention I have sold over $500 in books, cd's and dvd's I no longer use.

You don't have to trash your whole house but see if there are little steps you can start to take to simplify your life. Remember once you de-clutter the physical,  the mental is soon to follow!

Life in Om: Take 5

 

I know it may seem impossible at times but we all have 5 minutes to spare for ourselves during the day.  Some of us might even have 10, but I won't push it.

So you find these 5 minutes, morning is preferable but if you can't do it then just find your spare 5 whenever you can.

Make sure it's quiet. This again may seem like an unattainable feat but seriously, if you have to go lock yourself in the bathroom- do it.

For this entire five minutes you are going to do absolutely nothing. You’re not going to talk, you’re not going to move and most importantly you’re not going to think.

All you're going to do is breathe and listen to your breathe.

Locate some kind of timer or alarm that you can set to go off in 5 minutes; you don't want to be distracted by constantly checking your watch.

Find a comfortable seat in your quiet place and bring yourself to total stillness. This is harder than you think so don't get frustrated but if you want your mind to calm, you have to start with the body.

Now take some deep full breaths. Count to 3 or 4 on the way in and count to 3 or 4 on the way out. When you feel your body begin to relax, return to your normal breath.

If you start thinking about work, the groceries or the 10 other things you could be doing during this time, start up that deep breath with the count again.

If you’re going to think about anything think about letting go.

Once your timer or alarm has beeped you can get up and start your day.

Congratulations, you just meditated.

Now you are probably asking why in the hell would I want to do this? 

Taking five minutes out of your day to focus on yourself can make all the difference between keeping a balanced, level head and being a stressed out disaster.

I try to do 5-10 minutes on weekdays and 20-30 minutes on the weekends and believe me my home and the world in general are a much safer place because of it!!

Sitting still or meditation is also extremely beneficial both physically and mentally.

You don't have to don robes and go sit in a cave for three hours either. It's an accessible practice that helps us grow and begin to understand ourselves better.

Happiness is about finding balance. By taking 5 minutes a day to be still we begin to counter the effects of our very hectic, active, and stressful lifestyles.

So take 5, then 10 or maybe even 20 if you have the time. Stick with it for at least 4 weeks and pay attention to how you feel. I promise you won't regret it.

 

Life in OM: Who Cares?!

Ok, I realize it may sound flippant, insensitive, and detached but a lot of us would fare much better in this life if every now and again we gave it a big WHO CARES!!

Obviously I'm not speaking of the important things like your health, your loved ones or the environment.

I'm talking about the person who didn't park within the lines, the person who forgot to invite you to a meeting, and the one who left the coffee pot empty.

Honestly,  if you let yourself be affected by all these little things, you will be one big, miserable mess.

What's the sense in getting outraged by your colleague down the hall who didn't come by and say hello, or the not so nice email from a co-worker who was having a crappy morning or maybe even with yourself for eating a dessert at lunch.

Seriously, you have better things to do then to allow yourself to get stressed about these things.

I've even developed a small test for this kind of thing,  I call it "The 100 years test".

In 100 years I'll be dead and will it really matter that someone forgot to make a new pot of coffee - probably not so much!!

It's a great litmus test to see what you should actually be concerned about and what you can just give a big WHO CARES!!!! to.

Life is too short to let the little things make you miserable. Remember you create your own happiness and you decide what's important!!

Life in OM Recipe: Tuscan Skillet

This is a quick dish and although the photo is not that appetizing I promise it tastes great. 

It's packed with nutrients and is low in calories.

I use soy crumbles or Quorn grounds but for those of you not vegetarian you can substitute turkey grounds or lean ground beef.

2 -15 oz cans of Great Northern Beans drained and rinsed

8oz - Soy or Quorn crumbles

1 cup of your favorite tomato sauce

1 pack frozen chopped spinach,  defrost and drain

1 small onion chopped

5 cloves garlic chopped (if your not a fan use less)

spray olive oil

1 tablespoon Parmesan cheese (add upon serving)

Chop up your onion and garlic and put it in a large saucepan lightly sprayed with olive oil.  Cook till translucent.

Add spinach and saute a good deal of the water out. Add crumbles / grounds and cook 3-4 minutes. 

Add tomato sauce and beans. Cook another 3-4 minutes and you're done!!

Serve up with a tablespoon of Parmesan cheese.

It makes about four 1.5 cup servings, for those of you on Weight Watchers it's 4 points a serving.

Freeze it and have it for lunch, enjoy!!

Life in OM: Recipe

 

It's October 16 and it's 41 degrees.

I am still fighting off a cold that I have had for at least two weeks.

It's time for some heavy duty healthy food to boost my immune system - Escarole and Bean Soup.

This is a dish that is at least three or four times as old as I am. My grandfather's mother used to make it for him all the time and we refer to it as an Italian "first dish".

It's warm, hearty, and healthy. It’s also vegetarian or vegan.

Escarole is a slightly bitter leafy green that is high in folic acid, fiber, and vitamins A and K.  The white beans are a creamy low fat, high fiber, source of protein. The two together create a tasty contrast that warms you from the inside out.

And most importantly it's so easy to make.

 

courtesy of www.foodnetwork.com

You will need:

one large pot

one head of escarole (cut in strips across starting at the head. leave about 2-3 inches of stalk)

two cans white or cannelloni or great northern beans (rinsed until there water runs clear)

5 cloves of garlic (chopped up small)

one small onion (chopped up small)

4-5 cups of water

1 tablespoon olive oil

1/4 cup parmesan cheese (optional for vegans)

Add oil to the pot and let it get hot.

Add garlic and onion and sauté until onion translucent.

Add escarole and cook 3-4 minutes till it wilts.

Add beans and gently stir.

Add water then parmesan.

Bring to a boil and then lower to a simmer for about 45 minutes.

You can cook this for less or for more, it depends on the consistency. I like less broth so I tend to make this dish early in the day and just keep it on a low simmer for a few hours. If it gets too thick add a bit more water.

You can garnish with more parmesan if you choose and serve with a piece of crusty Italian bread.

Tons of nutrients, great for you and so perfect on a very cold fall evening. Enjoy!

Life in OM: The Secret to Losing Weight

As I was shopping in the grocery store last week I passed by the magazine stand and the cover of Time caught my eye. "Why Exercise Won't Make You Thin" 

I was astonished that mainstream media had finally picked up on a concept that I had learned about the hard way: vigorous exercise does not aid in weight loss, eating healthy and unfortunately less food is the key.

Now for all of you exercise haters out there, this is not permission to lay on the couch all day. What it means is that running 5 miles every day or going to the gym and killing yourself for an hour every day does not automatically mean the pounds will come off.

One of three problems usually arises when you do strenuous exercise:

• If you are restricting calories your energy begins to dwindle and you feel awful.
• Exercise makes you hungry (usually for sweet foods) which can lead to binge eating.
• You’ve exercised therefore you can eat whatever you want or reward eating.

Pick up any marathon training book and it will tell you that it's not a great idea to try and lose weight and train for a marathon at the same time. These experts know that running 30+ miles a week and restricting calories won't work.

I hated to restrict my eating so for years I exercised, sometimes twice a day, just so I could know that I had the freedom to eat what I wanted. I wasn't a bad eater. In fact, being a vegetarian and health nut, I was very conscious of what I ate. My problem was that I indulged when I wanted to by eating sweets and my portions, though healthy, were just too big.

 I once had someone ask me how much I exercised in a week and when I told them they asked me why I wasn't stick thin?  I was dumbfounded. Why the hell wasn't I stick thin!!

I had to admit defeat. I needed to reduce the amount of food I was eating, even if most of it was considered healthy. 

Running three times a week 3-5 miles and yoga were just enough for me. I was eating around 1500 calories, I had tons of energy and the extra weight was falling off.  I even had one day where I could indulge in whatever I wanted and still I lost weight.

Then I started training for my second marathon and once I started running over 25 miles per week, goodbye carrots hello vegan brownies (they may be vegan but they still have calories).

Luckily for me I saw it coming. It's been challenging but I have adjusted my diet to keep myself fueledand have put the remaining weight loss to the side until after the event. Even now it’s hard to swear off that pint of soy ice cream after a 16 mile run. I don't always succeed but I do try to be more conscious of what is happening.

So what does that mean for those of us trying to live healthy?  I wish there was another way but sadly if you want to get to a healthy weight (healthy not skinny!) less food is key.  However, we still need to move. Exercise might not be the solution to weight loss but it is beneficial to us in many other ways.

You need to find your balance. Pay attention to what and how much you are eating. Instead of running those five miles every day and having that muffin or cupcake afterward, reduce running to every other day and skip the sweets. 

Try more moderate and mindful exercise like yoga or walking. Take the stairs, walk or bike instead of driving and cook more often (just say no to take-out!). If you like to do the occasional race, go for it but just be aware of the changes your body goes through when exercise is increased.

You want the changes you make to your eating and fitness to be for life. Do what you can maintain and remember that moderation lasts. 

I was astonished that mainstream media had finally picked up on a concept that I had learned about the hard way: vigorous exercise does not aid in weight loss, eating healthy and unfortunately less food is the key.

Now for all of you exercise haters out there, this is not permission to lay on the couch all day. What it means is that running 5 miles every day or going to the gym and killing yourself for an hour every day does not automatically mean the pounds will come off.

One of three problems usually arises when you do strenuous exercise:

• If you are restricting calories your energy begins to dwindle and you feel awful.
• Exercise makes you hungry (usually for sweet foods) which can lead to binge eating.
• You’ve exercised therefore you can eat whatever you want or reward eating.

Pick up any marathon training book and it will tell you that it's not a great idea to try and lose weight and train for a marathon at the same time. These experts know that running 30+ miles a week and restricting calories won't work.

I hated to restrict my eating so for years I exercised, sometimes twice a day, just so I could know that I had the freedom to eat what I wanted. I wasn't a bad eater. In fact, being a vegetarian and health nut, I was very conscious of what I ate. My problem was that I indulged when I wanted to by eating sweets and my portions, though healthy, were just too big.

 I once had someone ask me how much I exercised in a week and when I told them they asked me why I wasn't stick thin?  I was dumbfounded. Why the hell wasn't I stick thin!!

I had to admit defeat. I needed to reduce the amount of food I was eating, even if most of it was considered healthy. 

Running three times a week 3-5 miles and yoga were just enough for me. I was eating around 1500 calories, I had tons of energy and the extra weight was falling off.  I even had one day where I could indulge in whatever I wanted and still I lost weight.

Then I started training for my second marathon and once I started running over 25 miles per week, goodbye carrots hello vegan brownies (they may be vegan but they still have calories).

Luckily for me I saw it coming. It's been challenging but I have adjusted my diet to keep myself fueledand have put the remaining weight loss to the side until after the event. Even now it’s hard to swear off that pint of soy ice cream after a 16 mile run. I don't always succeed but I do try to be more conscious of what is happening.

So what does that mean for those of us trying to live healthy?  I wish there was another way but sadly if you want to get to a healthy weight (healthy not skinny!) less food is key.  However, we still need to move. Exercise might not be the solution to weight loss but it is beneficial to us in many other ways.

You need to find your balance. Pay attention to what and how much you are eating. Instead of running those five miles every day and having that muffin or cupcake afterward, reduce running to every other day and skip the sweets. 

Try more moderate and mindful exercise like yoga or walking. Take the stairs, walk or bike instead of driving and cook more often (just say no to take-out!). If you like to do the occasional race, go for it but just be aware of the changes your body goes through when exercise is increased.

You want the changes you make to your eating and fitness to be for life. Do what you can maintain and remember that moderation lasts. 

Muesli: Breakfast Nirvana

Breakfast can get boring. Especially when you don't want to subject yourself to the many sugar laden options in the cereal aisle.

I think I ate oatmeal with a spoonful of peanut butter in it for years, until I ordered a bowl of Muesli at Bread and Chocolate (now closed) in Capitol Hill. I never looked at boring oatmeal the same way again.

The main ingredient in muesli is oatmeal but instead of cooking it, you soak it overnight in water, soy milk, rice milk or whatever you like really- some people even use orange juice.  Usually 1/2 cup of oats to a 1/2 cup of liquid does the trick.

Then, what you put in it is completely up to you. Bread and Chocolate served it with walnuts, strawberries, bananas, and apples. The Wynn in Las Vegas serves it with almonds, green apples and blackberries. Teasim in D.C. serves it with honey, fresh strawberries, walnuts, and dried apricots and raisins that have been soaked with the oats so they are plump and juicy. They top it off with fresh yogurt. The options are really endless.

So soak your oats. Add your fresh or dried fruit, sprinkle with nuts or seeds and top with yogurt, honey, or anything else that you desire. If honey isn't your thing and you need to sweeten it up a bit, mashing half a banana into the oat mixture works, as well as agave nectar or a tablespoon of turbinado sugar .

photo courtesy of BBC Good Food 

Questions? Please leave a comment. Enjoy!