I do love winter in my home of the Canadian Rockies but I equally love some hot weather. I decided I had a couple free weeks to meet up with my Parents in Mexico to soak up some sun and enjoy some heat before ski season.
I find the ocean one of the most healing entities and so I vowed this trip to be one of self improvement and self love. In this blog I will explain some of the ways I look after myself not only on a holiday in Mexico, but for everyday practices.
Where I was staying in Mexico was a lovely small Condo with a kitchen and local gym. That paired with the beach was all I needed to start my self-cleanse as you may call it. I am always a pretty healthy person throughout the year, but my life gets busy like everyone and so travel and obligations can sometimes cloud our balance.
I am a true believer of Ying and Yang, one with the other. It takes hard work to maintain a balance within our life. Too much work and we leave ourselves robbed of this earthly experience, while on the other hand too much play can make us feel excessive and lacking in purpose. So how do you find the fine line where we can manage all of our needs and wants and hum with harmony and balance? I don’t have all the answers but I do feel like I am on the right path. It is a constant practice that requires consistency and persistence as your two best friends.
I am a certified yoga teacher with a background in group fitness and have studied benefits of raw nutrition. I may have not had the time to teach anyone in the last few years since being certified (the reality of traveling for a living), however I apply my learning’s to my everyday life. I find myself most balanced internally and mentally when I am eating a whole and nutritious plant based diet and practicing spiritual and physical fitness. What drives me to stick with a routine of healthy non-processed plant based foods and daily fitness? To be honest I am fully driven not only by the feeling of wholeness and goodness in my body, but by the pure fact that being healthy will ultimately allow me to live the fullest and longest life possible.
While in Mexico I could have a schedule, not having to travel for a couple weeks works wonders for a routine. I would wake up make coffee and visit with my family (something I don’t get to do often). That would start my day, listening to the ocean and enjoying time with my parents. Then I had a fitness class booked every morning with my mom and friends down the road. We liked to pain of Pilates as our poison so we did this class three times a week, alternating in yoga classes. After a class I would go running. A short 30 min run daily seems to push my endorphins to the max and allows me to meditate with the rhythm of my footsteps. I loved the mornings. I then would head back to the condo and make a smoothie (I make one daily whenever I have access to blender!). Obrigado Coconut Water is my go to for the base. Especially when I have been in the gym and trails all morning my electrolytes are depleted and need something more than water to hydrate. I then add Cacao Nibs to the smoothie (excellent source of iron and fibre) which actually are a natural antioxidant for a bit of a boost. I like to add raw turmeric root as well to help with any inflammation in my body (natural anti-inflammatory). A frozen banana adds sweetness and potassium as well as a cup of blueberries for flavor, fiber and nutrients. Hemp seeds help replace protein in my plant based diet. Just three tablespoons in my morning smoothie and I have the day’s protein needs covered (nearly 40g protein!) Raw dates help add sweetness and more fiber. I add celery as well to help bind and aid digestion. The last thing I add is organic kale and spinach leaves, which are just chalk full of vitamins and minerals for my body. I blend all this up and top with slivered almonds and pure coconut yogurt. I make this from Obrigado Coconut milk or cream and a bacterial culture. This helps with yumness and gut flora. All of that goes down and keeps me full for hours while I read and enjoy some beach time. Soaking up some vitamin D!
My go to drink on the beach. Much better than alcohol, my body would much rather have this!
I spend some time in the evening on my computer, editing, blogging or catching up on emails. It is still important to stay on top of everything while on a holiday. All about the balance. It also keeps my anxiety at bay, there is nothing worse than having a million jobs looming on your mind. We found time to snorkel and explore beautiful parts of the jungle. There is always time to be curious.
I may of had more time and energy to be persistent and on a routine while on my Mexican holiday, however that is no excuse to not keep in balance when I go back home. I still run everyday it is possible, without pressuring myself. I just ask myself if I would benefit from a run and if I have the means to do so and the answer is usually yes. And that goes for anything, group exercise, meditation, yoga or simply a walk. We have to make the time for mental and physical health because that is the essence of health! Our food habits are also everything that makes us, us. Are you eating heaps of packaged non-sustainable foods with known consequences? Don’t ignore what your body tells you. I know for me when I eat something that isn’t healthy for my body I can feel it weigh me down. There are plenty of delisious food that don’t have any guilt attached to them! It is new to change the way our lifestyle works but once you find a way to make these lifestyle choices you will never look back.
Mexico was an excellent way to bring me back into the practice of self love and recoup, and even though I am not perfect I practice everyday to keep my body and mind able. It is the most important part of life.
In partnership with Obrigado Coconut Water. All views and opinions are my own.