Day 11/100: clean living challenge

The clean living challenge continues.  There are three parts, if you recall: "clean" eating, yoga, and general approach to life.  I will discuss each individually (though, of course, they are interconnected).

Eating:

Don't worry, I won't list my daily menu for the last five days.  In general I've been doing ok, but not perfectly.  Transgressions include: beer the other night, a few protein bars (heavily processed), quesadillas and a burrito (processed flour, lots of cheese).  Aside from that, this has been going well.  I think my appetite is more reasonable and I don't experience a sickening feeling of fullness after dinner.  No desserts, and much less unhealthy snacking.

Yoga:

Yoga has been great.  I can feel my alignment and control improving, as well as strength in some specific poses, like shoulder stand, crane, side plank, wheel, and a few others.  Still have to watch my knee during some of the backbends and standing poses (warrior series).  I have also been incorporating some upper body lifting, mostly calisthenics, and I got in the pool for the first time in 4-5 years as well.  It is harder to swim 1000 m than I remember.  The highlight of the yoga series so far was yesterday's practice, a 75 minute series incorporating sun salutations / vinyasa, balance, backbends, hip openers, inversions, and pranayama.  One thing I have noticed more often lately is how much easier it is to engage the practice and keep my mind free from outside distractions and free from a sense of past or present.

General Approach to Life:

I can't say there have been any major breakthoughs or revelations here.  Perhaps minor and incremental changes are really the goal?  In that case, I have noticed a slight relaxation in my approach to the demands of work, a slight increase in my ability to be truly present at home, and some good conversations and thinking about our long term vision, as a family, of where our life is going.


In any case, 11 days of 100 puts this "challenge" in perspective, particularly with regard to yoga.  It is a challenge to do somethign every day, without fail, but I think there is something worthwhile there.  So, more than 10% done and hopefully the benefits will not be linear!