1/20/13 - I'm back/ Welcome Evolve!

        Hello everyone,  I had to take a break from my blog because I had the honor to go to yoga camp in Michigan.  I was unable to blog while at yoga camp.  Upon my return, I was unable to update my blog because my dog, Maxime was hospitalized.  I literally landed back in the Twin Cities after a grueling, wonderful and unforgettable seven days in Michigan and went right to the animal hospital to find my baby in critical condition.  She had been hospitalized since Friday, 1/11/13.

       With all of that being said, I am back and here.  If you are in the evolve group, I am here to help and support you along all of your adventures through this cleanse.  I will explain my Michigan yoga camp and everything else on another day.  I do, however want to get the ball rolling for now with a brief recap of what we accomplished on the first ever day of Evolve, and keep it pretty short because I have an unbelievably long day and need to rest.

       First off, if you joined Evolve (a yoga cleanse based on mindful eating) in St. Louis Park, Minnesota, good job!  I am so proud of you for signing up, showing up and committing to yourself for the next 4 weeks.  I am honored to lead this brand new yoga cleanse through Lifepower Yoga, Lifetime Fitness.  Evolve consists of all group meet ups.  We had our first one today, and I invited everyone to utilize my blog for support and community.  I am so happy to lead the Evolve group with my dear friend, Lindsay B.

        The goal of Evolve is to give you a greater sense of community, freedom and lightness, so that you can go into 2013 with a renewed sense of your amazing human potential.  Remember, Jonny Kest says, "What you are looking for is looking for you."  Whatever your goals are I want to encourage you to do you absolute best that you can at this time in your life.  Your best is the best you can do, and I also encourage you to accept that, and accept yourself!

      If you are in the Evolve group, send us your emails, and let us know when you are starting your cleanse.  Hopefully you can start your 21 day cleanse over the next couple of days.  I started mine today so that I can help support you a little better along the way (any snarls that happen will be more fresh in my mind).  Both Lindsay and I enjoyed partaking in this cleanse, we both started our first Quantum Wellness cleanse roughly around the 29th of October, just a little bit before Halloween and we finished just a week or so before Thanksgiving.  We both learned a lot from the cleanse.  We have each tried all sorts of cleanses and particularly enjoyed this very one we are all going to do now.

      Evolve combines yoga, meditation, mindfulness, community and we base our 21 days off Kathy Freston's book, The Quantum Wellness Cleanse.  It is optional for Evolve, but we recommend it because both Lindsay and I found it helpful.  I personally really needed the daily encouragement and meditations Freston provides, and I believe Lindsay really enjoyed some of the recipes from the book.  Check it out and see if it is helpful.  If you are a reader of this blog and are not part of the Evolve group at Lifetime, you may want to try reading this book, and maybe even try the cleanse.  I have to say though, being a part of the group is one of the reasons I was able to make it through.  There is something so motivating about being a part of a strong community that can really help us get through the hard times, and enjoying the celebrations can be more fun too.

        If you are starting the cleanse this week you need to remember "The Big Five."

1) Sugar
2) Caffeine
3) Gluten
4) Alcohol
5) Animal Products (anything that came from something that has/had a face).

       We can enjoy so many delicious foods during the cleanse:

The Quantum Wellness Cleanse Grocery List:The items on this grocery list are specifically outlined for the “Quantum Wellness Cleanse” which precludes sugar, alcohol, caffeine, gluten, and all animal products.  This does not mean that all of these items are not vegan, rather these items are specifically for the 21 day cleanse.  
-Irish steel cut oats (for most people, this is tolerable insofar as gluten; unless you are particularly sensitive, ok to use), mixed grain hot cereals, gluten and sugar (maple, honey, etc.) free
-Rice cakes
-Flax crackers
-Gluten free bread (vegan)
-Sweet potatoes, yams
-Grains: brown or wild rice, millet, quinoa, amaranth, corn, buckwheat, corn
-Nuts: almonds, walnuts, cashews, soy nuts, macadamia nuts, filberts, etc.
-Seeds: sunflower, pumpkin, sesame
-Nut or seed butters: peanut butter, almond butter, tahini, cashew butter (unsweetened)
-Vegan butter (earth balance, soy garden)
-Vegan mayonnaise
-Non-dairy protein powder (Solaray strawberry is a tasty sugar free one), also others that are pea, rice, and soy based are good
-Beans and legumes: black beans, lentils, chickpeas, lima beans, adzuki beans, black-eyed peas, edamame, fava beans
-Tofu
-Tempeh
-Faux meats: burgers, sausage patties, "meat crumbles", "chicken" patties (make sure gluten free)
-Artichoke/rice/quinoa pasta
-Pasta sauce (no sugar added)
-Vegetables: kale, broccoli, cauliflower, green beans, asparagus, brussel sprouts, zucchini, eggplant, collard greens, butternut, spaghetti, and acorn squash
-Mushrooms: shitake, hen of the woods, etc. (grilled, they make a great centerpiece for a meal)
-Salad "fixins": arugala, raddichio, endive, mixed greens, peppers, avocado, tomato, etc.
-Fruits: apples, cherries, peaches, blueberries, goji berries
-Lemons, limes for sparkling water cocktails. A splash of unsweetened pomegranate juice
-Coconut water
-Teecino (coffee substitute), rooibos tea, herbal teas
-Rice, almond, soy milk (unsweetened)
- Stevia, agave nectar to sweeten smoothies, milks, cereals, etc.
-Extra virgin olive oil, expeller pressed organic canola, high-oleic versions of sunflower and safflower oils
-Garlic, ginger, tamari, Himalayan crystal salt, pepper
-Flours to cook or bake with: bean, pea, soy, potato, buckwheat, tapioca, nut and seed, arrowroot
-Popcorn
-Corn chips
-Guacamole
-Hummus
-Soy cheese (no rennet or casein)
-Frozen spinach (to throw into smoothies… you won't even taste it!)
-Flax seed oil, freshly ground flax seeds
-Vegetarian stock for cooking
-Pre-prepared foods at health food stores are often tasty and nutritious. Visit the "raw" section and deli/salad bar area



If you are worried about protein I really like a product called: Spirutien, I like the unsweetened vanilla one.  Lifetime also has a vegan protein powder called Vegan Max, if you prefer.  If you are sensitive to soy try a rice, hemp, or yellow pea protein powder.

I will show you a vegan smoothie for breakfast tomorrow and what I'm eating during the day so you can get ideas.  You can also look through my past posts for inspiration if that suits you.

Please feel free to comment (that is the idea), start a discussion or post helpful links and recipes that you would like to share.  All my love, good luck.  Now I have been gone since 7 am this morning, working literally all day and it is after 8pm and my husband wants some of my time now, so until tomorrow, bon chance!

Oh, one more thing, homework.... make sure you take at least three yoga classes before I see you again on Sunday.  If you want to loose weight, please weigh yourself so you know where you are at.  Begin the cleanse and if you are reading this blog, you have already done the last one, join the blog.  :-)  If you are reading the book, start.  xoxoxo  Again, I am so proud of you for starting this adventure and I will see you through it to the end.