This recap is a little late...but better late than never amirite?! Oh my gosh, where to even begin! Wanderlust is such a magical experience. Last year I went with my friend Sophie and had an amazing time, and this time around did not disappoint! Wanderlust is pretty much heaven on earth for yogis, especially yoga teachers. Last year I wasn’t teaching as much, so this time I got to fully take advantage of all of the amazing classes and teachers and gurus that come from all over just to teach at this festival. I took an average of 3 yoga classes per day and it was amazing! This year, Natura Wines approached me with an opportunity to be a brand ambassador for them…um WHAT?! An excuse to go to Wanderlust plus allll of the organic/vegan wine my heart could ask for? Done.
Read MoreMy Social Media Cleanse Experience /
Re: social media hiatus--Not sure if anyone noticed but I’ve taken a little time off of social media. Love love love you all but #sorrynotsorry for my absence. Everyone needs a break. Was it hard? Yes. Did I️ cheat? Absolutely. Did I️ learn a lot? Hell yeah. No Instagram, Snapchat, Facebook, etc. for an entire week. Why? I️ found myself mindlessly scrolling, draining time and energy into my phone, not being present with social interactions, and generally feeling overwhelmed by it all. I was totally spinning out into a deep scrolling hole of misery, and started and ended every day with an extended Instagram session--both of which contributed to my deepening insecurities I was just sick of the power it had over me. I’m sure many of you can relate to this sentiment. So I made a blog post documenting my experience, what I’ve learned from it, and any tips for approaching it with a healthier perspective.
Read MoreI'm in Love With Da Coco (nut oil) /
I'm in love with da coco...okay come on am I the only one who sings that song anytime the word "coconut" comes up in conversation (which is actually quite frequent, living in LA)?! But really though, I'm OOOOBBSESSEDD with any and everything coconut. Coconut water, coconut meat, coconut oil, coconut butter, MCT oil--you name it! Coconut oil is one of my favorite coconut superpowers, because it's not just for cooking! Coconut oil is a great oil to cook with high temps because it is temperature stable and won't go rancid with high heat like other oils such as olive. I love coconut oil even more because it is my skincare secret weapon!! Coco oil is naturally antibacterial and antifungal, it's an amazing moiusturizer, and it smells amazing!
Read MoreLow Sugar Snacking+A Cleanse You Can Stick To /
After being out of the country on my epic month-long backpacking trip through Europe, The Mediterranean, and the Middle East (blog posts about that coming soon!), I definitely needed a bit of a cleanse.
, I definitely needed a bit of a cleanse. I hesitate to use the word “cleanse,” because this health-world buzzword is often overused and made to be extreme when it doesn’t need to be. A cleanse doesn’t have to be a crazy fast or juice diet, it can just mean getting your body on track with simple, whole foods and limiting sugar. Eating on a budget in foreign countries was definitely a stark contrast to my usual superfood-filled and nutrient-dense LA lifestyle diet. And that’s totally OK! I tried all of the native cuisines and signature dishes—and I don’t regret it one bit! Now that I’m back in LA, my body is craving all of those things that I went without while I was away living my best life. Here's how I got back on track!
Read MoreMaking Your Home A Sanctuary /
I finally feel like my apartment is becoming a home. I've been adding to it bit by bit since November, and it's coming together at last. Making your home a sanctuary is so so important because home is the one place where you can escape from the hustle and bustle and craziness of everyday life. My room is where I rest, reset, meditate, and practice yoga. Read more to see the guidelines I followed in order to transform my dingy apartment into the room of my dreams:
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Expo West Recap/A Lesson In Reading Ingredient Labels /
All I can do to really describe expo west is say that it was pure insanity. Being lost in a massive convention center is a version of my own person hell, but that was assuaged by the fact that I was surrounded by natural products. There were tons of brands that I absolutely ADORED! There were definitely some standouts.
Read MoreMy Morning Ritual /
My schedule is different every day, but I always make sure I start it with a relaxing morning. Even if I have to get up early for work, a workout, or an event—I’ll get up extra early just to have a leisurely morning. My morning sets the tone for my whole day, so I always make an effort to make it count. If I start the morning stressed out, rushing, and running late, I’ll be on edge for a better part of the morning and it’ll even trickle in to the rest of my day. For me, this practice just serves as a moment of stillness before the craziness of the day ensues.
Read MoreWhy Ballet Has Made Me Smarter /
As most ballet dancers can attest, professional or not, ballet plays a pivotal role in shaping one’s identity, personality, and life path. Due to the rigorous and competitive nature of ballet, those who have pursued this path are often left hungry and ambitious for excellence. The entire culture of ballet perpetuates a desire to achieve perfection, which carries over to other aspects of life. My ballet career has indelibly shaped the person I am today. From the blood, sweat, and tears it took to get there, to the actual experience of dancing professionally itself.
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All About Amazonite /
Amazonite is one of my favorite crystals. Amazonite is connected to your throat chakra, which promotes openness, honesty with yourself and others, and communication. Called the Stone of Courage and the Stone of Truth, Amazonite empowers one to search the self and discover one’s own truths and integrity. It’s a constant token of my strength: a reminder that it’s ok to say “no,” and that I don’t need to feel guilty about putting myself first. My favorite way to channel all of the magical energy of this crystal is to actually physically wear it on my body!
Read MoreWhat I Eat In A Day /
Warning: To a lot of you it might seem like I eat a lot... or just incessantly often. When I spend a whole day with my friends, a lot of them are shocked and/or annoyed at how many times throughout the day I need to be fed. I get a lot of, "You're hungry again?!" Whenever I hang out with my friends, I really realize how much more I need to eat than some people! I can't help it that I have an efficient and fast metabolism, I'm extremely active, and I eat a lot of fibrous plant-based foods. I've gotten to the point where on most days (when I'm in a good place mentally), I can eat pretty intuitively. This means I eat when I'm hungry and stop when I'm satisfied. That also means that on some days I eat the entire world, and other days I simply don't have as much of an appetite. It all balances out in the end.
Read MoreBeauty From Within /
Let's talk supplements, shall we?! I've never been a huge supplement girl myself...until now. I used to figure that I eat pretty healthy, eat a variety of fruits and veggies, and therefore didn't really need to make up for nutrients with vitamins. Of course it's better to obtain nutrients from food itself, but the reality is that it can be really hard to hit all of your marks. Especially if you have a specific diet, such as vegan, vegetarian, paleo, etc...you need to be extra aware of your nutrient intake. I always take a food-based multivitamin designed for women, but now I've started to branch out into fancier supplements!
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Why I Don't Count Calories /
I don’t count calories. This is mainly because I’m lazy, but it’s also because I don’t see the point. Your body doesn’t understand an arbitrary numerical value that you select as an acceptable amount to feed your body, nor is there a magic number that is going to make your body say, “I don’t need these five extra pounds.” There was a period of time in which I was really strict and aware of how many calories I was putting in my body, but I was also CRAZY during that time. Since then, I've also become a lot more in tune with my body. Once you can learn how to eat intuitively, you will be able to gauge exactly how much you need and when you have truly had enough. This is the same reason why I don't weigh myself. I want to go off how I feel, not by a number. It's a very evolved way of thinking and being in a calorie/media-obsessed culture that we live in, but I promise that you will be so much happier without the scales and numbers!
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