Guest Posts

Favorite Finds Friday 11.16.12 [Guest Posting]

November 16, 2012 by Allison · 6 Comments

Thank goodness it’s Friday [TGIF] AND thank goodness for pancakes [TGFP]!

This week has been a bit of a doozy. I’m betting it’s from the lack of sleep I’ve had and today I woke up in a funk for no real reason. Note to self: knock it off. Don’t worry, be happy!

Source

I have no problem falling asleep at 9PM but staying asleep isn’t as easy. The past few mornings I’ve been waking up at 5AM or earlier which gives me plentyyy of time to clean-up around our [itty-bitty] apartment, pack lunch for both Ryan and me, make a sweet stack of ‘cakes, and get ready for work. I know that not everyone is a morning person [ahem, Ryan], but I feel most productive in the mornings and it works for me… And after a day at work, all I wanna do is be with my boys, curl up on the couch, get caught up in some silly show, and spend as little time as possible in the kitchen. To each his own!

this mornings stack was sundae style: cinnamon flax pancakes topped with peanut butter Cho + fresh cranberries + banana slices + shredded unsweetened coconut + maple syrup

In typical Friday fashion, I have put together a Favorite Finds Friday post but you’ll see that it’s not below… That’s because I have the honor and pleasure of guest posting for Danica at Danica’s Daily while she and her hubby are vacationing down in Jamaica! I’m a bit envious, mon!

click here for a direct link to today’s post

Ryan and I have some fun plans for tomorrow in honor of his birthday next week and possibly seeing the new Twilight movie on Sunday… I hope y’all have a wonderful weekend

— Allison

“Life is here, now.”

December 30, 2011 by Life's a Bowl · 12 Comments

Back in August, one of my good girlfriend Heather wrote a fabulous guest post about accepting her body for what it is and transitioning from the straight size to the plus size modeling world.

Over the past few months, Heather has been busy traveling nonstop for jobs that include the plus size lingerie company Hips and Curves, Slink Magazine, Zappos, QVC, and American Apparel. And next month she plans to go to LA, NYC, and Costa Rica!

Heather is more than a pretty face, she is also a great role model for women, young and old [and myself included]… Here’s her story [as seen on her website]:

What you see here is a 70 pound difference. I grew up a bigger girl; but for 8 years of my life, I lived in a mental prison. I constantly counted calories and obsessively worked out to an unhealthy size 0 with 9% body fat. I lost my period for five years. My butt cheeks didn’t even touch! (Yep, you heard me…) Nothing mattered but performing my rituals and compulsions I conjured up in my head. I did not have any space in my brain to see the world around me, connect with people, and ultimately live. Constantly striving to be something else, you do not have time to think about the important things in life — friends, loved ones, learning, giving back, following your passions, etc. I was always thinking, “When I weigh ___, I’ll be happy… my life will be perfect.” This is the biggest lie in the world. Life is here, now. You cannot wait for a certain event or milestone to truly begin living your life.

So with time, countless doctors, helpful books, and role models in the plus industry, I began to heal. The transformation was not easy (it was actually quite hellish), but I made a decision to choose freedom. I started listening to my body and respecting it. I eat whole foods and love working out. I want to prove to people that you can be healthy at any size. My motto is to just be as healthy as I can be (body, mind, & soul), and wherever I end up, is where I’m supposed to be . It is my passion to show people that once you are true to your authentic self, doors begin to open and you can truly live your life to the fullest.

Check out some of her most recent [stunningly beautiful] work…

[vimeo http://vimeo.com/32278082]

Be sure to check out Heather on tumblr or her website!

“The woman who follows the crowd will usually go no further than the crowd. The woman who walks alone is likely to find herself in places no one has ever been before.”

~ Albert Einstein

Question: Who is your greatest role model?

Question: What motivates you to truly be you?

— Life's a Bowl

“Nothing Gets Between Me and My Mat”

September 16, 2011 by Life's a Bowl · Leave a Comment

I have another great inspirational guest post to share with y’all tonight! After re-reading Danielle’s story, I couldn’t help but think to myself how amazing some of my girlfriends are and how blessed I am to have them in my life!

~~~~~

My Dear friend Allison asked me to write a guest post and I am pleased to share the story of my journey with the practice of yoga: )

A preface to my story… I completed my first level certification through “YogaFit” at an Mind Body Fitness conference in Northern Virginia. Within the next year, I received my level 2 certification and I have plans to complete my level 3 certification at the MBF conference in Salt Lake City, Utah in 3 weeks. The following bio was initially written as a submission for “YogaFit’s” 2011 ad campaign contest! And I am so grateful to say that I WON!

Me and My Yogini's at Our Level 1 Certification

My journey with yoga began at a time when I was suffering from a debilitating eating disorder and was essentially tearing myself to shreds; not only was my body shrinking, so was my mind. Today, I can say that yoga played a strong role in restoring what I had lost and in bringing balance and joy back into my life. I went to my first yoga class with my big sister at a health club and immediately felt at home with my mat. That first class began a routine habit of practice, which in turn brought me to researching and networking where to certify. I believe Yogafit came in answer to a prayer I needed in order to find my path in this life. I soon switched my education focus from architecture to exercise & wellness with the dream of one day opening a yoga studio.

The advertisement for the contest featuring Beth Shaw, the founder of YogaFit

I love the motto “Nothing gets between me and my mat.” It represents the beauty of yoga, its essence, it’s core. To me, yoga is the blessing of a constant companion to the disheartened and broken. It’s the source of fulfillment to the joyful and energetic. Despite the experiences that come to us in this life, we always have our yoga mat to pull out anytime, anywhere. Whether we simply sit and breathe deeply or rock out our best standing splits, we are bringing more balance, more peace and more gratitude for ourselves and for our lives.

The photo I submitted for YogaFit's ad campaign contest

The beginning of this year, I was in a snowboarding accident and crushed a vertebrae in my spine. For 7 weeks, I wore a back brace from my hips to my collarbone and had to turn an especially active life into somewhat of an immobile one. While I couldn’t run, weight train or do many of the things I love doing, none of this came between me and my mat. How grateful I am that in a time when I otherwise would have felt sorely disheartened, I could still have my practice. Sure, it wasn’t the same routine, but that’s the beauty of yoga. It kept me strong, kept me relaxed and at peace. I know that I will heal and one day return to life as it was, but as for now, I know I have my mat.

Namaste,

Danielle

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If you missed the other two girlfriend guest posts you can read them here:

Jeannie’s story: “As Hard As It’s Been, I Would Do It All Again”