True Nature Travels Blog

Gingerbread Smoothie

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by Alana from Self Heal with Alana and Explorations of Self

Namaste True Nature Tribe!

Tis the season’ to be… healthy! We can still nourish our body amidst the holiday parties & oh so appetizing treats that seem to be thrown at you from ever corner shop. I am not saying to say NO to that awesome chocolate chip cookie, but I am asking you to say YES to more healthy options for the majority of your day because that, my friends, is self love!

A lot of my nutrition clients hit a wall around their health in November. They want to make the most out of the last couple of months until their New Year’s resolution. They are then upset with themselves and out of steam in a major way by New Years. They tell me stories of trying to get back on their health kick for a new resolution! They resolve by crash dieting and exercising only to hurt themselves and do the whole dance all over again. This, my friends, is a very common occurrence in our culture. Dieting is not something to be done. It IS whatever we chose to eat and consume on a day to day basis in our mind, body, and spirit. It is a way of life! We have thousands of cells that rely on us to choose LOVE in every possible way in every possible moment.image2-3

I love the 80/20 rule of thumb. If you chose to eat an awesomely delicious whole foods and ethical diet 80 percent of the time, allow yourself to have those treats 20 percent of the time! Sometimes I will have my clients do a 28 day sugar, dairy, and gluten detox before trying this. That way their bodies and minds are free from toxins, and it is a clear vessel to determine from there on forward!

This sweet and spicy gingerbread smoothie is such a treat for a post workout holiday rendition of a protein smoothie! Stacked with all sorts of gingerbread flavor, you’ll be sure to feel the season’s cozy feel while maintaining your energy!

This Gingerbread Smoothie is gluten free, vegan, and refined sugar FREE! How awesome is that? I LOVE discovering healthy options during the holiday season. Let’s face it, this time of year can be stressful. I don’t want to stress my body or mind out by emotionally eating my woes away. In fact, by choosing healthier options on a more consistent basis throughout these wintery months, my mood is MUCH better and way more capable of  handling any stress that may come my way.

Gingerbread Smoothie

Nutrition Information

•Serves: 3 cups

•Serving size: 1½ cups (2 servings)

photo by: Aaron Burden
photo by: Aaron Burden

Prep time:  5 mins

Total time:  5 mins

A creamy, smooth, healthy, vegan, gluten-free smoothie made with coconut milk, bananas and spices combined together to taste just like gingerbread cookies.

Ingredients

•1½ cups almond milk from carton or milk of choice

*1 scoop Vegan vanilla protein mix

•1 small banana, frozen

•¼ tsp. nutmeg

•½ tsp. cinnamon

•½ tsp. ginger, ground

•⅛ tsp. cloves, ground

•1tsp. vanilla extract

•1 tbsp. molasses

•¼ tsp. stevia or coconut sugar to taste

•1 cup ice

*option to garnish with GF Gingerbread Man (I love this recipe from Minimalist Baker)

Instructions

1Place all ingredients in a blender and process until smooth.

Notes

Calorie per 1½ cups: 117, Fat: 3.9, Cholesterol: 0, Sodium: 15, Potassium: 330, Carbs: 20, Fiber: 1.3, Sugar: 12, Protein: 1.3

Be sure to also check out this Gluten Guide from Fitness Goat!

joeprenatalAbout the author: Alana Roach  is a International Yogi and IIN certified Integrative Nutrition Coach currently based out of Annapolis, MD. Formerly adorned by the city lights and the busy streets of America, she was then whisked away by the illustrious path of yoga and took to traveling the world to share it with others. A few years back she started to write about the transformation she undertook by  practicing conscious meditation. Her passions became her career and she now holds RYS Teacher Trainings & International Retreats, Health Coaches, and writes every opportunity she gets. In her spare time she loves cuddling with her daughter,  surfing, being in nature, and living amongst her ever growing and global loving and conscious community. She is on Facebook , Instagram, Twitter, and can be reached by email explorationsofself@gmail.com

True Nature Travels Blog

Yoga Retreat in Costa Rica“That could be me….”

We think we can speak for just about everyone who has ever signed up for a 200 hour Yoga Teacher Training Course when we say that everyone, at one point or another(or hundreds of times!) has looked longingly at the image of a beautiful yogi practicing along the beach at a beautiful, tropical location.  We have all dreamed of one day, just maybe with enough intention and support, that could be us, leading a yoga retreat while overlooking fiery sunsets and the cascading waves of the Pacific Ocean.

Yoga retreat, Costa Rica

 

“That could be me….” zip lining through the jungle, sipping the refreshing juice right out of a coconut, hiking to a magnificent waterfall, creating space and community for profound transformation for our students, and of course, ourselves.

When teachers come to us with their own unique dream of teaching a yoga retreat in Costa Rica they want to know how they can make it happen.  What are the right things to do, to say.  How many students do they need?  How will they get from place to place?  How much will it cost? When is the best time of year to go?  Got a question about teaching a yoga retreat in Costa Rica? We have the answer.  And, after years and years of leading successful retreats, we have narrowed down the one thing that is absolutely essential to do if your dream is to lead a yoga retreat in this beautiful, tropical paradise.

Yoga Retreat in Costa RicaENVISION YOUR RETREAT!

Yep!  Start smelling the flowers, in your mind, right now!  Feel the waterfall beating down on your back giving you the best natural massage you have ever had. Hear the howler monkeys giving you and your students a 5am wake up call.

See the smiling, relaxed and restored faces of your students as you hold a loving space for them to unwind from their plugged in lives at home.  Taste the succulent mango, the ripe papaya. Feel yourself in meditation at sunset, in deep gratitude for your journey that has led you to right here, right now.

We take great care to customize each  program.  We will work with you to help you manifest your unique vision, offer our experienced guidance, support and wisdom along the way.   Make time everyday to actually see yourself at your retreat and engage all five senses in your visualization.

Not a bad way to begin manifesting your dream!

Yoga Retreat Costa RicaBe a part of our 2015 True Nature Teaching Team! We are looking for amazing yoga teachers to connect and collaborate with that are passionate about providing transformational experiences for their students.  Read more about teaching with us here.

 

True Nature Travels Blog

“The journey between what you once were and who you are now becoming is where the dance of life really takes place.”

~ Barbara Deangelis

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photos courtesy of mind | body | fitness

Andrea Dyer and her band of merry yogis dove right into their Annual Costa Rica Experience yoga retreat! From crossing items off bucket lists to sunrise yoga and full moons, the first few days of their journey together warmed up to become their home for the week quite nicely.

Andrea’s passion for adventure has led her to guide her second retreat in Costa Rica with us.  Andrea shares her experience leading a retreat with our experienced staff in this video here.

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Andrea packed a week of daily yoga, meditation, stand up paddle boards, waterfall hikes, visits to the hot springs and plenty of personal time for her students to enjoy.  It’s in that individual space, whether you are taking in the sunset or listening to the symphony of sounds in the jungle that true transformation really takes place.

And, of course it is in clinking coconuts and building community that

True Nature Travels Blog

3acc086f1a4d1e767e6ca195aa5bf9a8It’s so easy to get caught up in the hustle of life, the speed of the Facebook feed, the limited hours in the day and the dreams and opportunities that we sometimes feel are passing us by.  The amount of energy that we spend “thinking about being caught up” is staggering when you actually take a moment to reflect on it.

 

 

 

How much time have you spent lately worrying about something or replaying a negative story in your head?

A lot, huh? What if you took all of those moment you spent worrying and put that energy towards cultivating more presence and awareness in your life?  Or better yet, building on a dream, imagining, spending time with loved ones, letting someone know how grateful you are for them. Yes, life CAN feel and be overwhelming sometimes, but it’s truly in those moments that we have the opportunity to step back into presence.

Wait, what?  When we feel disconnected from living fully – THAT is when we need to step back into it?  YES!  When we notice ourselves getting wound up in a story or pattern, that is the perfect moment to notice and bring yourself back to your center.  To remember your true nature is one of love, pure being and you are whole and perfect in this moment.

This powerful practice can change your life because no matter where we are on the path, there will always be countless moments throughout your day when you have the opportunity to notice yourself disconnected from presence.  Moment by moment you begin to recognize that each one counts.

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It’s a gradual process, one that takes practice, patience and the willingness to keep coming back, day by day; moment by moment.

Here are some thoughts to support you in calling this practice into your life.

Befriend your habits (the good, the bad and the ugly)

Recognizing that your habits, patterns and beliefs are all truly a part of the wonderfully already perfect you is an important first step.  We will always have obstacles (inner and outer) in our lives so approaching them like a “friend in need” with compassion, empathy and forgiveness is a good approach.  Hey, everybody worries sometimes.

Let your “bad” habit jumpstart a positive one