Yoga al Fresco
Hi friends 
Happy Sunday to ya. Hope you’re having a beautiful day.
I started mine off with some brown rice French toast, with organic butter, maple syrup and blackberries
it was uhmazing.
After my breakFEAST, I met up with some friends at the U of A mall for some outdoor yoga.
My friend Liz put the event together as a way to gather donations for the victims of the Tucson tragedy, and also send love and good intentions to everyone who was affected.
3 teachers led us through the 90-minute practice– each one taught for 30 minutes and we followed with a meditation.
I tell you, my friends, NOTHING in the world feels like a sweaty savasana, outside on the mat, with a cool breeze running over your body. I felt so gloriously alive. We’re hoping to make our outdoor yoga sesh a regular thing.
When I got up to leave, my legs were total yoga noodles- lurve. 
After yoga, somehow I ended up *here*
(Pretty sure my body has a Whole Paycheck radar.. I’ll just appear there, I have no idea how it happens)
I got a few groceries for the week, but am going to get the rest of the goods at Trader Joe’s and Sunflower Market. On the car ride home, I munched an amazeball:
(Snack of the year award- make these asap, mmm k?)
and 3 gluten-free chocolate chip cookies. They were still frozen and I had to gnaw at them with all of my might, but they were delicious. I figured since I’m starting the doctor detox thang tomorrow, I might as well live it up a little. A few days from now, when I’m really wanting a cookie, I’ll be glad I had a few right before it all started.
We’re driving to the mall right now – the plan is to spend the rest of the day running errands and getting the 2nd Winter Shape Up workout and meals together. Stoked
Have a great day <3
xoxo
Gina
Something to think: A lovely reader Lauren sent this quote to me, and it hugged my heart:
"Distance is not for the fearful, it’s for the bold. For those willing to spend a lot of time alone, in exchange for a little time with the one they love. It’s for those who know a good thing when they see it, even if they don’t see it nearly enough."
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Ahhhh! outdoor yoga looks amazinggg 🙂
I’m very glad you liked the quote 🙂
I can’t wait for the next workout. I did workout one for the second time today. Thank you for the winter shape up. It has helped me stay motivated for bikini season even when the cold weather has me feeling yucky.
Wow! I can’t even imagine doing anything outside in shorts and a tank top in the cold weather right now in Atlanta! Looks glorious! 🙂
Beyond jealous of your outdoor yoga sesh!! Looks amazing 🙂 And I love that quote…
What a nice quote <3
During summer, the Swedish Embassy offers roof-top yoga sessions overlooking the Potomac River. I agree, yoga + sun + fresh breeze = Heaven. SO jealous you get to experience this in JANUARY!!! 😉 It's freeeeezing here!
Oh how I wish it was warm enough to practice ANYTHING outside right now!! It sounds amazing.
Hey girly!!! That is so awesome that you can do yoga in the sunlight and warmth of the desert. I was just visiting my parents south of Tucson in Sahuarita and just being thee in the scenery inspires me to do yoga outdoors. I am stuck in snowy MA but next time I come visit I want to come to an outdoor class!!
That quote is really beautiful. Those balls are definitely on my to-make list!
This quote couldn’t be more perfect. It describes what me and my navy boyfriend are going through. Everyday is so hard.
yoga outside sounds wonderful.i was right next to the window at my yoga this morning and the sun was shining brightly on me, my teacher asked “is the sun ok on you mi-an?” i’m like “yess..it’s perfect.” kinda similar to what you just did but indoor! lol.
happy sunday!!
Oh my gosh. I would pay so much money to do yoga in that spot right now. The mountains and sky look so beautiful.
Hope you found some good stuff at the mall 🙂 Hope you’ll share if you do!!
Oh and I LOVE that quote. Long distance stinks but it’s SOOOOO true!
ahhh, i just soaked up that sunshine through your photos, gina! thanks for sharing! it’s just crazy cold here today – although the sun was out, so we’ll be greatful for that!
i just love your expression “whole paycheque” – makes me smile every time you use it!
Outdoor yoga-yes please!!! I would look like i’m practicing in a igloo right now!!!!
agh I miss outdoor yoga!!
outdoor yoga looks awesome! and i also just find myself appearing inside “Whole Paycheck” as well. i now require a list anytime i go in there, otherwise things get too out of hand.
Best of luck with the detox!
And outdoor yoga…omg the memories!! I fell in love with yoga (even more so b/c it was on the beach) back in 2000. 11 yrs ago. Wow. We were living in Wrightsville Beach, NC (you may know the Wilmington area b/c you lived in NC) but anyway, nothing better than yoga on the beach, sunset-ish time. Splendid.
Also have done rooftop outdoor yoga with Lululemon at a swanky hotel here in San Diego and my best yoga outdoor memories are from my 5 weeks in Costa Rica..doing yoga in the jungle and by the ocean!
And your snack of the year..yep, looks like it 🙂
Your Whole Foods obsession just makes me laugh!
What a cool event to raise money for the Tucson tragedy victims.
I went to whole foods for the first time yesterday and thought i died and went to HEAVEN! I spent four hours there and could have spent 4 more 🙂 plus there was like a billion samples…yum yum!
Over the summer we had outdoor yoga by our water reservoir..it was sweaty and glorious, aka BOMB.
P.s. I absolutely lurve that amazeball is now an adjective AND a noun:)
I’ve never done an outdoor yoga before! How fun!
Your snack of the year is on my list to make 🙂 And that quote brought tears to my eyes..beautiful!
what a blissful sunday, just what the doctor ordered! Sending you hugs.
LC
Outdoor yoga sounds so fun!
I cant drive by a WF without going in! Unless I’m in a rush. Outdoor yoga looks amazing! Great quote!
Oh man, how I would love to have weather fit for outdoor yoga… it’s 9°F here!
LOVE that quote.
Yoga outside sounds so fun! Especially as I love being outdoors as much as possible.
That quote gave me chills. So beautiful. You are strong for doing what you do!
I’m envious of that gorgeous sunshine. It’s soooo cold here right now and I’d love nothing more than to be in the sunshine and fresh air!
It looks like gorgeous weather in AZ right now — very jealous of being able to do *anything* outside.
Hey Gina!
I’ve been reading your blog for almost a year now and was so happy when you annouced the big Tucson move despite the causal circumstances =( So, ever since you’ve arrived, I’ve secretly been hoping that I would run into you as a result of how similar our interests are. However, after seeing the picture of my lovely campus, I just had to say hello and take fate into my hands! I’m currently in my last semester at the UA, and I have to say that I love seeing pictures of places around town that you’ve been and I frequent too– makes me feel special in a way.
I totally hit up the St Phillip’s market this morning and got some worms for my compost. Such an awesome market!! Also, I think you might go to the Bikram studio I work at. And right now, I am working at a dorm at the lovely UofA.
I would love to have a meet up somewhere.. Heck, we could go to whole paycheck and get green juice (heh heh), hit up Blue Willow or Lovin’ Spoonfuls or Govinda’s or wherever. I would also love to join the outdoor! yoga club if possible. Bottom line, I would love to meet you in person at some point before you head back to V-town.
Let me know! –Amanda (hopefully, you have access to my email…)
We could also set up a Tucson group dinner if some more people are interested!! I’m game for anything =D
sounds good to me!
I miss that AZ weather! When my fam and I passed the Whole Foods in Tucson I literally stuck my forehead at the window wishing we could go in. Haha.
We are eating the amazeballz as I write 🙂 Thanks Gina!
What an amazing fundraiser/tribute 🙂 All i see is snow for milesssss andddd i.hate.you 😀
xoxox
Outdoor yoga looks so amazing!! What a great idea! 🙂
Oh Gina…. as someone else in a long distance relationship most of the time, that quote hits my heart deeply as well. I absolutely believe what the quote says, and that’s what keeps me hanging in there no matter how tough the distance can becomes and how painful missing your love often is during the times you’re apart. I support my boyfriend being in the Air Force 1000%, but that’s not to say that sometimes it’s hard to spend however many months/weeks/days unable to be together. It’s the moments when my boyfriend and I are together, though, that make every second apart worth it.. and it definitely takes a strength that most don’t even realize they have until they find a love strong enough that taps into it.
Okay, haha totally didn’t mean to ramble! Good luck starting the detox tmrw!
Your snack of the year is very similar to my own favourite snack…although I prefer to smoosh mine down and cut it into squares. My favourite mix is adding fresh grated ginger to the “dough”. Oh my…sooooo good. Like gooey healthy spicy ginger snaps.
Thanks to you and to Lauren for sharing the lovely quote. My hubby is in the military and has been away more often than home during the past 2 years, so I smiled when I read it.
Oh my god, I went to Wanderlust Festival last year (I live close–lucky!) and practicing outside in the clean mountain air, overlooking Lake Tahoe with literally hundreds of other yogis totally made me fall in love with yoga again. Practicing outside really is amazing.
I so miss whole foods, wish we had one close : p
Outdoor yoga sesh looks amazing!
LOVE that quote Gina, that is beautiful !
Have a great night!
That outdoor yoga picture looks amazing – so relaxing and invigorating at the same time! Great pic! And great quote – thank you for sharing.
Our closest Whole Foods is an hour and half away- so sad 🙁 Outdoor yoga sounds perfect! The french toast looks amazing! Does that keep you full for long? Or do you need some snackage pretty soon after?
it actually kept me full for a few hours- i had to remind myself that i had the amazeball to snack on
Good to know 🙂 I tried brown rice bread for the first time today and it’s definitely more dense than “regular” bread, so I see how that’d definitely keep you full longer than normal french toast.
I got sucked into the Whole Foods and TJs today, too- my wallet isn’t very happy, to say the least….
The yoga looks fun, wish we had outdoor class near us and the weather was better for it. I could spend so much time (and money) and Whole Foods, I’m always adding to my Whole Foods shopping list each time I see a new ingredient I want to try.
Awesome day. The yoga looks really fun. It’s kind of bitter sweet that I’ve never been to a whole foods. Good because my wallet is thanking me Bad because it looks like heaven.
It is SO cold here in TN, there is absolutely no way that outdoor yoga could happen! So jealous of your amazing weather. And that beautiful quote made me feel happy. 🙂
You know you have a problem when the employees at the Whole Foods in Union Square in nyc (probably the most hectic and busy whole foods in the world) recognize you and know your name. So, I feel for you!!!
i’m so envious of your outdoor yoga experience!! ive always wanted to try.
i must be pmsing.. that quote brought a tear to my eye!
I made brown rice bread french toast the other day too… it was amazeballs! I drizzled mine with sunflower seed butter and maple syrup… mmm mmm mmmm!
I’m so jealous that it’s warm enough in AZ to do outside yoga!! It was 30ish in DC today, which is still warm compared to the negative 20s my home state of VT is facing today…yikes, haha.
Hehe I made a trip to Whole Foods this weekend too.. oops! I swear my body gravitates towards WF, Lulu and Starbucks no matter what city I’m in! Sounds like your yoga session was lovely. Have a great night Gina!