What’s your Carbon Footprint?

I like to think of myself as a goal oriented person. Currently I am working on some continuing education on-line for work and I get a great thrill out of taking the tests and am somewhat obsessive about getting a good grade and green check mark at the end of each chapter quiz. Keep in mind that these tests are not “rocket surgery” as my sister would say but they give me a sense of accomplishment. Can you imagine my dismay when taking a course on living green I actually failed the carbon footprint test! Ok, let me explain. I do yoga, I drink green smoothies every day, I recycle, and I use incandescent light bulbs.  As good as these intentions are and even though they make me feel like I am making a difference in the world it is not nearly enough… I drive too much, I use up too much energy heating and cooling my house and what I thought was a gypsy spirited love of travel is apparently wreaking havoc on the atmosphere with all of my flying…  So, what am I to do? I’m not going to sell my house (because I love it,) I can’t drive less since being in real estate that is pretty much my livelihood, and as for the travel… well, that is one of my only guilty pleasures in life.  The good news is that with all of this yoga and green smoothies I can handle the stress of failing this test.

Here is a link below if you would like to take your own carbon footprint test
http://green.yahoo.com/calculator 

photo courtesy of Taiga Company

Tags: ally may, carbon footprint, green living

Run till you’re 100

Last night I went with some friends to see Jeff Galloway speak at Phiddipides in Midtown. Aside from the fact that he was an Olympic athlete, author of many books on running, and local Atlanta legend, one reason we really were interested is because we are using his run/walk method to train for our half marathon coming up the end of February.  Let me first say that I am by no means an avid half marathoner or marathoner… Ten years ago I attempted the Bermuda Marathon and finished it but with lots of  injuries due to the fact I never trained properly and assumed in my 20′s I could do anything once. Lesson learned. So, here we are a decade later and my goals are completely different.  They are to finish feeling good, have a good time, and train properly without injury. Enter Jeff Galloway into the equation and I’m literally off to the races. So, what is so spectacular about his method? Here are a few of his many helpful suggestions…

1. Run every other day. Your body needs time to recover. Do some cross training or rest on your off days.

2. During the week run 30 to 45 minutes (whatever distance that is for you) and do your long runs once on the weekends.

3.  He uses a unique walk run method based on how fast you run a mile. So, for me I walk 2 minutes and run 2 minute. This alternating gives your body a break as you train. As your time gets faster the running periods get longer and walking period shorter. Jeff told us last night that he and his wife are running one marathon every month this year and they are choosing to alternate one minute run and one minute walk the whole way.

4. Eat properly and don’t forget your vitamins! He feels that everyone no matter how young or old needs a complete vitamin.

Now keep in mind this is merely an abridged version of his many books and talk last night so I would suggest for more information than you ever knew you wanted on running and on his clinics go to www.jeffgalloway.com

Helpful Hint -I use an iphone app called interval trainer pro that lets you listen to music and the app will prompt you when it is time to run or walk

photo courtesy of tribal runner

Tags: ally may, jeff galloway, running

Financial Peace

 

So, what is one of your New Year’s resolutions? Losing that last 10 pounds, finding the perfect job, or perhaps like me finding some financial peace…? I like to think that I am responsible when it comes to my money but I would like to know that I am being smart about what to do with it as well and have a plan for my future. When I was in Charleston last week visiting my parents for the holidays a friend of theirs reminded me of Dave Ramsey’s book, Financial Peace. I had read that book years ago but it encouraged me to download the audio book and start listening to it again. There is such happiness and freedom in knowing that you have a game plan in place. So, what am I going to do for my game plan? Well, I am going to take a Financial Peace class starting in January. There are classes available all over town and in multiple locations. In the meantime, here are some of Dave Ramsey’s top 7 pointers that I will share with you!

1. Make sure you have an emergency fund of at least $1000

2. Now is the time to pay off all debt except your mortgage

3. After paying off your debt add 3 to 6 months worth of living expenses to your emergency fund and keep it in a money market or bank account

4. Fully fund all pre-tax retirement savings. Also, make sure you have sufficient insurance for yourself or your family

5. Start a college fund only after you have fully completed steps 1-4

6. Pay any extra you can to pay off your mortgage early

7. Get Rich! With no debt or payments you can focus on saving money and make sure to give some away as well!

For more on Financial Peace go to www.DaveRamsey.com

Tags: ally may, Dave Ramsey, Financial Peace

Green Living

 

We have heard it all before but it is worth a reminder how we can continue to live green. Don’t worry, you can do you part without having to install solar panels or joining a commune. Here are some easy tips so you can feel like you are doing your part!

Temperature
Did you know that in the winter for every degree you turn down the heat you save approximately 3% in heating costs. During the summer for every degree you turn up you save 4%.  If you need a new HVAC then definitely get an energy efficient model.

Water
Install low flow shower heads, take shorter showers and turn off the faucet while you are brushing your teeth.

Lights
Replace incandescent bulbs with compact fluorescents. The last much longer and are low impact on your electrical bill. When you leave a room, turn the lights off.

Electronics
Turn off your laptop or computer each evening and unplug other appliances when not in use.

Recycle
This is an easy habit to get used to. The City of Atlanta will deliver a recycle bin or recycle herbie curbie to your house. I keep a paper bag next to my trash can and collect the cardboard boxes, plastic and glass bottles then empty them every couple of days in to the recycle bin in my garage.

 

Tags: ally may, green living

On the Run!

As I am writing this post the New York Marathon has just started. Isn’t it fascinating how popular road races have become in our culture? Just this past month I agreed to train with 14 other women for the Disney Princess half marathon and I could not be more excited. Is it because we are a goal oriented society or because it gives us the opportunity to get out of our usual work and life routines that makes these runs so fun? I know a large part of the Disney run for me is getting to spend time at a place that was so magical to me as a child and be healthy at the same time.  In my mind I am visualizing myself in peak shape by February. The Ally May version of Heidi Klum. The reality is that I will probably end up looking no different than I do now but with exceptionally strong calf muscles… So, with that in mind are any of you interested in a destination run somewhere around the country? Here are a few on my bucket list I would like to do over the next few years.

Disney Princess Half Marathon
http://espnwwos.disney.go.com/events/rundisney/princess-half-marathon/

Malibu Half & Marathon
http://www.malibuintmarathon.com/index.htm

Santa Barbara Half Marathon
http://www.runsantaynez.com/

Nashville Rock n Roll
http://runrocknroll.competitor.com/nashville

San Antonio Rock n Roll
http://runrocknroll.competitor.com/san-antonio

Santa Fe to Buffalo Thunder
http://www.santafethunder.com/

Tags: ally may, disney princess half marathon, scenic road races

Laughter Yoga

 

 

Interview with Celeste Greene
of
Laughter Yoga Atlanta

 

Celeste, you have one of the most fun careers I have ever heard of! How did you get involved in Laughter Yoga?
It is indeed the most fun I have ever had “working!” I became a certified Laughter Yoga teacher last year after reading about the movement and becoming infatuated with the idea that anyone can experience the amazing health benefits of hearty and prolonged laughter simply by engaging in laughter as a form of exercise. As a former improvisational comic I had no idea that I could laugh this much without the use of jokes or humor. The experience has brought immense joy into my own life and into the lives of others.

When was Laughter Yoga founded?
The movement started in 1995 by a medical doctor, Dr. Madan Kataria, and his wife, Madhuri, a yoga teacher. They started with just five people laughing for health in Mumbai Park. Today there are thousands of laughter clubs in more than 65 countries all over the world.

Do you supplement Laughter Yoga with other forms of yoga?
In my sessions we stick to the basics of Laughter yoga, but we incorporate lots of stretching and yogic breathing. In a typical session we initiate laughter as exercise in a group and through eye contact and childlike playfulness it soon becomes real and contagious laughter. The reason we call it Laughter Yoga is because it combines laughter exercises with yogic breathing. This brings more oxygen to the body and the brain which makes one feel healthier and more relaxed. Believe it or not all of this laughing and breathing is an aerobic workout.  Just 15 minutes of laughter burns 50 calories and you can feel the burn, specifically in the abdominal muscles!

Where in Atlanta can we experience Laughter Yoga?
Check out my free Laughter Yoga group on the third Thursday of every month at AK Crossfit in Buckhead. Everyone is welcome including all ages, abilities and philosophies. Just be willing to laugh and be joyful and the rest will come easily! In addition, I conduct reviving Laughter Yoga sessions at various corporations and elder care facilities around town. For more information, please visit my website at www.LaughterYogaAtlanta.com

 

Tags: ally may, Celeste Green, Laughter Yoga, Laughter Yoga Atlanta

History of Halloween

As the weekend winds to a close and the candy bowls are emptying, have you ever thought to yourself… How did this all begin?

Halloween is thought to have begun with the festival of Samhain, which meant “Summers End.” It was an ancient Celtic Festival where members would don costumes and light bonfires to ward off ghosts. In the 18th century, Pope Gregory III deemed November 1st All Saints Day, a day to honor all saints and martyrs.  The night before was known as All Hallows Eve and incorporated some of the traditions of the Samhain. All Hallows Eve eventually later became known as Halloween and evolved into the child friendly festivities we know of today.

The practice of dressing up in costumes and begging door to door for treats on holidays dates back to the Middle Ages. Trick-or-treating resembles the late medieval practice of souling, when poor folk would go door to door on Hallowmas November 1st, receiving food in return for prayers for the dead on All Souls’ Day.

All information courtesy of the History Channel and Wikipedia

Tags: ally may, halloween

Cool Apps

This week I am attending the Sotheby’s International Realty Global Conference. This has definitely not been the run of the mill conference. It is cutting edge, exhilarating, and beyond educational! Today a panel of interactive marketing experts from The New York TImes, Google, Wall Street Journal, Inman News and many more shared their wisdom. They were discussing the huge impact of mobile devices such as the iphones and droids to ipads and their overwhelming influence on marketing to the savvy consumer that uses these products. However, the best part of the talk was when they shared their favorite apps. Some I had heard of and others I had not but they all are way beyond cool. Here are 4…

Qwiki
If Wikipedia and YouTube had a baby this would be the result… Search for any topic and you will receive a collection of information on the topic ranging from its history, to musical influences, people places or things relating to that topic and so much more. Not your average online encyclopedia for sure.
www.qwiki.com

Google Goggles
This is so cool. So there are so many applications for Google Goggles that it is hard to list them all. Here are a few examples… Say you are at The High Museum of Art and want to know more about a painting. Look through your Google Goggles app while pointed at the painting and any information about that piece will pop up on your phone. Want to translate a menu if you are traveling? Use this app to translate for you. So many applications but the website does have a very user friendly tutorial to get you started!
www.google.com/mobile/goggles/#text

Dropbox
This is a free service that lets you share photos, files, videos, and more on all your computers and mobile devices. It is an easy way to consolidate all of your information at once. Save photos on your mac with drop box and it will automatically update your PC and mobile device as well. If you lose your phone or laptop not to worry, everything is saved for you on the secure dropbox website.
www.slydial.com

Houzz
Re-decorating an entire room or just wanting to replace your kitchen knobs? Houzz lets you browse by location, room, style, etc. Once you have narrowed down your search to the look you are going for you can then click on the green price tags hanging on specific items that are for sale. It is like a virtual interior designer.
www.houzz.com

Tags: ally may, dropbox, google goggles, houzz, qwiki

Georgia’s Grand Canyon

Well, I bet you didn’t know that Georgia has its very own miniature Grand Canyon! I didn’t believe it either until I saw for myself the beauty that is Providence Canyon. It is well worth the drive to Columbus, Georgia for a day at this 100 year old site.

Providence Canyon encompasses more than 1,000 acres and there are 16 canyons with some walls over 150 feet high.  The canyon consists of huge gullies sculpted of soil, not by the action of a river or stream but by rainwater runoff from farm fields.  The canyon began forming in the early 1800s as the result of poor farming and soil-management practices. Native forest cover had been cleared so the land could be farmed, and early nineteenth century farmers in this region took no measures to avoid soil erosion. Small gullies formed and rapidly grew deeper and more extensive. By 1850 ditches three to five feet deep had been cut into the land, further concentrating runoff and increasing the rate of erosion.

Providence Canyon is also home to the rare plumleaf azalea, found only in southwestern Georgia and eastern Alabama. It blooms in the canyon from mid to late summer and is the largest known wild colony of this species.

 Visitors are welcome to hike along the canyon rim or you can camp in the basin overnight as well.  There are  plenty of picnic areas and public restrooms.

All information is from the New Georgia Encyclopedia

Tags: ally may, providence canyon

Take a Hike!

Sweetwater Creek State Park

My friend Sarah and I started a tradition last fall of going hiking on Sundays and we called our excursions ”Sunday Funday.”  We would pack some water, snacks, the dogs, and jump in the car Thelma and Louise style to head out for our next big adventure.  There is honestly nothing as wonderful as being in the outdoors surrounded by nature and all of that glorious fresh air. Here are a few of my favorite places we have gone.

Sweetwater Creek State Park
Length: 4-7 miles
Difficulty: easy to moderate
This trail offers a variety of paths you can take that vary from easy to moderate depending on if you want a leisurely stroll or a more strenuous climb. A few of the highlights of the hike are the ruins of an old textile mill destroyed during the civil war and the Sweetwater Creek falls.
http://gastateparks.org/SweetwaterCreek

Kennesaw Mountain – Burnt Hickory Loop
Length: 5 miles
Difficulty: moderate
Well worth the panoramic views from the top. Prior to our hike I had not been to Kennesaw since a field trip in elementary school. I had forgotten what a treasure it was so have Kennesaw so close to Atlanta. Take a picnic for when you reach the top and don’t forget your camera!
http://www.georgiatrails.com/gt/Burnt_Hickory_Loop

Red Top Mountain – Homestead Trail
Length: 5.7 miles
Difficulty: easy
Homestead Trail is a meandering walk along Lake Allatoona and its tributaries. We happen to be there on the day of the Red Top Rumble, an 11.5 mile run with proceeds supporting public park programs and maintenance.
http://www.redtopmountainstatepark.org/
Red Top Rumble http://www.getguts.com/e-rtr.shtml

Tags: ally may, Burnt Hickory Loop, Kennesaw Mountain, Red Top Mountain, Sweetwater Creek State Park, Take a Hike