You deserve delight.

When I was young, my most magical and creative times were in the summer. I think the key to their magical quality was their openness. A day could open up, and all there was in it was space. There was space to get as many books from the library as they’d let me borrow. There was space to turn off the lights in my light purple bedroom and fall back asleep for an hour in the middle of the day. There was space to lie on my back next to my sister in the living room and pretend to be fancy reclining cats as we stretched our legs up to the ceiling and made prim shapes of paws with our hands.

I hadn’t thought about this before, but there was also great self care and family care built into those days, and I think that’s why they were so happy too. Our home was sensory and beautiful. My sisters would work on mastering their instruments while I listened from my room, sketching at my art desk. Mom would be preparing dinner while her third daughter practiced her harp, and I could smell the simmering basil and tomatoes from our garden cooking down for pasta. My migraines would go away during these summers and I’d find ways to feel really good. I found little rituals and strung together pleasant moments as the summer floated along.

Today, on a regular Wednesday in 2020, working way more than full-time and living in an apartment on my own, I found myself with the rare reality of having a bit more time in my day than usual. Without planning to do this, I was able to find a flow of play, rest, creativity, and sensory delight that reminded me of those summer times between school years. I made a smoothie from frozen banana, giant blueberries, and honey almond milk. I took a really long shower and used my favorite shampoo and hair mask to make my hair feel silky. I put on my Vitamin C serum that makes my skin glow.I did a long inversion posture lying down on the carpet in my bedroom to let the blood drain from my feet. I practiced a few backward somersaults just to see if I could still do them. I listened to “Hero” by Enrique Iglesias because I just love that song.

There were a few moments during this “free time” where I thought, “maybe I don’t deserve this kind of luxury or enjoyment. It’s just a random Wednesday. Have I earned this?” Then I thought, that is so sad. My life is still my life, even though I’m an adult. And while working very hard, I can still just allow myself to “be” and to enjoy. I hope you can find ways to do the same thing, whatever that means to you.

Drawings from summers growing up in Utah.

Shea Mask from Trader Joe’s makes for silky hair.

Big Shampoo from LUSH is my favorite.

The sea salt in this shampoo volumizes really well.

Inversion posture with a pillow balanced on your feet while you lie on your back against a wall.

True Botanicals Radiance Oil Vitamin C Serum

Home.

Week Two!

It’s the second week of the Toasted September Challenge, and you’re rocking it! Thank you for sharing your excitement with me and joining in. Halfway through this week, it’s a great time to check in on how you’re doing. How have your workouts been this past week? Have you been nourishing your body to feel energized and strong? What areas of your life feel good, and where would you like to make some adjustments?

Here are three ways to align your week with positive energy:

1. Move every day.

2. Nourish mindfully.

3. Vibe joyfully.

To break that down, let’s start with moving daily. Whether you begin your day bright and early with a TOASTED class before your kids wake up, or prefer to do your workout in later in the evening, I’m here to help you strengthen your body and reduce stress with a challenging full-body burn. Wednesday’s class this week adds in some spicy new leg and glute moves with the core ball, and don’t miss the cardio bursts in the Friday class to get your weekend off to a heart-happy start!

You can sign up for classes here.

Now, to help you nourish your body mindfully and joyfully this week, I’ve partnered with some special people. On Tuesday, my mom and I made Watermelon Poke Power Bowls from the Power Plant Bowls cookbook by Sapana Chandra. You can tune into our full IGTV Live, enter to win the cookbook, and also give the recipe a try below.

Watermelon Poke Power Bowls

Ingredients:

2 c cooked or brown rice

3 c diced watermelon

1 c shelled edamame 

1/2 sliced radish

1/2 c shredded carrots

1/2 c diced cucumber 

1/4 cup minced red onion

1 medium avocado, diced

2 T toasted sesame seeds

1/2 c Spicy Sriracha dressing (recipe below)

Assemble your power bowl with desired amounts of each ingredient, sprinkle with sesame seeds and drizzle with dressing. 

Spicy Sriracha Dressing 

1/4 c raw cashews, soaked in water 30 min

1/4 c water

1 T freshly squeezed lemon juice

1 T sriracha

1 T tamari

1 T toasted sesame oil

Pinch of sea salt and ground black pepper

Rinse and drain the cashews. In a blender, combine all ingredients and blend on high 1-2 min until smooth and creamy. 

And now, what do I mean by vibe joyfully? I mean that as you assemble the blocks of your week, be sure to sprinkle in fun, play, humor, and creativity.

Call or FaceTime a friend that makes you laugh, watch an old movie that warms your heart, or listen to the WEEK TWO PLAYLIST here.

As always, I am here for you. Please feel free to me know how you’re doing anytime, and keep up the great work!

xx, Kate

It's Go Time.

Welcome to the TOASTED September Challenge. 

There are always reasons to think that your goals are out of reach or something to be tackled later. This year has dealt those in spades. But I’m convinced that there are many more reasons, especially in challenging times, to believe that your goals are worth pursuing now. 

Goal-setting doesn’t need to ignore the very real opposition that you’re dealing with. In fact, your goals can confront it squarely in the face and embrace it as an opportunity to adapt, to evolve, and to grow. 

For the month of September, I hope you’ll join me in an exploration of the present.

Ask yourself, how am I feeling today?

How can I build strength and stamina? What can I shift to take back my power?

And, as you notice what is, enjoy the creative journey of considering what can be. Maybe you’d like to have more energy for your busy workdays. Maybe you want to start a habit of having a healthy breakfast and staying hydrated first thing every morning. Maybe you’d like to just let go and carve out an hour or yourself a few times a week to get a healthy sweat while listening to fun music. 

Whatever your goals are, I’m here to validate and support you.

Here are a few things to help you kickstart your new month:

1. Enter to win $150 to Alo Yoga and a 3-class package of TOASTED classes.

2. Jump into my IGTV Lives where I’ll be talking to amazing people about health, nutrition, and living a better day.

3. Take at least one class this week and share about it by tagging @toastedbykate on Instagram, and you’ll be entered to win a brand new resistance band and core ball. 

4. Finally, no motivation is complete without the right playlist. Give this one a listen on Spotify to pump yourself up when things get tough. 

Thank you so much for joining me to get TOASTED in September. Let’s do this!

xx, Kate