My Inner Shakti

finding strength in everyday things

BIG News + Weekend Stuff

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Y’all! It. Has. Been. A. Week. Parenting front. Marriage front. Self front. All of it. But Friday-Sunday were great. Thankful for a few good days after a crazy week.

Unfortunately, it’s not going to get any less crazy because…

…BIG NEWS…

…we bought a house and are moving next week!

After 10+ years of renting, we are finally homeowners! More than anything, I’m excited to give the kids a little more space and a backyard. Woo!

Will share more as things unfold.

On to weekend stuff…

FRIDAY

Kaiden had his very first field trip to the Museum of Puppetry, and he LOVED it! His first school bus ride as well. I loved seeing all the update pics throughout the morning. Kindergartners are so dang cute!

While Kaiden was watching a puppet show, I recorded the final two episodes (of season one) of Momsanity with Amy. So so good…we were on fire if I do say so myself! And for those of you who are wondering, there will be a season two early in 2023!

Later in the day, after picking K up from school, I took both kiddos to a nearby park. Unfortunately, there were hundreds (or what felt like hundreds) of kids running around. Kaiden didn’t get to have quite the kind of fun he was hoping for, but he made do.

Side note – big kids who have zero playground etiquette get on my nerves and make me so mad! Just saying!

After the park, we walked to a new hoagie place to pick up dinner. It was good but not great, so we probably won’t be trying it again. I got a cheese sandwich for K, and it was literally a mini sub roll and cheese. No mayo/mustard, lettuce or tomatoes. I added some from my own sandwich.

Also of note…I successfully put two kids to bed all on my own…and on time! Even after 11 months, this still feels like a win. Vishnu was working a 4-10pm shift from home, so he took Mila while I gave K a bath, but after that, I was on my own.

I had big plans for my solo evening. A mask, a book, and an early bedtime. None of that happened. I fell asleep on the couch, woke up to clean the kitchen, and then went back to sleep on the couch. HOT MESS! Oh well, I was pretty exhausted…!

SATURDAY

Can someone tell my why a child who has to be pulled from his bed at 6:30am Monday-Friday wakes up at 6:15 on his own on the weekends? I’ve got nothing!

But said child came and got in bed with us for about 30 seconds before shaking me to tell me he’s hungry. Downstairs we went!

After breakfast, our family of four head to the doctor’s office so the kids could get their flu shots. Shots are never fun, but this was quick and easy.

And then I got to go to Trader Joe’s…ALONE! It was magical. Ha!

The highlight of Saturday was a little day date with Vishnu. Believe it or not, but we haven’t been on a true date since before Mila was born. As in, he and I hadn’t been to a restaurant just the two of us in over a year! CRAZY!

Thankful that my parents could come over to watch the kids on short notice so the two of us could get some time alone.

We went to North Italia, and the food was delicious. For my entree, I ordered the burrata stuffed pasta, and it was worth every bite. In fact, Vishnu said that’s what he would order if we ever went there again.

Side note – I love that restaurants are sharing calorie counts on menus, but I also hate it. Like do I really want to know that my entree has over 1000 calories. Nope.

The rest of the day included at home fun, and a movie night with my boo! We watched ‘Wedding Season‘ on Netflix and really enjoyed it. A fun watch for sure.

SUNDAY

Said child woke up at 6:15 again! He played in his room until the chair he was rocking in toppled over. Then he screamed, so mommy had to run in to 1. make sure he’s ok and 2. make sure he didn’t wake his sister up.

At that point, I realized there was no getting back in bed for me, so we headed downstairs to make breakfast – croissants, cheesy eggs, and fruit. YUM!

The rest of the morning included a very vibrant conversation with Vishnu about mom guilt and everything that comes with.

Vishnu took Kaiden to the park a little later and met up with a med school friend of his who recently moved to Atlanta.

The rest of my day was spent making snacks and meals and hanging out in the living room.

We ended family time with dinner and the Falcons game. Then it was bath, bed, and some alone time for mommy.

And that, my friends, was our weekend. The next one is a little crazy in terms of events/commitments – Disney on Ice, possible garba, two birthday parties, and getting the kiddos over to my parents house because the packers come on Monday. AHHH!!!

Weekly Meal Planning: What I Planned Vs. What We Ate

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I recently decided to jump back on the meal planning train, and it’s been so helpful! I’m not as frantic trying to figure out what to make, I’m actually sticking to/under the budget I set for myself every week, and there’s less waste in our house. And this what I’m seeing in a little over a week of planning more.

I thought I would share a weekly post showing what I planned vs. what we ate. This serves a couple of purposes – 1. gives you ideas as you think about what to make every week, 2. keeps me accountable to this who meal planning thing and 2. serves as an archive for our meals so I can go back and easily references as needed. Wins all around!

A few things to note: I’m not too particular when it comes to plugging meals into specific days. I try to stay agile because…well, kids! Also, I always plan for 1-2 pantry type meals that don’t require too many fresh/refrigerated ingredients. This helps reduce waste. And finally, I try to stay super flexible on weekends. I rely on sandwiches, meals out, frozen things, or my mom’s food to get us through. Learning as I go as to what works for us!

Here’s what I planned to make last week, including what was actually ate (and enjoyed):

Grilled cheese and soup

This meal is almost always a guaranteed hit. Kaiden is super into soups right now, and loves the low sodium tomato + red pepper/tomato one from Trader Joes. Mila also loved this meal, and I paired it with some cooked veggies for her.

Chickpea noodle lasagna

My masi gave me a package of Banza lasagna noodles to take home with me when I visited California a couple of months ago. I planned to use them this week, but never got around to it. So this was a pantry meal I planned for but never made.

Hawaiian tofu and rice

This is another popular meal in our home. I’ve been making it for years and started out following it to a tee. I’ve made it my own now and don’t use an Instant Pot or follow it exactly, but regardless it’s a good one. The kids happily ate this deconstructed.

Mexican – tacos/quesadillas

This was a broad category for me obviously! But I went the quesadillas route for the kids and made bowls for me and V. I made black bean burgers as the main protein source and everyone loved them! Seriously, you’ve got to try this easy recipe. Definitely putting it in my regular rotation!

Coconut chole and rice

I’m trying to include at least one Indian meal every week. I figure that plus whatever my mom makes and drops off is a good balance for us and the kids. This chole recipe is DELISH! This was my second time making it, and again, it’s super easy! I love how Sonal recommends really cooking the onions down with the spices until they resembled a jam.

Creamy cajun pasta + roasted broccoli

I’ve made this pasta a couple of times in the past, and it’s always a hit. The flavors are unique, and I love that it gets my kids to eat kale! I paired it with some broccoli for added veggies.

And that’s our week of eats! I hope this helps you as you plan (or live on the edge and plan as you go!) your meals out for the coming week.

P.S. For Mila (and sometimes Kaiden), I’ll put aside her portions before adding salt/spice.

Five on a Friday

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It’s been a week, y’all! A good week but a tiring one. That’s mostly due to the fact that I got the latest Covid vaccine and the flu shot on Monday. I didn’t end up feeling horrible or anything like that…just worn out. Butttt…glad to be protected!

In other news, Kaiden’s going on his very first field trip today! I’m so excited for him to have all of the experiences I loved as a kid. I can’t wait to see him after school and hear all about it, or whatever I can get out of him at least!

Now, on to my five on a Friday…

ONE – The Book of Joy

I LOVE this book so much! It’s a simple read in many ways, but it’s also so profound. The way the Dalai Lama and Archbishop Tutu break down the concept of joy is honestly…fun to read. If you’re looking for a non-fiction book that makes you think, feel, laugh, all while making you feel more connected to your fellow human beings, this one is for you.

TWO – The One You’re With

In terms of fiction books, this one was a favorite of mine. I honestly can’t pinpoint exactly why, but it just sat well with me if you know what I mean. The characters, the plot, the twists…all of it came together in a way that just made sense. Again, highly recommend this one too!

THREE – Charades for Kid

Kaiden got this game for his birthday, and he played for the first time when my BIL/SIL visited a few weeks ago. EVERYONE, Kaiden + adults in the house, LOVED it. It made us laugh, forced us to be silly and creative, and made time fly! This is also a great game for kids who need to move. Sometimes, I find that the games/activities where K has to sit for a while don’t capture his attention as much. In that sense, this game is perfect for him. Get it, have fun with your family, and thank me later.

FOUR – 100 piece puzzles

Kaiden got a really cool 64 piece puzzle for his birthday that he completed recently. After seeing him working on it, I bought this 3 pack of 100 piece puzzles for an added challenge. It’s also true that I love puzzles, so this is a fun activity for us to do together. For us, puzzles are challenging and engage our problem solving, and they’re also calming and fun.

FIVE – Kaiden’s profound thought

The other morning, Kaiden and I were brushing his teeth, and I said, “Ok K, after we’re done here, let’s head downstairs to eat breakfast and do your homework (he didn’t finish it the night before).” In retort, he said, “Mommy, I can’t do both at once. I need to do one at a time.”

That hit me hard because, even though I know I shouldn’t, I’m a big multitasker. Kaiden is a lot like me in some ways, but this is one way he definitely isn’t. He’s more intentional and slower. And while he’s still working on his ability to focus (especially on homework), he is able to focus on one thing at a time. It’s annoying sometimes when you want him to move along, but it’s something I deeply admire about him.

So profound and he doesn’t even know it!

That’s all I’ve got today! I hope you have a great Friday and weekend.

Postpartum Fitness – Building Strength with Peloton

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While I’ve always known how important strength training is, I now see how I went about incorporating it into my workouts kind of wrong…at least in terms of my goals. I was definitely someone who loved (and sometimes still do) sweaty workouts that leave me 100% breathless (i.e. cardio). But that is changing…

Recently, I’ve been thinking about my long term health goals, and I recognize that strength training definitely needs to take a top spot in my plan. In all honesty, after visiting California to see my grandparents, it hit me that my future would likely include a lot of muscle/joint pain if I don’t get serious about my physical health. My grandmother, mom, and aunts all have some kind of pain, and while they’re strong women overall, they definitely didn’t focus on their fitness over the years, especially not strength training. Something I can learn from and change for myself.

A couple of notes first:

  • I’m almost one year postpartum. I restarted my workouts around week 6 (maybe 8…can’t remember!) with basic total body strength workouts, cycling classes, and lots of walking and general movement (I don’t sit much during the day).
  • I don’t weigh myself regularly. I did for a while after having Mila and up until a few months ago, but I find the scale deceptive. I may jump on every now and then, but I’m not measuring my progress with it at all.
  • I use Peloton to program my workouts, but you can use whatever you want. If you love running, make that your cardio workout. If you want a free way to include strength training in your routine, go check out BodyFit by Amy on YouTube. She’s amazing! My point is you don’t have to do what everyone else is doing. I 100% subscribe to the belief that fitness and health should be simple and affordable.
  • You may find that strength training burns less calories than cardio, and while that may seem to be true from a purely calories burned in the moment perspective, you have to look at what’s happening from a higher level. Check out this article for more information.
  • It took years of hard work to let go of the belief for me that thin is best. I’ll share more another time, but I’m at a point where strength, mobility, and flexibility are absolutely key. If you don’t have those things, life is going to get difficult at some point whether you’re thin or not, so I’m trying my hardest to build a routine that gives me those three things in abundance.

Current Routine

In terms of my current routine, here’s the breakdown of what a typical week looks like for me…

MONDAY: 20 min upper body workout (sometimes arms and shoulders, sometimes chest and back) + 10 min HIIT workout

TUESDAY: 20 min lower body workout + 10 min core workout

WEDNESDAY: 30 minute cycling class (usually something more challenging like HITT + Hills, a climb ride, or a tabata ride) + 5 minute post-ride stretch

THURSDAY: rest

FRIDAY: 30-45 minute total body workout + 5-10 minutes of total body stretching

SATURDAY: 30 minute cycling class (usually something more fun than intense)

SUNDAY: rest

The biggest change with this routine versus what I did in the past is that I split up the upper and lower body workouts and then cap off with total body. I used to do two total body workouts every week, but this allows for more focused strength, and I’m loving the way it makes me feel.

Changes I’ve Seen So Far

I’ve been at this routine since the end of July, and I’m starting to see changes now.

Firstly, my overall strength is increasing. I know this because I’m able to use heavier weights for certain moves that I couldn’t before. Also, my core strength has like tripled. This in no way means I have a six-pack (definitely don’t!), but I can now do core moves that had to be modified before. I can also take a 10 minute class and complete it without any breaks. #smallwins And finally, I am seeing more muscle definition now in my legs and arms, which is so cool. The other day, Vishnu said, “Your triceps look good, Par.” Best compliment ever!

Another change I’ve experienced that’s kind of new to me is that I’m hungrier than ever now. Will talk about my nutrition in a minute, but I’m having to be extra mindful because when that hunger strikes, I’m still eating healthy, but it’s all over the place.

Nutrition plans

This is where I really have a lot of work to do. I eat healthy foods, I make healthy foods, I buy healthy foods, but I eat them in bigger quantities. Sometimes it’s justified I think, but most of the time it’s probably not.

I don’t follow a particular diet (dislike the word itself in that context), but there are a few habits I’m building in to help me be better in this area.

  • Drink 120 ounces of water a day
  • Eat protein forward meals
  • Meal plan (dinner for everyone but every meal for me)
  • Salads for lunch at least 4-5 times a week
  • Practice the pause before eating (am I really hungry or am I bored?)
  • Plating everything (especially for snacks)

Do you strength training regularly? What’s the biggest benefit you’ve seen?

Weekend Roundup – Paw Patrol, Celebrations, Football

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Ok guys, I know I’ve said this before and then left things hanging, but I’m really trying to get better about blogging here. This space used to be my everything, and understandably in the past few years, it’s fallen off my priority list. However, as I was running errands this morning, I was thinking about the things that bring me true joy, and MIS is definitely one of them. And with IG feeling like an abyss right now, good old fashioned blogging sounds so fun and refreshing. Finally, I still LOVE to go back and read old posts. In a way, this space is really my portal into the past, and I want to say that years from now as well.

Anyways, to make an already long idea short…I’m going to try my hardest to be a semi-regular blogger again!

With here’s a roundup of weekend, which ended up feeling both packed and spacious at the same time somehow!

FRIDAY

Friday was a typical weekday, however, I did make some delicious black bean burgers by Vegan Richa that the whole family enjoyed. I ended up making bowls for me and Vishnu with some quinoa, salsa, sour cream and cheese, and for the kids, we did quesadillas (always a fav).

I honestly can’t remember what we did after putting the kids to bed. Vishnu was on call on Saturday, so I’m pretty sure he got in bed a little after me.

SATURDAY

Like I said, Vishnu was on call on Saturday (in his case this means he goes into the hospital for a 7a-4p shift (but usually it’s more like 7a to 5:30/6p)).

Kaiden, Mila and I enjoyed a slow morning. And then around noon, my BIL and SIL came to pick up K and take him on an adventure of a lifetime! My BIL got tickets to the Paw Patrol Live show. You guys have no idea how much fun Kaiden had. He was living out his wildest dreams – Marshall, Chase, Ryder and the gang along with a side of cotton candy!

Later, my dad came over, we ate dinner (one of my favorite chole recipes!), and then after putting the kids to bed, Vishnu and I headed to a close friend’s 40th birthday party.

The party was so fun. We really did luck out with our group of friends. There’s never a shortage of laughter and fun conversation. And the taco bar was on point too – #chipsandquesoforlife!

We didn’t go to bed until about 1:15 so there’s that…and of course, K was up at 6:20 am. I got him to lay in bed with us until about 6:50 but even that was pushing it!

SUNDAY

So yeah…Sunday started early and with very little sleep!

Regardless, it ended up being a fun (and full) day.

I signed our family up for a local organization that plans cultural events and classes throughout the year, and the first class after signing us up was one about the flavors of India. So Kaiden and I headed there around 10 am. I wish I could tell you he had a blast and warmed up to the experience quickly. Neither of those things happened, but I’m glad we joined because it’s so well run and everyone was so kind. AND, as we’ve learned over the past year, our kid takes time to get used to new things. There’s nothing wrong with that…we just have to help him through it. I’m happy we have ample opportunities to do just that.

After we got home, Kaiden ate a snack and then we headed to our friends Jay and Chitra’s house or lunch and football. It was the Falcons opening game, which they lost…boo! But it was fun and entertaining watching the kids run around and be crazy!

Once we got home, I quickly pulled dinner together, and we got the kids ready for bed. Vishnu and I stayed up a little bit to talk, but I was definitely passed out by 9:30.

Like I said, we had moments of free time and space to just hang out, but the days felt very full in mostly good ways!

Momsanity

Momsanity Episode 4 – Additional Thought About Mom Guilt

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Episode 4 of the Momsanity Podcast is now live! In this important episode, Amy and I talk about the notorious mom guilt.

Together, we discuss the fact that mom guilt is a social construct, why we believe moms take on so much guilt, how to release said guilt, and how to not make other people’s crap your own.

One thing I shared in particular is that the feeling of guilt can often mean you care. And that’s certainly still true. For example, if you feel guilty about going on a work trip, that doesn’t mean you are a bad/negligent mom. It means you care about your child(ren). Period.

After thinking about this some more, I’ve come up with something else our guilt may be telling us. Let’s take this scenario – it’s the end of the day, and your kid isn’t listening. Maybe he’s bouncing off the walls. Maybe he’s crying about taking a bath. You end up losing your cool a little. You raise your voice, get angry, etc. Annd then you feel guilty.

Again, this doesn’t mean you’re a bad mom. But what this is telling you potentially is that you need to go inwards. Why did you lose your voice? What triggered you? What’s missing? Where can you fill your cup a little more?

Of course, it’s ok to get upset. It’s normal and part of #momlife, however, if this happens repeatedly, your guilt is telling you something needs to change. That’s all!

Again, no shaming yourself or dwelling on the not so great moment. Just take a breath, and when you get a chance, go inwards.

Ok, that’s all I’ll say about this episode. I highly recommend listening!

And if you do, please consider leaving us a review on Apple Podcasts and/or sharing Momsanity on your social feeds. If you do, please let Amy or myself know. Every week we release an episode, we’re doing a #momtreat giveaway to thank our amazing supporters.

Naples, FL – Food, Pool, Fun

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A couple of weeks ago, Vishnu and I, along with 18 other people, headed down to Naples, FL to celebrate a bunch of people in the group turning 40 this year. This trip was like a year in the making and the celebration definitely exceeded any expectations any of us had.

Here’s a snapshot of where we stayed, what we did, and where we ate!

P.S. This may look like a really simple vacay, but that was by design. The goal was to spend time together and just have fun. Our good friend Naveen planned the entire thing…down to the beautiful personalized menus at every dinner. If you need a party planner, I know an amazing one!

Where we stayed

We stayed at the Ritz-Carlton Golf Resort. Everything about this property was on point. From the clean and spacious rooms, to the breakfast restaurant, to the accommodating staff. It was truly a luxurious three nights!

And if you’re a beach person, there’s a shuttle that departs every hour on the hour that takes people to the Ritz beach resort.

What we did

For two out of the three mornings we were there, my best friend Roshni and I got up and worked out. The gym was nice and included everything we needed to do a couple of sweaty workouts.

Then, after a leisurely breakfast the hotel restaurant with a larger group of people, we would all head to our rooms to get ready for the pool. We literally spent 5-6 hours at the pool on both Friday and Saturday. There are plenty of pool chairs for guests, but we had a couple of cabanas, so it worked out well.

Then, we would go back to relax, shower, and get ready for dinner.

On our second night (dinner was at the Beach resort), we had a dance party that lasted until 2 am! It was THE best. One of our friends was the DJ, and we danced to everything from pop, R&B, rap, hip hop to garba and Bollywood. IT WAS A BLAST!

And on our last night, we played Empire in the hotel lobby for a couple of hours. SO fun!

Where we ate

Ria – delicious Latin American food; restaurant located on property

Lemonia – where we started every morning…with a delicious breakfast. You can order a la carte or opt for the buffet.

We had dinner at the beach resort, but it was more of a special event than a restaurant. If you’re going with a large party, I highly recommend contacting the hotel to see if they can arrange a special meal just for your party. It was quite the dining experience with multiple courses and wine pairings too. And as delicious as everything was, the dessert was the MOST delicious. A small trio of chocolate desserts – right up my alley!

Sails – our last dinner was at Sails. Naveen organized the menu ahead of time, and all of the options were delicious. The food had a blended European vibe, and the ambiance was very elegant. A lovely way to end our trip

And that is our trip to Naples in a nutshell. An amazing celebration of turning 40 and lifelong friendships!

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