Mariel and Munchies on My Mind

These are indeed challenging times.  And to make matters worse, I’m torn between trying to get into good ski shape and satisfying my autumnal urges of snacking on candy and indulging in extra amounts of pasta and bread.  It already feels like winter now in Telluride and many of us are fighting the urge to crawl into hibernation like our resident bears.

I feel guilty trampling up the snowy ski run outside my place, forever mindful of the need for the mountain to build up its base.  So in between ski conditioning classes, I’ve mostly taken to doing exercises in my living room, in the morning in front of the Today show, before the rush of the day begins.  And I’ve been thinking of Mariel every day.  Mariel Hemingway that is.

Mariel Hemingway

I interviewed this world-renowned celebrity and leading voice for holistic and balanced living on Travel Fun last spring.  We chatted a lot about her book, “Mariel Hemingway’s Healthy Living from the Inside Out.”  In the introduction to this work she explains how she set about undoing the extremism she’d inherited from her family—the running-with-the-bulls approach to life encoded deeply in the Hemingway DNA.  Much of what she talked about resonated greatly with me, particularly her approach to exercise and preparing healthy snacks for travel.

Mariel believes that if you exercise with intention, you can cut the amount of time you do it in half.  Mindset and intention seem to be the foundation of much of Mariel’s beliefs.  So I pull in my abs and tighten my butt—engaging my thoughts and core as much as I can—as I work through my little morning routine.  My desk is just a few steps away, luring me in with an inbox full of e-mails that need to be answered—so my need to cut my exercise time in half swells with each passing minute.  Thank you, Mariel, for making it perfectly O.K. for me to do a mini workout.

Miss Hemingway pops into my mind yet again when I think of how she talked about minimizing your intake of “noisy” food such as sweets, caffeine, and alcohol.  “These noisy foods disable you to listen to the signals of your own body,” Mariel says.  I do half regular/half decaf with my coffee and snack on fruit and nuts (sometimes!) instead of leftover Halloween candy.

Still, I’m conflicted.  Thoughts of cognac-infused chocolate truffles, butter ladened with granules of sea salt, creamy pâtés, slabs of smoked bacon, nutty-flavored cheeses, ruby-red wines and many more sweet and savory comestibles occupy my mind, stimulating my taste buds, leaving me yearning for the holiday season when over indulgence is an inevitable part of our lives.  (Thank goodness I can attempt to counter its effects with a long string of days on the slopes.)  Glorious treats have become more of an obsession of late since I’m working on preparing my annual Holiday Online Shopping Recommendation Mailing.  This year will be better than ever for both food and nonfood items, so you must check it out.  If you don’t already receive my mailings, you can sign up here.

I have to wrap this up now to run off to do a few errands.  Thankfully I’m pondering what healthy munchies I can bring along à la Mariel Hemingway.

Travel Tips from Mariel Hemingway

(Note that most of these apply to your life at home as well.)

-Take the time to prepare foods that will nurture you on your travels.  “The food in first class isn’t even that good,” Mariel says.  So she delights in bringing her own containers of favorite foods such as salads, fruits, nuts, and her own sugar-free cookies that will soon be available as part of Mariel’s Kitchen.

-Always work in some form of exercise while traveling.  “I think walking and travel make the perfect mariage,” Mariel says.  And if the weather is inclement, Mariel recommends yoga.  Practicing yoga taught Mariel to slow down.

-Silence will help you to better tune into yourself and to achieve calm, even if you’re racing around in a foreign megalopolis.  Mariel feels there are many ways to softly fall into your own silence including a short meditation or a long, luxurious bath.

-“I make home when I travel,” Mariel says.  So do I, and I hope you do as well.  Mariel creates a homey environment by bringing along candles and her yoga mat.  “It’s important to have a sacred space that will help you to connect with your inner self,” she adds.

“I find travel to be a booster to health and well-being,” Mariel says.

Mariel’s Basic Tenets

-Find your own balance with food, exercise, silence and home.

-Slow down.

-Breathe.

-Throw out perfectionism.

Be sure to check out Mariel’s Web site and blog at www.marielhemingway.com.

Book Pick

“Healthy Living from the Inside Out:  Every Woman’s Guide to Real Beauty, Renewed Energy, and a Radiant Life,” by Mariel Hemingway.  It’s excellent for men, too!