C’est Moi

Welcome to Balance & Spice!

This is where I share my love of yoga, healthy living, great food, exercise in all it’s forms, world travel, and of New York City. Please join me here for recipe successes and failures, great workouts and yoga sequences, and the adventures of a chaotic but joy-filled life.

You can check me out on Google+ or on Twitter.

About Me:

I’m a 24-year-old native New Yorker, who has been on a health journey for the past six years.

For the first 18 years of my life, my exercise of choice was changing the channel. I also ate like a typical teenager – tons of sugar, white carbs, and nary a vegetable to behold, save for dinner with my parents.

Me at 16. Certainly not fat, but certainly not healthy, either.

When I turned 19, I was struck with meningitis, and promptly lost about 20 pounds in 2 weeks. I couldn’t walk for three weeks, and spent much of my sophomore year of college (at the University of Southern California – Go Trojans!) riding around campus in a granny scooter.

Yes, it was as awesome as it looked.

When I was able to walk and move again, I knew I wanted to take responsibility for my health and well-being.

So, I started exercising and eating better. For the first six months, I just did the elliptical machine in my university’s gym. Then, I started working with a personal trainer to get stronger and build muscles.

I love fitness, how 'bout you? I love fitness yes I do!

My first 5k, in honor of a woman who died of breast cancer.

I had never felt better in my life, and was starting to make healthier eating choices as well – incorporating more vegetables and fruits, and less refined foods. However, as exercise started to become a bigger part of my life, I knew I wanted more than just an hour at the gym, five days a week. I wanted to work towards something that felt significant and more than just a past time.

Racing to the finish of the Hermosa Beach triathlon

So, I decided to enter a triathlon. Note, I hadn’t ridden a bike since I was 10, swam more than a few meters in my life, or ever run a mile. However, there was something in my gut that just made me want to overcome my fears and give something I thought was impossible a “tri”. Ba-dump-bump.

Joy at the finish...and the survival.

So, I did. I competed in the Hermosa Beach Sprint Distance Triathlon in October 2007, almost exactly year after I was bed ridden and unable to walk. The feeling of accomplishment was unbeatable and addictive, and in the coming years, competed in about 15 different triathlons and run races. I was never fast, but I always had a blast.  I worked with an amazing coach, Robert Hockley, who I highly recommend to anyone, anywhere.  

Then, after a few years, it stopped being fun. I kept getting injury after injury, most likely due to an undiagnosed case of severe anemia. I broke my foot, and had a peroneal tendon strain which made running a nightmare. So, I decided I needed a break, and to discover a different style of exercise. Yoga, which I had dabbled with in the past, became my respite and my life. More about my yoga experience here.

Today, I am working to find the balance between yoga and traditional fitness training. I became a personal trainer in 2009, and work at a lovely gym on Manhattan’s Upper West Side, as well as privately.

I also am constantly searching out the best recipes, bang for your buck meals out, and fun times.

Who’s Who

Anthony is my partner in every way (including training!) We met in 2010, and moved in together four months later. Sounds crazy, and was the best decision I’ve ever made. He’s Australian, an IT developer, and a total genius at all things computer. He’s also outrageously funny, kind, generous, smart…and did I mention he’s Australian?

Anthony

Us in Canada

Mom and Dad are well, mom and Dad. They met working at Grey Advertising. They rock. Dad’s a semi-professional chef, wine collector, and all around awesome dude. Mom is an incredible animal photographer. You can check out her work here.

Mom, dad, and me in Hawaii for my 18th birthday. Sweet, I know!

I also have an amazing sister,Alysia, brother-in-law, David, step-sister, Cindy, and step-brother-in-law, Neil. They’re all pretty awesome.

Alysia and David

Aly and David also created possibly the most amazing person on the planet – Livia Charles Basche, my niece and fashion goddess, who is about to turn three!

Me and Liv, when she was just 2 weeks old.

Livia Charles...my favorite person.

And then there’s Chewy…

Chewy is Anthony and my imaginary dog. (S)he hasn’t come in to our lives yet, but she’ll be coming soon!!