I Just Got High

No, not that kind of high, a day late for that.  Today might have been the first time I experienced the runner's high!  I wasn't running though, I was elliptical-ing.  My goal was to go for 30 minutes, but then my favorite machine opened up after 30 minutes so I had to go on it.  I got tired around 45 minutes and thought of stopping...but I figured I'd just do an hour... at 57 minutes I looked down and realized I had minutes left and I got strangely sad.  I realized I was having a great time and I didn't want to stop.  At an hour I got off the machine to get more water and contemplate leaving, but I couldn't it was too much fun.  I got back on the machine and went for another 45 (I know, right?!?).  The guy on the elliptical next to me kept looking at me, probably because I was totally jamming to my music and in love with my groove.  I still am! I'm feeling great.  I love exercise!!

Check it out: awesome article about runner's high

An off day

Today was an off day.  It happens.  Well, it was just another 'manic Monday.'  Few Mondays are awesome, I think we should abolish Mondays.  I had to be at work early and I didn't plan my time well last night so I didn't get the chance to do my normal Sunday big cooking session.  I like to cook on Sundays so I can have lunch ready for Monday and cook less throughout the week because I have leftovers.  

So for lunch today I made a salad from the salad bar at the grocery market close  to my office.  It was delicious.  I wish I always had that many ingredients to choose from for my salads I make at home!  Here's a picture of this deliciousness! 

It was a baby spinach salad with the works: mushrooms, feta, beets, sunflower seeds, black olives, broccoli, hard boiled egg, banana peppers, red onions....I think that's it.  Topped with some balsamic vinaigrette.  It was pretty tasty!  It didn't hold me over the entire day so I was thankful I brought a Lara Bar (peanut butter cookie) to tide me over.  I also introduced a co-worker to the Lara-Bar--  I turned her into a believer.  They are so good!! 

Today it was generally hard for me to concentrate and my morning got interrupted by having to get ready faster than normal to be at work so early.  I didn't eat a hearty breakfast, I didn't relax and watch the news...instead I jammed to some tunes as I quickly scarfed down some toast and coffee.  Swallowed my vitamins, brushed my teeth and ran out the door.  Then I was working crazy fast for 2 straight hours and then...crash.   Lunch got me going for a bit again, gotta love when a good  meal gives you a friendly pat of encouragement rather than the after-lunch-slump that use to plague me with some frequency.   

Even though my routine was interrupted and I felt unproductive there was no point in giving up on what could still be a great night, right?  Right, because when you have great friends like Megan you are bound to be surprised by an easy and delicious recipe that includes things I've never used (which is always a fun adventure).  Sure enough Megan gave me step-by-step instructions to a delicious dinner.  I would encourage you to read Megan's blog, where you can find versions of the recipe or request the recipe from her.  http://www.eatmybeets.com/  Her blog is awesome.  Below is the steps of making this Barley and Bean meal (so-very-not-kosher-for-passover):

Can you give me a quote?

Sometimes when I'm lost for words, I search for others words to use instead.  I love Dr. Seuss.  I think he was wise beyond his century. He is entertainment for all ages and finds a way to say things comically and eloquently.  I like him despite his potential grudge against the 'hoos in 'hooville. :) So while it's hard for me to pick my favorite author, comedian, politician, actor, comedian, business man, etc etc. for quotations I would recommend, I'll start you all off with my love for Dr. Seuss (and then maybe we'll move to Thomas Jefferson or Mark Twain in another post re: quotations?). 

"All alone! Whether you like it or not, alone is something 

you'll be quite a lot!"  -Dr. Seuss

Often I turn to quotations.  I LOVE quotations!! And I highly  recommend them.  Sometimes I find that someone else expressing my feelings in a simple phrase or a common adage is helpful for me to express myself, or more often, to inspire me.  You know how teachers seem to always say, 'your paper does  not have to be long; I rather you convey your meaning, if possible, in one sentence than a whole page."  That's what I think common and famous quotations are generally good for.  

"Sometimes the questions are complicated and the answers are simple." - Dr.  Seuss

So since it's helpful for me when I'm feeling lost for words or hankering for inspiration or a more eloquent way to phrase my thoughts, I share with you this helpful tool and encourage you to do some perusing of quotations from time-to-time.  

"I’m glad we had the times together just to laugh and sing a song, seems like we just got started and then before you know it, the times we had together were gone."   - Dr. Seuss

"It's time to get serious"

The weekend is over and it's back to the factory for me.  I realized today that my brother, on his visit to see me, was inspired by my vitamin collection.  Today it seemed, through email exchanges, he is doing some research for himself on what to supplement his diet with.  I recommended a multivitamin and vitamin D (because this is what a Harvard study found to be most beneficial).  He asked why I would give him advice I don't myself follow.  That was a good question.  Mainly because I know that research does not substantiates the claims I make about vitamins and since they cost money I wouldn't recommend something without presenting my brother with the actual research, that being said I broke down the general attributions contributed to each vitamin in hopes he at least starts taking a multivitamin.  Many doctors do say that everyone should be taking a multivitamin!

My lunch today was great! (it was the sweet and sour veggies and tofu over brown rice from the post below).  I also had the roasted veggies on the side.  Of course a coworker brought in two huge and delicious wedding cakes that sat right outside my office with a sign "eat me" right next to an assortment of gourmet cookies.  Is this a predominantly women-in-the-office trend or does everyone get exposed to delicious top-of-the-old-pyramid sweets at work regularly?  After 3 hours of staring at the cake I indulged, it was delicious!  But then I hit the gym and a mighty fine workout was had.  I hit the weights (with nominal breaks for added cardio) for about 50 minutes and then I went on a run with a friend.

Weights:

Don't let the cable exercises mislead you-- for some reason at this particular gym the pulley system is off making the weight a lot lighter than it should be-- I would normally do 90-100 lbs for cable row, not 145! (cable machines vary from one another given the gym and their upkeep).

Then I ran.  We usually run about 25 minutes, this particular loop had us at 22 minutes, included in that is a good 3 minutes waiting to cross various roads--which is about a 9 minute mile pace if you take that into consideration.  Personally I love using mapmyrun.com when I have time to check up on my workouts.  Check it out:

It was about a 2.40 mile run.

Then I came home and what was going to be a side salad turned into the main course (mostly because my spinach is on it's final days so I figure I'd try and finish it off and use the rest in my omelet tomorrow morning):

Organic: Baby spinach, strawberries, sliced almonds, goat cheese (Newman's own light balsamic dressing)

Bedtime for Bonzo!  Sweet dreams!

"I'll try anything once, twice if I like it..."

Well hello, blog.  I haven't been able to update in a awhile  I've been busy busy busy but I've still been up and at 'em.  It's been a great past week.   The weekends especially. The weekends have been packed with good eats! I went to a baseball game, my first major league baseball game as an adult! Of course I had to indulge in the various foods served at the GREAT AMERICAN PAST TIME EVENT!  So I did.  Hotdog with the fixins, cotton candy, peanuts, beer galore, etc.  It was a great time!  Then this weekend my brother visited me for a weekend adventure of fun.  My family is known for our love of food and boy did we indulge!  It hurt my wallet and my calorie intack was astronomical but it was worth it, and a ton of fun!


But it's back to the grind for me.  I have my workout written for tomorrow and my food cooked for the week, mostly.  It was my first time EVER cooking with lentils.  I ate that particular meal displayed in the second picture tonight. It was delicious!!!

Check it:

roasted veggies: sweet potatoes, Brussels sprouts, asparagus, carrots

Green Lentil Veggie mash (recipe below)

This is two recipes from the same site mixed together.  The sweet and sour veggies and the Sweet and Sour Tofu (recipes link below) I'm also planning on putting it over brown rice.  I will be eating this tomorrow and I'll let you know how it is!!

Green Lentil Veggie Mash: recipe

Sweet and Sour veggies and tofu:  veggies, tofu

10 lbs Since Christmas

I weighed myself today, it's not an unusual thing for me to weigh myself but I almost do it out of habit.  It's like dreaming, I know I did it but I forget soon after what I really saw.  Today I took the number in with pride in comparison to the drastic difference sheer horror I felt post-Christmas vacation weigh-in.  I gained 10lbs over Christmas!  I am starting to believe it's a conspiracy, a societal conspiracy to get everyone fat for Christmas. (Perhaps the weight-loss companies/programs, natural/health food stores, and fitness and athletic clubs join forces and push cookies, candy canes, hot chocolate, fruitcakes, and eggnog so that their New Year profits increase exponentially after the post-Christmas-weigh-in-New-Years-Resolutions!) Everyone brings you something to eat.  Every single person at work delivers you a deliciously smelling plate of home-made cookies or chocolaty treats.  Breakfast is supplied daily leading up to Christmas vacation at work, and it isn't low calorie!  This year I guess I just indulged a little too much.  And yes, when I returned to the daily grind I did gasp at the number on the scale but I didn't exactly regret my Santa-like binge.  I enjoyed every second of my Christmas break.  I saw a lot of friends, I ate a lot of good food, I had a lot of fun with my family and I got a lot of R&R.  It happens, but this Christmas I'm going to make sure that I can enjoy myself, indulge, but still maintain my waist line.

Now <<<PAUSE FOR CELEBRATION>>>>

BINGO! BULLSEYE! HOME RUN! SCORE!!!!!!!

I made the yummiest dinner tonight and it was so quick and easy to make.  It was far superior to the previous halibut recipe I shared.  I made one serving and the recipe I used: halibut recipe is for 6 fillets.  So I just put the extra veggies in the fridge for my omelet tomorrow!

View the pics of the epic deliciousness!

Chopped Veggies for dinner and breakfast: zucchini, roasted red pepper, red onion,  baby bellows 

Veggies on top of halibut before it goes in the oven

THE MEAL! topped with tomato for the last 10 minutes of cooking

Also, vitamin update!  I haven't been sleeping enough lately and I haven't found a remedy to the problem.  I bought Melatonin at the grocery store today so I plan to take it tonight and see if it will work!

A Balancing Act

Miss the weight workout for Monday so you make it up Tuesday...but then what do you do Wednesday when you had planned a weight workout again.  Ah!

Also, eating organic is great for your body but not so much for your wallet, and really, is it always necessary, not really (at least not when you are poor and/or a young professional).  But then again-- watch enough videos of industrial farming and the thought of not buying organic meat is slightly terrifying... what to do, what to do...it's all a balancing act.  Meat or Tofu/Tempeh?  Grains or Veggies for side? Cardio or weights? etc. etc.

First of all, I really like meat.  Whatever they all say I don't want to give it up.  I think we were made omnivores for a reason.  I'm not saying you need meat, but if you don't have strong feelings against meat, why give it up?  Obviously I don't support the industrial farming techniques and I will no longer make purchases that reward this mass production of food at the cost of animal suffering.  We all know how bad stress is to humans, it can't be good for animals either-- and it certainly can't taste as good as an animal that's treated with dignity.

My red meat of choice is usually venison.  It's not because I think venison tastes better than beef I just have A LOT of it in my freezer.  Deer are wild and sustainable, and my brothers and father keep me fully stocked.  As for white meat I find chicken delicious and easy to prepare, but I'm not to keen on pork.  Now, moving on to fish.  Sometimes fish are farmed, but many times not in the brutal, satanic way cows and chickens are.  But fish can be expensive, and sometimes it says in small print that they come from China.  Not to hate on that country but given their fluctuating dollar, sweat shops, lead child toys, and human rights violations I tend to not trust China-- given that the U.S. checks 1% of the food they import I'm even more cautious.  Then we have wild-caught Salmon but that's pricey so I need to find a fish to buy that's delicious, affordable, sustainable, and that contains low levels of mercury.  Anyone know a list of sorts.  I found this video on Cooking Light and I'll start there.  how to find fish  Luckily in the summer the men in my family give me a somewhat decent supply of flounder and rockfish which I LOVE!

Oh, here are the organic eggs I got that I spoke of in the last blog:

And finally I'll leave you with my weights workout for the day before I run off to make water polo practice:

"So be sure when you step, step with care and great tact. And remember that life's A Great Balancing Act. And will you succeed? Yes! You will, indeed! (98 and ¾ percent guaranteed) Kid, you'll move mountains." 
— Dr. Suess