I Heart Yoga!!!

Oh my goodness!  I forgot how much I truly LOVE yoga! 

I decided against doing P57 today...after reading Elaine's Om Sweet Om blog.  And I'm so happy that I did!  It was AMAZING!  Partly because I just missed how it felt to maneuver my body in different ways and practice my balance...and partly because it reminded me about being focused and centered.  It reminded me about all that chatter that goes on in your head...and how sometimes it's necessary to just push it away and focus. 

It also felt good to do yoga now that I am in good physical condition.  I felt strong...and I pushed through any pain that I was feeling.  It was AWESOME!!!

I'm really glad that I did yoga before making my workout schedule for August.  I may need to change some things around, so that I'm incorporating more yoga in my life. 

One thing that I found out today is that Steve Ross doesn't come on Oxygen anymore. *gasp*  I've been DVRing Inhale, his show, for awhile and I noticed that nothing recorded in July.  When I did a search, nothing came up!!  It made me kinda sad. 

I started doing yoga with Steve Ross about eight or nine years ago.  I LOVED everything about it at first...the music...the poses...his funniness.  Then it all started getting on my nerves.  All the poses  seemed really repetitive...after awhile, I wanted to hear yoga-y music, not Motown.  And even his jokes started getting on my nerves.  So, I stopped and found some new obsession for the moment.

Long story long (as my fiance always says)...many years later I started doing hot yoga...which I absolutely, positively love!!!  I spent a year practicing about one or two times per week...until the $70 per month fee became a little too much. 

So last year, I started DVRing my old standby, Inhale, again.  It was no hot yoga, but it gave me a good workout.  Plus, I read Steve Ross' book, Happy Yoga last year and it gave me a new found appreciation for him. 

It's kinda sad that it no longer comes on...but I have about 15-20 episodes recorded, so I'm not that worried.  Besides, I really want to start doing some research on different types of yoga...so that I can find what is best for me.  I don't like yoga that is too flow-y...I like to hold my stretches for a bit, but still do powerful moves and work up a sweat.  I wonder what kind of yoga that would be?!!?

Anyway, I took a few pics to document exactly where I'm doing all of this working out.  It definitely is not the spa-like home gym that I dream to have one day...but it does the trick for now.  (As you will see, it doubles as a ironing room).

The exercise bike that I just started using.  The mirror is actually from when we were remodeling our bathroom (which is still under construction).  I really like having it there when I workout...especially during yoga.

Old Faithful:)  My wonderful treadmill...it has been good to me.  The chair, the long pillow and the playground ball are for when I do Physique 57.

Equipment.  I really should be embarrassed by all the dust on the mats.  Maybe that should be my next project.

My beloved Jade yoga mat

M

The TV is a must!

My July workout schedule.  If you notice, I only missed one workout...and it was a second workout for the day AND I only missed it because my fiance's parents were in town.  I love crossing out the little boxes when I've completed my workout!

That's it!  I just wanted to proclaim my re-found deep affection for yoga!  My eating is WAY off today.  I waited to long to work out and all I've eaten is a half of an apple and it's almost 1:00 pm!!!  Trying to decide between a smoothie or a real lunch...definitely leaning towards a smoothie!  Spinach, banana, and chocolate...YUM!!!!

These Are My Confessions

I watched Usher's Behind the Music yesterday on VH1 and "Confessions" suddenly popped into my head right before I logged in.  I'm not a huge Usher fan, but I felt compelled to DVR the show about a week ago...bored I watched it yesterday.  Kind of interesting...especially the part about him and Chili.

Anyway, I have a couple of confessions to make this morning.

1.  Though my outlook has been much healthier these days, I still harbor some body image and food issues.  I woke up this morning thinking that I needed to restrict my diet more, eat more salads, and maybe up my exercise.  This all came on because I am sooooooo impatient for weight loss.  In actuality, I know I should not eat any less...and I don't think that I can exercise any more than I do (especially once school starts).  I'm gonna blame this one on TOM.

2.  I miss my scale...just a little.  My scale used to make me feel skinny...and he also made me feel fat.  And that is why he has been banished.  But I have looked at the empty space several times in the past couple of days and I thought about the fact that I would have hopped on by now.  (I think it is funny that I refer to my scale as a "he"...I wonder what that says about me psychologically).

3.  I'm a perfectionist.  As I was putting labels on my save the date envelopes last night, I realized that I would probably not want any help with them because I would want them to be just right.   This is the attitude that I have with a lot of stuff...especially at work.  It's good and bad...I usually like the finished product, but it is always a lot of work on me.

4.  I don't sleep well alone.  My fiance wasn't here last night and I had a horrible night's sleep.  Carson doesn't sleep well without him either.  He barks at stuff in the middle of the night (I think he always thinks its him coming home)...and that in turn scares me because I think that someone is here.  I am super scary in general (...that should be another confession).

5.  I'm a procrastinator...big time.  It used to be that I thought that I worked better under pressure...now I feel like it may have turned into an all out fear of getting started.  I'm referring to my dissertation, of course.   I really, really, really, really, really, really need to get started.

6.  I don't know if I can/will keep blogging once school starts.  Honestly, teachers' schedules are super, crazy and busy...and I just don't know if I will have the time or energy to keep it up (not that it's that labor intensive...I just don't know what this year has in store for me yet).  School combined with Confession #5 might mean no more blog:(

That's about it.  I'm sitting here trying to decide between yoga and P57.  Oh, how I miss my yoga.  But I know that P57 will make that little place between my outer thigh and my butt hurt like crazy...which is always good.  I'll probably do P57.  I'm making my August workout calendar today...and I will be doing yoga on Tuesdays and Thursdays.  I wish that there was a way to put my workout calendar on the blog.  There probably is...but it's more than likely over my head.

Okay...enough babbling.  I need to get this workout finished early...tons to do today!!!

It's About That Time...

About that time for what you may ask...?

Well, me going to Wal-Mart and buying these composition books means it's about that time for school to start...

It's also about time for me to get a new lunch box.

My co-workers make fun of my cooler...but it's the only thing that would fit my breakfast, lunch, and snack.  One day, I was leaving my friend's classroom with my cooler on my arm and a little boy in her class said "Ms. B, I like your purse."  It was super cute!  I like my "purse" too...but its time to get something a little less cumbersome. 

It's also about time that I went a little green, in terms of my water consumption.

I used to have a $19/week water habit.  I was addicted to Evian and I would buy a six pack of the one liter bottles every week.  In addition to that, I would buy a 24 pack of 12 oz. bottles of Deer Park.  It was ridiculously expensive...so, I had to cut down on my Evian.  I only buy it for special occasions now.

Anyway, I say all of that to say that I think that it is FINALLY time for me to stop buying plastic water bottles.  (You may look and see that I have still bought four huge gallon bottles of water sitting on my table...but I'm trying to take baby steps.  The very first step was almost 365 days ago when I bought my cute little Sigg one year ago.  It has sat in the cabinet since then...baby steps...don't judge me!).  Okay...so my next step is to break the individual water bottle habit first...then I'll invest in some filters.

It's also time for Carson to get a hair cut.

I think that this might be borderline doggy abuse cause it's super hot outside.  Poor guy...he looks a mess!

It's about time for me to finish those Chia Spelt Carrot Muffins before they go bad.

It's about time for me to get on these stupid save the dates.  I bought some labels today...so hopefully things will go a little smoother.

It's about time for me to start buying unsweetened almond milk.

Did you know that the regular chocolate almond milk has 20 grams of sugar!!?!?  WHAT!?!?!?  Pure craziness!  The unsweetened kind doesn't have any sugar...big difference!

It's about time that I bought some portable smoothie containers for my ride to work...Monday's the big day!  Back to the grind...

The bag says Whole Foods...but I actually got them from Wal-Mart!  I also got a cute travel mug for my green tea:)

It's about time that I got rid of these darn fruit flies!!!

For the past couple of weeks, we've been invaded by fruit flies.  We're really not gross people...really!  It's just that I have this idea about wanting certain fruits and/or vegetables to sit on the counter.  This is obviously not the smartest idea and has invited swarms of fruit flies to our kitchen.  I read that I can set a fruit fly trap by putting a piece of fruit in the oven over night with the oven door open...then in the morning, I'm supposed to close the oven...turn it on...and ta-da...no more fruit flies.  I know it's not the most humane thing...but I'm sick of sharing my bananas with those nasty little buggers!  They're just gross!  Maybe I'll set the trap tonight!

 Fly Trap!

It's also time for me to water my aloe plant.

He's not lookin' so good these days. 

It's NOT time to go to the grocery store.

The fridge is stocked and ready for my first week back at work.  I went to four grocery stores today...Trader Joe's, Kroger, Wal-Mart, and Harry's (in that order).

I stocked up on protein.

I am really digging the chocolate rice protein.  I made the yummiest smoothie this morning with spinach, a whole frozen banana, some plain Chobani, some chocolate (sweetened) almond milk, and some flax...oh yeah, and the chocolate rice protein.  It was AWESOME!!!!  May be my new fave for awhile!:)

It' IS time to make some more soup.

My taco-ish soup has been getting better and better each day.  I finished all but a corner today...AND I decided to make some more to bring to school for lunch next week. 

It's also time for me to finish this book.

I was hoping to have my dissertation written this summer.  Alas, I have not written one word:(

Lastly, it is time for my monthly visitor...and she's got me all moody and crazy.  I mean, I'm not crying my eyes out or anything.  But I am feeling...uh, fat...like I can't see all of my efforts from the last six weeks like I did yesterday.  I feel like all of my new muscles are being covered by a big old pad of fat.  I feel like going to the market in my workout gear may have looked a tad inappropriate...and I probably should have covered up.  I don't know!  She's in my head, man!!  It's crazy!

But at least I know that it is my hormones and not really me.  Maybe after a hot shower, I'll feel a little better.  I might even order a movie...yay for lazy Friday nights!

Well, I guess it's time for me to go.  See ya!!!

Different Day, Same @&#*!

(I'm laughing at my own title...what a dork!)  This is gonna be short and sweet...cause I gotta do my P57 before my friend/MOH comes over tonight. 

Anyway, today was a lot better than yesterday.  I hung out with my future in-laws...which was fun!  I love their stories.  His mom remembers EVERYTHING!!!  I would kill for that kind of memory.  My past is a blur.  I've found myself asking people about what I did back then or on this or that occasion to jog my memory.  Thank God for pictures!!

I also tried to print out my save the date envelopes...and I am officially over it!!   When my friend called she got an earful of curse words regarding those stupid envelopes.  Screw my printer...screw these stupid envelopes and screw Kinko's for not saying that they would just do them for me.  I do l-o-v-e my save the dates though...they are super cute!!  Maybe I can go back and try again tomorrow...I mean, they are already a month late...what's another day or so.

As for the title that made me giggle...I was referring to my meals.  Today, I have eaten EXACTLY the same thing that I had yesterday.  Same green smoothie...same taco-ish soup and cantaloupe...same chia carrot muffin thing...and in about an hour I will be eating an open faced mahi mahi sandwich with cabbage...AGAIN!  Yay for leftovers!!!...I guess that is one good thing about me and my fiance eating separately.  More for me!! (I'm such an only child...and such a pig:))

Anyway, gotta go "have a party for my thighs!" (that's what the annoying lady in the P57 DVD says...I know, super corny).  Bye!!

A Gloomy Day

My day was kinda like the weather outside...

...gloomy!

It started at 6:00 am, when my fiance ran down the stairs in the dark to get the door...fell and jammed his knee in the wall.  He's okay...but the wall isn't.

 

Then, it just kinda went down hill from there.  My fiance and I got in a little tiff (probably shouldn't be writing that)...and I've been moping around the house ever since.  For the record, it wasn't over the massive hole in the wall. 

Working out made me feel a little better...but I didn't push myself on my run like I had the past couple days.  And every magazine that I picked up today talked about the benefits of running outside...and alas, I am still on my stupid treadmill (I don't think the people that write these articles live in Georgia). 

I also got a letter from my principal trying to get us all excited about the 2010-2011 school year.  To me, all the letter said was..."Your summer is over.  Your summer is over.  Your summer is over."  In all actuality (I've never used that phrase in my writing before), I think that I'm ready to go back...it's just there are still so many things that I wanted to accomplish over the summer that I didn't (uh, like my dissertation).  AND I know that the beginning of the school year is soooo busy...It is going to be difficult to work and do all of the things that I need to do (i.e. workout, clean the house, blog...and uh, finish my dissertation). 

Anyway, I did spend a lot of time in the kitchen today (see previous post...taco-ish soup).  I finally made Angela's Carrot Chia Spelt Muffins.  They were vegan...which made me feel all of chef-like when I made them...for whatever reason.  The recipe was pretty easy...I just had to make sure that I had all of the ingredients.

INGREDIENTS


Dry:

• 2 cups spelt flour (See note below)
• 3 Tbsp sugar (I actually ended up using 4 1/2...will explain later)
• 1 tsp cinnamon 
• 1/4 tsp nutmeg 
• 1/4 tsp ginger
• 1/4 t sea salt
• 2 tsp baking powder
• 1/2 tsp baking soda
• 2 Tbsp cacao nibs (uh...nobody warned me NOT to try these before cooking.  Super bitter!!!)
• 3-5 Tbsp raisins (her recipe only called for 3...but hey, I like raisins!)

Wet:

• 2 Tbsp chia seeds
• 1/2 cup + 2 Tbsp vanilla soy milk
• 1 cup shredded carrot
• 1.5 tsp vanilla
• 1/4 cup maple syrup
• 1 cup sweetened applesauce (or 1 cup mashed banana will work)
• 1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil 

Preheat oven to 375F.  Mix dry ingredients together in a bowl.  Mix wet ingredients together in a separate bowl.  Add wet to dry, mixing until combined.  (I think that I could of mixed a little more than I did...I found a little uncooked mixture or powder on one of my finished muffins).

 

Spoon into greased muffin tin. 

Cook for 25-27 mins.  Makes 12 muffins.

I had to grate the carrots for this recipe.  Have I ever shared what my "food processor" looks like!?!? 

Yes...my little hand is bigger than my food processor.

Don't worry...already registered for a real one.  Just counting down until the big day!!

After 25 minutes or so...we had the finished product.

If my camera (phone) was a little clearer...you could actually see the bits of carrots.  Mmmm...lots of yummy raisins too!!!

As far as taste...they were okay.  I didn't use sweetened applesauce (I couldn't find any)...so I added a tablespoon and a half more sugar.  It's good that I did because they still were not very sweet.  But I thought that they were good (I didn't even bother making my fiance try them...don't think he would be a fan).  Anyway, I had them with some Neufchatel cheese (which tastes exactly like cream cheese to me...with less fat)...and I liked them.  Like this afternoon's taco-ish soup...all it needed was a garnish:)

For dinner, I whipped up something quick.  Open-faced Mahi Mahi burger with cabbage and corn.

There's a burger under all that cabbage!!

I even whipped up a little sauce with some Greek yogurt to go on top of the bread.  I used to use mayonnaise for the sauce...but Chobani did the trick!!  I was kinda impressed with myself.

Anyway, my future in-laws are driving in from Arkansas tonight.  They should be here in the next couple of hours.  I need to stop moping and put on my game face.  

Oh!  Before I go, I need to see if I can come up with 10...okay, that's stretching it...5 reason to be happy:

1)  I'm becoming quite the little cook (all this from a girl who used to order out at least 3-4 times per week)

2)  I'm making new blog friends:)...that is always nice.

3)  I found a BOGO 1/2 off coupon for some tires (I must be worse off than I thought cause this is really like pulling teeth...)

4)  The day is almost over.

5)  ...and tomorrow is new day:)

Okay...that took much longer than it should have.  And because I'm in such a grumpy mood...it was REALLY hard.  Hopefully, tomorrow will be better.