Thursday, November 30, 2006

Outside Versus Treadmill

Whenever I run, I have a choice:

Outside or Treadmill

They both have their pros and cons.

Treadmill Pros
  • I can watch Oprah while I run.
  • It cleverly calculates all the things I need to know, like distance and speed.
  • I don't have to deal with hills.
  • Bad weather? The climate's always the same inside.
Treadmill Cons
  • I don't really like to watch Oprah.
  • Constantly watching my distance on a digital readout sometimes drives me mad.
  • No hills? Boring.
  • No rain? No sunshine? No snow? Boring.
Outside Pros
  • I get to see the scenery and check out my neighborhood.
  • Nothing feels better than pavement beneath my feet.
  • Hills! They make my legs burn.
  • Splashing in rain puddles! Catching snowflakes on my tongue! Sun's rays on my face!
Outside Cons
  • Vicious dogs on the loose.
  • Sometimes I get tired of seeing the same houses over and over again.
  • Hills! They make my legs burn.
  • Lightning storms = scary runs.
So which do I prefer? Outside runs, definitely. But I sometimes jump on the treadmill for variety. Or safety. Or comfort.

Wednesday, November 29, 2006

Quick meals

I finished my workout today--a lower body strength training routine plus some time on the elliptical--and headed upstairs for a shower. (We have a home gym setup in our basement.)

Flicker.

The power went out.

A peek out the window revealed that the power was out in the entire neighborhood.

I needed a shower. (Believe me. I needed a shower.)

I drove to my best friend's house, used my key and took a shower in his bathroom. Then I returned home. Due to traffic (which was crazy since workers were working on the side of the road to restore power), it was quite a while until I returned home.

I arrived home extremely hungry and in need of nourishment. It had been almost 6 hours since my last meal. (I generally eat mini-meals every 2-3 hours.)

In a desperate attempt to get something healthy and quick, I whipped together a pasta dish. Here's how it went:

1. Put water on to boil.
2. Dice a few small tomatoes and add to a skillet with some olive oil.
3. Add whole wheat pasta to boiling water.
4. As pasta cooks, heat tomatoes and olive oil over med heat. Add anything else you want (I added minced garlic from a jar, some frozen faux meat crumbles and a sprinkle of powdered pesto mix.)
5. Drain pasta. Toss with sauce.

Quick and easy meal that took me about 15 minutes total. If the pasta had been previously prepared and only needed heated in the microwave, it would have taken about 10 minutes.

Sure, I could have eaten a Cliff bar, but this was much more satisfying.

Soup

At any given time, I have a big batch of soup in my refrigerator. Why?

1. It's filling. A moderate bowl makes a very satisfying lunch. A small bowl makes a nice snack. A big bowl makes a filling dinner. You get the idea.

2. It's versatile. I can make soup out of just about anything, which means there's always a way to use up pantry items or leftover veggies. Even yellowing broccoli can find a new life in soup.

3. It's low-calorie. Since I control the recipe, I can make it low-calorie, low-fat, and high in nutrition. I can also make it tasty or not, and this sometimes depends on how much I am experimenting with the recipe.

4. It's simple. Soup is easy to make and simple to reheat. I'm usually working during the day and don't have time for complicated lunch preparation. Since I'm Type A, even slicing and dicing veggies for a salad is more time than I like to spare for lunch.

Last night I made a big batch of Lentil Soup, and I'm sharing the recipe here. I am not including quantities for ingredients, as I approach the art of soup-making much the way Bob Ross approached a canvas: There are no mistakes, just "happy accidents."

LENTIL SOUP
  • Diced onion
  • Diced carrot
  • Diced celery
  • Minced garlic
  • Crushed tomatoes
  • Dried lentils
  • Veggie broth
  • Bay leaf
  • Basil
  • Chopped spinach
  • Balsamic vinegar
  • Olive oil
Saute onion, carrot, celery and garlic in olive oil for a few minutes until soft. Add crushed tomatoes (I used one small can), lentils (I used about a cup), and veggie broth (I used about 2 quarts). Add spices. Bring to boil, then lower heat and simmer about 30 or 40 minutes. Wilt spinach in soup (I used frozen, so I just kinda needed to thaw it out in the soup) and add vinegar (to taste). Salt and pepper is optional, of course.

This soup recipe can be altered any way you like. Perhaps you want to use celery flakes instead of diced celery. Maybe you want to add some chopped broccoli. Perhaps some cubed potatoes appeal to you. Soy sauce might be more flavorful to you than balsamic vinegar. Or maybe you'd rather use oregano for the spice instead of basil.

Play with the recipe to find the tastes that suit you. Find your own "happy accident."

Tuesday, November 28, 2006

80/20 Rule

Yes, I indulged in pierogies last night.

Yes, today I feel a little bloated.

But I'm going to do my workout today--a run. I figure last night's carbs will go toward the energy I expend on the treadmill, right?

Right?

Ok... maybe not. But I can live with that.

I am firm believer in the 80/20 rule:
  • 80% of the time... make healthy food choices.
  • 20% of the time... indulge in not-so-healthy foods.
I guess yesterday's meal of pierogies fits more into the 20% part of my lifestyle.

Monday, November 27, 2006

Cravings

I crave pierogies.

I blame this on my college roommate, who introduced me to these delectable doughy potato pillows.

I switched to a vegan lifestyle about four years ago. After that, I pretty much gave up pierogies. Store versions always contained dairy or eggs, and homemade versions were just too time-consuming. So I said "good bye" to these delightful carb-a-holic treats.

(For those who aren't in the "know," a pierogie is similar to a ravioli. It's a dough pocket. However, instead of being stuffed with cheese or meat, it's stuffed with potatoes--similar to mashed potatoes. And rather than smothering them in tomato sauce, they're boiled and then pan-fried with butter/margarine and onions. Ohhhhh... sweet carb-loading goodness...)

I never really gave up hope that, one day, a vegan pierogie would be mine. Every time I saw a different brand or version in my supermarket freezer case, I always checked the ingredients. I held my breath in anticipation, hoping that this time... this one time... I'd find a frozen vegan pierogie.

And then it happened. Like the Pearly Gates opening to reveal the banquets of heaven, I found them. A little doughy taste of joy. Weiss store brand pierogies.

In two days I ate two boxes.

Shamed by my over-indulgence, I vowed to avoid them except on rare occasions, such as scheduled "cheat" or "free" meals.

But tonight... for some reason... all I want for dinner is a pierogie.

Some days are a struggle

The road to fitness is not, unfortunately, a downhill sledding event. It's more like skiing uphill. While carrying two fifty pound weights. In each hand.

As much as I enjoy the "afterglow" of exercise--the burn in my muscles, the feeling of accomplishment, the joy of movement--I sometimes need to force myself to actually dress in my workout gear and start the day's planned exercise routine.

I haven't yet shed the lazy-to-the-core girl who used to drive three blocks to the Mexican restaurant. Truth is, I may never lose her entirely. She sits inside of me, reminding me that it's a lot easier to sit than it is to stand, and it's much easier to lie down instead of sit.

My planned workout today is an upper body strength routine consisting of chest presses, rows, bicep curls and tricep extensions.

I am having a hard time removing my ass from my chair, however. So I am offering myself a reward for exercise. (This is one of my primary methods of finding the motivation to move my body.)

Today's reward: One glass of wine.

Sunday, November 26, 2006

Kicking the habit

If you read my About Me post, you'll see that I mention "ditching the cigarettes" in a casual, almost nonchalant way.

Lest you think my quit was easy, I thought it important to tell you the basics of my nicotine addiction.

I started smoking at the ripe ol' age of 15. By the time I was 18, I had cultivated a pack-a-day habit.

I smoked a cigarette within 10 minutes of waking each morning (the mark of a true addict). I smoked 20 cigarettes throughout the day, finishing my last one just moments before resting my head on my pillow for a good night's sleep.

I continued this habit until my late 20s.

Then, desperate to battle the nico-demons, I cut back to about half a pack each day.

More years passed--during which I had one, successful quit that lasted about 12 months--but I couldn't kick the habit entirely.

Finally, I made a wager with three friends (all smokers). We set a Quit Date. The bet:
  • Any individual who smoked a cigarette--even just a puff--after the Quit Date was required to pay the other three participants $5 each per cigarette. (Total cost: $15 per cigarette).
  • Any individual who smoked was required to wear the Tee-Shirt of Shame. This shirt had the phrases "I put my lips on dirty butts" and "I am weak and pathetic" printed on it in bold letters. The shirt was to be worn at the next group outing, such as a restaurant, bar, party, etc.
I haven't had a cigarette since that Quit Date.

It hasn't always been easy.

But all the agony of withdrawal is worth the benefit of being free of an addiction.

'Cause no matter what anyone says, there's no such thing as a quality athlete who smokes cigarettes. Staying smoke-free is vital as I journey on my path to fitness.

Half Marathon Training

I've run one 5k, but racing on foot doesn't appeal to me. Although I am competitive by nature, I know my own physical limitations enough to know that I will never cross the finish line in the front of the pack.

However, I do like to set personal challenges for myself. So I've decided to try a Half Marathon. I have no intention of racing it. My goal is to simply run the entire distance.

My training program follows:

X = Cross Training (elliptical, martial arts, yoga, dance, etc.)
S = Strength Training

Wk

Sun

Mon

Tues

Wed

Thurs

Fri

Sat

1

35 min run

X & S

30 min run

X & S

30 min run

30 min walk or X

Rest

2

35 min run

X & S

30 min run

X & S

30 min run

30 min walk or X

Rest

3

40 min run

X & S

30 min run

X & S

35 min run

2 mile walk or X

Rest

4

3 mile run

X & S

3 mile run

X & S

3 mile run

2 mile walk or X

Rest

5

3.5 m run

X & S

3 m run

X & S

3 m run

2 m walk or X

Rest

6

4 m run

X & S

3 m run

X & S

3.5 m run

2 m walk or X

Rest

7

4.5 m run

X & S

3.5 m run

X & S

3.5 m run

2 m walk or X

Rest

8

5 m run

X & S

4 m run

X & S

3.5 m run

1 m run or X

Rest

9

6 m run

X & S

4 m run

X & S

3.5 m run

1 m run or X

Rest

10

6.5 m run

X & S

4 m run

X & S

4 m run

1 m run or X

Rest

11

7 m run

X & S

4 m run

X & S

4 m run

1 m run or X

Rest

12

8 m run

X & S

4 m run

X & S

4 m run

1 m run or X

Rest

13

8 m run

X & S

4.5 m run

X & S

4 m run

1 m run or X

Rest

14

8 m run

X & S

5 m run

X & S

4 m run

1 m run or X

Rest

15

9 m run

X & S

5 m run

X & S

4.5 m run

2 m run or X

Rest

16

9 m run

X & S

5 m run

X & S

4.5 m run

2 m run or X

Rest

17

10 m run

X & S

5 m run

X & S

4.5 m run

2 m run or X

Rest

18

10 m run

X & S

5 m run

X & S

5 m run

2 m run or X

Rest

19

10 m run

X & S

5 m run

X & S

5 m run

2 m run or X

Rest

20

11 m run

X & S

5 m run

X & S

5 m run

2 m run or X

Rest

21

12 m run

X & S

5 m run

X & S

5 m run

2 m run or X

Rest

22

8 m run

X & S

4 m run

X & S

5 m run

2 m run or X

Rest

23

5 m run

X & S

3 m run

X & S

4 m run

2 m run or X

Rest

24

Rest

X & S

3 m run

X & S

3 m run

Rest

RACE