Monday Motivation

I run like a girl

Me being silly at the Pocahontas Run Like a Girl 4-mile run today.

The event was an awareness and fundraiser for the HERA Foundation, an organization working to fight the devastating effects of ovarian cancer. Follow the links, educate yourself, and make a difference. I’ll be passed out over here on the couch. #tired

Hey y’all!

Wow, where did May go?! I have to say, I was not well prepared for how much time triathlon training would take. I feel I haven’t done much other than work, gym, sleep, repeat. Nonetheless life is all about balance, right? And I plan to get back to some balance including filling this space.

Quick synopsis of the past month: started a 16-week swim focus training plan, failed my beginner’s swim class and have to repeat it, completed my first 5K with some co-workers & had a blast, immediately signed-up for another race, spent the last week and a half fighting a serious bout of seasonal allergies with no working out, ran too hard on Sunday and possibly re-injured/injured my hips.

That last reason is why I’m home early with time on my hands today. May was also full of lots of eating out and lots of convenience foods which is not good for me or the husband. That ends to-day. Tonight is about some serious kitchen time: cleaning, meal prep, maybe some baking …

Here is my dinner meal plan for the rest of the week:

What’s on your menu this week? Any good go-to dishes?

Monday Motivation

So this happened…

So this happened…

I spent a few days afterwards feeling sick to my stomach wondering “what had I done?” But I’m over that now and into week 2 of my 16-week training plan. I’ll post more soon (maybe a vlog post?) but just wanted to check into the world and let you know I’ve picked my sport!

Looking for a sport

Hey!

How are you doing? It has been a minute since I’ve been in this space. I went into serious hibernation mode for the entire winter! But alas, Spring is here and I’m coming up for air and sunshine

Me? I’ve been okay. I had a pretty heavy bout of fatigue (for no diagnosable reason) for most of the winter. Possibly SAD. Possibly CFS. Who knows… I’ve been feeling pretty good since the end of February so that’s a plus. I was already fighting the I-don’t-want-to-go-to-the-gym-or-workout bug before that, but this last instance put me on my butt for weeks on end. I was still walking to catch the bus for work and taking the stairs on occasion, but outside of that I maybe was working out once per week. Shameful. My weight has been floating around 160 lbs all winter as well. Not bad, but not heading toward my goal weight either.

A very smart athlete I know told me at the beginning of my fitness journey to pick a sport. She said that at some point I would get bored with what I was doing and I would need something to train for. As the saying goes – she ain’t nev’a lied. I tweeted the other day that I needed a sport. Another friend (also a very smart athlete) replied, half joking I’m sure, “triathlon!”. What?!

That’s crazy talk, right? Well, I have to admit that at the end of 2011 I had checked out the Pink Power Sprint Triathlon and was intrigued. It appealed to me for many reasons – it’s all women, you don’t have to know how to swim, only male volunteers (!), and the fact that it combines 3 different things – that could keep me interested! I actually started Couch-to-5K training at that time in an effort to see if I could choose Triathlon as my sport. Well, that ended abruptly in May. After a run one day I had hip pain like you wouldn’t believe. When it didn’t resolve itself I went to the doctor to have it checked out. The result? A crooked pelvis. My right hip had dropped AND was tilted forward. The prescription = the end of my running career.

Last week when the triathlon bug was put in my ear, I was back at the Pink Power Sprint site checking it out. Then I quickly went down the rabbit hole of the internet looking for information, tips, stories about others who have gone from just working out regularly to becoming a triathlete.  I can’t swim. I haven’t run since May of 2012. I have a little bike experience (it’s been my equipment of choice for cardio at the gym since 2011). Considering a triathlon would be crazy, right?! Well, I might not be crazy but I’m damn close. Last Thursday I started swim class.  Yesterday was week 1, day 1 of couch-to-5K training again. Friday I have an appointment with my Chiropractor to see if my hip is going to cooperate. My plan is to up my exercise routine through April and see if I completely fall apart. If I don’t, I’m thinking I may commit to tri training. That’s a scary (but exciting) thought!

My workout plan for April:

• Monday – yoga; week 1, day 1 C25K; ab work
• Tuesday – swim class
• Wednesday – strength (full body); week 1, day 2 C25K
• Thursday – swim class
• Friday - strength (full body); week 1, day 3 C25K
• Saturday – REST (normally spin class but I’m being a road-dog for Nicole Lee Designs this week!)
• Sunday – spin class (normally rest day)

I’m open to any and all comments, tips, tricks, thoughts regarding triathlons that you may have. And if anyone wants to join in on the fun of possible training or training, I’m down with that too!

In the interim, I’ve been talked into participating in the GLOWRun 5K on May 11th with a group of co-workers. Have you all heard of this? Basically its a rave with some running thrown in. It looks like a complete and total blast – and you know I’m ALWAYS ready for a good party!

What’s been up with you?

It takes all kinds of vegetables …

If you know it, sing along!

http://youtu.be/lI-_CHUmehg

I used to LOVE that show! Now that we’ve taken a walk down memory lane, let’s talk soup. About 2 weeks ago the weather started to change here in Richmond. Chilly nights, and now even some chilly days, put me in the mood for soup. If you do any type of meal planning or want to start, adding a soup to your weekly rotation during the Fall and Winter can be a life saver. Soups usually aren’t very time or labor intensive (I know some would say chopping is laborious, but I disagree – I find it therapeutic), can be a good reducer of food waste (no need to waste those veggies – throw ‘em in a pot with some liquid!), and can be stretched across many meals or even frozen for those weeks when you really don’t have time.

In the past my soup making as been sporadic. Last year one of my favorite magazines, Mary Jane’s Farm, ran a great article on soup recipes and included 13 hearty soups. My thought was that’s a soup for each week of Fall, and if I freeze some of each recipe, that could easily get me through most of the Winter. Unfortunately I don’t still have that article, but I can easily come up with a different plant-based soup each week for the next 3 months. Plus I hope soup-making will help me waste less food.

My new vegan-ish diet has me attacking my meal planning like its my job and I’m going to start posting the weekly plan again on Sundays. It will include 1 soup and I’ll share the recipe later in the week. If you are a soup maker or want to get started with meal planning, will you join me? I’m always up for sharing tips and on the lookout for new recipes!

Fall soup week 1 – Vegetable soup
This basic tomato-based soup can use fresh or frozen vegetables and the spice can be adjusted to your liking.

Vegetable soup

Yield 6 serving, approximately 1 1/2 cups each

Ingredients:
2 Tablespoons olive oil
1 cup diced onion
2 carrots, diced
2 celery stalks, diced
1 cup green beans
1 cup diced potato (1-2 medium potatoes)
1 cup corn
3/4 cup peas
11.5 oz original V8 juice
1 14.5 oz can diced tomatoes (no salt added)
1 cup water
14 oz broth (I’m working through a case of Pacific Low-Sodium Chicken broth)
salt & pepper to taste*
Creole seasoning to taste*

*Note: I season soups as I layer in ingredients. I measured out 1/2 teaspoon of salt to start, used 1/2 of it to season my vegetables as they cooked then used the remainder to taste at the end. We are watching our sodium intake. Additionally, I found out the hard way that creole seasoning is VERY SPICY once it cooks. I used way too much (1 tablespoon) and had to actually pour off some of the soup liquor and replace it with plain water and broth. Lesson learned: go lightly with the creole seasoning while cooking. You can always add more at the end.

Directions: Add oil to soup/stock pot and head over medium heat. Add onion and carrot and cook until onion is translucent. Add celery and cook until vegetables are tender. Add in green beans, potato, corn, peas, V8 juice, diced tomatoes, water and broth. Stir well to combine. Increase heat to medium-high and bring soup to a boil. Add salt, pepper and creole seasoning to taste. Cover, reduce heat to whatever temperature keeps soup at a simmer (mine was medium-low). Simmer for 30 minutes. Serve and enjoy!

Spice mixes DIY style: Taco Seasoning

Now that I’m cooking more again I’m finding myself in need of some spice combinations on a pretty regular basis. Way back when I was first stocking my newlywed kitchen I had the good sense to heed the advice of several older women in my life and invest in some Tupperware. The real deal stuff. The stuff that lasts for GENERATIONS (I know I’m not the only one who has at least one piece of their mother’s Tupperware). It was an investment, but after 12 years I still have every piece and they all are in great condition. One thing I purchased that I never used that much were a set of small spice holders. They hold about 1 ounce’ish and are coming in very handy as I rock my own spice mixes. So far I have a garlic powder blend and Pumpkin Pie spice. I’m made salt-free Taco Seasoning tonight and planning on doing a Creole Seasoning mix later this week. No need for those seasoning packets from the store anymore!

Salt-free Taco Seasoning (adapted from allrecipes.com)

Yields approximately 3 Tablespoons

3/4 Tablespoon chili powder
1/4 Tablespoon ground ancho chili pepper
1/4 teaspoon garlic powder
1/4 teaspoon onion powder
1/4 teaspoon dried oregano
1/8 teaspoon ground cayenne pepper (can use 1/4 teaspoon red pepper flakes)
1/2 teaspoon paprika
1 1/2 teaspoon ground cumin
1 teaspoon ground black pepper
NOTE: if you want a more “authentic” seasoning packet replacement feel free to add 1 teaspoon salt to this mix.

Add all ingredients to a small mixing bowl. Mix well. Store in an air tight container for up to 1 year.

Do you keep a well stocked spice cabinet? Are you a user of pre-made spice mixes or do you make your own?

Food Waste – week of 10/5

Okay, again not on Friday but I’m being accountable nonetheless.

Leftover salad that was way bitter, about 1/2 cup yogurt, fried okra, green pepper slices, and the last square of a new baked oatmeal recipe (recipe coming!)

Carrots and peppers

Sadly this week was back to my old ways. I purchased way too many vegetables last week and ended up throwing out 2 bunches of kale, 2 cups of leftover rice, 4 apples and 3 leeks. I’m meal planning right now, taking stock of what we have and making a grocery list for this week. It WILL be less waste this week!

Food Waste …uh…Saturday?

Doesn’t quite roll off the tongue, does it?! Sorry to be a day late, but this week was very weird for me. I was very busy at work (I’m even going in this weekend for a few hours), I had a low energy level all week, and I ended up getting sick-ish at the end of the week. I say sick-ish because I’m hoping its just allergy/sinus congestion and not a cold! I haven’t cleaned out the fridge yet and that won’t happen until later today. I don’t *think* that I’ll be wasting anything that’s in there but if so I’ll add it to next weeks totals. This week was pretty good. Waste included about 3/4 lb of very fuzzy green grapes and 1 chicken breasts worth of BBQ I made up for Craig that he didn’t eat.

How was your week?