Skip to main content

More Spinning & Kale Loving

Spin In Lieu of Running
I'm going to try to set up the workout in the most positive manner as I can. Today was sunny and mid-60's. It seems that almost everyone is experiencing some incredible late-January weather. It would have been ideal for a run. In fact, I had my running clothes packed. I was determined to get in a run today.

However, my foot and sciatica are really causing me some serious pain. So much so, that I skipped the run and hit up spin instead. This about killed me (ok, a bit dramatic, but you get the picture). Ideal weather for running in January (so rare) and I can't run? It just doesn't seem very fair at all.

While spin was a great workout, it was not at all what I wanted to be doing. All I could do was stare out the windows and dream of what it feels like to be out there running, and running pain-free.

So, I did something I've been putting off...I made a doctor's appointment for Thursday. While I have an idea what's going on, at this point, I think it's safe to say that nothing I'm doing is helping. We have runner's injury/prevention books spread out everywhere. I've been stretching, rolling, stretching (even at my desk). I massage my foot all throughout the day. And still pain.

Maybe they can at least help me find an adequate physical therapist or physical therapy routine. At this point, I'm just desperate and frustrated. But, enough whining.

Tomorrow and Thursday are supposed to be stormy. While I normally wouldn't be happy about that, I am because it definitely ensures that I won't be pining to run outside ;-)

I Love Kale
Since we had fajitas last night, I didn't go with the Taco Tuesday theme. But it really sounded good. I had some kale and butternut squash on hand, and that sounded really good for the evening. Seriously loving kale.

I decided to just roast the butternut squash and add that to sauteed kale. I knew I needed more protein so I added cannellini beans and then brown rice to complete the protein.

Butternut Squash, Kale & White Bean Bowl
Ingredients:
1/2 butternut squash, cubed and roasted
3/4 cup cooked brown rice (more or less depending how much you like rice)
1 can cannellini beans, rinsed and drained
1 bunch kale, de-stemmed and rough chopped
1/2 white onion, thinly sliced
2 tbsp minced garlic
1/2 red bell pepper, thinly sliced
1/2 cup white wine or vegetable broth
To taste: salt, pepper, parsley, basil, oregano, nutmeg

Directions:
Roast your butternut squash and cook your rice (or other grain of choice).

In the meantime, in large skillet, saute the onions, garlic, bell pepper for approximately 3 minutes. Add in the white wine or broth then add in the kale and seasonings. Cover to allow the kale to steam. Cook until the kale is soft (I like mine very well done). As an option, you can add in a drizzle of agave for a sweeter flavor.

Once the kale is done, add in the squash, beans, and barley. Toss and re-season if needed.
 

This turned out just OK, a little flat. It was missing a zing - so next time I'll add red wine vinegar or perhaps apple cider vinegar for some acidity. I did sprinkle mine with some nutritional yeast flakes, so that could be added in during the cooking as well. 


Daily To-Enjoy List:
  • Spin
  • Sunshine
  • Veggie heavy dinner
Oh, and if you're interested in sharing your to-enjoy list, you can use the twitter hashtag #toenjoylist. 

Comments

Popular posts from this blog

Love in Photos

In honor of Valentine's Day - Love in Photos Husband Family and Furbabies Friends Even if you're not a fan of Valentine's Day - I hope you have a wonderful day and remember the loves in your life.

Workout Wednesday - Body Blaster Tabata

Happy Hump Day! I wanted to thank everyone for their comments on yesterday's post: Be Kinder to Your Body. Calories are Not the Enemy . It sounds like it resonated with many of you. Today I wanted to share a new workout with you. I've been working on interval workouts for some of my clients. I try to give them the most bang for their buck (time). I know that in an ideal world, we would all have time to do longer workouts. There would never be scheduling conflicts, sick husbands or kids, or sick us. In reality, workouts need to be effective and efficient. And they don't have to be lengthy to be effective and efficient either. There's no need to spend hours in a gym to get in a good workout. Interval workouts like HIIT (High-Intensity Interval Training) or tabata, or even interval running are great ways to get in a fantastic workout in a short amount of time and have many benefits. You can read more about Tabata workouts  here . The benefits of this type of work

Piriformis Update & Grilled Veggie Salad

New Piriformis Exercises Today wasn't too terrible for a Monday. Of course, I did leave a little early. That always helps huh ;-) I had another round of physical therapy today. My PT has been really researching piriformis syndrome and found an interesting article that discusses the use of McKenzie Exercises - typically used for back pain. I have started adding in low back extensions (one of the exercises) but now have a whole new list of exercises to add into my workout rotations. But, if it helps, I'll do it. I also asked her about dry needling (thanks Sarena ), which is sort of similar to acupuncture, but is more about trigger point and intramuscular stimulation. And I'm glad I asked because the timing is uncanny. One of the doctor's in the clinic happens to be going to get certified this weekend. They both believe that I am a prime candidate for the procedure. So we'll see how that goes. Kind of scared because I hate hate hate needles. Have any of you tr