Where's the Beach?

This is something I've never really done before. I mean, I've talked about my workouts here and there, listed out the weight workout and miles run. But I've never really dedicated an entire post to a specific workout and the reasoning behind that workout. I thought I might start doing a Work it Out Wednesday when I come up with a new workout for myself. I am NOT a certified personal trainer or group instructor. I read a lot, I've done endless hours of DVD workouts, I gather inspiration, and I try to learn from all of it. I don't put together workouts for others, just for myself. But I thought I might share this one and my reasons for it. Right now my only cardio option is really being allowed to run. I'm not supposed to be doing weights because heavy lifting causes micro tears that, if were too bad and in or near a joint, could bleed out, causing permanent joint damage due to the Xarelto. I've been trying to come up with workouts that I could do that w...

Running and Raining  Today is one of those full on Mondays. Kind of a blue day and it doesn't help matters that it's just been nasty, rainy, gray, dreary since Friday afternoon. Big fat blah. However, despite the craptastic weather, I did get in a really good and very wet 11.5 mile run on Saturday. As long as it's not just pouring down and storming, running in the rain is really rather fun. Oh, and as long as it's not cold. Just a few stipulations. It was in the mid- to upper-60's when I set out with a steady, but not exactly heavy rain. It felt very refreshing I must say. The rain definitely helped to keep me cooler. The only downfall was the 100% humidity of course. But, everything seemed to be clicking for me. I did make a stop at the house at mile 6 to put on dry socks. The others were getting terribly squishy and I was worried about blisters at that point. Not that the dry sock stayed dry for long, but it sure felt good while they were dry. Maybe it wa...

Itching and Running So today was kind of interesting. I guess I should back up Saturday morning. I woke up and had 2 itchy bumps on my neck. I told Jason we needed to change the sheets immediately. I thought maybe it was a spider bite. Later on, a couple of other bumps and then Sunday, a few more. So Monday I spent some time looking up bumps and pictures. Trust me, don't do that. You'll a) gross yourself out and b) scare the crap out of yourself assuming you have some flesh eating disease. I ended up going to the doctor. I really don't care much for my doctor. He always seems so incredibly blase, unconcerned. He looked at my neck (where the bumps are located) and said, "It looks like chicken pox." He asked if I'd had them as a kid, and yes I did. He repeated that he thought they looked like chicken pox and asked if I'd been feeling ok. No fever that I knew (though I was having headaches Thursday and Friday). He then said, "Well, if it was me, I...

Ditching Speed This morning the alarm went off just after 5 am and I soooo wanted to just say to heck with the run and go back to sleep. But considering that it was already 84 degrees and humid, it's not like I could put the run off until lunch or after work. So, I reluctantly rolled out of bed and got myself ready while Jason did the same. The first mile kind of sucked. Mile 1 put us at the intersection of a busy road - usually empty at 5:30 am - where this one loan mini-van couldn't decide what they were doing. In turn, we had to stand and wait....and wait. It felt like 10 minutes. All Jason said was, "It's hot." Those were is first words of the morning. We made a pit stop at the house at 2 miles into the run then off again. The brief stop actually helped me a great deal. I honestly thought I might have to take my inhaler or stop the run. I just couldn't breathe. Mile 3 was starting to get a little better. I finally hit some sort of rhythm by mile 4. ...

A New Route Another cooler, but sunny day for us. This morning it was 48 degrees, a far cry from our lows of 60. When Jason and I set out for our lunchtime run, I had on a short sleeved top and shorts. I had to talk myself out of capris or sleeves because I knew I'd warm up. It was right at 60 with a cool breeze, but lots of sunshine. The minute we started moving I mentioned that I was cold. Jason agreed. I had mapped out a different route, well, part of it I mapped. Just wanted some different scenery. For the most part, it was a pretty good route. Some gradual inclines, but definitely new views. I should have mapped the whole thing though. I had planned to head straight down one street and take a right onto 23rd. I saw 22nd then realized there was a 23rd on the left, but not the right. Ok, so we get to 24th and take a right but it dead ended so we had to take the next right and I thought we'd just take a left at 23rd....still no 23rd. So we were forced to hit 22nd. Oh 22n...

Early Morning & Leg Day This morning started off even earlier than usual for me. I'm used to being at work by 7am, so I agreed to scheduling my MRI this morning at 7:30. They said to be there at 7 so I left extra early worried I'd somehow be late. Granted there was zero traffic at 6:40 am, and it was only 10 mins away. But, being there extra early paid off. They sent me straight back, no waiting. What??? No waiting? I was shocked. The MRI only took 15 minutes (and thankfully it was just my legs in the tube) so I was at work by 7:30, only 30 minutes later than usual. I'll call that the big win of the day. Sometimes it does indeed pay to be early. As for workouts, today was leg day for me. I flirted with the idea of doing the kettlebell tabata workout again, but my abs are actually sore from the workout, so I thought it'd be smart to hold off on that one another day or two. So, legs it was. I was a little worried about what I could do considering it hurts to p...

Leg Day Today I hit the gym for legs. I was oddly looking forward to leg day actually. I started with 15 minutes on the elliptical as my warmup then did 1 set of 10 reps of squats with no weight on the bar as an additional warmup for the legs. I did either supersets or trisets as 3 sets of 8 reps unless noted. SS#1 Barbell squats (increased weight again) Calf raises - 15 reps with increased weight TS#1 Step-ups (with dumbbells) Stiff-legged deadlifts (increased weight) Firewalkers - 4 each direction TS#2 Alternating front lunges Plie squats with low-end pulse Hamstring roll-ins on ball - 12 reps SS#2 - only 2 sets of 8 reps each leg Single-leg squats Outer thigh raise with resistance band This was a pretty good workout overall. I was glad I was able to increase weight again for squats. Next week I need to increase the weights for alternating lunges. I do think I need to add in more single-leg moves as well like the single-leg squats and maybe single-leg deadlifts a...

Run & Legs I was off work today, actually off work until next Tuesday, so that meant I was able to sleep in a bit. But I did need to get my workout done earlier rather than later. So I hit the gym by 8:30. It was pretty much dead other than one other person on the treadmill. Love it when it's quiet and I don't have to fight for a fan or "my" treadmill. I wasn't exactly keen on a treadmill run, but sometimes you just have to get yourself going. I started with 1 mile warm up at a 9:22 min mile then 4 sets of intervals at 1 min with 1.5 min recovery (I guess that's really 1 min and 30 seconds) at an 8 min mile and 9:31 min mile then finished out the remainder to round out to 3 miles. I decided to go ahead and work full legs today rather than split them up. I went with supersets of 3x8 unless noted. Barbell squats - warmup set of 10 SS#1 Barbell squats Stiff-legged deadlifts SS#2 Step ups (with dumbbells) Plie squat with low end pulse - using ...

Intervals & Legs Today was sort of a weird one. Tomorrow we have a huge annual holiday meeting. My division typically helps put together a funny skit for the meeting. This morning I was asked to help out with something and ended up having to go to the first rehearsal where they were going to just block it out. So that took up an hour and a half. Next we had our division potluck. Then right after that I had a meeting. So much back-to-back, definitely no time to take a break and hit the pavement or gym like I'm used to doing midday. But, the day went super quickly at least. The skies were, again, threatening rain. I kept checking the radar hoping it might hold off long enough for a run outside. It of course didn't rain the whole time I was at work. The minute I walked out the door? Yep, rain. Good thing I had gone ahead and decided on the gym after checking the radar one last time. I went with 4 miles on the treadmill then legs (focusing on quads). I started with 2 miles...

Running & Legs Well today we finally have sunshine and no gusting winds. I was beginning to think that would never happen. But, I decided to hit the treadmill and get in legs today rather than head outside for a run. I must admit something first. I don't know why, but treadmill running makes me feel like less of a runner. I know that probably sounds silly. I mean, I'm on the darn thing running. I'm usually doing intervals trying to increase my speed. But, I don't enjoy it at all. I've never ever had that runner's high, awesome, love the world feeling from a treadmill run. It just doesn't feel the same as the wind on your face, the sun on your skin, the feel of the pavement under your feet. There's just something so crucial to the enjoyment factor I usually equate to running that is just flat out missing. But, I really need to work on speed, and the treadmill is a great way to get that done. I also really wanted to work quads today and then maj...

Legs & Back Today was another gorgeous, but fairly windy day out. It started off in the 30's, but thankfully it did warm up into the low 60's at least. It's definitely starting to feel like true fall. No going back to summer now. I dedicated today as my leg day (leg and back actually). I must set aside one day before a rest day for legs each week regardless of what I'd rather do. Though, I had no desire to do spin today, I'll say that much. Oddly, I was kind of looking forward to working legs. While it's not my favorite muscle group, doing things like barbell squats can sort of make you feel like a badass. Of course, right now my weights aren't nearly where they used to be, but it gives me something to work towards. Since I needed to get in back work, I went with trisets of 3x8 unless noted after a 15-minute warm up session on the elliptical: Squats - warmup set of 10 TS#1 Squats Plie Squats Pullovers - 10 reps TS#2 Swing lunges (I star...

Strawberry Balsamic Reduction Rocks Last night I decided I wanted something sort of light for dinner after our super late lunch. I had been thinking about the Strawberry Balsamic Reduction Jason made the other day - knew I needed to get the recipe out there too - so I decided to go with that as a starting point. I thought that I could make the reduction and take some of it, puree it with extra balsamic and use that as a marinade for tofu, then roll the tofu in ground almonds for Almond Crusted Strawberry Balsamic Tofu served over a spring mix with the Strawberry Balsamic Reduction drizzled on top. Strawberry Balsamic Reduction Ingredients: 1/3 cup (approximately) low-sodium vegetable broth 1/4 red onion, minced 1 cup frozen strawberries - thaw enough to chop finely 1/3 cup (approximately) balsamic vinegar  To taste: dried thyme, dried rosemary, sea salt, black pepper, red pepper, agave nectar Directions: In saucepan, saute onions in stock until begin to soften. Add...

Saturday Recap Wow, yesterday was kind of nuts, but so worth it. As I mentioned, it started off with an 8-mile run (so proud to hit that mileage again). Then it was a rush to get myself ready to head out for the lake. Yes, I had to shower before going to the lake - encrusted in salt and grime from the run. Ick. We got to the lake around 9:45 and pretty much immediately headed out on the boat. A and C couldn't wait to go "monster" tubing with Uncle Jason. He's such a trooper to take them out.   This year he talked to them about needing to practice falling out of the tube so they would be prepared in case they ever bounce out. To our utter shock, A and C both jumped out of the moving tube! Even more shocking, they came up laughing asking to do it again. I think Jason created monsters ;-)    We finally convinced the kids that they needed to take turns - in other words, let other people get out there and do something like ski. I will say, skiing after a long run ...

Leg Day Don't know about you all, but I sure am happy Friday finally arrived. Today I decided to hit the gym for legs. Tomorrow is supposed to be rainy and we're super busy so no long run. Hopefully I will be able to run on Sunday instead. Soooo, that means today was ideal for legs. I didn't want to go super heavy as my legs have been plenty tired already this week. I did 10 minutes on the elliptical to warm up then the following supersets. SS#1 Squats with low-end pulse - 3x10 Plie squats - 3x10 SS#2 Stiff-leg deadlifts - 10, 8, 8 Alternating front lunges - 3x16 (8 each side) SS#3 Calf raises - 3x15 Alternating side lunges - 3x12 I finished with another 10 minutes on the elliptical then a stretch. I gotta say, this wasn't the most stellar leg workout I've had recently. I really felt weak and worn out to be honest. Just wasn't clicking for me at all. Fun Facts Friday - Running Must Haves I feel like I've been somewhat of a complainer late...

Hot Dogs and Heart Health Well here's a fun day for a vegetarian - a hot dog sale on the floor of your office to raise money for a heart walk. Yes - hot dogs and heart health. Really, I have no other words. I don't think they are even necessary. But I certainly did NOT want to have to walk down the hall to go to the restroom or have to use the sink in the breakroom to wash a mug. It literally made me sick to my stomach. Are there any smells that just put you over the edge? For me it'd definitely be hot dogs and the smells of a BBQ joint. Crappy Weather = Leg Day Anyway, the weather didn't help my mood again today. So I was probably even more sensitive to the wretched odors and absolute idiocracy of a hot dog sale for heart health...it was supposed to be sunny and 59. I was really excited about an afternoon run. At noon, the wind chill was hovering at 40 and the clouds were low and thick. Hello Mr. Weatherman, where did you go to school? Bah freaking humbug att...

Sushi Saturday (Not Homemade) Well, in the end, we had sushi, but not homemade. We kind of waited too late to get started, not paying attention to the prep time for the rice. So we went with plan B. There is a sushi place nearby. I made some veggie spring rolls and baked some tofu I had marinated in a peanut butter sauce (PB2, OJ, rice wine vinegar, tamari). Jason was really only supposed to pick up a couple of rolls for he and my sister. Instead he picked up 3 rolls for them, some edamame, wakame salad, and spring rolls (though I was making some, he insisted on trying theirs, but they were fried). Anyway, it ended up being quite the spread. The next time she is over, however, we will be making homemade sushi rolls and I promise to take process pictures as well as end-result pictures. Legs I sacked out at 10 pm last night and slept hard. I guess that's what running 12 miles will do to you. This morning I got up expecting to be more sore, but I wasn't. My calves are a litt...

Working Out So today I ended up ditching my half marathon training plan again. It called for 4 miles. It was a gorgeous, warm day, but really windy (gusting 18 mph). I just couldn't seem to get excited about running. So, I ended up doing chest, legs, boxing, and abs instead. Pushups - 24 Flat bench chest flyes into press - 3x8 Pushups with toes on step - 16 Squats into Plie Squats with low-end pulse - 3x8 Incline bench flyes into press - 3x8 Staggered bench press - 12 Rear leg elevated lunges into deadlifts - 3x8 Firewalkers - 6 Calf raises - 2x16 I did the upper body only from combos 1 and 2 of Cathe's MMA Boxing t hen abs from High Rep s. I did stretch for a bit after the workout before getting cleaned up. Chores & Kitchen Boycott Jason was nice enough to go to the grocery store while I was working out, then he headed out for a bike ride. In the meantime, I did laundry (washed, not folded mind you), made some hummus, and spent about 3 hours in our study/of...

Sports Bar Eats Last night we ended up watching Going the Distance and just relaxing on the couch. We weren't terribly hungry, as in no need to make a full dinner. But we both knew we needed something small at least. I had pulled some tofu out of the freezer to thaw because I thought we were going to have sushi. Anyway, halfway through the movie I decided I needed to make Tofu "wings." This is one reason I don't like going to the theater - I can't just get up and head into the kitchen and pause the movie. I don't sit still for long periods very well. Back to the "wings"...I have never had hot wings. I have no clue what they are supposed to even taste like. However, I'm oddly intrigued by them. I couldn't even tell you how many times I've asked Jason about the sauce and how they are made. Again, I have no idea where this bizarre obsession comes from. Well, last night I decided that I finally had to try making my own Tofu "Wings....

First Stew of 2011 As promised, here are the recipes from our New Year's Dinner. Like I said yesterday, we don't normally make it a point to get in all the "lucky" dishes like black-eyed peas and cabbage. However, it was the perfect opportunity for me to use my new crockpot (correctly). I also made a Vegan Chiptole Cornbread to go along with this hearty Lucky New Year's Stew . Lucky New Year's Stew Ingredients: 1 1/2 cups black-eyed peas soaked overnight 1 yellow onion, diced 1 green bell pepper, diced 1-2 sweet potatoes, diced 32 oz no-salt vegetable broth 2 cups water 1 not-beef bouilon cube To taste: salt, pepper, chili powder, liquid smoke, red pepper, garlic, parsley, basil 1 bunch kale, roughly chopped Directions: Put all ingredients minus the kale in the crockpot and cook on low for approximately 5 hours. Add in the kale and cook an additional 30 minutes on high or hour on low.   Vegan Chipotle Cornbread Ingredients: 1 cup cornm...