Shamu and Circuits

The other day I went to this little place - I'm not sure if you've heard of it - called Sea World. ;)



I've only gone once before, and I wasn't too impressed. I saw some sad animals, including a very lonesome looking polar bear, and the whole excursion just made me pretty mopey. I don't enjoy seeing animals held in capivity. But, since my padre told me to pick two parks that I wanted to go to, I figured I'd give Sea World another try.

I'm so glad I did.



I went into it with an open mind, saw some incredibly beautiful shows (especially A'Lure; positively gorgeous) and got up close & personal with some precious baby dolphins.



And some killer whale love.



***

Disclaimer: I am not a certified physical trainer. Please consult a trainer or doctor before performing this workout.

I spent days formulating an at-home circuit work out that requires no equipment, will raise your heart rate quickly, and make you sweat like a beast. This workout is designed for beginners or intermediate-beginners, is fun, fast, and will work multiple muscle groups.

1. Wall sit (works the quads): Hold for 30 seconds
2. High knees: 30 seconds
3. Plie squats (works the thighs, hips, and booty): 10-12 reps
4. Rock & roll core twists (works the obliques): 8-10 reps
5. Dolphin plank (strengthens arms, core and shoulders): Start in dolphin plank pose, then push back to downward facing dog. 10-12 reps.
6. Stepping leg lift (works the booty): 10-12 reps.
7. Chair calf raise (works the hamstrings): 10-12 reps.
8. Superman (works the lower back and booty): 30 seconds

Repeat 2-3 times.

I promise this workout is a good one; let me know if you try it!

Back on Track

I've bemoaned writing this post because I don't really like word-only posts and I didn't want to admit these things to myself, but I've gained weight. The combination of eating too much, making poor and unhealthy food choices, and barely any exercise has made me put on the pounds, and put them on fast. I didn't want to admit it to myself, but yesterday after seeing full length pictures of myself, I almost burst into tears. I didn't believe it was me. What happened to my muscle tone? Where was the body I'm used to seeing? The body I worked so hard for?



It wasn't there anymore. I feel awful. I feel bloated. Honestly? I feel disgusting.

There are no excuses. I stopped going to the gym because it was cold and I figured that since I eat healthy and did yoga, I didn't need to do cardio or lift weights. Then I started eating more cookies. Then I stopped doing yoga. Still, I ate more cookies. I ate a lot of cheese. I stopped eating fruits, vegetables and everything that helped me get my body.

I've been craving sugar in excess. In fact, I've been craving junk food. I don't know why; it was so easy to eat healthy and strictly when I was vegan and now I find myself craving things I haven't eaten in years. Since when would I ever eat a chocolate covered twinkie? Or chips? But still, I've had both in the past week. I don't know why I'm having these cravings, but it scares me.

I stepped on a scale today for the first time in months and, once again, almost burst into tears. I saw a number I hadn't seen in a long time. A number that I thought I would never be again because I had been maintaining a healthy weight for so long. But it's there. My tone is disappearing and I feel like a lump.

So what does this all mean?

I will not let myself feel like this anymore. I will not feel bad for myself. I worked my butt off to get to where I am, I won't let myself slip any longer.

Here are things I've realized:
- I can't eat like a normal skinny person, because I'm not a normal skinny person. I used to be obese, and I can be obese again. I still have the same amount of fat cells, and I need to realize that I can't eat cookies and lounge around and expect my weight to be the same.
- I need to get to the bottom of these cravings so I don't binge anymore.
- Exercise makes me feel good. Muscles make me feel powerful and amazing. I want to feel that way again.

I want my body back.




I will get it back.

Work It Out

This morning before my work out I had what I'm calling "brownie batter overnight oats".


The night before I mixed 1/2 cup oats, 3/4 cup soy milk, 1 tbsp flax, 1 packet cacao infusion Amazing Grass and this morning I topped it with a sliced banana, a scoop of dark chocolate pb, a garnish of raspberries and a dusting of cacao.


I want to eat these forever. If only I could afford a tub of Amazing Grass.

I've received a few emails asking me about fitness advice. I'm not a fitness guru and I don't do anything too special when it comes to my schedule, but I figured I'd share my typical weekly workout schedule with everyone, including some advice and tips. Note: I am not a certified personal trainer or anything of the sort, I'm just sharing what worked for me.

The most important bit of advice is that you need to find what works for you. Some people are runners, others swimmers, others take up pilates or yoga. Don't force yourself to do a work out that you don't enjoy because you won't stick to it. Find something (or multiple things) that get you excited about working out and go with it. Engaging in unhappy workouts is a quick way to quit.

Here is my typical week:

Every morning starts with a 20 minute yoga session. I do it right after I brush my teeth and before breakfast to get my energy going and my body warmed up. I switch it up daily (go to Yoga Download for free 20 minute sessions).

Day one: Moderate cardio. I typically do 30 minutes on the elliptical, stairmaster or cross trainer and a 10 minute cool down incline walk on the treadmill.
Day two: Strength training.
Day three: 40-60 minutes of yoga.
Day four: Interval cardio. This usually includes 20 minutes on the elliptical (5 minutes forwards at 5 resistance, 5 minutes backwards at 10 resistance) and then 10-20 minutes of HIIT on the treadmill.
Day five: Strength training.
Day six: 40-60 minutes yoga.
Day seven: Active rest day. This can include yoga or light cardio.

- Don't work out the same muscle groups in consecutive days. If you do choose to do strength training on consecutive days, use different muscle groups (e.g. legs one day, chest/triceps/shoulders the next)

- Always follow up a work out with a good protein source within 30-60 minutes.

- Stay hydrated! You always want to aim for 8 glasses a day, especially if you're working out daily.

- Use intervals when doing cardio. It will improve your endurance and raise your heart rate.

- Most importantly: listen to your body. Push yourself, but don't kill yourself. If you overwork your body, you'll burn out and could harm yourself. I always adhere to the "5 minute rule" if I'm not feeling 100%, in which I give myself 5 minutes of working out and if I feel alright after the time elapsed, I continue, but if not, then I stop and rest.

- Don't beat yourself up if you have to take a rest day, if you have to stop to walk instead of jogging/running, or if you have to use lighter weights than you'd like. Your body knows what it wants and needs and at the end of the day, you're still getting exercise, and that's what matters.

Today was leg day for me. I have a love/hate relationship with leg day because I always end up wobbling out of the gym, but it's such an awesome feeling. I did:

- 3 sets, 10-12 reps.
- 5 minute treadmill warm up. 3.5MPH @ 2.5 incline
- Leg extensions
- Calf raises (using 15lb weight)
- Pilates leg circles (10 clockwise and 10 counter-clockwise on each side and front)
- Hamstring curls
- Wall squats (Hold 30 seconds, 3 times)
- Dolphin plank (30 seconds), side plank (30 seconds each side), dolphin plank (30 seconds)
- 10 minute cool down:
0-3:00: 3.5MPH @ 2.5 incline
3:00-6:00: 3.5MPH @ 5.0 incline
6:00-9:00: 3.5MPH @ 10.0 incline
9:00-10:00: 3.5MPH @ 2.5 incline

Then after walking back in the pouring rain, I refueled with this baby:



- 1/2 cup frozen berries
- 1/2 frozen banana
- Handful of kale
- 1 tbsp each hemp + rice protein
- 1 tbsp spirulina
- 1 tbsp flax
- 1 cup water
- 4-5 ice cubes

Natural protein powa! :D Also, note the Aventinus glass, my new love.

The final piece of advice I can offer is to just go for it. Stop making excuses for not working out and just do it! You can do exercises at home, the gym, or the great outdoors. When all is said and done, it's only an hour or so out of your day. What will you do instead of working out for that hour? Most of us spend much more time than that just lounging around the house. Get up and go! You'll feel better afterward.

Back to My Roots

First off, I had an awesome work out today! I focused on arms, chest and back and I feel awesome. I was left feeling sore from my leg work out the other day and it was awesome, so I was excited to feel the burn in my upper body. I was never much for strength training, but I find myself looking forward to strength exercises now. I've spent so much time doing cardio and yoga that it's nice to try new things. Here's what I did:

- 3 sets of 10-12 reps per exercise unless otherwise stated.
- First set used 5lb weights, then upped to 10lb weights.

- 5 min. treadmill warm-up (3.5MPH @ 8.0 incline)
- Overhead press
- Chest press
- Alternating shoulder press
- Planks (Hold for 30 seconds 3 times)
- Lateral raise
- Front lat pulldown
- Dumbbell chest fly
- 10 min cardio cool-down (elliptical @ 6.5MPH)

I feel awesome! I have so much energy and I can tell my arms will be sore in the morn'. I'm a strength training newbie, but I'm enjoying dipping my toes into the weights pool.

In other news, after lunch yesterday I went to dinner at this place called Grass Root, a vegan and partially raw restaurant in Tampa. It came highly recommended and I was definitely excited to try a new raw place.


As usual, the place had a groovy vibe. The walls were covered in beautiful artwork, bold colors, and a relaxing little fountain. I started the meal with a wheatgrass shot. I've never done one before because I've heard mixed things, but I loved it! I find that I tend to enjoy drinking greens people prefer not to (e.g. kale over spinach) so I'm not surprised I dug the wheatgrass.


For my entree I went with raw sushi, which included a plethora of vegetables inside raw nori. The original dish included a lot of avocado, but after a heavy lunch I just wasn't feeling the avo, so they offered to make it with yellow pepper instead. Not only was it nice of them, but I loved the pepper! It added a nice fresh crunch.


The presentation was clean and beautiful and the wasabi was exquisite. Usually I can't even try a tiny drop without feeling like death, but this was lovely. I have no idea what they did to make it so palatable, but I must find out. They also used pickled ume plum instead of ginger, which I liked a lot. It was, hands down, the best sushi I've ever eaten.


Who says you can't have two desserts in one day? After my super healthy energy food, I wanted some dessert! Enter raw chocolate orange cheesecake. Enter foodgasms. It was light yet decadent at the same time, and I noticed they used a coconut oil shell!



I always leave a raw food meal feeling energized, light and amazing. There is no feeling like it, really, which is why I need to eat raw more often.

I loved Grass Roots. The owners were lovely; I got into a conversation with Spencer, one of the owners, about my blog and raw foods and he seemed excited about checking it out. It was just a pleasant experience all around and a perfect end to a lovely, full day.

Soba Noodle Salad, Take Two.

While scouring the aisles of a local Asian market, I came across black buckwheat noodles and I immediately knew what to do with them. I posted a noodle salad recipe months ago, but this one is even better. I wanted to make it with a peanut sauce, but I left the peanut butter in Daytona, so that idea was out. Luckily the pantry was stocked with all the necessary ingredients to improvise a recipe.


Soba noodle salad
Serves 4
Sauce
- 5 tsp sesame oil
- 5 tsp rice vinegar
- 2 tbsp soy sauce
- 2 tsp thai chili sauce (or Sriracha)
- 1 tsp ginger, grated
- 3 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 lime, juice and zest
- White of 1 green onion
- 1 tsp corn starch + 1 tbsp water

Salad ingredients
- 6 oz soba noodles
- 2 carrots, grated
- 1 red bell pepper, julienned
- 1/2 large cucumber or 2 small cucumbers, julienned
- 2 cups sugar snap peas
- 1 15oz can soy beans/edamame
- 2-3 green onions
- 1 tbsp cilantro
- 1/4 cup sesame seeds

Instructions
- Combine sauce ingredients (aside from cornstarch + water) in a sauce pan and heat gently. Once heated, combine cornstarch and water and stir until mixed thoroughly. Add corn starch mixture to sauce and stir vigorously until mixture begins to thicken. Take off heat and set aside.
- Combine all salad ingredients, aside from green onions, cilantro and sesame seeds. Add sauce and toss to coat.
- Top with green onions, cilantro and sesame seeds and toss lightly to combine. Chill for at least 2 hours - the longer it sits, the better it tastes! I like leaving mine in the fridge all afternoon. Enjoy!


The black buckwheat noodles had an interesting texture. They're thin and sticky and clung to the sauce nicely. I liked them!



This is perfect for summer - cold, light, refreshing and full of crisp vegetables. Plus, you can make it ahead of time and enjoy the rest of the beautiful day. I was able to get a great leg work out, go for a quick dip in the hot tub and relax while dinner chilled.



Have a good night everyone. :)

Rawesome

It was beautiful, blue and sunny in Florida today, so when it came time for dinner I knew I wanted something light and raw. So I tried something new and paired it with something we all know and love.


Cool as a cucumber avocado soup
Ingredients
- 1 large cucumber (or 2 small), peeled, seeded and cut into chunks
- 1/2 avocado
- 1/2 tbsp lime juice
- 1 garlic clove
- 1 tsp cilantro
- S&P
- Cucumber, avocado and tomato, for garnish (optional)

Instructions
- Put all ingredients (sans garnish) in a blender or food processor and blend until smooth. Enjoy!


This was really crisp and refreshing and the avocado added a velvety creaminess.


Paired with a lovely salad of romaine, baby spinach, blueberries, raw walnuts and blueberry balsamic. Perfectly simple.

Over the past few months I've been really interested in raw foods. My awesome experiences at Cafe 118 (and addiction to their s'mores) only intensified my desire to experiment and get into raw cuisine even more. Everything raw that I've made or tried has definitely been some of the best dishes that have ever graced my lips. I recently heard about 105 Degrees Academy and I'm now planning on getting certified as a raw foods chef after I graduate.

In other news, this week I feel like something is going wonky with my body. Whenever I exercise I feel more tired than usual and I sweat a lot more. I've even noticed that I sweat a lot doing yoga, even gentle hatha flows. I also haven't been getting a great cardio workout, which is really bumming me out. After about 20 minutes I just feel too tired to continue. I'm not sure if it's something in my diet or if I'm overworking my body. I'm also not sure if I should take a couple days off or just try to break through the funk. The one exercise I do want to do is bike, which I should be doing this weekend when I go to Daytona Beach!

Protein Obsessed

Being vegan, one of the things I quickly got used to is the question "Where do you get your protein?" Well, while I was still counting calories I would notice that my protein intake rarely reached even 40g, which is the minimum recommended amount for a healthy woman. Back then the majority of my exercise came from doing yoga twice daily. While yoga has been awesome for both my mind and body and has helped me become more centered, strong, and toned, it isn't a cardio work out. Now that I'm doing more and am becoming interested in races, I realized I needed to step up my protein. I find that the more protein and fats I eat, the more I crave them! I'm practically obsessed with nut butters, coconut, SIAB, legumes, etc. Here is the latest guest to the party:


Protein oats
In the mix
- 1/2 cup rolled oats
- 1 cup water or milk o' choice
- 2 tbsp soyogurt
- 1/2 tsp vanilla
- Agave or stevia, to taste
- Pinch of sea salt

A minute or so before the mix was done, I stirred in 1 tbsp hemp protein powder. Then I topped it all with a hidden blob o' almond butta, 1 tbsp flax and goji berries. I love gojis! I bet they would be awesome in a cookie.


These oats were totally not what I was expecting. They weren't as sweet as my normal oats and had a combination of a grassy and nutty taste. It definitely tasted 'healthy' and it's something I feel takes some getting used to, but it did the trick. I wanted the warmth and creaminess of oatmeal and the energy from the protein, and it worked! I think next time I'll up the sweetness and use my usual banana to add creaminess instead of the soyogurt. For some reason I just wasn't feeling bananas this morning (rest assured, I ate one later), but they make all the difference in oats.

After my breakfast I hit the gym and did:
- 20 minutes stairmaster on the cardio setting. I wanted to do 30, but it was more of a work out than I was expecting.
- 10 miles stationary bike on hills setting (28:00)
- 5 minute cool down jog

I was dripping sweat after this work out and it felt awesome. I had a bunch of energy. Immediately afterward I tore into a Clif bar and upon arriving home I grabbed the aforementioned banana. See, I really can't go a day without my nanners. Time to relax in my oversized Planet Fitness tee and my nautical themed pj shorts!

(Insert Word Here) In A Bowl: Part Deux

My produce is dwindling and when that happens, my dinner ideas dwindle as well. Call me crazy, but not knowing what to make for dinner frustrates me to no end and sometimes I become irritable until I come up with something. Well, tonight was one of those nights. Then a vision came to me in the form of beans. Three cans of beans my dad gave to me because he wasn't going to eat them and he assumed this vegan girl would. Well, he was right. So, I grabbed the navy beans and this "meal-in-a-bowl" idea began to form in my head pretty quickly.

First I made this navy bean puree.

Ingredients
- 1/2 cup navy beans
- 2 garlic cloves
- 1 tbsp olive oil
- 1 tbsp parsley
- Pinch red pepper flake
- S&P

Instructions
- Toss everything into a food processor and pulse until smooth. Simple!

Then I sauteed some beautifully bright summer squash in 1 tsp olive oil, S&P.


And served over some quinoa (1/4 cup quinoa, 1/2 cup water). No seasoning required because the bean puree was flavorful enough! I topped it with a sprinkle of sunflower seeds and called it a day.




Random? I think so. Delicious? You betcha! This bean puree would also make an excellent, easy dip but I liked the creaminess it gave this dish.


I've definitely been hugging my fats today. Almond butter and flax with breakfast, avocado with lunch, olive oil and seeds with dinner. Mmm, healthy fats! I used to be afraid of using fats and sprayed everything with non-stick spray (including adding it to salad dressings, yuck) because I feared gaining weight again. Now, I know that won't happen; my body needs and loves good fats. My skin, nails, and body definitely thank me for re-adding healthy fats into my diet every day.

My run today went pretty well. I went out a little after 10 and it became progressively hotter as I was running, so by the end I was dripping sweat and panting. Florida heat definitely makes running harder. It also doesn't help that I haven't been running regularly, so my speed wasn't great and I had to stop to walk a couple times. I ended up doing 1.8 miles in about 25 minutes. It's okay, I'll get better in time for the 5K.

Get Baked

I've had this idea floating around in my head for a while. It was just as amazing in my mouth as it was in my mind.


Lemon (blueberry) baked tofu

Ingredients
- 1 block extra firm tofu, pressed
Marinade
- Juice of 1 lemon
- 1 tbsp lemon zest
- 1 tbsp olive oil
- 1-2 tbsp blueberry balsamic vinegar (optional, it'd just be a lemon marinade without)
- 2 small garlic cloves or 1 large, minced
- 1/2 tbsp parsley
- S&P, to taste

Instructions
- In bowl, whisk together marinade ingredients.
- Slice tofu in 1/2" slices. Place in a container (I used a shallow tupperware container) and pour marinade on top of tofu. Turn tofu pieces a few times until marinade is coated on both sides.
- Marinate for at least 30 minutes. The longer it sits, the more flavorful it gets.
- In a 350 oven, bake for 30-45 minutes, turning every 10-15 minutes. Tofu is done when it's golden brown and a nice crust forms on both sides. Top with crunchy pieces of lemon zest and enjoy!

Before going into the oven:


Half baked:

Don't mind the caramelized marinade on the side. It was around this time that the house became filled with the aromas of lemon and garlic.


Come here, my pretty.

I served this on a bed of Lundberg Jubilee rice blend and steamed asparagus.

My dad asked me how it tasted and I responded (full-mouthed) with "IT'S SO GOOD" and then continued shoveling. The lemon flavor was perfectly pronounced with a slight note of blueberries that wasn't overwhelming. It was tangy, sweet and the tofu had a great texture - chewy outside and slightly creamy inside. The crunchy lemon zest was a great burst of flavor and was an awesome element to the dish. I want to make this again!

Today I also had an awesome work out. I ran a quick mile and then biked 11.2 miles in 30 minutes. I need to start working on my endurance, though. I was literally dripping sweat while pedaling and it felt so great.

I'm hoping to save up for this beauty so I can get into road biking and possibly racing. I really, really want to get involved in the racing world.

Relaxation Station

Even though I should be stressed and overwhelmed because I leave for Florida in less than two days and I haven't even begun to pack, I'm oddly relaxed. I don't know whether it's the meditation I've been doing lately, the nice weather, or just simply my mood. Regardless, I feel so serene and at peace.

I've been doing a lot of walking the past few days. Normally I go to the gym and do high intensity cardio three days a week, but I don't have a gym membership currently (since I'm going to be in Florida all summer anyway) so I've been kind of slacking on the cardio since leaving school Wednesday. This could easily be remedied by running outside, but honestly? I don't really like running outside. I do, however, love nice walks in the sunshine. Check out this beautiful land I saw today:


Ah, Berkshires, you're so pretty sometimes. I wanted to run through the field and roll around in the grass, but I figured the owners of the farm wouldn't appreciate it.

I'm also crackers for Mary:

I've been wanting to try these for a while but couldn't justify spending almost $5 for a package. I finally caved and bought the onion flavor - I'm glad I did! I love their nuttiness and crispiness.

Since coming home I've been making big dinners and eating leftovers for days (see: chili and pizza). I've also been consuming lots carbs and not enough veggies. So, my body needs to be cleansed a bit, but my mind is aflutter and I can't think of any clean recipe ideas. Anyone have any they'd like to share? I promise I'm not a picky eater.

Side note: My bum is super sore. I guess walking really does the trick sometimes.

Burning My Hands Was So Worth It.

I'm not sure if words can accurately describe how amazing this dinner was, so the pictures will have to speak for themselves.


Polenta lasagna

Ingredients
- 1/2 tube prepared polenta
- 1 15-oz can tomatoes of choice (I used Muir Glen fire roasted garlic diced tomatoes)
- 1/4-1/3 cup tofu ricotta*
- 1/2 large portobello mushroom, finely chopped
- 1/2 cup red kale, pressed & chopped
- 1 tsp dried basil
- Pinch red pepper flakes
- S&P (I just added a bit to the polenta while in the pan)

Instructions
- Preheat oven to 375.
- Cut polenta into 1/4 in. wide discs. I cut my discs in half to fit into my dish better, but feel free to leave them as is.
- Spray a medium sized pan with olive oil spray (or just use some actual oil) and pan fry the discs until golden. Set aside.
- Remove kale from stems and boil until softened. Run under cool water, drain, and press with hands to remove excess moisture. Chop and set aside.
- Dump tomatoes in pan. Bring to a boil then reduce to a simmer until desired thickness is achieved. This kind had a lot of liquid, so I ended up draining some so it wouldn't be a soupy mess.
- Put a tiny bit of sauce on the bottom of your baking dish. Layer polenta, then tofu ricotta, mushrooms, kale, sauce, repeat. Continue until you can't anymore, then pour on a bit more sauce. Sprinkle with basil and pepper flakes if desired.
- Bake (preferably covered) for 15-20 minutes or until bubbly.

I used a fairly small, round Corningware dish, so I'm sure these measurements will be much different if you use a standard baking dish. I apologize that I can't convert them, but I'm an English major and lack math skills of any kind. I'm sure you can get the gist, though.


Just out of the oven.

Wait for it...

Oh, yes.

I'm dumb and lifted the glass lid with my bare hands directly from the oven. Twice. I have nice burn marks on my palm and fingers. Do I care? No. This dish is just that delicious.

* The star of the show is easily the tofu ricotta. It's also easily one of my new favorite things ever. I used this recipe, but only made enough for one serving.


So much better than actual ricotta! I swear!

The crushed tomatoes were also out of this world. Muir Glen is hands down the best canned tomato brand I've ever had. It's a shame it's also one of the most expensive.

But really, I implore you to make this dish. I had to stop myself from eating the whole dish so that I could have leftovers for lunch.

In other news, I tried something new at the gym today: the bike!
I had about a 40 minute window before a final exam, so I decided to do 30 minutes cross trainer > 15 minutes bike. I ended up doing 2.65 miles on the cross trainer and 5.5 miles on the bike; I definitely feel like I got a good work out. If only I could say the same about my exam.