Zen in Paris

I have finally found my zen with my situation for the rest of the semester. I am not going to feel guilty about eating lots of bread. After all, in two months, I will no longer have fresh, truly French French bread 30 seconds from my house. I've also found teeny little single serving cans of lentils, and of spaghetti sauce, so I will just pop open a few of those each week to make sure I am getting in nutrients.

Upon my return to Seattle, I am going to distract myself from my breadless state by instead going full force with all of the foods I have been wanting to eat here. You know, foods that they don't sell here, or, most importantly, that REQUIRE A REFRIGERATOR. Never again. NEVER again will I live without a refrigerator. To put it succinctly, and a little crudely, it blows.

Spring (and practically summer) has finally come to Paris, and with it my last excuse for not getting out and running has flown the coop. My little sleeveless workout shirt is going to do just fine. And I saw someone out in Vibrams (probably a tourist, but still), so I know that it isn't unheard of here. Plus, it is light so much later! Until 9pm, basically, and it's only going to keep getting lighter.

I have been consistent at doing push-ups, though I have fallen off the schedule. Now that I've switched to really truly proper form, with my chest between my hands, it is SO MUCH HARDER. I think I need to accept the inevitable and start the 6-Week program over, at whatever level I am at with the truly proper form.

Walking more now that I have flats, randomly doing walking lunges and ab workouts in my room. It's getting alittle harder to get in all of my water now that it is getting warmer (and this room refuses to let out heat), but it's going pretty well, all in all.

Still, need to make a point to start sharing the brie with other people, so I don't go through an entire wedge by myself in one hour....

Six Weeks

Definitely not feeling as strong with my push-ups this week. I wonder if I am shifting into better form, and this is why? I'm being hyper-vigilant to have my chest stay between my hands, instead of behind them. I guess I don't know my physiology very well (right word?)- I would have assumed that having hands forward would use my weaker shoulder muscles more than my chest muscles. Maybe my having my hands directly under me, I'm targeting my triceps more?

Still, all shaking and griping and weakness aside, I still managed Day Two of Week Three today- a total of 70 push-ups in under 10 minutes! And all with really good form. I tried a few different times to get more than the minimum required 19 on my max reps, but I could never complete it with good form, so it stays at 19.

Did a LOT of walking over our weekend in the South of France, and have confirmed that I am definitely nowhere near ready for the bridesmaid hike this August. Five months to whip this girl into shape! Tomorrow on my way back from classes I am going to run into GoSport to grab a cheap long-sleeved exercise shirt. It's not about needing the right equipment (though I am sorely lacking in any cold weather exercise gear), it's about removing all of the excuses that I use to keep me inside and sedentary. I'm going to start the Couch-to-5K plan this week. I think it's a 6 week course, just like the push-ups.

Six weeks is a good amount of time for these sort of things, I realized recently. Think about it:

1. Week One: Yay! You completed the first week! You are on your way.
2. Week Two: Wow, you are already a third of the way done! Way to go!
3. Week Three: Half way. You are really doing it!
4. Week Four: OMG! Two-thirds of the way done! Who would have through you would make it this far?
5. Week Five: Only one week left- what?? When did that happen?
6. Week Six: You did it!!!

Constant gratification. Love it.

On the food front, still being stymied. I got my electric cooler, and it totally does not work. Kind of crushed. It whirs and makes noise, but nada. Even after being constantly on for over 48 hours. Not really sure how to return it, either. It was from Amazon, though, so it should be doable... I should have gone with my initial instinct and just bought a minifridge for 120 euro in the first couple of weeks, so it would have paid for itself multiple times over. Alas. Hindsight. Gotta love it. 

Getting Back on Track... I think

Starting a habit of waking up earlier- it's going quite well thus far! Don't feel like I've had restful sleep the past few nights, but will work on that. Getting better food in me and more exertion out of me, as I am starting to do, should help. I also think I've gotten comfortable enough in the new room to keep it darker and my music quieter when I go to sleep.

Point being, getting up earlier is allowing me to do more productive things with my mornings. My current checklist items are:

• Eat a nutritious breakfast (generally my version of Vegan Overnight Oats)
• Study French (French homework, listening to French podcast, reading Harry Potter in French, flashcards, etc.)
• Small bit of organizing (wash dishes that soaked overnight, take down trash, make bed, clear desk, etc.)
• Small resistance workout of 10-20 minutes (alternating days of the "6 Weeks to 100 Push-ups" program and Ab-Ripper X from P90X)
• Write (character profiles, outlines, actual scenes)

Update on Food:
    I found the Whole Foods/Trader Joes here- Naturalia. It's really quite tiny, but so very well stocked! I was doing happy dances and trying so hard not to grab everything in sight. Finally found my red lentils, for that Indian Lentil Curry on NoMeatAthlete, some quinoa pasta (!!!), oats and almond milk for my overnight oats, and a few other items. I finally figured out that almond milk doesn't actually have to be refrigerated, and a whole new world of breakfast foods that I can make suddenly opened up. Overnight Oats! Breakfast Quinoa! Healthy pancakes!
    Trying my first week of Meal Planning. Overnight Oats most mornings, and last night I made a wonderful peanut sauce that I had over green lentils and brown rice. Planning on doing that again tonight/soon for lunch, and also a small meal of one of my various healthy pastas with tomato sauce. I have a slight obsession with healthy pastas, it would appear. First, I couldn't find any whole wheat pasta, so I grabbed penne made out of vegetables. Then, I found whole wheat penne. I figured, why not have both! And then, as previously mentioned, I picked up some quinoa penne. At least I could have made one of them a rotini... I'm set to break into my white beans tomorrow.

My Vegan Overnight Oats:

• Approx. 1/3 cup oats
• Approx. 1 cup unsweetened vanilla almond milk
• Hefty dash of vanilla extract
• Approx. 1 tsp of chia, maybe a tad more
• Shake or two of cinnamon (can you tell I have no measuring instruments?)
• Tiny sprinkle of salt
• Somewhere between 1 tsp and 1 tbsp of brown cane sugar

Mix all dry ingredients except sugar, then pour in milk and vanilla. Stir. Let sit for 30 minutes to overnight. Stir in sugar when almost set, or at least 30 minutes prior to consumption. Enjoy!

Update on Resistance Work:
    The level of effort I go to in order to avoid my common area is both ridiculous and impressive. So, as you can imagine, the P90X is not so much with the happening. I have restarted the Push-Up regimen, however, and while it is difficult as all get out, I'm so much better than I was when I started the first time. The first time around, I could barely eek out 4 good-form girl push-ups and thus started on the absolute base level. This time, I gussied up and tried the second level, and actually managed to complete it, though my breaks between the last few sets were more around the 2-minute mark. And since you are supposed to take days of rest in between for both it and the Ab-Ripper X, I'm alternating them as part of the morning routine. It's something that is actually working for me at my current level of dedication. They say that will-power is like a muscle- it's not a matter of either having it or not, it's a matter of working to build it up. So small, compact things that I can do first thing in the morning, without getting into my workout gear, without having to have a perfectly clear floor or shift furniture (which I had to do to complete P90X in this tiny room), removes pretty much all of my carefully constructed excuses. Once I prove to myself that I can stick with something on my own steam, I can start to build up. At this small of a requirement, I will feel like an absolute idiot for not doing it. Progress!

Update on Running:
    I have read so much about running in the past few days- and done precisely none of it. As I start classes near the Luxembourg Gardens tomorrow, I'm trying to work out some way that I can pack my running gear, then change after classes, go for a loop, and walk back home. My only thorn with this problem is figuring out where I would leave my other clothing, school supplies, and purse. Maybe one of my housemates will have the same time schedule as me, and would be willing to take it back with them?

Grains, Greens, Beans

I'm slowly working my way past the whole no-refrigerator issue. Partly it is because I am accepting that not everything actually has to be refrigerated as much as we Americans tend to, particularly if kept in an air-tight container, and partly through a new awareness of the concept of meal planning. If I make a batch of something, or open a can of something, if I have planned my meals out for the week, I can make sure I use it all within two days or so, so it is still good.

Also, I may or may not be getting a hot plate for my room, which you nor I know nothing about.


NoMeatAthlete was doing a post on how to afford a healthy, athlete-friendly vegetarian lifestyle, and he brought up a suggestion that has taken the comments, and me, by storm. A simple one-pot meal, A Grain, a Green, and a Bean. This is totally something I can do! Admittedly, greens will be scarce for a while, but once I come up with several reliable, flavorful favorites, I am going to bully myself into adding small torn up bits of spinach.

Some ideas I have had (many will include lentils and quinoa because they can cook quickly, and therefore I can justify making only a single serving, or brown rice, because I can buy these adorable single-serving microwave-ready packets here):

• Red lentil curry over brown rice (see inspiration recipe here)
• Quinoa and black beans in coconut milk with a dash of cinnamon and vanilla
• White beans lightly mashed with lemon and garlic, quinoa
• Green lentils and quinoa with coconut-curry sauce
• Coconut red beans and brown rice (see inspiration recipe here)
• Brown rice with peanut sauce- what bean or lentil to go here?
• Green lentils with garlic and rosemary, salted quinoa

Any suggestions? I anticipate playing around a whole lot with coconut milk, often with cinnamon or curry added. 

Trying to work up the nerve to take my laptop and P90X down into the gym on the community floor here. I don't think many people use it. It would give me more space, and access to some machines, which would help with the bands because I haven't found a sports store that carries any here. But it does mean that I have to venture out into the world of French college kids, wearing my little running skirt and VFFs. A main point behind the purchase of the hypothetical-object-which-shall-not-be-named is to remove the excuse of not having enough courage to go downstairs to use the kitchen. During the limited hours it is open. I want to remove as many excuses as possible, since I know I tend to cling to them. Maybe I can convince one of my girlfriends on my floor to join me- make it a regular, bonding thing...

Parisian Growing Pains

I found all of the runners! They are in the Luxembourg Gardens (Jardins du Luxembourg, je crois). And the walk there would be a good warm up- especially necessary given the near-freezing weather currently, and the less-than-cozy nature of my Vibram Five-Finger KSOs! Also my lack of warm workout gear.

Definitely slacked off after day 3 of P90X. Haven't done a single one since. Owning up to it here, and now not going to bash myself about it any more, but rather use this wide open Sunday to get back on track.

Still taking the stairs at all opportunity. When taken just on my toes, I'm actually starting to notice a definite improvement in my stamina! However, when I use my entire foot, I am definitely still feeling it. Taking stairs in 3-4 inch stilettos, when you put weight on the entire foot, really activates that hamstrings, but not in the slightest at the expense of also working quads or glutes. Basically, everything from the knees to the chest goes into hyperdrive. So, yeah, still feeling that. But it's only two weeks into the daily multiple hikes, so I'm optimistic about where I'll be by the time I go home. Maybe even by the time it's warm enough for regular outdoor jogging! I should just lady up and go out and do it anyway...

Food is still a problem here, but I'm starting to feel my way a bit more. Made up a batch of unflavored chia gel, which I'm taking regular spoonfuls of, plus eating a handful of almonds each day. So that's a little whole food back on the menu. I've also noticed that they don't refrigerate their eggs here, so I could pick some up, and some salt and pepper, and at the very least start doing scrambled eggs, if not also adding some cheese and spinach for some basic omelets. If I can locate some vegan marshmallows, I might also do a few nights of candied yams. I'm pretty sure I've seen yams/sweet potatoes in the stores. And that doesn't require refrigeration. And finally, I'm regaining a little tenuous control over gorging on chips and Mars Bars in an attempt to feed myself with familiar food. It's only been a few days, so no happy dancing yet, but each day counts!

Silly Ideas and Smart Thinking

At some point I need to stop reading new nutrition and exercise books. Very reasonable-sounding programs start to contradict each other, and now I've been up three hours and still can't decide what to eat.

This entire week at Superfit we've been doing "rapid fire." This means that, instead of the usual circuit of 4 resistance exercises and 3 minutes on cardio, rinse, repeat, we've done the entire cycle of 12-15 exercises around the room without stopping, going medium weight, heavy weight, ultra-heavy weight, then 10 minutes on cardio. KILLER. Everyone hates rapid fire, but part of the beauty of Superfit is that everyone is in there slogging along together, so we all gripe and moan, and yet we all do it!

As I prepare to head back to non-Superfit land when vacation ends, I'm trying to figure out how to incorporate the best aspects of it into my training plan away from home.

1. I'm thinking that one of the keys is the accountability aspect. They expect me to show up three days a week, and they'll call me out (and sometimes actually call me) if I start slacking. So, work-out partner? Or at least an accountability buddy. 
2. Once I get in, I just put my head down and pound it out until the hour is done. No slacking. I know when I walk in the door that I'm going to kill it and it's going to be awesome. Walking in the door of a regular gym with no pseudo-personal trainer waiting? I might do a pretty respectable job, but it will never reach the same level. So, guided things, perhaps. iPod downloads? Workout videos? Convincing aforementioned work-out partner/accountability buddy to act as a trainer, with the favor reciprocated? With a set time limit or workout goal, so I can't bug out early.
3. Going to the point of fatigue, or at least only a few reps away from it. Working out a different muscle, and then going back to the first. Generally, when I'm doing something by myself, I call it good the second I can feel the muscle. Which is totally bugging out. 

I think this all comes down to the fact that I need someone else calling the shots. If someone tells me to do it, I'll go all out. But it doesn't work as well when I tell me to do it. This is something to work on, obviously. I imagine most of the marathon training, even with a running buddy and maybe even a coach, is going to have to come from within. But for now, it's good to acknowledge my workout weaknesses and come up with some fixes. 

Re-remembered an old favorite blog, and found a new one. Thought I'd share:

No Meat Athlete (the rediscovered)

Daily Garnish

Both of these blogs focus on vegetarian food, and running. The No Meat Athlete guy has started running ultras (the ultimate goal!), and the Daily Garnish lady is a trained vegetarian chef, so you know the food is good! Highly recommend them, along with the aforementioned Oh She Glows and Eating Bird Food.

Back in the Saddle

Totally fell off the running wagon, but started back up last week. Apparently all of my daily biking around campus is doing good for my legs and cardiovascular system, because I decided to try running on the tredmill for 90 seconds, and because Grease was playing on the TV I didn't realize how long it had been and ended up running for 5 minutes straight. Definitely a big step for me.

So, have some good mojo heading back into the world of running!

Also, I discovered a book. I have yet to read this book, as I am currently 83rd on the holds list at the library and it is still in hardback so I haven't purchased it yet, but it looks amazing and has really inspired me to get going. It is called Born to Run, and I highly recommend you check it out. Talks about how running naturally doesn't injure you, rather, the expensive running shoes you buy do, among many other things. The main focus is a tribe whose name starts with T but I can never remember beyond that. Apparently they are legendary for being able to run hundreds of miles at once without breaking a sweat, in bare feet, without getting injured. In the mountainous regions of Chihuahua. 

Anywhoo, it sounds really interesting and exciting and I REALLY WANT TO READ IT. Also, really want to get out and start running! But it's late, it's cold, and I just killed myself at a gym session that involved almost nothing but deadlifts. 

Excuses, excuses, I know. But at least I will go eat hummus like the book suggests.