Cold Food is Good Food

I didn't get the fridge, unfortunately, but I decided that I just plain need some form of refrigeration, so I've ordered this funky electric cooler off of Amazon. It should help things last for a few days. It's pretty small, so I'm planning on prioritizing:

• Almond milk
• Emmental cheese
• Opened cans of beans
• Bulk batches of quinoa
• Opened cans of coconut milk
• And finally, overnight oats made in Tupperware

I want to get back on the Five Factor diet (affiliate link) idea. I haven't found any corn tortillas here, which is unfortunate, but I can make my standard burritos sans the tortilla, and still cover my bases. It means I won't have my olive oil for the healthy fat, but there are healthy fats in the beans and the chia, so it should still work out. And I can always eat a few almonds. Maybe if I run through this quinoa fast I might try millet as well. Emily at Daily Garnish speaks highly of it. But, when you factor in Spring Break, I'll actually only be eating in this room another two months, so I shouldn't go out buying anything else just yet!

Starting to worry that my chia might have gone bad. The last few batches of overnight oats I have made have tasted pretty sketchy, like something has spoiled, but the mixture I've been making of oats, crushed cashews, and agave syrup has been fine. I hope my chia hasn't died! It's probably really expensive to ship over here, and I didn't see any in Naturalia.

Push-ups were harder today, but still doable. Also about to go add in some ab work.

As far as actually getting out to run goes, I'm still being a weeny about it. A blog I stumbled across but can't for the life of me remember the name of collected some motivational exercise quotes from her readers, and I noted down a few:

• Pain is weakness leaving the body
• You are just one workout away from a good mood!
• Obsessed is a word the lazy use to describe the dedicated
• I've never regretted a workout
• You know your limit, and this is NOT it!

Hopefully making these a mantra will get me out the door. 

Experimentation Time!

Got back from my "shopping trip" and now I'm experimenting happily away with lentils. It's entirely possible that this first set will taste horrible, but now I'm at my luxury to try out multiple different ways.

On today's menu: Green lentils, cooked in water with a dash of curry powder and coconut milk, probably to be mixed with more coconut milk and spices. Quinoa, cooked in water and coconut milk, possibly mixed with more coconut milk, vanilla, cinnamon, etc.

Going to look up information on running in the Jardin du Luxembourg while the lentils simmer.

Will update with the results of the feast!

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...

First Musings on Inspiration

Starting to readjust to my circuit training, after almost two weeks back on it. I've found that getting really pumped and mentally in the game before I walk in, often through a conscious effort, helps me to really get all I can get out of the workout. Obviously, just going through the paces is a whole lot better than not going in even if I'm not bringing my A-game, but why not always bring said game? I'm paying for it, I might as well get all I can get!

Sometimes just having a really happy daydream going on works- my best workout ever came when I spent most of my time imagining winning an Oscar for Best Original Screenplay. Yesterday, I was fresh from starting Apolo Ohno's book Zero Regrets: Be Greater Than Yesterday. I am only about halfway through, but it is very inspiring (which seems to be rather the point). Oddly, though, what really got me going was not from a part I have reached yet. The only season of Dancing with the Stars I ever watched was the season he won, and I suddenly remembered all of the effort he put into nailing the jump in the paso double. The next thing I knew, I was pounding out lat pulldowns like nobody's business. So, good find.

I've been eating smart today. I kinda screwed around a little the past few days, but today I've been solid. Breakfast was a mix of Kashi Go Lean! and Kashi Go Lean! Crunch (regular has more fiber and protein, Crunch is tastier and has more whole grains), with skim milk and a healthy serving of chia mixed in. Lunch I had to do on the go, so I packed two slices of sharp cheddar, some reduced fat Triscuits, and a handful of almonds in a plastic baggy, all consumed with some ice water. And then dinner was a quick but tasty affair- a bowl full of quinoa, heated, with teriyaki sauce and chia. It's the first time I've tried teriyaki sauce with something other than rice, and I have to tell you, quinoa and teriyaki sauce work wonderfully together. I'm still perfecting my own teriyaki recipe, so for now I just buy bottles of it from my favorite local teriyaki restaurant. NOT the nasty stuff you can buy in glass bottles in stores. I don't know what that stuff even is, but it is not teriyaki sauce, I promise you. I don't care what the label says.

Talk to you soon! And Merry Christmas*!!



*I'm a huge Christmas person, but I have no wish to offend. So if you want a shout-out for other occasions, hit me up in the comments! I'll gladly wish y'all a Happy Hanukkah, Happy Solstice, Happy Random Government Holiday in December, Happy Stare Dramatically Off Into the Distance Day, or whatever else your heart desires (within the bounds of propriety, of course!!). 

Weddings in Barns and Paris in the Springtime

I've become suddenly taken with cooking and preparing healthy, raw, etc. meals. I think this is a result of becoming hooked on several foodie blogs (OhSheGlows, EatingBirdFood predominately, also Fitnessista and Eat.Run.DoYoga.). It's probably a good thing! It means I am spending my time getting excited about all of the awesome fuel I can give my body, rather than the random junk I can stuff my face with. And the goal is to make it all taste good, which is a HUGE bonus.

One of my number one meals right now is pretty simply and very good for you. I came up with it after reading Born to Run. It's pretty simple:

• Small corn tortilla (high in fiber, whole grain)
• Thin layer of cheddar/jack grated cheese blend
• Generous layer of quinoa (high in fiber, high in protein- a complete protein, whole grain)
• Layer of refried beans (fiber, high in protein, good for processing fats)
• Second layer of quinoa
• Layer of chia seeds (high in fiber, protein, high in omega-3 fatty acids, high in antioxidants)
• Smallest dash of ground sea salt (for taste)

If I have the time and inclination, I like to prepare the tortilla with a dash of olive oil on the stove, then melt the cheese onto it, and preheat the quinoa and beans in the microwave, assuming I haven't just made the quinoa fresh. However, the tortillas I have right now, combined with a very enthusiastic stove, tend to create solid shells that don't wrap nicely, so I've taken to just loading everything up and popping it in the microwave. A little less gourmet, but still tasty, and very convenient! If I was super snazzy I would layer in some grilled pepper chunks or strips of kale, but I'm just not that hopped up on vegetables yet.

I've restarted my intensive circuit training three days a week at Superfit. It's my first week back, and I've made it in all three days this week. Actually holding up fairly well. I'm on significantly lower weights than I would like, but I've been able to make it through each work out and be functional the next day. While it's cold out and we are still without treadmill, I'm using jumping jacks and a funky stair regimen to work on my cardio, in lieu of actually going out running. I know, I should just lady up and do it, but it turns out that jumping jacks are actually a lot more work than I remembered. Seriously. Get up and do a hundred. Right around 40, you will start to realize it's not just kids play.

I read about the stair thing somewhere online, I think. I don't remember where, or I would link it. It's a way to get in a crazy stair workout, without having to go find stadium stairs or anything in your city. All you need is a standard flight of stairs that can be found in any house.

1. Climb up one stair, then go back down.
2. Climb up two stairs, then go back down.
3. Climb up one stair, then go back down.
4. Climb up two stairs, then go back down.
5. Climb up three stairs, then go back down.
6. Climb up two stairs, then go back down.
7. Climb up one stair, then go back down.
8. Climb up two stairs, then go back down.
9. Climb up three stairs, then go back down.
10. Climb up four stairs, then go back down.
11. Climb up three stairs, then go back down.
12. Climb up two stairs, then go back down.
13. Climb up one stair, then go back down.

Are you starting to get it? The first couple of times you do this, making it to six stairs is a real accomplishment (if you are cardio-challenged like me, at least). The goal is to make it to ten stairs (and then obviously work it down, with 9 stairs, then 8, then 7, etc.).

Stairs are really an excellent workout. It is NOT a gentle one. It lands a body blow to your heart and lungs if you aren't careful. I try to mix it up, whether or not I work to the gasping state (usually if I'm climbing actual stairs and I'm late for something) or slow down when my heart really starts to pound.

I'm going to be in Paris spring semester, which has me a little worried as far as keeping up my eating regimen, not to mention solid workouts. Apparently, in Europe, people don't go out jogging on the streets. I'll have to see if that is still true. My current plan as far as workouts go is to get P90x to use in my dorm room, and then just walk everywhere. When I get back for the summer, I'll start training in earnest for the San Antonio Rock'n'Roll Marathon that will be held in the fall of my senior year. Fortunately, I have a more firm goal than an as of yet un-signed-up-for marathon: one of my oldest, best friends is getting married this August, and she wants to go on an overnight backpacking trip for her bachelorette party! I don't want to be the stick in the mud that slows the whole group down, so I want to be in tip top shape this coming August.

I'm really glad about that last part, actually. I do genuinely want to be healthier and in better shape for what it will do for me, but I can't deny that the largest part of my desire is to lose weight and look good. And while that is perfectly valid, any fitness guru will tell you that looks aren't enough motivation to get you out of a nice warm bed on a chilly day. So, wanting to look good in my bridesmaid dress wasn't going to get the job done. But I legitimately want to be able to keep up with the bride-to-be on her bachelorette hike, and not slow anything down. And she is a freakishly fit person. So it's going to take some doing, but I'm feeling motivated and confident.