Picture 65

So this is a really poor picture, but I forgot to take one earlier. I went to the gym tonight for the first time in a couple weeks, and my plan was to take a picture of the treadmill when I had finished running. Due to unexpected complications, though, it slipped my mind. I haven’t been good about keep my New Year’s Resolution of going to the gym these last few weeks because my sister and little niece were in town, and I wanted to hang out with them while I could. They left about a week ago, but I’ve had such a random work schedule, plus I went out of town for a few days.

Now that everything has calmed down again, I’m renewing my focus. And I’m committed to turning myself into a runner. It doesn’t hurt my knees as much as I seemed to remember, so that’s a good sign. I ran a mile about two weeks ago and felt pretty good about it, so I thought I’d try again tonight. You know- slowly work my way up. About 3/4’s of a mile in tonight though, it felt like my lungs were collapsing (that’s probably a slight exaggeration, but you get the point). I had to slow to a walk and really concentrate on catching my breath. I’ve never smoked a cigarette (or anything else for that matter) in my life, and I’m not that out of shape, so I’m a little concerned. I have trouble breathing from time to time, but I always just assumed it was anxiety since it would hit me at weird times, and never really impacted my daily life. I’ve never been gasping for air or anything like I always imagine asthma attacks to be like. After tonight though, I don’t know anymore. I’m not going to give up on running, but it sucks that now I have to worry about this, too.

Any runners out there, I’ll take advice/tips on how to get over hating it

[Via http://fallingforthesea.wordpress.com]

Lunch Ideas - BBQ Burger

I just got home from the gym on Saturday afternoon and I desperately want a big lunch, but I know that I’m going out tonight with some friends, and a big lunch coupled with going out tonight would kill any sort of progress I made today.  I’m probably going to end up making a little sandwich and munching on a couple carrots, but I checked around to dig out a good healthy lunch recipe that might actually trick your appetite into thinking you ate a lot.

Ingredients:

• Veggie Burger Patty (Let’s face it, I’m not eating a veggie patty either, but it is the healthier option)
• Whole wheat bun
• Tablespoon of BBQ sauce (Again, which sauce you choose can impact the healthiness of the meal, so choose wisely)
• 1/2 Avocado (You can do 1/4 of some sort of melon here, depending on what you think about weird fruits)
• 4-6 Oz of Pineapple (I ALWAYS have a little bit of cottage cheese with my pineapple. Don’t judge me.)

Directions:

Cook the patty in the microwave, dollop the BBQ sauce on the burger, cut up the avacodo and away you go.  I’m thinking its about a 10 minute prep time lunch that will make you feel like you actually ate something more than a granola bar and still be healthy.

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Do you have a good, healthy recipe for any meal of the day? Put it in an email and I’ll post it here for all of TeamSlim to taste.  We’re all in this together, and since we all have to eat, let’s get some good food going.

[Via http://teamslim.wordpress.com]

Movement Feeds the Soul!!!

What’s Up guys! I am feeling pretty good after a very productive week. I actually got off to such a great start after last weekend, because last Saturday and Sunday I got my butt back into dance classes! I took a Hip-Hop class and an African Brazilian class at Crunch. They were amazing!!! It felt amazing to move my body like that again. Wow! Dancing is such great exercise and it’s food for my Soul! How about you? What types of movement feed your soul?

I am such a believer in exercise that strengthens the mind, body, soul connection. I definitely feel more connected in my life no matter what kind of exercise I’m doing, as long as I’m exercising. However, for me, dance really is the language of my soul and it allows me to express myself in a way that words cannot. This is so important. We must find ways in which we can feel fully expressed in our own lives. This allows us to have a positive experience of ourselves in the world. That is what dance does for me. It helps me feel fully expressed, free, happy, and full of empowerment.

What does this for you? I guarantee you if you can find some form of movement that makes your soul sing and your body feel free, and your heart fill up  with love and appreciation for it, you will feel so empowered in your day-to-day life. I’d love to hear your thoughts. Please leave all questions and comments here for me on the blog Here’s To your Health, Wellness, and Vitality!!!

[Via http://erinsadventures.wordpress.com]

Whoops..

So I’ve really neglected this thing. Although, by my estimation, I have about 3 regular viewers, my husband, my friend, and a variable.  I don’t feel a whole lot of duty to blogging. But, I thought I would update.

I’ve kind of been in a slump–workout, blogging, healthy eating, just general attitude.  I doubt I’ve been altogether pleasant, but I’m working on that.  My job has been a really, huge bummer lately and it’s been miserably cold here (shut up, I’m a Florida girl born and raised). I do not do well with sub 65 weather. 

I’m determined to break the slump! I worked out this morning and then ate a salad (and fried pickles…) for lunch and today I am determined to have a good day at work. So here’s to that. 

On the grad school front, I just went and visited my top choice.  It looks good, but I think they’re going to have a very small admissions class.  My potential advisor seems positive, however. He’s still totally adorable. 

As far as giving up infertility for lent.  I’m not sure.  I can’t tell if I’ve just shoved it away or really learned to give it up. I’m still totally irritated by not functioning properly, but it isn’t so painful anymore.  I think school has been a welcome distraction.  I have a path that doesn’t and shouldn’t include kiddos, so I’m happy.  

Gah, this one was boring.  Hopefully I’ll have a good one for you tomorrow. 

Oh! another 5k in 9 days! I’m hoping to shave 5 minutes off my time. Ha!

[Via http://steffiec.wordpress.com]

Training & Diet Day 3

I had a banana when I woke up, packed a lunch that consisted of a fruit salad, with guava, strawberries and dried raisins. It wasn’t enough, but I resisted the urge to eat something at work.

When I came home, I made myself some homemade sushi rolls, without fish. Instead, I cooked some spicy beef and chicken, took a few slices of meat, and put them inside a roll with some rice. The roll was wrapped with seaweed. Garnished with wasabi, chili sauce and some soya sauce. It tasted pretty good. I made sure that I waited 30 minutes before eating some more.

I didn’t have a coffee, but took a Camelbak bottle in which some milk tea was infusing. It did the trick.

[Via http://range.wordpress.com]

Some company on the road

For Lillian, the sports masseuse

I woke up this morning with the calf still sore and was just about to go out for a slow one when an email popped into my box: ‘You sound sore, fancy some company?’ It was my pal, Ben Maher, who is training for the London Marathon and was working from home today.

About 30 minutes later, we were out around Tooting Common, chatting away and catching up as we ran in the bright sunlight… having someone to run with and something to talk about took my mind off the injury and we went around at a decentish pace of about 9.5 minutes a mile and I didn’t feel too bad at the end of it.

Later in the afternoon, I had a full hour session with Lillian, the sports masseuse at the Reaqua Spa at Streatham’s Virgin Active. It costs £52 an hour but I cannot recommend her enough… she gave my legs a thorough going over that had be squealing in pain at times and warned me to expect to be a little sorer for the rest of the day (which I have been) but said I should be feeling better tomorrow.

The best thing about it is she confirmed a comment from Steve Swift on yesterday’s post: she could find no specific injury, just some tight soft tissue from overuse. Hopefully, she’ll have loosened it all up a bit.

Click here for a Google Map and full details of the day’s run

Miles today: 3

Target: 492

Miles to date: 625.36

Want to dedicate a run to someone or have one dedicated to you? Click here

[Via http://1095miles.com]

Obligatory introductory post

Helllloooo there!

Welcome to my new blog, Sustainable Eats. It’s just another food and fitness blog, but with an environmentally-friendly twist! Can you be healthy, happy, and eco-friendly? I think you can.

Over the last few months, I’ve been trying to lose weight and engage in a more active lifestyle. So far it’s been sort of slow going. We (my husband, Trevor, and I) get on the wagon and do well for a few weeks: lifting weights, making nutritious home-cooked meals, etc. But invariably, we fall right back off again. We keep cycling back and forth between being responsible and, well, NOT. Let me tell you, it’s frustrating.

So what’s different now? I realized the other day that my birthday is just under five months away. I’m going to be turning 27, and it seems to me that now is the perfect time in my life to establish some good habits. Before we have kids or a mortgage to worry about, before our metabolisms hit rock-bottom, before our waistlines expand to the point of (seemingly) no return. I firmly believe that if we can form healthy and sustainable life-long habits now, it will have a tremendous impact on our quality of life for the next fifty years.

And so my goals for the next five months are clear. I will aspire to make healthy eating, and rigorous exercise daily habits, instead of mountainous chores that we avoid or dread doing. As I’m constantly contemplating environmental sustainability, I’ll bring that mindset to each and everything that we do!

It all sounds so easy, but some things are easier said than done. Still, I have super-secret battle plans for making these things possible. One of those plans is this blog. My hope is that being more publicly accountable (even if no one ever reads it) may help me stick to my guns when I’m feeling particularly low in the self-control department.

So, stay tuned! At the very least, this little experiment should be entertaining to watch.

[Via http://mollyawatson.wordpress.com]