I've been going to the gym after subbing jobs I've had this week. I have several reasons that motivate me to do this. 1) It burns off steam after being in a classroom all day 2) I'm out already, I have my gym bag, I ought to go 3) The people who work there during the day are really nice and encouraging.
Tuesday I just did 2 miles and then Wednesday I ran 5k. I did it pretty slow and read a book while I ran, but I did it nonetheless. :-) I felt really great about myself. My energy was great, but my knee killed me afterwards and it still twinges a bit... I'm a little worried that I injured myself. I felt it beginning to hurt, but tried to ignore it and the slight stitch in my side because mentally I felt great and my energy was high. I'm going to hit the asphalt today because it's in the 50's and I'm so happy to have some warmer weather. I'll update the situation when I get back. :-)
ETA: Ran 1 mile in 10.05. Remind me not to run when all I've had to drink is a tiny glass of cranberry/pom juice. It feels awful. Knee held up okay once I got into it.
Friday, January 15, 2010
Friday, January 8, 2010
Clean-Out-The-Fridge Soup
Okay. Last week I bought WAY too much produce for too many recipes that looked good. I didn't want to waste more money than I already have on the ground turkey I forgot to use. So, I took a cue from Tosca Reno and just made a soup out of everything I had in the fridge that worked. I present to you... Clean-Out-The-Fridge Soup:
Ingredients:
1 large green bell pepper
1 medium yellow onion
2 large stalks of celery
2 thick carrots (I should have done three... I LOVE carrots in soups!)
1 cup chopped green cabbage
3 cloves of garlic pressed through a garlic press
Sea Salt and Black Pepper
1 palmful oregano
1 palmful cumin
1 palmful paprika
2 pinches of rubbed sage
1 package of pre-cooked smoked turkey sausage
2 tbsp Extra Virgin Olive Oil
32 oz of Low Sodium Chicken Stock (I used two 14 oz cans and some leftovers from soup last week)
1 14 oz can low-sodium diced tomatoes
2 15 oz cans pinto beans
1 1/2 cups (or more...) of frozen corn
Sautee the first 6 items in stock pot with Olive Oil and spices for 8-10 minutes. Meanwhile, brown the sausage. Add spices to this if desired.
Add stock, tomatoes, beans, and sausage to vegetables. Bring to a boil, then simmer for 20 minutes.
Add corn and simmer for another 5-10 minutes.
Serve and enjoy. I sure did. :-)
1 large green bell pepper
1 medium yellow onion
2 large stalks of celery
2 thick carrots (I should have done three... I LOVE carrots in soups!)
1 cup chopped green cabbage
3 cloves of garlic pressed through a garlic press
Sea Salt and Black Pepper
1 palmful oregano
1 palmful cumin
1 palmful paprika
2 pinches of rubbed sage
1 package of pre-cooked smoked turkey sausage
2 tbsp Extra Virgin Olive Oil
32 oz of Low Sodium Chicken Stock (I used two 14 oz cans and some leftovers from soup last week)
1 14 oz can low-sodium diced tomatoes
2 15 oz cans pinto beans
1 1/2 cups (or more...) of frozen corn
Sautee the first 6 items in stock pot with Olive Oil and spices for 8-10 minutes. Meanwhile, brown the sausage. Add spices to this if desired.
Add stock, tomatoes, beans, and sausage to vegetables. Bring to a boil, then simmer for 20 minutes.
Add corn and simmer for another 5-10 minutes.
Serve and enjoy. I sure did. :-)
Thursday, January 7, 2010
It's been a while...
And I'm sorry about that... to all two of you who read my blog. I've been busy SUBSTITUTE TEACHING! Yes! I have job! I've been able to do two and a half days this week at an elementary school nearby and I have at least a half day next week so far. I check the site religiously to find as many jobs as possible. I'm heading in today at 11.15 for my half day, which will be super fun and easy because the classroom is a cooperative classroom, so the only things I'll have to do are take them to lunch, watch them at recess, and get them on the bus. Another teacher does the Social Studies lesson around the time I get there, then there's lunch and recess, then Daily Oral Language is done by another teacher and then it's quittin' time. :-) I like easy days. It's definitely different than High School English!
Not much else to report. I did FINALLY go running yesterday. Only 1.75 miles, but I did something, which makes me feel good. I couldn't find my shorts with the... "butt pocket" as I call it. I like wearing them under pants because they have a zippered pocket for my Zune, phone, and key. :-) I don't know if the fact that I exercised makes my eyes see myself differently in the mirror or what, but I was very pleased with myself this morning. :-)
Not much else to report. I did FINALLY go running yesterday. Only 1.75 miles, but I did something, which makes me feel good. I couldn't find my shorts with the... "butt pocket" as I call it. I like wearing them under pants because they have a zippered pocket for my Zune, phone, and key. :-) I don't know if the fact that I exercised makes my eyes see myself differently in the mirror or what, but I was very pleased with myself this morning. :-)
Friday, January 1, 2010
101 in 1001
101 in 1001
The Mission:
Complete 101 preset tasks in a period of 1001 days.
The Criteria:
Tasks must be specific (i.e. no ambiguity in the wording) with a result that is either measurable or clearly defined. Tasks must also be realistic and stretching (i.e. represent some amount of work on my part).
Why 1001 Days?
Many people have created lists in the past - frequently simple goals such as New Year's resolutions. The key to beating procrastination is to set a deadline that is realistic. 1001 Days (about 2.75 years) is a better period of time than a year, because it allows you several seasons to complete the tasks, which is better for organizing and timing some tasks such as overseas trips or outdoor activities.
Health and Fitness
1. Run another 5k
2.Run a 10k
3. Run a half marathon
4. Take a class at the gym
5. Run 15 miles a week for 8 out of 12 months of a year (0/8)
6. No fast food for a month (0/30)
7. Get back to 112 lbs
8. Compete the 30 Day Shred (0/30)
9. Complete the New Rules of Lifting for Women
10.Take a ZUMBA class
11. Drink enough water every day for a week and blog about the effects (0/7)
12. Eat completely clean for a week (0/7)
13.Buy running tights
14.Do a workout from FitTV
15.Avoid soda for 3 months (consecutive not necessary) (3/3)
16. Exercise for 30 minutes minimum every day for a month (0/30)
17. Go to the gym 15 days/month for 6 months (0/6)
Home
18. Buy a home
19. Buy local food for a month
20. No T.V. for a week (0/7)
21. No sugar for a week (0/7)
22.Go to the farmer’s market
23. Collect at least 10 “nautical” books (2/10)
24. Host a dinner party
25. Follow a cleaning schedule for at least one month (0/30)
26. Find 5 things every month to donate to Goodwill (0/32)
27. Buy a new rug for the living room
28.Buy a Dutch Oven
29.Buy a Garlic Press
30.Buy a DVD shelf
31.Buy a CD rack
32.Reorganize kitchen cabinets in current Townhome
33.Buy a fire extinguisher
34. Make a cheesecake from scratch
35. Make a Julia Child recipe
36. Make one recipe from our Diners, Drive-Ins, and Dives cookbook
Money
37. Pay off majority, if not all, of school loans
38. Save up for house down payment
39. Follow budget for 6 months straight (0/6)
40. Buy nothing extraneous for three (consecutive not necessary) months (0/3)
Creative
41. Finish wedding scrapbook
42. SC Vacation scrapbook
43. Complete uncompleted scrapbooks
44.Learn to knit
45. Sew 10 garments for Katie (0/10)
46. Make 5 garments for self (1/5)
47. Frame some of Craig’s photos
48. Paint a picture
49. Make a mosaic
50. Finish writing story
51.Rotate photos in current frames
52.Make three pieces of jewelry (3/3)
Travel
53. Go to Vegas
54. Go to Disney
55. Go to NYC
56.Go to TX
57. Go to visit Grandparents
58. Go to Busch Gardens
59. Hike three mountains (0/3)
60. Go to a zoo
61. Go to the Village Café as featured on Diners, Drive-Ins, and Dives
Personal
62.Find a job
63. Get a dog
64. Buy LOST Seasons5 and 6 on DVD
65. Learn Wilton cake decorating technique
66. Sell a cake
67.Buy two new skirts (2/2)
68. Drive a stick shift
69. Blog extensively for a week (0/7)
70. Get a Passport
71.Buy black boots
72. List one thing I’m thankful for every day for a month
73.Avoid Facebook for one week (7/7)
74. Volunteer for something
75. Donate blood
76. Get 5 manicures (3/5)
77.Buy a Kate Spade purse
Books and Movies
78. Finish Everybody Loves Raymond DVD series (7/9)
79.Finish Arrested Development DVD series
80. Finish No. 1 Ladies’ Detective Agency DVD series
81.Finish Reba DVD series
82. Finish Pride and Prejudice (book)
83. Read 25 books in 12 months (0/25)
84. Read 50 books in 12 months (0/50)
85. Watch all of Gone with the Wind
86. Finish reading the No. 1 Ladies’ Detective Agency books (7/10)
87. Reread the Lord of the Rings trilogy (0/3)
88. Watch all three Lord of the Rings movies in one day
89. Read two C.S. Lewis Books (0/2)
90. Read the Bible through twice (0/2)
Other
91. Go to 5 concerts (3/5) (Norah Jones, Iron and Wine, Tommy Emmanuel)
92.See Wicked
93. Discover a new musician
94. Go to a pro-sports game
95.Go see a play
96. Go on a date with my husband once a month (11/32)
97. Go to a Flying Squirrels baseball game
98. Go to a Spiders football game
99.Go to an opera
100.Go to a Flames football game (Homecoming 2010)
101. Beat Rayman’s Raving Rabbids on Wii
The Mission:
Complete 101 preset tasks in a period of 1001 days.
The Criteria:
Tasks must be specific (i.e. no ambiguity in the wording) with a result that is either measurable or clearly defined. Tasks must also be realistic and stretching (i.e. represent some amount of work on my part).
Why 1001 Days?
Many people have created lists in the past - frequently simple goals such as New Year's resolutions. The key to beating procrastination is to set a deadline that is realistic. 1001 Days (about 2.75 years) is a better period of time than a year, because it allows you several seasons to complete the tasks, which is better for organizing and timing some tasks such as overseas trips or outdoor activities.
Health and Fitness
1. Run another 5k
2.
3. Run a half marathon
4. Take a class at the gym
5. Run 15 miles a week for 8 out of 12 months of a year (0/8)
6. No fast food for a month (0/30)
7. Get back to 112 lbs
8. Compete the 30 Day Shred (0/30)
9. Complete the New Rules of Lifting for Women
10.
11. Drink enough water every day for a week and blog about the effects (0/7)
12. Eat completely clean for a week (0/7)
13.
14.
15.
16. Exercise for 30 minutes minimum every day for a month (0/30)
17. Go to the gym 15 days/month for 6 months (0/6)
Home
18. Buy a home
19. Buy local food for a month
20. No T.V. for a week (0/7)
21. No sugar for a week (0/7)
22.
23. Collect at least 10 “nautical” books (2/10)
24. Host a dinner party
25. Follow a cleaning schedule for at least one month (0/30)
26. Find 5 things every month to donate to Goodwill (0/32)
27. Buy a new rug for the living room
28.
29.
30.
31.
32.
33.
34. Make a cheesecake from scratch
35. Make a Julia Child recipe
36. Make one recipe from our Diners, Drive-Ins, and Dives cookbook
Money
37. Pay off majority, if not all, of school loans
38. Save up for house down payment
39. Follow budget for 6 months straight (0/6)
40. Buy nothing extraneous for three (consecutive not necessary) months (0/3)
Creative
41. Finish wedding scrapbook
42. SC Vacation scrapbook
43. Complete uncompleted scrapbooks
44.
45. Sew 10 garments for Katie (0/10)
46. Make 5 garments for self (1/5)
47. Frame some of Craig’s photos
48. Paint a picture
49. Make a mosaic
50. Finish writing story
51.
52.
Travel
53. Go to Vegas
54. Go to Disney
55. Go to NYC
56.
57. Go to visit Grandparents
58. Go to Busch Gardens
59. Hike three mountains (0/3)
60. Go to a zoo
61. Go to the Village Café as featured on Diners, Drive-Ins, and Dives
Personal
62.
63. Get a dog
64. Buy LOST Seasons
65. Learn Wilton cake decorating technique
66. Sell a cake
67.
68. Drive a stick shift
69. Blog extensively for a week (0/7)
70. Get a Passport
71.
72. List one thing I’m thankful for every day for a month
73.
74. Volunteer for something
75. Donate blood
76. Get 5 manicures (3/5)
77.
Books and Movies
78. Finish Everybody Loves Raymond DVD series (7/9)
79.
80. Finish No. 1 Ladies’ Detective Agency DVD series
81.
82. Finish Pride and Prejudice (book)
83. Read 25 books in 12 months (0/25)
84. Read 50 books in 12 months (0/50)
85. Watch all of Gone with the Wind
86. Finish reading the No. 1 Ladies’ Detective Agency books (7/10)
87. Reread the Lord of the Rings trilogy (0/3)
88. Watch all three Lord of the Rings movies in one day
89. Read two C.S. Lewis Books (0/2)
90. Read the Bible through twice (0/2)
Other
91. Go to 5 concerts (3/5) (Norah Jones, Iron and Wine, Tommy Emmanuel)
92.
93. Discover a new musician
94. Go to a pro-sports game
95.
96. Go on a date with my husband once a month (11/32)
97. Go to a Flying Squirrels baseball game
98. Go to a Spiders football game
99.
100.
101. Beat Rayman’s Raving Rabbids on Wii
Thursday, December 31, 2009
Clean Eating Potato Skins
Adapted from Nov/Dec Issue of Clean Eating Magazine
5 small Potatoes (about 150 grams each)
Extra Virgin Olive Oil
Low Fat Cheddar Cheese
1-2 Green Onions
4 slices Turkey Bacon
Salt
Pepper
Cayenne Pepper
Paprika
Poke holes in potatoes with a fork, place in microwave for about 10 minutes, or until "fork tender". Cut in half and dig out the inside of the potato with a spoon leaving between 1/4 and 1/2 inch of the potato. Place on greased cooking sheet, drizzle with olive oil and sprinkle spices over skins (careful with that cayenne!). Bake for 10 minutes at 425*.
Meanwhile, cook turkey bacon until crisp. Crumble the bacon and slice green onions (enough to sprinkle a few slices on each skin).
Take skins out of oven, sprinkle with cheese (as much as you want, I guess... I mean, the real recipe says some specific amount, but it's in the kitchen and I'm watching the Hokies beat the Vols in the Chick-fil-a bowl, sooo...), bacon, and green onions. Continue baking another 15 minutes or until potatoes are browned.
Serve immediately with sour cream on the side.
DEEEELISH. Great football game snack.
5 small Potatoes (about 150 grams each)
Extra Virgin Olive Oil
Low Fat Cheddar Cheese
1-2 Green Onions
4 slices Turkey Bacon
Salt
Pepper
Cayenne Pepper
Paprika
Poke holes in potatoes with a fork, place in microwave for about 10 minutes, or until "fork tender". Cut in half and dig out the inside of the potato with a spoon leaving between 1/4 and 1/2 inch of the potato. Place on greased cooking sheet, drizzle with olive oil and sprinkle spices over skins (careful with that cayenne!). Bake for 10 minutes at 425*.
Meanwhile, cook turkey bacon until crisp. Crumble the bacon and slice green onions (enough to sprinkle a few slices on each skin).
Take skins out of oven, sprinkle with cheese (as much as you want, I guess... I mean, the real recipe says some specific amount, but it's in the kitchen and I'm watching the Hokies beat the Vols in the Chick-fil-a bowl, sooo...), bacon, and green onions. Continue baking another 15 minutes or until potatoes are browned.
Serve immediately with sour cream on the side.
DEEEELISH. Great football game snack.
Sunday, December 27, 2009
Time to undo everything I've done...
It's been a lousy eating/exercise week. I feel soooo bloated, tired, and just blah. Not to mention my husband's extra present to me: a cold. Sigh... I'm going to be setting some goals very soon about fitness and eating. I've had a year to find lots of recipes and quite a few months to collect clean recipes and learn how to substitute things, so things should be easier now. Once I have control again, it'll all be easier. I think I might pick up a 30 Day Shred DVD at Target. I see a lot of fitness DVDs that are like 45 minutes... I can't do a DVD for that long, but the 30DS is only 20 minutes, that's very easy to handle.
I also would like to get back into running ASAP. I'd like to start a regular running schedule of about 13-15 miles a week, I think.
Something resembling this...
M: 3 Miles
T: 2 Miles
W: 3 Miles
Th: 2 Miles
F: 3 Miles
We'll see what happens... :-/ When normalcy returns, it'll be easier to do it. I just have to make myself do it! I'm also going to go to a class at the gym this week, just to see what's that like. That and I get points for the HFNHC! :-)
I also would like to get back into running ASAP. I'd like to start a regular running schedule of about 13-15 miles a week, I think.
Something resembling this...
M: 3 Miles
T: 2 Miles
W: 3 Miles
Th: 2 Miles
F: 3 Miles
We'll see what happens... :-/ When normalcy returns, it'll be easier to do it. I just have to make myself do it! I'm also going to go to a class at the gym this week, just to see what's that like. That and I get points for the HFNHC! :-)
Tuesday, December 22, 2009
Christmas time is here...
Well, after some very, very trecherous driving around VA, we made it to my mom's yesterday and the IL's today. It was a big uffda to get around for sure. The main roads were still not great, which was surprising. Oh well, we're done driving for two days at least.
I'm going to try to get out and run a quick something tomorrow because I need some outdoor time. Being cooped up has been miserable. That and the dinner I consumed tonight is too fattening to think about much less mention to my healthy friends. Attempting to be good seems so futile. At least I took small portions and only had two extra bites after my plate was clear. I'm having more trouble sleeping and I was trying to figure out why, and now that I think about my exercise, I bet it's because I haven't been exercising at all. DUH. My stomach has been way off the past few days since I've not been eating the right things, either. Doing things wrong really does affect me!
I'm going to try to get out and run a quick something tomorrow because I need some outdoor time. Being cooped up has been miserable. That and the dinner I consumed tonight is too fattening to think about much less mention to my healthy friends. Attempting to be good seems so futile. At least I took small portions and only had two extra bites after my plate was clear. I'm having more trouble sleeping and I was trying to figure out why, and now that I think about my exercise, I bet it's because I haven't been exercising at all. DUH. My stomach has been way off the past few days since I've not been eating the right things, either. Doing things wrong really does affect me!
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