Daily Work Out

Today, Friday, October 25th, 2012, I ran a 5 mile loop on the Mount Vernon Trail. Because it is my day off, I didn’t feel obligated to wake up early and rush out the door to get a run in. So I headed out around 11:45.

The trail was gorgeous. Fall is finally here, and it seems like all the leaves have changed overnight. We are also expecting a hurricane to come through so the skies have been overcast and the air has been breezy- perfect running weather, in my opinion.

My run felt really good, averaging an easy 8.30 to 9 minute mile in my Newtons. I also am just beginning to get use to my new iPhone 5. But I brought it along with me, and was able to take some really cool photos.

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Fritter

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This is not a HEALTHY post. But for all of you, that love and know Martha’s Vineyard, you will a
appreciate this half eaten fritter from, Back Door Donuts. For those that don’t know Back Door Donuts, I’ll tell you about it.

Back Door Donuts is a bakery on Martha’s Vineyard. The one I usually go to is in Oak Bluffs. They make the best Fritter and Boston Cream Donuts. The cool thing about this place is that they start baking their donuts at 7:30 at night and continue making them until 2:00 am. The amazing smell of donuts baking fills the evening air of Oak Bluffs. The best part is that although the front of the bakery is closed for the night you can run around the back to the backdoor and they will serve you there. So you can eat any donut you want fresh at night.

The only downside is that as the summers go by this bakery gets more and more popular, so be prepared to wait in line. However, although, the line goes down the block it does move pretty fast, and is totally worth the wait.

Oh and also take note, this place is really good after a night of drinking.

Pumpkin Soup

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Final photo of Soup made last night. Read the full post at http://sweatdaily.wordpress.com/2012/10/15/829

My whole house smells like pumpkin…

I have always had a love/ hate relationship with food. 

Let me explain…

Here is the love part: I love food. I have always considered myself some what of a foodie. When I was a child, I hated Mac & Cheese. I hated grilled cheese. I just wasn’t down with the kid’s menu. Instead, I always indulged with maybe a plate of hot wings, mussels, or a half dozen Maryland Bay Crabs. The point is I have always enjoyed unique food with big flavor. I am not scared to explore, and I am always open to try new foods from all nationalities.

Now here is the hate part: The problem with enjoying a variety of different foods, is that sometimes I feel that I have a hard time disciplining myself to eat a certain way. I would love to be vegan, and although I know eating a plant based diet is by far one of the healthiest ways to eat, I just can’t label myself. I’m not going to lie, some mornings I just want an iced Chai Lattes with skim milk. So for now, I am eating mainly plant based, and meat/dairy is consumed in moderation – some days are meatless, some days are dairy free. Plus I try to purchase all of my meat/dairy as organic, and on the rare occasions when organic isn’t available I go for kosher.

Some nevers and always: I rarely eat red meat. I rarely eat pork products. I never eat ground meats of any kind. I never eat processed meats or eggs. I never buy milk. I always buy wild caught fish.

More of the hate part: I don’t think I am a bad cook, but I am still learning, and sometimes my 30 minute meals takes two hours. So as you can see, cooking is time consuming. It also takes a lot of planning. You need to plan the meal, buy the ingredients. All of this is a struggle for me. Sometimes it is just easier to eat out.

My favorite types of Blogs

So my new obsession is actually health food blogs, especially vegan ones. I love reading them, and learning new ways to prepare veggies. One blog that I just recently came across is called Super Foodie Adventure. Last night, I actually made one of the recipes found on her blog and it came out awesome. The recipe is called  Beetroot and Pumpkin Dahl with smashed Avocado and Coriander.

Here are some pictures of my attempt of cooking this recipe.

chopped up onions, good in most meals.

3 garlic cloves, smashed up, way better than finely chopped.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

By cooking this soup, I got to use pumpkin for the first time. I never took a whole pumpkin and pealed it and cut it into cubes, until now. My whole house smelled lovely.

 

 

 

 

 

Also in my recipe I used golden beets instead of the purple ones used in the original recipe. This was my first time cooking and eating golden beets. They have less messy juice, and they taste a little less strong.

Everything in the pot cooking.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

I really also love the Indian flavors used in the dish.  I also found it really shocking of how satisfied and full I felt.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

I used this rice and lentil medley in the soup as well. Everything is very healthy, filling, full of flavor. When all ingredients are cooked you put the soup in a blender or food processor to blend and pulse the soup, then you top it off with smashed up avocado and cilantro.

Anyway, those are the pictures I have so far of the healthy ingredients I used for this recipe. I am really enjoying reading food blogs. It is making me try new food combos I would have never thought of trying. It is also educating me on healthy foods especially produce I would have never bought or cooked.

Always open minded, and pushing my limits physically and mentally. 

Questions for you…

  1. Who is your favorite food blogger?
  2. What is the most interesting veggie dish you have prepared?

© 2012

Sharing is Caring.

Motivation

Unfortunately, I didn’t get to try boxing yesterday. L, bailed on me last minute, because of a family emergency. I know that sounds like a big fat excuse, and yes I could have gone with out her, however, the experience wouldn’t have been the same. She is the one that has been nagging me to try it, so I will wait until we can find time to go together.

So instead of boxing, I went running. And running never disappoints me. The weather was cool, crisp, and sunny – a beautiful fall day.  I parked my car five minutes away, in my old neighborhood, the hood I grew up in. I ran from my mom’s house to the airport and back, an easy 4 mile loop.

The only thing about my run that was a little bit annoying was the Susan G. Komen 3 day Breast Cancer Walk.

Let me start out with… I totally support the Susan G. Komen 3 day Breast Cancer Walk. It is a great way to raise money for a good cause. It is great to get a group together that are all passionate about the same thing, and support each other’s stories and experiences. But… please share the trail.

My run ended up being a little bit difficult because there were about 100 plus  people dressed up in pink and tutu’s for the Susan G. Komen 3 day Breast Cancer Walk, walking slowly, chatting up a storm, taking up both sides of the trail. At one point I was running by the side of the trail in the grass, just to get around them. The other time I had to pass 20 people on the far left side. I bet the cyclists were even more pissed, most of them clipped into their bikes. I feel bad complaining about this, but I just think it was a safety hazard, and thank goodness there were no accidents.

Next time the Susan G. Komen 3 day Breast Cancer Walk, walks on the trail, someone needs to inform them of the rules and  how to be safe on the trail. If I was in charge, I would simply say no one is allowed to walk left of the yellow line. And everyone is required to walk in a single file line as far right as they can, leaving space for runners and cyclists. Because let me tell ya, the cyclists on the trail, go super fast.  The commuters have meetings to get to. And the road bikes all think they are Lance Armstrong. Trust me, I know, because if I am not running, I am on my road bike.

So there you have it, I want to end this post with a big shout out!

Good Luck to everyone participating in the Susan G. Komen 3 day Breast Cancer Walk!

found on photo on site.

© 2012

I think I need a Punching Bag.

Lately, L has been trying to convince me to come along with her to one of her boxing classes.  Although, we both run daily, and practice Bikram yoga, I have been longing for some sort of strength training. Strength training is very important especially for runners. It help enhance correct running form. It helps make one faster. But most importantly it helps prevent injury. A stronger, faster, injury free runner is always my ultimate goal.

Guess who also does Boxing?

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

The Victoria’s Secret, Adriana Lima, keeps her amazing body toned by Boxing. I don’t know about you but knowing this is very inspiring to me. It also is pretty bad ass. So on Friday I am planning on going to my first boxing class.

Questions for You

  1. Have you tried boxing?
  2. What do you do for strength training?

© 2012

(None of the photos are mine. All photos were found online.)

108 beads.

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From an early age I was always drawn to prayer beads. I found them beautiful, and comforting. However, the rosary was the type I was most familiar with. I grew up attending Catholic school, with a rosary always wrapped around my wrist.

My first encounter of Mala beads was in 2008, when I was traveling through, Greece and Turkey, but at the time I had no idea that these strands of beads were Mala beads. However, along with the evil eye and pashminas, the Mala beads were at every street vendor cart.

A year or two later, I began to read the ever so popular book, Eat Pray Love. The author Elizabeth Gilbert, wrote this book in order to find balance and discover her ultimate identity. She wrote the book in the creative form of a strand of Mala beads.

In her introduction she explains everything. The traditional Malas has 108 beads. 108 is the perfect three digit number multiple by three. Adding up to nine, which 3 x 3 = 9. And for anyone who ever studied the Holy Trinity, three is the number representing balance. So therefore, Elizabeth Gilbert told 108 tales divided into 3 sections, Italy, India, and Indonesia. (I highly recommend this book.)

The point of the beads is to keep the attention of the person during prayer. One bead is touched for each Mantra. It helps one stay focussed during meditation. Mala beads have been used for centuries and actually helped inspire the creation of of the Holy Rosary.

Although, I am Catholic, and still have a passion for praying the Rosary, I also love practicing Yoga. I have been practicing Bikram yoga for four years now. Bikram yoga is hatha yoga practiced in a room that is 105 degrees. Yoga for me started out as an intense detoxifying workout.  However, now I also enjoy the restorative spiritual side of yoga as well.

Being Catholic, I have always found the Holy Rosary beautiful, but it is for prayer and not a fashion statement. It actually is sacrilegious to wear around the neck. However, Elizabeth Gilbert, says in her book, that when she traveled through India especially through holy sites or Ashrams she saw a lot of people wearing Mala beads around their necks.  I like the idea of wearing these beads around my neck. I also like the idea of protection and the energy each strand of beads can give, depending on their color or what they are made out of.

With that said, I pray on my Rosary, but I wear my Mala. And I wanted to share with you this company I fell in love with. Last year I discovered, Tiny Devotions, and they make the most beautiful Mala beads.

The founder of Tiny Devotions, Diana Charabin, has an interesting story. She was introduced to Mala beads at her first yoga class.  Soon after she too read Elizabeth Gilbert’s book, Eat Pray Love.  After finishing Law School, she had this deep desire to be in Bali, so that is where she went, leaving behind everything in Australia. When she arrived to Bali she participated in yoga teacher training. After she completed her training she found herself longing to be creative. She began to collect the rudraksha seeds of Bali and began to make Mala beads.

Later she headed back to Canada to continue her career in Law. But still wanting to follow her calling to inspire others she decided to yet again leave Law, and start Tiny Devotions, her company where she can make and sell her Mala beads and other yoga inspired jewelry.

One of my favorite parts about Diana’s beautiful Mala beads from Tiny Devotions, is that along with the sacred rudraksha seeds she also includes a crystal stone, or semi precious gems of some sort. This gives each strand of beads a unique personality and an energetic quality.  Watch Diana Charabin tell her Story here.

I own three different strands of Mala beads from Tiny Devotions. Today I wore my Marathon Mala to work.

At work.

Marathon Mala, by Tiny Devotions.

Even some celebrities like Megan Fox, are wearing these beautiful Mala’s.

Photo found on Capricious Yogi.

Bottom line- Tiny Devotions has the most beautiful Mala beads. This company is awesome, beautiful, creative, and inspiring.

© 2012

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