Dang I'm sore today. Whoo. It was a little cooler lastnight than usual, and I was sleeping hard when that alarm clock went off. I was tired. I got to my workout a few minutes late and had to go straight into some light jogging. My body did not like that. Yesterday's workout involved lunging up and down the football field, taking a "break" at each end to do 50 sit-ups. Needless to say, my abs and thighs are very sore, and I'm sort of overall wiped out physically from my week of workouts. The odd thing, though, is that I somehow got road rash on my ass from doing yesterday's workout! I know, groty, TMI, etc., but it's so very strange and I can't figure out how it happened. Maybe from the heat? Or maybe from the repetitive sit-up motion? But I was on a mat, so??? The funny thing is that the trainer said before the workout, "Your thighs will hate you today, but your butt will thank you tomorrow!" WRONG! :) Anyway, looking forward to a weekend of active recovery.
The Paleo issue I want to kind of address today is all the TIME involved. I read something today in sparkpeople from one of the members who said, "Slow food is good food." So true! It seems like whatever your diet is like, the more TLC you put into it, the better it tastes, and with the Paleo diet, since all the food is unprocessed, you have to do all the "processing" yourself. Here are some ideas I've been working with, feel free to pitch in other ideas...
First, crock-pot cookery rules. When preparing a meal for my family, it's usually a game of odd timing. I cut, sautee, chop, brown, rub, etc., but it's not always a do-one-thing-right-after-the-next deal. So I've found that I can actually save time if I make two meals at once when I'm in the kitchen. This also saves on dishwashing time by using the same knife, cutting board, etc. wherever practical. When you're done prepping the crock-pot meal, you can just put it in the fridge and then in the morning, pull it back out and turn it on before you go to work. Then when you get home it's all ready to go. Paleo Mama has a good page of Paleo crock-pot recipes.
Another thing that's really helpful if you work in an office like I do, is to set up your office or cube with gear. Hopefully you have a fridge and microwave in a break room somewhere you can use, but if not, you can get an inexpensive small fridge on ebay. You'll also want to have plates, cups, dish detergent, napkins, knives, spoons, and forks tucked away somewhere. I work in a secured facility, so I'm stuck with plastic knives. They totally suck for cutting, but I guess it's better then trying to hack at stuff with my keys! You'll also want to keep some supplies on hand there, like salt, pepper, lemon juice, almond butter or sunbutter, vinegar, etc., because it will save you time and effort dragging stuff back and forth from home. I used to have a hot pot also, but I didn't wind up using it as much as I thought I would. I'm practically a master at meal creation at my desk... Sad but true. I'm so busy at work, and I'm similarly so busy at home. So, I just bring the food and assemble it while I eat, which often involves a lot of prep. I eat a lot of salad for lunch, usually topped with some kind of awesome MEAT. Leftovers are another great option.
Food processors are great for some things, but for mincing vegetables (even garlic) they really don't save any time in the long run. You get better at chopping the more you practice, and when I use a food processor, there is time spent assembling, disassembling, and cleaning the thing. I don't get it out unless I really need it!
Of course, the grand time-saver will always be muti-tasking. I can be prepping food while I'm on the phone (even a conference call). I can be peeling and slicing things while talking to Kevin or the kids. I don't watch tv too much, but if you do, that would be a good time to work on food prep as well.
30 Day Song Challenge
Day 24: A Song That You Want Played at Your Funeral
"Requiem in D Minor" by W.A. Mozart
I've heard a lot of people say that when they die, they want their friends and family to have a party, remember the good times, laugh, think of them fondly, play joyous music, and focus on how he / she has gone to a better place. NOT ME. I want hundreds of people at my funeral, and I want them all to be utterly inconsolable. I want loud wailing. I want fainting. I want sobbing. I want people to throw themselves over my casket and into the path of the pallbearers. I want fights to break out. I want people screaming out things like, "WHY?!" and "It's NOT FAIR!" I mean yes, I do want them to eventually recover and go on to live normal lives again, but I think grieving is healthy, and I don't think we give it enough credence these days. Most of the time when I go to a funeral, I don't even feel like it's proper to cry any more, like everyone is struggling to hold back the tears. Not at my funeral. Everyone should feel free to just let it all out. Plus of course, I'd like to know that I was missed. ;)
Friday, June 17, 2011
Wednesday, June 15, 2011
Well now, I didn't expect that!
One of the best things in the world is when you step on the scale expecting to see a gain, and instead you see a loss. That happened to me today! I haven't weighed myself since the end of the food fight back on 5/21. Since then I've been working out as planned, but I've been eating pretty much whatever. I've tried to "watch it", so to speak, but there have been more cheat days than not for sure. So, it wasn't like massive weight loss, but I lost 3 pounds essentially in the last 3 weeks.
Hell, I WILL TAKE IT.
I am trying to keep up with my 30 day song challenge, but I just can't blog every day. So the 30 days will be random, I guess.
30 Day Song Challenge
Day 25: A Song That Makes You Laugh
"Piss Up a Rope" by Ween
(Actually, most songs by Ween make me laugh. Either that or rock the fuck out!)
Hell, I WILL TAKE IT.
I am trying to keep up with my 30 day song challenge, but I just can't blog every day. So the 30 days will be random, I guess.
30 Day Song Challenge
Day 25: A Song That Makes You Laugh
"Piss Up a Rope" by Ween
(Actually, most songs by Ween make me laugh. Either that or rock the fuck out!)
Saturday, June 11, 2011
The many challenges of the Paleo lifestyle
I'm not going to try and tackle writing about them all at once. That would be "so like me" to think about zillions of things and then postpone writing for forever. I'm not going to do that. One issue at a time, people.
I got inspired actually by looking at nomnompaleo.com again recently. The chick has some great, great recipe ideas, no doubt about it. And her writing style is very down-to-earth. But there's something about her that makes her blog so very inacessible to me. For one thing, it seems like her entire life is prep-cook-prep-cook-cart her one child around-prep-cook-workout-prep-cook-workout... Look, lady, I work. I have a full-time job. I have two small children. I'm in a band. I run a monthly jam session for women. I have extended family and an active social schedule. I have a garden. I have narcolepsy. I have two dogs. So yes, prep-cook-workout still has to happen, but it's like, the same as brushing my teeth has to happen. Gotta work it in. Secondly, I don't have a ton of money for things like a sous-vide. The whole thing kind of smacks of OC soccer Mom, really. Not that I have anything against that kind of person - quite the contrary - and more power to ya sister! But I have this sneaky feeling there are more Moms / people out there like me who aren't rolling in cash or time. Yet, I'm still working in the paleo thing. Maybe I have some useful advice to offer? Or just tell me to STFU, whatever.
My biggest issue is getting about in the morning. I'm narcoleptic, thus I have been late for work for the past sixteen years or so. I have to have a way to get out the door as quickly as possible in the morning. You might label this issue "No Time For Breakfast" just to put us all in the same boat together.
The best solution for me has been to eat breakfast at work. I know, not everyone likes doing that, and not everyone has the luxury of being able to eat at work, but if you can eat at work, or in your car on the way to work, here are the breakfasts that work for me:
(Everything comes with a big thermos of black coffee of course).
1. Get a container of pre-cut cantaloupe and a pack of sliced prosciutto from the grocery store and bring it in. Wrap about 1/4 slice of prosciutto around each chunk. This lasts me 2 days usually, which is about 2 oz prosciutto and 3/4 cups of cantaloupe per day. YUM.
2. Slice up an apple and put almond butter or sun butter on the slices. YUM.
3. A giant handful of your favorite berries with a handful of raw whole almonds. YUM.
4. In case of emergency, a Lara Bar (most kinds are paleo-friendly, but as usual check the label) will do in a pinch. YUM but high in carbs. A Tanka bar is better for you, but ca-ching $$$. YUM.
30 Day Song Challenge
Day 26: A Song That You Can Play on an Instrument
Iron Maiden - "Losfer Words"
Yes, I can play this on my bass. Not quite this fast, though. But damn it, I'm working on it! MAIDEN!
I got inspired actually by looking at nomnompaleo.com again recently. The chick has some great, great recipe ideas, no doubt about it. And her writing style is very down-to-earth. But there's something about her that makes her blog so very inacessible to me. For one thing, it seems like her entire life is prep-cook-prep-cook-cart her one child around-prep-cook-workout-prep-cook-workout... Look, lady, I work. I have a full-time job. I have two small children. I'm in a band. I run a monthly jam session for women. I have extended family and an active social schedule. I have a garden. I have narcolepsy. I have two dogs. So yes, prep-cook-workout still has to happen, but it's like, the same as brushing my teeth has to happen. Gotta work it in. Secondly, I don't have a ton of money for things like a sous-vide. The whole thing kind of smacks of OC soccer Mom, really. Not that I have anything against that kind of person - quite the contrary - and more power to ya sister! But I have this sneaky feeling there are more Moms / people out there like me who aren't rolling in cash or time. Yet, I'm still working in the paleo thing. Maybe I have some useful advice to offer? Or just tell me to STFU, whatever.
My biggest issue is getting about in the morning. I'm narcoleptic, thus I have been late for work for the past sixteen years or so. I have to have a way to get out the door as quickly as possible in the morning. You might label this issue "No Time For Breakfast" just to put us all in the same boat together.
The best solution for me has been to eat breakfast at work. I know, not everyone likes doing that, and not everyone has the luxury of being able to eat at work, but if you can eat at work, or in your car on the way to work, here are the breakfasts that work for me:
(Everything comes with a big thermos of black coffee of course).
1. Get a container of pre-cut cantaloupe and a pack of sliced prosciutto from the grocery store and bring it in. Wrap about 1/4 slice of prosciutto around each chunk. This lasts me 2 days usually, which is about 2 oz prosciutto and 3/4 cups of cantaloupe per day. YUM.
2. Slice up an apple and put almond butter or sun butter on the slices. YUM.
3. A giant handful of your favorite berries with a handful of raw whole almonds. YUM.
4. In case of emergency, a Lara Bar (most kinds are paleo-friendly, but as usual check the label) will do in a pinch. YUM but high in carbs. A Tanka bar is better for you, but ca-ching $$$. YUM.
30 Day Song Challenge
Day 26: A Song That You Can Play on an Instrument
Iron Maiden - "Losfer Words"
Yes, I can play this on my bass. Not quite this fast, though. But damn it, I'm working on it! MAIDEN!
Friday, June 10, 2011
too tired to remember how to spell tgif
Missed the mile run portion of this morning's workout, so i have to make it up some time this weekend. So very tired.
30 Day Song Challenge
Day 27: A Song You Wish You Could Play
Metallica - "(Anesthesia) Pulling Teeth"
30 Day Song Challenge
Day 27: A Song You Wish You Could Play
Metallica - "(Anesthesia) Pulling Teeth"
Thursday, June 9, 2011
happy day! then wallowing in it...
So, the aqua boot camp when belly-up. Oh well, easy come, easy go. I knew it wouldn't fly, but at least I'm getting my money back. I had to go to 6:15 pm boot camp tonight because Joseph was being a demon all morning and half the night lastnight. Wow, little boys can be bad! I must have spanked him about 10 times in a 24 hour period. He can be just horrid. And hard-headed. He's spending the night with my Mom tonight, PTL. I need a break. But the fun thing was that Kevs and Gabe came with me to boot camp. Gabe was sooooo adorable. He did some of the exercises with me. He lifted a 15 pound kettlebell and a 10 pound medicine ball. He kept lying down to take breaks. We ran out across the field and then we had to run backwards. He started to run backwards and then he turned around and said, "I can't do it!" I smiled and said, "Me neither!" It was so enjoyable. He was really into it! I suspected that after the warm up he'd be ready to go, but he made it through the whole thing (in some form or fashion). It was such a good time, I didn't really even mind the heat so much. But man it sure was hot.
30 Day Song Challenge
Day 28: A Song That Makes You Feel Guilty
"Look What You've Done" by Jet
I was married for nine years. It was a terrible marriage, bad from the very start, and in a constant state of degradation. I loved my ex-husband, passionately, deeply, but we were young, and he had quite the drug and alcohol problem. He mistreated me, to say the least. We were separated for about two years at the very end. I felt strongly that we should get divorced, but I wanted to make sure it was the right thing to do, naturally. He wanted to stay together, but continued to fuck up the relationship even when we were separated. I finally reached a point where I felt pretty dead inside towards him. The opposite of love is not hate, but apathy. I became apathetic. It made me feel happy to think about being divorced from him. I started to live my life again as a single person, and I enjoyed it. I finally went to a lawyer and had all the papers drawn up. I went to see my husband at his apartment. Without knowing any of my circumstances or what I had come there to do, he played this song for me, and sang it to me. I sat there, pregnant with another man's child, and thought, he doesn't deserve this. He may deserve many bad things, but he doesn't deserve what's about to happen to him.
30 Day Song Challenge
Day 28: A Song That Makes You Feel Guilty
"Look What You've Done" by Jet
I was married for nine years. It was a terrible marriage, bad from the very start, and in a constant state of degradation. I loved my ex-husband, passionately, deeply, but we were young, and he had quite the drug and alcohol problem. He mistreated me, to say the least. We were separated for about two years at the very end. I felt strongly that we should get divorced, but I wanted to make sure it was the right thing to do, naturally. He wanted to stay together, but continued to fuck up the relationship even when we were separated. I finally reached a point where I felt pretty dead inside towards him. The opposite of love is not hate, but apathy. I became apathetic. It made me feel happy to think about being divorced from him. I started to live my life again as a single person, and I enjoyed it. I finally went to a lawyer and had all the papers drawn up. I went to see my husband at his apartment. Without knowing any of my circumstances or what I had come there to do, he played this song for me, and sang it to me. I sat there, pregnant with another man's child, and thought, he doesn't deserve this. He may deserve many bad things, but he doesn't deserve what's about to happen to him.
Wednesday, June 8, 2011
Aqua beat
I am sooooo tired. I went to aqua boot camp today during lunch. It was a thousand degrees and the water felt amazing. I never broke a sweat, except on my head. I never felt hot. I didn't really even feel like I was getting a workout.
WRONG!
I'm already getting sore!
30 Day Song Challenge:
Day 29 - A Song From Your Childhood
"Sing" by Joe Raposo
I pulled this one up again back in 2006 when I was making a mixtape for my newborn. It really brings back some nice, warm, secure feelings.
WRONG!
I'm already getting sore!
30 Day Song Challenge:
Day 29 - A Song From Your Childhood
"Sing" by Joe Raposo
I pulled this one up again back in 2006 when I was making a mixtape for my newborn. It really brings back some nice, warm, secure feelings.
Tuesday, June 7, 2011
Tuesdays With Anna
How weird is it that I only ever want to blog on Tuesdays? So odd.
I'm on week 2 of my third boot camp. I moved to 7 am. So far, so good. It's actually kind of motivating me to get up in the mornings! I thought for sure I would just sleep through all of them and screw everything up. Whoo-hoo! I'm kicking butt. Also on Friday they featured me as the fitwit Camper Profile on their blog, so that was quite the lil honor. It was a good way for me to kind of give my perspective on the whole experience, and that makes me feel more comfortable in general. I'm not sure why, nor am I even sure I want to know why, but I am addicted to fitwit. My goal for this camp is to have perfect attendance.
AND THEN... I joined the fitwit dance club, which basically just means once a month I'm going to go to a dance class with some of the people. I've been wanting to go to dance 411 and shake my booty real hard, but I always feel like an ass going to those things by myself. So, now I have someone to go with. High five.
AND THEN... I bought a 25-class card to aqua boot camp, which is very near my work and has a lunch time class. I scheduled my first few for my off days from fitwit.
AND THEN... I fell off the wagon hardcore this past weekend... We went to Alex's graduation in Charleston, SC. I can't believe I'm the aunt of an adult now. It's just too weird. They grow up too fast. Anyway, I ate a bunch of garbage while traveling, and I had a lunch meeting today with an employee, and I have dinner plans tonight, so I'm just screwed. I'm planning to pick my paleo lifestyle back up tomorrow and run with it. I honestly can't believe the difference it makes when I'm eating clean vs. not. My stomach has actually been hurting after I indulge in whatever garbage I used to eat by the bucketful. It's been a very telling experience, for sure.
Hey, have you heard of the 30 day song challenge? Everybody is doing it on facebook. My problem is that I'm friends with too many music snobs and I don't feel like undergoing that kind of scrutiny. So I'm going to do it here.
Day 30: Your Favorite Song at This Time Last Year
"Summertime Clothes" by Animal Collective
The song and lyrics create such familiar imagery for me; it really resonated with me. Atlanta is HOT in the summer! And until I had kids, I was one of those night people...
I'm on week 2 of my third boot camp. I moved to 7 am. So far, so good. It's actually kind of motivating me to get up in the mornings! I thought for sure I would just sleep through all of them and screw everything up. Whoo-hoo! I'm kicking butt. Also on Friday they featured me as the fitwit Camper Profile on their blog, so that was quite the lil honor. It was a good way for me to kind of give my perspective on the whole experience, and that makes me feel more comfortable in general. I'm not sure why, nor am I even sure I want to know why, but I am addicted to fitwit. My goal for this camp is to have perfect attendance.
AND THEN... I joined the fitwit dance club, which basically just means once a month I'm going to go to a dance class with some of the people. I've been wanting to go to dance 411 and shake my booty real hard, but I always feel like an ass going to those things by myself. So, now I have someone to go with. High five.
AND THEN... I bought a 25-class card to aqua boot camp, which is very near my work and has a lunch time class. I scheduled my first few for my off days from fitwit.
AND THEN... I fell off the wagon hardcore this past weekend... We went to Alex's graduation in Charleston, SC. I can't believe I'm the aunt of an adult now. It's just too weird. They grow up too fast. Anyway, I ate a bunch of garbage while traveling, and I had a lunch meeting today with an employee, and I have dinner plans tonight, so I'm just screwed. I'm planning to pick my paleo lifestyle back up tomorrow and run with it. I honestly can't believe the difference it makes when I'm eating clean vs. not. My stomach has actually been hurting after I indulge in whatever garbage I used to eat by the bucketful. It's been a very telling experience, for sure.
Hey, have you heard of the 30 day song challenge? Everybody is doing it on facebook. My problem is that I'm friends with too many music snobs and I don't feel like undergoing that kind of scrutiny. So I'm going to do it here.
Day 30: Your Favorite Song at This Time Last Year
"Summertime Clothes" by Animal Collective
The song and lyrics create such familiar imagery for me; it really resonated with me. Atlanta is HOT in the summer! And until I had kids, I was one of those night people...
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