Intention of the Evening
Posted: April 22, 2011 Filed under: Breakfasts, Finding Motivation, Running | Tags: Gym, Running, Vegetarian Breakfast, Workout 6 Comments »At the beginning of most yoga classes, the students are instructed to set an intention for their practice. My intentions typically address releasing stress, trusting my body or some variaton thereof.
Even though I had a yoga 2 class scheduled for last night, I hadn’t done a traditional cardio + weights workout in almost two weeks. I felt like my body was craving a more intense session, so I opted out of the yoga class and headed for the gym instead. Before I kicked things into gear, though, I decided to set an intention for the workout: Balls to the wall.
How utterly yogini of me 
I started with a simple arms and shoulders circuit: 3 sets of 10 reps each for the following:
- Inverted Fly
- Bicep Curl
- Lat Pull Down (my FAVORITE!)
- Aerobox Punches
- French Presses
I followed the circuit with my first attempt at the Smith Machine. A staple at every gym I’ve ever been to, I’ve always been scared of this particular contraption, but I tentatively completed a few simple squats with 10 pounds weights. I would have loved to do more, but I was afraid of injuring myself from not knowing how to use it correctly!
Source
Cardio was up next: I started with an easy mile at 6 mph and then ramped it up for some interval sprints! I alternated .10 miles at 8.2 mph with .05 miles at 3 mph for recovery. I had to return to my intention quite a few times during the speedwork, but I stuck it out for all seven sets I had planned! Thanks for a pumpin’ Pandora lineup, I even knocked out the last sprint at 9 mph. For me, that’s lightening! This girl is not built for speed.
A nine minute mile on the elliptical – with resistance levels varying from 5 to 10 - rounded out the evening. I proceeded to shower, set my alarm for an additional hour of sleep and crash!
Breakfast this morning was a simple lineup:
Plain fat free Chobani, strawberries, flax seed, organic walnuts and blackberry vanilla preserves.
I was definitely not as hungry as I had thought I would be after last night’s workout, but I rolled with it! Now I’d better roll my behind in to the office…lots of writing to get done today! I’ll catch ya tonight with a great high-protein vegan recipe you’ll defeinitely want to whip up sometime this weekend!
Do you ever set intentions for yoga practices, runs or other workouts?
Pretty Please with some Cream Cheese on Top
Posted: March 2, 2011 Filed under: Breakfasts, Finding Motivation, Lunches | Tags: vegetarian breakfasts, vegetarian lunches 5 Comments »Please, PRETTY PLEASE for the love of all things good in this world, tell me that at some point in your life, you’ve enjoyed a bagel with cream cheese and jelly.
Now, please, PRETTY PLEASE for the love of all things better, tell me that you have cream cheese, jelly and steel cut oats within arm’s reach.
I guarantee, this will rock your world the way it rocked mine.
I may not mind running out of peanut butter if it means stumbling across other equally delicious oatmeal add-ins. Walnuts, flax and IKEA lingonberry jam just added to the incredible factor.
Speaking of oatmeal, check out the Healthiest Fast Food Oatmeals! Even though I consider buying breakfast a special necessity after a looong night, their comparison was interesting!
The cream cheese lovin’ seemed to originate in yesterday’s lunch:
Plain bagel + cream cheese + tomato + sprouts, with sides of carrots and a plum for good measure.
Before I dip for work to go tackle some may-jah projects, I want to simply remind you:
“It doesn’t matter what you’ve heard, impossible is not a word – it’s just a reason for somebody not to try” – Kutless – What Faith Can Do”
Pretty Please tell me: What is your favorite way to eat a bagel?
