Intention of the Evening
Posted: April 22, 2011 Filed under: Running, Finding Motivation, Breakfasts | Tags: Running, Vegetarian Breakfast, Workout, Gym 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?
Fruit, Nut and Goat Cheese Breakfast Bowl
Posted: April 18, 2011 Filed under: Breakfasts, Vegetarian Recipes | Tags: Vegetarian Breakfast, Vegetarian Recipe, Vegeterian Cooking 8 Comments »Not sure what you want for breakfast, you say?
You want something sweet, high in fiber, with a bit of protein and fat, but not the same old bowl of oatmeal or yogurt you’ve had every day this month? And you’d like a huge variety of textures? Oh, and antioxidants wouldn’t hurt either?
Do I ever have the perfect breakfast for you!
Fruit, Nut and Goat Cheese Breakfast Bowl
Vegetarian, serves one
Ingredients:
- 1/2 cup strawberries
- 1/2 cup blackberries
- 1/2 large pear
- 2 tablespoons blueberry vanilla chevre (found at Sams Club)
- 2 tablespoons walnuts
Directions:
- Chop strawberries and pear; combine in bowl with blackberries
- Crumble chevre over fruit and sprinkle with walnut pieces.
- Serve cool
I enjoyed a bowl this morning alongside half of an everything bagel spread with Smart Balance Light.
Light, creamy, fruity and delicious! Need I say more?
Have a wonderful Wednesday!
