Body Image and Goal #4

I think I have a pretty decent body image.  In general I like what I was given.. I think I've got a good structure to work with :)  What I do with it is my decision, right?  So, I actually can admire pieces of me but I do have my insecurities and 'trouble spots' that bother me.  What really gets me is how I can swing one day from literally standing in my underwear in front of the mirror and flexing and posing and thinking ... yeah baby you look hot.  To literally that night getting dressed for bed and going.. oh my god my thighs are huge, when did my butt-thigh (also known as saddlebag) get so jiggly.  Its ridiculous how either a mood, or what I ate that day or what I did or didn't do for exercise or my outfit can really change how I'm feeling at that moment about my various parts.  I think part of that can sometimes be hormonal but then again maybe I'm just reaching for an answer.  It usually ends up balancing itself out again though and I feel pretty satisfied.  I really feel better when I get in a good workout that makes me sweat or one where I was lifting weights and noticing my muscles improving in their strength or visibility.

Do you fluctuate in your 'feelings' about your body?

Today was a 6 mile run with my husband and nephew who is in town.  It was a little hot so I felt like I was dragging on the way out but on the way back I felt a little better which is the mental "I'm goin home!" feeling I get.  I recently got a new Garmin 110 which I'm SO excited about because its much much smaller than my old forerunner 201 which is huge on my wrist.  Plus, this new one comes with a heart rate monitor which is great because I have never worn one so I'm really enjoying watching my heart rate throughout a run and seeing what it does.  I haven't downloaded the software yet but as soon as I do I'll be analyzing my runs.  It can only help, right?  Just to give you an idea of the 2 Garmins.. Check out these pictures..

My nephew kept up with Dave which was really impressive since this 6 miles is the longest he's ever run.  Very cool.  It does help that he is only 18 :)




So, back to my goal list.  Goal #4 was add more strength training which so far is the first one I've done really good at.  I do at least 1-2 strength sessions a week now which I'm really excited about.  I forgot how much I enjoy lifting weights and feeling stronger when I do it so its something I definitely plan to keep up with.  I don't have a planned schedule and usually just do what I can fit in or what I feel like doing that week.  I might start trying to plan my workouts out a little bit more especially if I decide to train for any upcoming races then I'll need a schedule.  Usually I do a Pilate's session, a yoga session, some running, some spinning and 1-2 weight sessions per week.  I think I might start tracking it though so I can see what I'm really doing so when I say I'm tired I can figure out whether its actually because I've been working out a lot or if I'm just being a baby :)  Its a good thing I eat well to fuel the workouts though.  Speaking of that; tomorrow night is homemade pizza night.  Here are a few shots of a past pizza night.  Check out those pies!

Another great breakfast and Goal #3

Today's breakfast was another winner.  Today I opted for savory and didn't do my oatmeal and instead decided to do a scramble which turned out YUMMY.  It was actually more of a brunch because I had a Kind fruit + nut bar after I woke up and before I headed out to Pilate's.  So finished Pilate's and got home and was starving...so my breakfast actually ended up being about 11am.  Dave has been making/growing his own sprouts lately so I was trying to figure how to incorporate those into breakfast; plus I bought a big bin of spinach yesterday at the store so I figured a scramble was the best way to get these 2 things together.  It turned out really good.  It was composed of 1 egg + about 1/2 cup egg whites, a handful of spinach, a little butter (to saute spinach), handful of black beans, about 1/4 cup cheddar, 1/4 avocado, a couple lumps of sprouts and lots of homemade salsa.  I accompanied this by a piece of homemade multi-grain bread and an iced coffee on the side.  Whew..that is a lot of ingredients!  Good thing I plan on a spinning class this afternoon.  Let me just show you what this ended up looking like.

The sprouts were really good.  I didn't think I liked sprouts or I used to think not but I think it depends on what they are on and maybe what kind they are.  Before Dave started researching them I didn't realize there were so many varieties.  He made broccoli sprouts already which were good.  They had a peppery quality and a slight broccoli flavor but not really a strong broccoli-ness.  According to healingdaily.com " Sprouts are rich with vitamins, minerals, proteins, and enzymes.  Have you ever heard of a vegetable which continues to gain vitamins after you harvest it? Sprouts do this. Sprouts are LIVING foods. Even after you harvest your sprouts and refrigerate them, they will continue to grow slowly and their vitamin content will actually increase" 

I've been trying to address where I'm at with my 2010 goal list.  So, lets talk about Goal #3 which was do more Yoga.  I was specific in my goal in that I wanted to do a class when we are here and do a class when we are in Carlsbad..which would put me about about 2 classes every 10 days.  This one seems to go in spurts.  I feel like we were doing more yoga a few weeks ago and think I might need to step it back up but if I remember correctly (maybe I should log this stuff!) I think we've been doing about 1 class per trip.  Encinitas has a great yoga space that we love so its definitely nice to fit a class in when we're there.  Its Yoga in a yurt.  A Yurt is a circular domed dwelling that is portable and self-supporting; originally used by nomadic Mongol and Turkic people of central Asia but now used as inexpensive alternative or temporary housing.  Its like a souped up tent.  The one at Yoga Swami has wood floors and really gives you an organic space to practice yoga.  The teachers they have there are great too which helps.  I really enjoy yoga its just that sometimes after a spin class or a long run I just want to relax on the couch instead of go to yoga but what I need to remind myself is that I'll feel better after if I just get up and go!  But I do try and throw some yoga in wherever I go... see this was after dinner and I just busted into a one legged plank!  Ok, that probably won't ever happen again.

Running the Roller Coaster and Goal #2

Running never ceases to amaze me.  There are days I'll head out on a 5 mile run and my legs will feel like lead the whole time.  The whole thing from start to finish just feels hard and I feel like I look like I'm struggling and my form is off and I'm just huffing and puffing.  Then there are days when I'm out running and I can run 7 miles and feel amazing and not think twice about it and power up hills like superwoman!  I haven't pinpointed what will make a good day and what will make a bad day.  I do think part of it is my attitude.  Some days I'm just not into it and I think I mentally screw it up.  I think maybe how I've been working out the days before might play a part but haven't really tried too hard to nail it down.  I obviously prefer the days when I feel like superwoman; who doesn't!  This morning I had a pretty good day.  I did a little over 7 miles and when I finished I watched my husband and his brother race a triathlon.  A pretty good start to the day.  Lunch was fish tacos and I think I made up for the calories I lost during the run which wasn't really my intention but those chips and salsa were SO good. 

So, back to my list of goals.  Goal #2 was eat less sugar.  Hmm..  that one is a little tricky.  I think in general I do pretty well when it comes to meals.  I don't drink sodas or really any sugared drinks (other than coffee but we'll get to that).  I try not to eat a lot of processed foods and definitely eat less than I used to.  Its my post dinner dessert and general snacking that does me in I think.  That is where I definitely need to focus my attention first.  I crave dessert every night and also snacks while I wind down at night and watch TV.  So I don't want to give up TV but I need to disassociate TV watching with snack eating.  Its something I'm working on but its not terrible.  I do drink coffee almost daily and I either use sugar-free creamer or milk and splenda.  Neither is optimal as I try to reduce the number of artificial things in my foods but I LOVE my coffee and I'm willing to splurge to have my creamer :)  I'm not a black coffee drinker and can't think I'd ever be.  This goal is one I'll keep working on.