Bikram Day 1

I tried my first Bikram yoga class this morning. Bikram yoga is a series of 26 poses and 2 breathing exercises performed in a room heated to 105* with 40% humidity, lasting approximately 90 minutes.

  Here are my thoughts, 100% candid.

- First thought, WIERD! The breathing exercise at the beginning lasted for a few minutes and made me feel super silly.

- Cleansing. The heat cleaned me out so much. I felt clean from the inside out and refreshed.

- Suffocating. At times I really had trouble breathing with all that heat.

- Contradicting. During power yoga sessions at my studio we’re always told to never compromise or hurt our back. This teacher literally told us we want our backs to hurt.

- Distracting. This studio was plain and the bright fluorescent lights shining down on me didn’t help me relax and get into the practice.

- Stretchy. The heat loosened my muscles so I was super flexible. It felt great to bend farther than I had ever before.

- Boring. I’m not sure if I could do the same practice each session.

- Intense. The heat combined with the poses definitely challenged me.

- Amazing. For the rest of the day I felt renewed and fresh. I noticed my skin was glowing too!

I think my thoughts are biased since I wasn’t a fan of this particular studio and teacher. I didn’t get a good feel from them, you know? Bikram might not be an addiction for me, but I’d definitely like to try more classes at other studios.

After yoga I joined the YMCA! I’ve realized I have to join a gym for access to a heated indoor pool. I’m excited to be able to swim more often! Today I swam 1,000 meters and biked 10 miles. I love exercise :)

My photos of today’s food are so repetitive- and for the good stuff I forgot my camera! David and I went to the Cheesecake Factory for pizza and Jeremiah’ s Italian Ice for dessert. Divine! Anyway, I did take a photo of my lunch: kale chips, sweet potato fries and one cup of garbanzo beans tossed with teryaki sauce and baked. Yummy!

Have you practiced Bikram? What are your thoughts on it?

It’s an open windows, music flowing throughout kind of day

Happy Wednesday! We’re halfway to Friday :-)

Yesterday I began looking into local gyms to find the one that would be best for me. The first one went terribly.

I surely wasn’t planning on disclosing the names of the gyms, but this one was so bad that I have no problem with it. It was such a bad experience that I wouldn’t want to ever go in there again… much less work there.

I visited my local L.A. Fitness. Do a quick search on Google for L.A. Fitness and you’ll find a series of stories of how the gym scams its members. My local L.A. Fitness is probably the largest gym in my area and has the most impressive group exercise schedule; I couldn’t cross it off my list without first checking it out for myself.

I went in intending to use their free guest pass they push on their website. The last thing this sales guy- who was also the general manager- wanted to do was let me test the gym out for a few days. When he first met me he actually said, “Let’s not waste my time here. What are you looking for? Are you going to join?” He was pushy, confrontational and got very angry when I insisted for the 6th time that I was not ready to buy an overpriced membership right then and there and that I wanted to actually try the gym (with my free guest pass!) before putting any money down. Ugh.

I shared with the salesperson/ general manager that I was going to be certified next month and might be interested in working with L.A. Fitness. He then introduced me to the Personal Training Manager- a.k.a. a casually overweight guy who was too good to talk to a potential customer/employee. He told me he has several personal trainers already but needs to “clean out some bad ones” and I could apply but if they want me the process could take two months. Then he ran off without saying bye.. instead just “I have to pee!”

They did talk a bit about training their members. They had the most lackluster comments about it.

After I narrowly escaped the sales office an hour later I was finally permitted to try out the facilities. I did 5 minutes on the treadmill and had to get out of there.

The facilities were beautiful (full lap pool, indoor basketball court, indoor racquetball courts, weights, cardio equipment, free space), but the focus on selling memberships was so extreme that I wanted to run out of there the moment I stepped in. The whole process was really disheartening. I want to train people to radically better their lives. I want to impart knowledge, help people get healthier, help them surpass their goals… not merely have a place to work and sell packages.

I really hope the other gyms go over better.

On to today! Me food blogging is back!

I started the day with some Rapberry Kombucha (strawberry is still the “best”) and some naner-flax-oats. Hearty :) Today is suddenly gorgeous in central Florida. The temperature is cool and the sun is shining. TO take advantage of this perfect day I turned off the AC, opened all windows and put on Pandora to play throughout the house. I thought some fresh melon (and 1 granola bar) was a perfect complement to the breezy morning.

I also enjoyed the last of my iced green tea. I’m so lucky to have this beautiful baby keeping me company. Seriously, that face is the cutest. So kissable!

I think it’s about time I introduce you to Dixie’s favorite toy, Roadkill. Roadkill was a gift from David’s mom (Dixie’s grandma) and is.. well, roadkill.

The poor thing.

I really wanted soup for lunch, but it’s not that cool outside yet, so I settled on another comfort meal: quinoa. I made mine with everything leftover in the fridge: asparagus, corn, peas, garlic, tomato sauce and spices. Yummy :) I also made three extra servings to hang out in the freezer for a while!

Post-lunch I enjoyed a yummy fruit bar!

Now back to studying. I’m heading out for a run later this afternoon. I actually haven’t run since the race Saturday because my shins haven’t felt 100%… wish me luck today!

To Gym or Not to Gym

Yes, that is two Kombuchas you see hanging out in my fridge. It’s funny- for a drink I think tastes gross, I’ve got quite the big craving for it! Part of it might just be placebo, but I feel clean and light after drinking these. I’ll work through these two throughout the week. So far I’ve tried Mango and Strawberry… next up I have Multi-green and Raspberry Rush. Ummm… yum?

Yesterday Ryan and I started the week off right with a 90 minute power yoga class. Holy sweat! We are loyal to College Park Yoga. The teachers/owners are welcoming and really encourage us to own our practice and listen to our bodies. I try to let that message continue to the rest of my life, too :)

  After yoga Ryan and I walked over to Infusion Tea, a little vegetarian teahouse/cafe near the studio. We were overwhelmed with yummy choices but I eventually settled on their 1/2 and 1/2 lunch combo with Tempeh Chili and the Milton Special salad.

From the menu: “Milton Special-vegan-Organic field greens, roasted beets, dried cranberries, sunflower seeds, tomato, cucumber, hummus and tabouleh with balsamic dressing.”

The hummus was super-creamy, the tabouleh the best I’ve ever had and the balsamic dressing was more like a sweet glaze. The tempeh chili had big chunks of tempeh, beans and peppers. It was perfect.

Ryan got a great vegan chili cheese burrito! And thanks to Miss Ryan for the photos… I left my camera at home and was forced to use her gorgeous Nikon!

   I promise to actually blog all of my meals soon! I’ve been quite busy studying, eating Zbars (yum.) and finishing the cupcakes from my birthday :-) 

To Gym or Not to Gym

As you might know I’ve been studying with NASM to get my personal trainer certification for a few months now. The exam has been scheduled for October 13th. Right now I’m taking advantages of guest passes at my local gyms to figure out which feels like the best fit for me to work at (or for me to want to work at… I’ll need to get hired!).

For the past few months, other than a weekly yoga class, I’ve been exercising only outside the gym- bike rides, runs outside, strength training at the park or my living room, and yoga next to my bed. I find my workouts have been more intense, more exciting and much more efficient than when I belonged to a gym. My workouts are less on auto-pilot when I’m outside or in my own home. I’ve also saved money from membership fees and saved the time it takes to drive to and from a gym.

But for many people the gym works best for them. Having a place dedicated to fitness makes it easier for some to get a good workout. There’s also a high level of motivation that comes from group classes and other gym benefits.

I’ve been to good gyms and bad gyms. There have been gyms that I want to spend the whole day in and some where I feel closed in and am itching to get out after five minutes. I want to work in a gym that is set up in a way that is easy for my clients to follow a program with the tools they need. Also, a gym should feel positive and welcoming.

I’ll report back on what I find visiting these new gyms!

Do you prefer working out inside or outside the gym? If you belong to a gym, what made you choose yours?

Real Life Running Tips From the Almost-Runner

Thank you so much for your comments regarding my last run. I'm feeling a little better today and hope to do a fairly long run before I scale down my mileage for the race Sunday.

Now, a running post in spirit of my half marathon this Sunday:

Lots of sites put out really great running tips, sites such as Runners World and Cool Running.

But maybe you’re like me, a novice runner with some handicaps and some big goals. I’ve made most of the great tips already available work into my training, but along the way I’ve also come up with a few of my own. I’d like to call these my Real Life Running Tips:

1. Make a schedule work for you. Everyone knows your long runs should be on the weekends, but weekends just wouldn’t work for me. Through trial and error I discovered Mondays are best for my long runs after a relaxing weekend and plenty of food in my belly.

2. Indoors or outdoors, it is still training. Most runners hate long runs on the treadmill. I actually prefer the treadmill for the distraction of the TV and the continuous speed control. Test different environments out to determine what suits you best. (At some point make sure to train in an environment like where your race will take place.)

3. Foam roll! My personal trainer was the first to tell me about foam rolling. She insisted I foam roll on a regular basis to protect my already-weak knees when I run. Holy cow does it work. If I foam roll, I don’t cramp up and my knees stay strong. If I don’t foam roll, it gets bad! (Info on foam rolling for runners)

4. Monitor how your belly affects your legs. Play with your nutrition to see what foods allow you to run your best. I’m best if I have a solid meal 1.5 hours before I run. Any sort of ‘fake’ food or too much sugar will ruin a run.

5. Breathe. My exercise-induced asthma made my runs really difficult. When I used my inhaler I could breathe better, but I got a headache and my stomach would start to hurt. If you have trouble breathing at first (feeling like you will die if you run one more second…), work through it. Stop when you have to stop to avoid hurting yourself, but do keep working at it. Eventually my breathing has gotten so much better.

Basically my tips boil down to find out what works best for you. Time of day, foods for fuel, location, music/no music/TV… test it out and determine what works. You can do it!

* Here are 100 pretty great running tips- useful for 5K-ers and marathoners alike!

photo credit

Rockstar

Wooohooo! It's Friday!

This is making me happy.

Tonight David's coming over after work. I'm cooking spinach fettuccine with homemade tomato-ricotta sauce (does it count as homemade if I mix a jar of sauce with a tub of ricotta? I hope so!) with TONS of veggies! Then we're off to meet my good friend Rob (from Texas!) at Coldstones! I've been trying to be a good girl lately, so I think I'm going to get a Sinless Sans Fat Sweet Cream with fresh Blackberries! YUM!

And for Erica, I took my first cycling class at my new gym last night! Man, it was tough! The class was 1 hour long, but I had to stick to an easy level to keep from falling off my bike! Next time I definitely need to work harder- I'm not sore at all today!

Whether you're lounging around the house or partying like a Rockstar, have a great weekend everyone!

I promise

...to be a more consistent blogger.

photo

It seems I either have plenty of time and nothing to say or no time at all and tons to talk about!!! (We're in the no time phase right now!)

I finally joined a new gym in my area. I left the YMCA last month when I moved into my apartment. I've really been missing my strength training and group fitness classes.

I thought I was a YMCA fan, but now I'm ashamed to say I've been anywhere other than Lifestyles!

-classes up the ying yang
-cardio.. gosh, 3x the amount of the Y
-Strength!! Three sections! The two sections with machines include 4
different brands. You use your favorite!
-Flat screen TVs with full cable in front of cardio machines (I go just to catch the cable!)
-TVs EVERYWHERE!
-Awesome friendly personal trainers- just about all of them have at
least a BA in fitness
-Personal dressing rooms
-SAUNAS in the mens and women's bathrooms!!!!
-3 free personal training sessions
-(This is awesome!!)*** This little booth (there are a few of them in
the facility) that takes your weight, body fat percentage and other
stats and keeps track of the numbers (you swipe your card so it knows
who you are). You can them log online and view all of your progress! Here you can also set goals and sign up for classes.
-Complete unlimited access to ANY other Lifestyles.

Tomorrow I am going to a 6 a.m. spinning class because 1. if I don't start classes now, I'll put it off forever and 2. that's the only time I can do it! 6 a.m. is really early, but I can do it!

I park in a parking garage and work out next to Brooks Brothers, Ann Taylor and Anthropologie. Seriously, could this get any better?! I am loving living in South Tampa!

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Motivation/Intimidation:

South Tampa is this really cool, trendy area right next to the city. Most of the people in this area are wealthy. Yesterday I parked between a Bentley and a Porsche when running into Publix. Also, these people are gorgeous. They go grocery shopping in outfits straight from Glamour. Just about everyone is a size 4. I swear. I know these people work for their shape because the streets are constantly flooded with runners and the gyms are plentiful. To give you an even better idea of what I'm talking about, the Tampa Bay Bucs Cheerleaders rehearse at my new gym.

While having people at their very best all around me all the time is often quite encouraging (go for that extra 10 minutes on the stair climber!), it is also quite intimidating. Usually I'm all about the "I think it's cool if I don't look just like everyone else" attitude... but sometimes I want to be an insecure girl. But really, what better motivation is there than standing next to women with these bodies on the gym room floor?

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I'm not completely "back" yet. I weigh 5 pounds more than I am comfortable with and 13 pounds more than my goal. Too much jiggle in my wiggle.

But I am back in the exercise swing- I love this. Exercise is such a stress-reliever and mood-booster... and I'm addicted! (Cheesy, I know!) The eating is beyond bad. My increase in exercise has shot my appetite up. There was a binge. I have made very unhealthy choices. Bad, bad, bad.

But tomorrow (seriously- in 2 hours), I am starting new. David is going to hold me accountable and I'm doing 9 days of clean food. Tomorrow I might be grouchy because of this, but I will feel so much better in a few days. I'll report back!!

You know that feeling...

...of how good it feels to work out? I got to experience that tonight! My semester is about to wrap up, and I was able to hit the gym after an exam today! It felt amazing! I love working out- to feel so alive and strong. I can't wait to plan normal visits to my YMCA again!
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I've pinpointed the hour after I come home from work to be my diet downfall. I am hungry and impatient waiting for my dinner to cook- so I eat anything. So yesterday I took action and made a healthy meal to have tonight. It was delicious!

Saucy Rice

1 small can of tomato sauce (I used Hunts?)
1 Lg. Onion, chopped
1 Lg. Tomato, chopped
Garlic
Oregano
Pepper
(sautee above ingredients together in a large frying pan)

Add One 13oz.can Cannellini beans

Simmer for 10 minutes. Stir on cooked brown rice. Sprinkle with breadcrumbs and Parmesan cheese. ENJOY!

Halfway through I realized how yummy it was and had to take a picture to share! (in my new bowl from Target! .50 cents!)