Keeping Your Workouts Interesting

I've been doing a lot of yoga lately, so much in fact, that I'm making Goal #29 to add another yoga workout each week to my fitness commitments. Since I sometimes don't have the time or money to go to classes at the yoga studio, I have been doing some of my yoga at home, using DVDs from the library. In order to keep these workouts interesting and challenging, I am trying something new, which is to use light dumbells (3lbs) with some of the poses I am doing. 3lbs doesn't sound like much, but when I am in a pose that is already challenging, the weights push me just a little farther and keep my workouts interesting. I am also very grateful to Zach who rearranged the furniture in our dining room to give me a mini yoga studio in our house. Even though I was (highly) skeptical at first, it has been so awesome to have a nice space to work out in at home.

Changes

Lately I've been noticing that my body is starting to look different than it did back in January when I started this blog. My clothes sit in different places on my body, and I can see muscles and definition where I didn't see them as much before (especially in my shoulders and legs). After a few questions from family members about how much weight I've lost, I decided to weigh myself on a proper scale. I don't have a scale in my house because I don't want to obsess about my weight, and so I hadn't weighed myself in a few months. On my last visit to the Y, I got on the scale and I was surprised to find that I have actually lost a fair amount of weight. I want to point out that I have not been trying to reduce my caloric intake or forbidding any particular foods (with the exception of beer, which I decided to take a month long break from last week). I've just been eating tons of healthy food and exercising more than I used to. After noticing that I had lost some weight, I decided to check my measurements. I recorded them 2 months ago when I ordered a dress, so I have a recent record to compare to. Since the beginning of June, I've lost an inch from my waist and hips, two inches from my bust, and (thankfully), no inches from my biceps. I hope I can keep getting strong and fit as the year continues, developing muscles where I didn't have them before, and increasing my endurance and flexibility. I'm also excited for the next time I visit the doctor for my annual blood work, etc. to see how my dietary and fitness changes have impacted my blood sugar, cholesterol, etc.

Taking An Afternoon Off From Everything

I haven't posted in almost a week. I've been busy being on call for work, and it was kind of a doozy of a week. When I am on call, even at the times when I don't get called in to work, I just can't relax. Being on call is very draining for me, and at the end of it, I always struggle for a few days to try to figure out how to recharge my internal batteries. This morning, after I was freed of my on-call responsibilities, I was feeling kind of at loose ends about what to do with my day. My body felt too sore to paddle or go to the gym, and my spirit felt too disrupted for me to believe that starting a house project was a good idea. What to do? What I really felt like doing was taking a nap and then laying out in the sun with a book, some popcorn, and several glasses of iced tea. And that's what I did. I just took the afternoon off from everything and it felt great. Being "lazy" is usually hard for me, but like savasana (the relaxation pose at the end of many yoga practices), I think taking time to relax may be just as important for a healthy mind and body as being active and productive is.

Tempeh Tacos

Tonight I was in the mood for tacos. I've been wanting to try using tempeh as a filling for tacos for awhile, so tonight I decided to experiment a little and see what I could come up with. These turned out pretty well, and the tempeh filling will make a good base for lots of different toppings. I also think it would taste great on top of a bed of greens, taco salad style. I ate 3 of these tacos and with a side of broccoli, it was very filling. 2 would probably be enough unless you are really hungry.
Easy Tempeh Tacos
makes six tacos
1 1/2 tbsp olive oil
1/2 an onion, finely chopped
1 8oz package tempeh, crumbled
3 cloves garlic, minced
1 tbps chili powder
1 tsp garlic powder
1 tsp cumin
1 tsp oregano
1/4 cup water
1 tbsp tamari
soft corn tortillas
whatever you want to top your tacos with: I used pepper-jack cheese, cilantro, Quark (similar to low-fat sour cream or low-fat Greek yogurt), red peppers, and lime juice

Heat oil in a skillet. When it's hot, add the onion and saute until it's nearly translucent. Add the tempeh and cook until onions start to brown (probably 3-5 more minutes). Add garlic and saute briefly. Add spices, water, and tamari. Cook until tempeh is done, stiring frequently, about 7 minutes. Lightly salt if desired.
Heat tortillas in a dry pan on the stove.
Fill tortillas with tempeh mixture and top with whatever toppings you like.

Kitchen Tip #3 "Deep Fried" Tofu That Isn't Deep Fried

I don't eat tofu a lot, but I do like it from time to time, and I especially like having a rice noodle salad with fried tofu on top. The problem with fried tofu is that it is usually deep fried which greatly increases the fat content. This week I learned a technique for cooking tofu that produces  something very similar in taste to deep fried tofu, that is just fried in a pan with a little bit of olive oil.


Healthier "Deep Fried" Tofu
1 package firm tofu
1 egg
some olive oil
Slice the tofu into fairly thin slices (maybe 1/2 in thick)
Lay a paper towel on a plate and lay the sliced tofu on top in a single layer
Cover tofu with another paper towel and press down to absorb the water
Repeat with another dry paper towel on top
Crack egg into a bowl and whisk
Heat a small amount olive oil in a skillet on medium-high heat
Dredge each piece of tofu in the egg and place in the hot skillet
Cook on each side until browned, I think mine took about 7 minutes on each side

Goodbye Beer, See You In a Month

As much as I hate to do it, especially in the middle of the summer, I'm taking this opportunity to make Goal #29 giving up beer for one month. Although I really love beer, the kind of beer I like (microbrew IPA) is calorically dense (250-300 calories per 12oz beer) and relatively expensive. Since I am looking for ways to cut some unhealthy calories out of my diet, and also looking for ways to save money, this seems like a good two for one kind of goal. Tonight I'm going to visit the Co-op and stock up on lots of cold and fizzy drinks (carbonated water, kombucha, iced tea makings) so that I will have some good substitutes on hand for post yard-work summer days, which is when I think I'll probably miss beer the most.

Kitchen Tip #2- Perfect Green Beans and Broccoli

If you have ever wondered how good restaurants always seem to have perfectly cooked green beans and broccoli, wonder no more! The secret is submerging them in an ice bath as soon as they are just tender to prevent them from cooking any further. I like to lightly steam them in a basket steamer, but you could also briefly blanch/boil them. I keep an eye on them while they are steaming and once they turn bright green, I taste them every few minutes until they are just right. I have a big bowl of ice water ready and plunge the beans/broccoli into the ice water bath as soon as they taste tender. I then drain them in a colander, and either serve them cold (as in a vegetable salad) or heat some olive oil in a pan, add a little chopped garlic, saute for a couple of minutes, then add the broccoli or green beans and a sprinkle of salt for a brief saute/warm up.