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20 minute at home yoga routing.

20 minute at home yoga routine

afternoon break time!

how is your day going?  things are swimming alson as usual around here :)  i spent a few hours at starbucks this morning working on the @ home yoga routine you'll find at the bottom of this post.  let me know what you guys think!  while working, i sipped on a non-fat misto with two pumps of pumpkin spice (a lighted up pumpkin spice latte if you will).  the barista made it extra foamy today.  love.

i arrived home with a growling belly and threw together one of my favorite quick and light lunches.  grilled veggies + hummus.

this is a great way to use up miscellaneous veggies left over in the fridge.  i simply chop everything up (in today's mix was: zucchini, squash, red onion, mushroom, brocolli, + bell pepper), toss in a grill pan (a fabulous investment), spray with e.v.o.o, and throw on the grill!  the veggies will grill for about 15 minutes over medium heat; toss with tongs every few minutes to ensure equal charring.  

i topped my grilled veggies with a big ole dollop of roasted red pepper hummus.  

i also enjoyed a smoothie on the side (bananas + almond milk + protein powder + ice), but figured i'd save you the picture as it's the same i've had the past 3 days!  besides, we have more important things to talk about...

20 minute @ home yoga routine 

as i have mentioned before i, in the not so distant past, made a conscious decision to cut back on my high intensity, physically demanding running routine in favor of a gentler exercise regimine that has primarily included walking and yoga.  this decision was somewhat voluntary (i was dealing with health issues at the time that may have also nudged me in that direction), but it is now something i feel very content with and very comfortable speaking about.  

today i wanted to talk specifically about yoga and it's place in my daily life.  i absolutely love a hot, sweaty, muscle shaking 90 minute power yoga class.  the reality is, though, making it to a studio class is not always realistic.  whether it's financial (yoga is pricey!), time (a 90 minute class is a big chunk of my day!) or health (i don't like going upside down that time of the month!) restrictions, i am often unable to incorporate formal classes into my everyday.  on days when i can't make it to the studio, i like to lay down my mat and breeze through this quick 20 minute at home flow to get my blood moving.  i've included my 5 song playlist as an added bonus! 

{please note i am not a certified yoga instructor.  i have been practicing yoga consistently for 2 years and this is what works for me.  some knowledge of yoga would be helpful in completing this sequence.  please consult your doctor before beginning any new workout routine.}

integration sequence {"someone like you" - adelle}

• begin in child's pose and start to cultivate your breath.  breathe in deeply to the count of 5, filling up your lungs, and exhale out completely to the count of 5, completely emptying your lungs.  repeat this breath cycle 5 times.
• on your next inhale, come onto all fours and cycle through 3 sets of cat/cow, inhaling into cow, and exhaling into cat.
• after 3 cycles, return to a neutral spine.  on your next inhale, flip your toes and exhale into downward facing dog.  take three full breaths here in down dog, each time drawing your heels closer to the floor.

sun salutation a {"100 years" - lifehouse}

• on your next exhale, step or hop to the top of your mat.  inhale to tadasana and exhale into forward fold.  
• inhale to a halfway lift and exhale into chaturanga dandasana.  inhale into upward facing dog and exhale into downward facing dog.
• repeat this sequence 3 times linking one breath to one movement.

sun salutation b {"american honey" - lady antebellum}

• from downward facing dog, step or hop to the top of your mat.  inhale halfway lift and exhale forward fold.  inhale into chair pose.  hold for the inhale, exhale forward fold.  inhale halfway lift, exhale chaturanga dandasana.  inhale into upward facing dog and exhale into downward facing dog.
• from downward facing dog, lift your right leg high.  be sure to square your hips, pointing your toes down towards the ground.  sweep your right leg through into low lunge.  
• inhale to crescent lunge and exhale into warrior II.  
• inhale to reverse warrior and exhale chaturanga dandasana.  inhale into upward facing dog and exhale into downward facing dog.
• repeat this sequence, from downward facing dog, on the left side. 
• repeat both side two more times through, linking one breath to one movement.

cool down {"fix you" - coldplay}

• from downward facing dog, step to the front of the mat all the way into a seat.  extend your legs long arms high.  on the inhale reach your arms high, and on your exhale, fold into seated forward bend.  hold here for 5 long, deep breaths.
• on your next inhale, return to a seated position and slowly lower down to your back for happy baby pose. hold for 3 long, deep breaths.
• on your next inhale, extend your legs long for supine twist on the right side.  repeat on the left side.
• on your next inhale, extend legs and arms long, and exhale into final savasana.  

and there you have it!  20 minutes... done and done!  now of course you are not going to print out this dissertation to keep next to you while practicing; i thought i would show you the shorthand way i write it.  i keep this little notecard next to my mat in case i need to glance over.  i guarantee after a few times, though, it will be committed to memory.  

so! give it a try and let me know what you think!  

morning veggies.

morning veggies.

morning!

i had a wonderful night's sleep, but poor matt was up all night with winnie who has been a little under the weather lately.  we think she ate something that will hopefully move itself through her system sooner rather than later.  or maybe this disgusting bone is the culprit. 

we kept our walk on the shorter side this morning, but still got a few miles under out belts - enough to tire them out and give me a few hours of reflief.  any of you who have had a puppy can understand... it is hard work and requires constant supervision.  i like to think it is preparing me for our baby days!

 

breakfast:

my stomach was feeling a little off lately, so i kept i simple with a basic green monster.  into the blender went the usual:

 * 1 large frozen banana 

 * 1 cup almond milk

* 2 - 3 cups fresh spinach

* 2 scoops vanilla protein powder

plush a pinch of xanthan gum for thickness!  i also munched a piece of pumpkin bread (only one piece left!) for some chew.  i am very happy to report that matt, who dislikes all things pumpkin, cannot get enough of this bread and that makes it a winner in my book. 

i am holding off on coffee at home today as i plan to spend a few hours at starbucks after i drop matt off at class.  i'm thinking a pumpkin spice latte may be in order on this beautiful, fall morning.  

what is your favorite green monster combination?  i tend to stick with the basic recipe, but am looking to switch it up!

tj's homemade pizzas are on the menu for tonight!  i have whole wheat crust, fresh mozzarella, fresh basil, and am thinking about throwing together a light pesto to brush on the crust.  

happy thursday, friends!

impromptu dinner out

impromptu dinner out.

and another day has come to a close... 

today was a doozy!  how about you?  i spent the afternoon work, work, working away with a few short walks and an acupuncture sesh thrown in for good measure.  i snacked on a vanilla protein smoothie (same recipe as usual) and copious amounts of pumpkin bread before wrapping things up in favor of a delicious weeknight dinner out.

around 4:00 this afternoon i whined my way into dinner with matt at one of my favorite pizza spots!  mista is a locally owned spot serving up sandwiches, pasta, and cracker crust pizza.  all ingredients are fresh, natural, organic and 100% delicious.  i just love the exponential improvement in taste when ingredients are responsibly grown and produced.  nothing beats farm fresh veggies.

we started with the mista salad.  fresh field greens topped with apple slices, dried cherries, crushed macadamia nuts, and low fat feta, all tossed in a mista vinegarette (which is absolutely deeelish.  would die for the recipe!)  the perfect palate cleanser for what the main attraction...

a ten-inch heart smart pizza on whole wheat cracker thin crust.  homemade tomato sauce, roasted organic veggies (the eggplant was to die!), organic baby spinach, organic shredded mozzarella, sea salt and e.v.o.o.

i absolutely adore the crispiness of this crust and the layers upon layers of veggies they pile on the pie. 

 

isn't it fun to dine out on a week night?!  it feels like such a special treat and is always great to get me out of a mid week funk.  as this was an impromptu date, i have homemade pizza on the menu for tomorrow night as well!  oh well... double pizza never hurt no one :)  

i'm off to find something sweet and pop into bed early.  

night!

a wednesday afternoon discussion: {calorie counting}

a wednesday afternoon discussion: {calorie counting}

afternoon!

happy hump day, friends.  it is a cool, crisp morning out here that began with a brisk 3.5 mile walk with the pups.  i love walking early in the morning when the streets are quiet and the environment peaceful.  as most days tend to get pretty crazy, it is nice to have this time to myself.  even if you’re not a morning person, i would challenge you to set your alarm just 10 minutes earlier one morning this week and take a quick stroll around the block.  i guarantee it will clear your head and set a wonderful tone for the day.  sometimes it’s the simple things in life (and it poops the pups... mocha has been sun bathing all morning!)

onward!  i had an early morning doctor’s appointment down in the city that required me to fast for 12 hours (!).  everything went well but, needless to say, i was famished leaving the office and stopped at a little café to grab a bite and get some work done.  i munched on egg whites stuffed with veggies (spinach, zucchini, broccoli + mushrooms) plus a side of toast and some cantaloupe. 

while eating breakfast, i started thinking about the practice of calorie counting and it’s place in my personal life.  i believe calorie counting has become somewhat of a taboo subject in the healthy living community because of its potential to perpetuate obsessive, unhealthy behaviors.  however, counting calories is also a great weight loss tool, when used appropriately and responsibly.

 

i personally have used calorie counting to both extremes and, as such, the practice has had both a negative and positive effect on my life.  as i do think calorie counting can be a very useful tool for those trying to lose weight, i put together some guidelines to ensure it is used in a beneficial manner.  {please note, these opinions are entirely my own.  always check with your doctor before embarking on any weight loss program}.

DO

• know your basal metabolic rate (bmr).  bmr is the number of calories your body burns to stay alive.  in other words, if you laid in bed all day, this number is the amount of energy (measured in calories) you would expend. 
• know your exercise expenditure.  having a rough idea of the calories you burn through exercise will help ensure you do not consume too few calories for your activity level.  there are plenty of websites that calculate common exercise activities.  
• keep a food log.  when i have tried to lose weight in the past, this was the most helpful tip i utilized.  this doesn’t have to be fancy, it can be just a scrap of paper, but it will help you keep track of daily calories and also identify any problem spots in your daily habits.  it took a week of logging my eats to realize i was often skipping breakfast, backloading calories, and consuming over half of my total daily intake between dinner and a bedtime snack.  
• cut calories responsibly.  it is widely agreed upon that females should not consume less than 1200 calories  per day.  rather, reduce calories in maintainable way.  if you add your bmr and daily exercise calories, this will give you your calorie burn for the day.  consume 500 calories less than that number per day and you will lose one pound per week.

DON’T

• obsess.  as a self-professed perfectionist, i struggled with this point.  you are not going to know the exact calorie count of every food you eat, and that is ok.  many websites (calorieking.com, caloriecount.com) have food databases that will give you at least a rough estimate on almost any food out there (including restaurant items!)  but, if it is a special occasion, or you just don’t feel like counting, don’t!  one snack, one meal, even one day, will not make or break you.  
• miss out on life.  there is no experience, food relate or not, that is worth missing to stay within your calorie goals.  you see a movie spur of the moment on a sunday, have a handful of popcorn!  your boyfriend surprises you with cupcakes, enjoy a couple bites!  maybe then you have a lighter dinner, or a smaller breakfast the next day.  the beauty of calorie counting is that you can account for treats throughout the rest of your day.  take a little here… give a little there. 

with those thoughts, i'm off to find a snack!  breakfast is still sitting in my stomach but i'm feelin' a little munchy.

what are your thoughts on calorie counting?  

any interest in seeing a sample food log from my calorie counting days?

 

late summer pasta primavera.

late summer pasta primavera

oh, hey!

how was everyone's tuesday?  mine flew by in the blink of an eye.  i was jam packed from 6 am to 6 pm, but very productive!

how did you guys like the pumpkin bread? i promise, it is absolutely delicious. perfect for light morning breakfast with a cup of coffee, an afternoon snack, or even a post dinner treat with a little ice cream (i plan on trying that tonight!)

i took a quick trip to trader joe's to stock up on fresh produce (and then proceeded to leave my wallet in the cart in the middle of the parking lot.  thank you whoever turned it in!)

i loaded up on

• spinach 
• kale 
• zucchini + squash
• mushrooms
• brocolli
• bananas
• bell pepper
• new {to me} seaweed snacks
• unpictured: almond milk, bacon, goat cheese, and supplies for make your own pizzas (whole wheat dough, fresh mozzarella, fresh basil, and pizza sauce!)

"lunch" today was a bunch of snacks:

 

• trader joe's all natural chicken burger topped with honey mustard
• banana smoothie (yogurt + banana + protein powder)
• cosmic cranberry kombucha
• {unpictured: lots and lots pumpkin bread nibbles}

and the remainder of the afternoon was spent on a trip to the vet, a short walk, and tying up some loose ends at work before plopping on the couch for 30 minutes of relaxation with e! news.  now onto the main attraction...

no, not winne (although she is quite the scene stealer, huh?)

late summer pasta primavera.

this easy throw together pasta dish is the perfect busy weeknight meal.  packed with filling veggies and comforting pasta, this dish will satisfy all bellies alike.

this meal came together in about 15 minutes (including pasta boiling time!)  i simply sauteed some garlic and shallots in a splash of evoo, diced up some veggies (zucchini, squash, mushrooms, and broccoli), and added them to the hot pan to saute for a few minutes.  i threw in half a cup of all natural marinara sauce and let simmer for about 10 minutes. 

i bolied and plated the pasta, topped with the sauce and crumbled some goat cheese to top things off.  easy, delicious, and nutritious

and with that, i'm off!  check back tomorrow for an at home yoga flow and calorie counting discussion.

night!

"welcome to fall" pumpkin bread {and a sugar substitute tutorial}

"welcome to fall" pumpkin bread {and a lesson in sugar}

one of the most exciting things about fall (for me) is the return of pumpkin!  be it packed in a smoothie, stirred into oatmeal, or baked into a loaf, i love pumpkin in all forms.  (heck, i even freeze for my dogs to munch in their kongs!)  one of my absolutely favorite fall treats is pumpkin bread and when i picked up a few cans of libby's last week, i quickly added pumpkin bread to my to-do list.

a quick interlude: almost every pumpkin bread recipe i found that looked halfway delicious was packed with sugar (2 whole cups for one loaf!)  not i like my treats sweet, but if possible i try to obtain that sweetness from natural and unrefined sources.  here's the low down:

• granulated white sugar is a common, highly refined all-purpose white sugar.  you will find it in almost all commercially prepared baked goods and most likely use it in your home from time to time.  it's the regular white sugar we grew up on!
• organic unbleached white sugar is a tastier (in my opinion) more natural choice for cooking or baking with white sugar (my personal favorite)
• unrefined brown sugar is also known as raw sugar and is slightly purified, evaporated cane juice.  this sugar has a slight hint of carmel to it and comes in a variety of flavors, the most common being turbinado.
• honey is the world's oldest unrefined sweetener and is available in a range of flavors and colors from dark to light (dark having a stronger flavor than light). honey adds both moisture and acid to a recipe which must be accounted for if used as a substitute, especially in baking.  
• maple syrup is the boiled down tree sap of the sugar maple tree.  it is twice as sweet as white sugar with a distinctive caramel flavor.  maple syrup is one of the least refined sweeteners today.

... of course there are many more sources of sweet (molasses, rice syrup, agave, barley malt, etc., but here are a common 5 to get you started).  and now for a cheat sheet of rules when subbing in these natural sweeteners:

1. brown (turbinado) sugar and white sugar can be subbed on a 1:1 ratio.  the most significant difference will be the taste.
2. maple syrup can be subbed for white sugar at 3/4 c. of maple per 1 c. of sugar.  reduce liquid by 3 tablespoons.
3. honey can be subbed for white sugar at 3/4 c. of maple per 1 c. of sugar.  reduce liquid by 3 tablespoons.

armed with our natural sugar swaps, we are ready to head to the kitchen for this delicious, nutrient packed fall breakfast (or really anytime!) bread.

"welcome to fall" pumpkin bread {makes one 9 x 5 inch loaf pan; easily doubled}

ingredients:

• 1 cup whole wheat pastry flour
• 1/2 cup organic white flour
• 1 tablespoon pumpkin pie spice
• 1/2 tablespoon cinnamon
• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• 3/4 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 cup brown sugar
• 1/2 cup organic white sugar
• 10 oz. libby's pure pumpkin puree (NOT pumpkin pie mix)
• 1 egg + 2 egg whites
• 1/2 cup canola oil
• 1/2 cup applesauce
• 1/2 cup water
• 1/2 cup carrots (shredded)
• 1/2 cup raisins

directions: 

1. preheat oven to 350 and lightly grease loaf pan
2. combine flour, pumpkin pie spice, cinnamon, baking soda, + salt in a large bowl.
3. combine sugar, pumpkin, egg + egg whites, oil, applesauce + water in a mixing bowl and beat until just mixed
4. add pumpkin mixture to flower mixture and stir until just combined.  do not overmix.
5. fold in carrots and raisins.
6. spoon mixture into loaf pan and bake for 55 minutes or until toothpick comes out clean.
7. cool in the pan for 10 min. and remove to finish cooling.

as someone who has tried many a pumpkin bread recipe, i have to rank this one right at the top.  the carrots, pumpkin, and brown sugar made this bread so moist.  this bread is sweet, but not dessert-like and the raisins provide a surprise punch of flavor.  made from fiber filled whole wheat flour, healthy canola oil, and vitamin filled carrots and pumpkin, this bread also fits the nutritional bill.  

i just enjoyed two slices with butter as fuel for a lunch time yoga class.  see ya!

double fisting.

double fisting.

hi!  welcome back to reality after that oh-so-luxuriously-long three day weekend.  while weekends most certainly keep my sanity intact, it is always nice to get back to my tried and trusted weekly routine.  after a weekend full of sweets, meals out, and relaxation, i'm ready to get back to healthy eating (hello, green veggies!) and regular exercise.  

the pups and i went for a brisk 4 mile walk this morning (they should be toast for the next 3 hours) and i am sitting down for a quick breakfast before back to back conference calls.

i double fisted it this morning: in one hand we have coffee sweetened with stevia and almond milk, and in the other a nutrient packed green monster.  

i followed my standard formula to make this smooth and creamy wonder:

• 1 large banana (frozen)
• 1 cup almond milk
• 2 - 3 cups raw spinach
• 2 scoops vanilla protein powder

feels good to pack in a nutritional punch first thing in the morning!

i'm off to work for a few hours, but check back shortly for a fabulous revamped pumpkin bread recipe that will sweep you right into fall.

morning thought: before you speak, listen.  before you write, think.  before you spend, earn.  before you invest, investigate.  before you criticize, wait.  before you pray, forgive.  before you quit, try.  before you retire, save.  before you die, give.

to each h(is)/(er) own.

to each h(is)/(er) own.

good evening!

have you checked out the updated "about" page?  lots of new pics!

...and just like that the long weekend has come to an end.  even when they're three days, i just don't know where they go.  i spent the afternoon prepping for some conference calls tomorrow, planning out the blog for the week (any requests?) and at a puppy play date with my girlfriend and her pug (who reminded me so much of murphy)!  it was a quick but productive afternoon and i am settling in for a night of bachelor pad (thank goodness they don't take off labor day!) and keeping up with the kardashians (don't judge.)

backing up, lunch was a delicious roasted veggie fritatta with goat cheese and a side of toast + fruit at bakin and eggs, a local breakfast/lunch cafe.  while working this afternoon, i broke for my favorite 4 p.m. sweet treat pick me up: vanilla fro yo protein shake.

• 2 scoops vanilla frozen yogurt (i used swiss gourmet vanilla frozen yogurt)
• 1 cup almond milk
• 1 scoop vanilla protein powder
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract

throw ingredients into the blender (or magic bullet as i used), give it a whirl for about 60 seconds, and you have a deliciously sweet, creamy pseudo-milkshake that will keep you full 'til dinner (thanks to the 18 grams of protein!)  of course the frozen yogurt makes this a little bit higher in sugar than i like my afternoon snacks to be, but still not back for a once-in-a-while treat!

dinner tonight was fend-for-yourself.  while i generally make a "grown-up", nutritionally sound meal for matt and myself, some nights we decide to go our separate ways.  we have a few leftovers in the fridge to be eaten before the week begins and matt's been munching on pizza all day, so around 7:00 i threw together a random plate of refrigerator findings.

on one side we have butternut squash fries: sliced, tossed in olive oil, and baked at 400 for 45 minutes

and on the other a simple spinach salad, tossed in honey mustard and topped with leftover grilled all natural chicken breast.  simple, light, fresh + satisfying.

the refrigerator is now sufficiently empty as to warrant a whole foods run tomorrow :)  

speaking of groceries, i spent a few minutes tonight meal planning for the week.  i have a tendency to overshop and buy i impulse when i hit the whole foods aisles (or any grocery store for that matter!)  recently i have started mapping out our meals for the week, knowing when we are going out, how many lunches matt will need (i pack them!) and the staples i need to replenish.

 

i'll be sure to recap the loot tomorrow!  i'm off to find something sweet and settle into the couch.  

just for fun: matt's meal of choice.  leftover grilled chicken, shredded and mixed with bbq sauce.  on a sandwich this with tater tots on the side.  don't mess with this boy's tots.

night!

coffee talk {preview of the coming week!}.

coffee talk {and a preview of the week!}.

good morning, friends and happy monday!  i have had a beautiful morning starting with an early trip into the city on a wide open highway thanks to this labor day holiday.  i zipped downtown in 20 minutes today -- a trek that would take me over an hour at 8 a.m. on any other monday morning.

backing up a bit, after a brisk 4 mile walk with the pups this morning, i scarfed some toast and peanut butter before hopping in the car.  i'm now killing some time at starbucks before an early lunch with my good friend who is moving to california next week.

i officially made the switch this morning.  after enjoyed unsweetened iced coffee with a splash of soy all summer, the cool temperatures prompted my fall/winter order: grande nonfat extra hot misto.  in other exciting news: the pumpkin spice latte is back!  will have to file that in my back pocket for a treat on a rainy day.

as i sit here at the computer with a lack of blog worthy content, i figured i would give you a sneak peek into some posts coming up this week!   

___

monday: a sweet {but healthy} afternoon treat (when you're craving something sweet and nothing but a milkshake will do)

tuesday: fall flavored breakfast bread (chock full of carrots, pumpkin, and raisins, this nutritious quick bread will welcome you right into fall)

wednesday: by the numbers (does calorie counting really work...and is it healthy?)
 

thursday: does your pup need a friend? (the pros and cons of a second dog, and my personal experience with adopting a sister for mocha)

friday: recipe makeover (i take on my all time favorite dessert: carrot cake)

saturday: july 11, 2009 (a look back at my wedding day!)

sunday: grocery list + go to recipes (our weekly staples)

___

fun fact: the number one reason a woman doesn't want to work out?  she doesn't want to mess up her hair! {source}

what's the number one reason you're likely to skip a workout?