Juicing

I've had a juicer for years and have never used it.  Since I'm going clean, I decided I should make use of it.  Let me be clear:  I am not doing a juice cleanse.  I feel those are dangerous and irresponsible. However, I'm not good at eating breakfast, so I thought I would start juicing for breakfast.  That way, I get extra vitamins and minerals that I normally wouldn't get, because I've been stuffing my face full of mostly crap for the last couple of years.

This morning, I got out my (horribly dusty) juicer and went to town tossing in a granny smith apple, a handful of carrots, a golden beet (the whole thing, greens and all), and half of a lemon without the peel.

The result was an earthy (beets taste like dirt, yo), tart concoction that was not entirely unpleasant.  If you're going to use beets, you might want to add a few other fruits or veg to help cut that earthy (dirt, it's dirt) flavor.  I followed up my juice with a boiled egg (because protein!), and I haven't been hellaciously hangry all morning.

I'm going to do my level best to stick this out for at least 28 days and see what happens to my energy levels.  As it is, it really can't get much worse.  And hey!  I've already had 3 servings of my 4-5 servings of fruits and veg and it's not even noon!  Go me!

Libster's Orange Monster

1 granny smith apple (cut off the stem, yo.  And take out those seeds!)
3 ounces of baby carrots
1 golden beet (the whole thing.  Seriously.  All of it.)
1/2 peeled lemon

Going clean

In my last post, I talked about being in perimenopause and how run down I'm feeling.  In an effort to restore my energy levels and re-balance my hormones, Dr. K wanted me to go to a clean diet.  She wants me to cut out processed foods.  So, I am going to give it a valiant effort.

I've still got two loaves of bread in the fridge, but I have a bestie/roommate person who is helping get rid of them.  Once they're gone, brown rice will be my grain of choice.

I'm a pasta lover, and I thought giving up pasta would be the hardest thing  I've ever done...until I discovered spaghetti squash.  Spaghetti squash is the best pasta replacement.  Fuck zoodles (zucchini noodles).  Seriously fuck 'em.  They're disgusting.  One of my favorite clean dishes is spaghetti squash spaghetti with meat sauce.  Try it. You won't be sorry.

I'm using Clean Eating for recipes.  This Buzzfeed article also has some delicious recipes.

It's actually been easier than I expected it would be.  I've stocked up on dried fruit and nuts for snacks, and fresh veggies and hummus for lunch.  I've found a few restaurants that also have menus I can work with when I'm running low on time.  All in all, it hasn't been awful.  It's just going to be a matter of sticking with it and staying away from the processed stuff.

Cutting out soda has been the real struggle.  I'm getting around that by drinking an awful lot of tea.  My favorites are Lavender Dreams and White Earl Grey from Teavana.  Seriously.  Lavender Dreams is the best tea you will ever put in your face.

I'm also drinking a lot of infused water.  My favorite is strawberry-lemon-basil.  Or just lemon-basil.  These two are great go-to infusions, because they're refreshing, and they help alkalize your digestive system.

Strawberry-Lemon-Basil Infused Water

3 - 5 strawberries
2 slices lemon
1 basil leaf

You can use filtered water (I use a Brita pitcher, because Oklahoma water is awful) or fizzy water (the fizziness helps me stave off soda cravings).

You'll probably also want an infusion bottle.  I use the Define Bottle, but you can find cheaper bottles on Amazon.

Out of the fog

It didn't take as long as I expected to recover from my weekend at the Renaissance Festival.  All it took was reaching my water goal, eating good, clean meals with a balance of protein, carbs, and healthy fats and a good strength training session.  

I fell into bed after Midsummer rehearsal Monday night and slept through very well.  I woke up feeling like a rockstar!  My brain wasn't foggy, my motor skills were back, and I wasn't dreading trudging my way through an eight hour work day.  AND I lost 2.5 of the 4lbs I gained over the weekend! 

I decided to switch up my strength training, because I've noticed that I have these little bulgy bits near my armpits that make wearing tank tops and sleeveless bodices unsightly.  I've also been developing what I call a mini-muffin top.  As I was browsing the Fitness and Health section of Pinterest, I came across this workout that is supposed to work all the bits that regular moves miss.

http://www.prevention.com/fitness/strength-training/fat-burning-workout-routines-trouble-spots?cm_mmc=Pinterest-_-Fitness-_-Article-_-So%20Long%20Spillover%20Spots  

I did one set of each move in addition to the 2 sets of modified pull-ups I've been doing.  Once I'm more comfortable with the routine and don't have to check back to see what move is next, I'll add another circuit, possibly a third.

This morning, I woke up and looked down at my mid-section and could see ab definition.  That was exciting as I've not had any ab definition in ages. 

I'm feeling good and can't wait to conquer my next hurdle, whatever that may be!

  

Skinny vs Strong

I read this blog post today, and it really made me think.  It's about body image and the desire to be strong vs the desire to be skinny.  It made me very sad to think that there were probably girls in my classes in high school and while I was teaching drama who felt the way Sophia did. No girl should ever have to feel that to be accepted, she needs to starve herself. The top priority should be health. If you are eating so little that you can't function properly, there is definitely a problem.  

I never really felt pressured to be skinny in high school. To be fair, I WAS skinny in high school. I was slender, but well muscled, because I was a dancer and a swimmer. I never felt remorse (and still don't feel it) over that cheeseburger or piece of cake. I've always had a healthy love of food.

My senior year, I weighed 79lbs, but it was a healthy 79lbs. Before you get indignant and scoff, you have to remember that I am tiny. I'm 4'10" tall, so 79lbs of muscle looked much better on me than 79lbs would on someone who is 5'3".

It's been only recently that I've begun to feel panic about my body. My muscle mass has decreased significantly, and I've gone soft everywhere. When I realized that I was almost 50lbs over what I was in high school, but that it was mostly fat, I was horrified. I still looked okay as long as I was fully clothed, but most of my muscle tone was buried under an increasingly thick layer of fluff and cellulite. And my blood pressure was sky high!

I didn't freak out. Okay, I freaked out a little, but I didn't go on a crazy binge diet. I've simply been eating cleaner and healthier while incorporating three strength training workouts into my schedule. If I have the time, I'll do a Zumba session on my off days.

Since January, I've dropped 20lbs and gained quite a bit of muscle tone in the process. I'm never going to be 79lbs again, and I'm fine with that. I like finally having boobs, frankly. But my body was getting away from me, and it was time to get it reigned in.  That being said, I still have some work to do.  I'm trying to think more in terms of inches than pounds at this point.  I'm building more muscle, so I may not drop any additional weight.  In fact, I may gain a little, and that's just fine.

The effects of Renaissance festivals on the urban pixie...

This weekend marked the opening of the local Renaissance festival that I've been part of in some capacity for 14 of its 18 years.  It was great to see old friend and make new ones, but it was rough.  I was unkind to myself this weekend and am currently paying for it this morning.  It's going to take me the week to recuperate, and then I get to do it all again.

I definitely need to remember to pack lunches, because no matter how much I love festival food (especially from the new pastie/baked potato vendor), it does not love me.  There tends to be too much sodium, which makes me puff up like mini Staypufft marshmallow man.

In addition, I left my mug at home, so I didn't drink nearly as much water as I should have, which also add to water retention; and I definitely didn't sleep enough which also adds water weight.

The miserable 40-50 degree rainy weather didn't help, either, as cooler temperatures slow down your metabolism and digestive system.

I also ate a meal from Long John Silvers last night, which I know is highly reactive for me.  It was tasty, but I not only did I puff up, it's also made me dumb and lethargic.  I slept a solid 8 hours last night, so there's really no reason for me to be so exhausted.  I'm sleepy, clumsy and can't think clearly.  It feels like I'm moving through molasses.

I'm constantly amazed by the effect that different foods can have on a person.  So, as I sit here typing, eating my bowl of cherries and flaxseed, I have made myself a promise to be good to my body for the rest of the festival.  Not only do I have intense weekends, but I also have rehearsal every night until Midsummer opens. I won't have the energy to make it through aerial classes and 3.5 hour rehearsals if I'm not taking care of myself.  If I continue as I did this weekend, I will crash hard and make myself sick.

So, wish me luck, my friends.  I will need it to make it through this week.

Post-Workout Smoothie

Smoothies can be a great way to start the day,but they can also be They're also great recovery drinks pre- and post-workout.

My current post-workout smoothie is a Chocolate Banana smoothie:

1c goat milk
1T cacao powder
1 banana
1t honey
 
I once read an article that chocolate milk was the best recovery drink after working out.  The article suggested that drinking an 8oz glass before your workout gives you the carbs and protein needed to power through your workout.  It goes on to say that drinking an 8oz glass after your workout provides the rest of the protein needed to repair your muscles.  The article said that you would feel less sore if you followed this method.  And you know what?  It was right.  After trying this method, I went from being so sore I could move after a workout to being barely sore, if at all, the day after.

http://eatthis.menshealth.com/content/chocolate-milk-diet

http://www.fitnessmagazine.com/recipes/healthy-eating/superfoods/chocolate-milk-after-workout/

Protein

Protein is a pretty important part of the human diet.  It's one of the three sources of fuel the human body runs on (fats, carbohydrates, and proteins).  Making sure you have enough protein within 30 min of your workout is imperative to muscle repair.

While it is important, you only need so much protein in your diet, even you are physically active.  A sedentary woman only needs .4g of protein per pound of body weight per day, while an active needs .6g.  The human body can only absorb around 7g of protein per hour.  If digestion takes between 4-5 hours, you're look at at max of 28g - 35g of usable protein in a meal.  It is generally recommended to divide up your protein between meals.  How you do that is up to you.  I prefer to start the day off with a bang and have a 1/3 of my protein at breakfast.  I get this with my smoothies and flax granola.  I try to have only a small amount of protein at lunch, because I tend to get lethargic going into the latter part of the day if I have too much.  I usually have a bit of protein with my afternoon snack and then have the remainder at dinner.

On days that I have a workout, instead of a snack, I will have a pre-workout smoothie and a post-workout smoothie, with 9g of protein each.  For dinner, I will have the remainder of my protein.    

http://www.health.com/health/article/0,,20410520,00.html

http://www.marksdailyapple.com/dear-mark-how-much-protein-can-you-absorb-and-use-from-one-meal/

http://sarahfit.com/why-protein-should-be-your-workout-companion/

http://www.livestrong.com/article/530256-how-much-protein-should-a-female-take-post-workout/

http://www.merckmanuals.com/home/disorders_of_nutrition/overview_of_nutrition/carbohydrates_proteins_and_fats.html

http://www.active.com/nutrition/Articles/Get_enough_protein_after_your_next_workout

http://greatist.com/fitness/what%E2%80%99s-best-source-post-workout-protein

Smoothies!

I love smoothies, because they're quick and easy.  I'm talking smoothies you make at home--not the ones you get Jamba Juice that are chock-full of sugar and end up being worse for you than a cheeseburger at your favorite pub.

I find that smoothies are great to start your morning off with an energy boost.  Currently, my favorite smoothie is my Avocado Banana Berry smoothie.  The creamy texture from the avocado and banana makes it oh-so-pleasing to the palate.

1/2c goat milk
1/2 avovado
1/2c strawberries
1/2c blueberries
1 banana
1t honey
1T flaxseeds or chia seeds

I use goat milk because it is easier to digest than cow's milk, and it provides a good source of protein.  For a more Plan friendly smoothie, substitute coconut milk for the goat milk.  I have found, however, that the protein in the goat milk gives me more of an energy boost than coconut milk.

This smoothie is great as a pre-workout drink because it gives me an energy boost.  The healthy fats from the avocado and the antioxidants from the berries also make this a good smoothie for fighting skin breakouts.  (Very good if you're detoxing on The Plan).

Still hanging in there

I'm still on The Plan.  I'm just horrible at blogging.

I've lost the 20lbs I had gained, and my skin is clearing up.  Woot!

I'm going to stick with The Plan, simply because I feel better and have more energy than when I'm eating the foods that make me miserable.

I've added two more days of exercise per week, since Lyn-Genet suggests exercising no more than 4 days per week for no more than 45 minutes per day.  Honestly, I've been exercising 3 days per week for 1 hour, but I'm keeping it simple with basic strength exercises and my aerial class.  I'm not going nuts with the over-exercising.  1.)  In my experience, while exercising regularly is supposed to make you feel happy and when I over-exercise I just feel miserable.  2.)  Over-exercising can cause your body to go into famine mode and have the opposite of the desired effect you are looking for.

http://fitness.mercola.com/sites/fitness/archive/2012/12/28/7-hidden-signs-of-overtraining.aspx

http://www.eatingdisordersonline.com/explain/anorathletica.php

http://health.usnews.com/health-news/blogs/on-fitness/2010/11/05/10-signs-youre-exercising-too-much