Am I there yet?

So I've been running.  To the gym at least twice a week (to start) and an active record of how long and how far my runs take me.  Running to some may be a definitive lifestyle; for me its more like an effort toward a goal - that is it.

I am learning that not only do I dislike running, I dislike really hard work.  When I approach labored breathing, I give up; when I start to sweat, I slow down; when I feel the pain in the back of my legs, I walk.  I am successfully stocking the fridge with great, clean, delicious foods, but when it comes to stepping up to a run, I'm a flop.

My husband and kids run.  My husband runs about a nine minute mile, eight if he pushes it which he is competitively able to do; my son ran cross country last fall and achieved an eight minute mile as well.  I ran with Kendra last week and my three miles came in at about 45 minutes and she was easily 15 minutes ahead of me (she claims it was because she had to use the bathroom).  Our youngest hasn't attempted a measurable run yet, but when Scott is down pounding out Insanity, she is willing and able to keep up.  I remember a time when I would lace up and follow the seams where the runway held off the grass but that time has faded like the numbers on a jersey worn long ago.

I have seen a small gain in distance over my last three half hour attempts;  instead of 2 miles/30 minutes I am running 2.15.  It will take me about 30 trips to the gym to reach to my 3 mile goal, but it's a goal none the less.  The benefits of lumbering on a tread mill are more than a tenth of a mile gain, however.  Stronger heart, healthier lungs, cleaner digestive system, crisper nervous and limbic system, better hormonal balance, sexier legs, and trimmer middle are just the beginning!  To think a 15 minute mile could deliver so many rewards...

For now, I encourage all of you to set a goal toward health.  Clean out your pantry, stock your fridge, and enjoy real, whole, nourishing food.  Drink plenty of water so that your food can be absorbed.  Take vitamins to supplement for the few you've missed.  Take a walk.  Log a run.  Laugh with your sisters.  And, as always, remember to wash your hands...

Anna

So I Should Just Eat Salad, Right?

This investigation is causing me to take stock in things I previously ignored.  I am asking questions about the amount of butter I put in my oatmeal, about the amount of steak I put on the plate, about the conditioner I am using on my head.  Several months ago I believed more in a calorie earned, calorie spent lifestyle supported by good food diet, but I am still just learning what good food is.  If toxins are in labels and arsenic is in rice and potatoes are a simple carbohydrate, is my diet reduced to salads?  

Plant based foods grown without chemical assistance are  good foods for my body.  Lean chicken, deep ocean fish, pork and red meat beef up protein intake and provide fatty acids, calcium, zinc, iron, and other great nutrients, but can tax our digestive system.  Water is needed with all foods we eat in order to break it down to absorbable form.  Vitamins are needed not only to support cell walls, but organ tissues, bones, lung function, skin, hormones: everything functioning within our 10 body systems.  Water, vitamins, minerals, and protein are found in plant based foods and lean meats...  When I combine several fruits, veggies, nuts, beans, seeds and grains I get a Salad~

My sister has been eating salads for dinner lately.  Sometimes I wonder if she is bored with this option~  Many of us think of salads as lettuce, tomato, onion, dressing and peppers; if I ate that daily I too would get "saladed out!"  Salads can be a beautiful addition to or substitution for meals while being delicious, different, and imaginative.  I'm not suggesting that health is synonymous with salad, but I am suggesting whole foods as a means to good health; salads use whole, fresh, raw foods and that, dear reader, is healthy!  Tonight, broil a small, lean steak or a great fillet of fish and serve with...

Black Bean Salad

INGREDIENTS

• 1 (15 ounce) can of black beans, thoroughly rinsed, and drained (or 1 1/2 cup of freshly cooked black beans)
• 1 1/2 cups frozen corn, defrosted (or fresh corn, parboiled, drained and cooled)
• 1/2 cup chopped green onions or shallots
• 2 fresh jalapeño peppers, seeded and minced, or 1 whole pickled jalapeño pepper, minced (not seeded)
• 3 fresh plum tomatoes, seeded and chopped
• 1 avocado, peeled, seeded, and cut into chunks
• 1/2 cup fresh chopped cilantro
• 1/4 cup fresh chopped basil
•  Juice of one lime
• 1 Tbsp olive oil
• 1/2 to 1 teaspoon of sugar (to taste)
• Salt and pepper to taste

How:

In a large bowl, combine the beans, corn, onions, jalapeno chile peppers, tomatoes, avocado, cilantro, basil, lime juice and olive oil. Add sugar and salt and pepper to taste. (The sugar will help balance the acidity from the tomatoes and lime juice.) Chill before serving. Yield: Serves 6 to 8. (Recipe by Elise Bauer.)

There is a calorie earned, calorie spent component, though...  So, after you drink a large glass of water with lemon, dine on real food, add a vitamin and wash your hands, take a walk with your family...  you will feel the goodness of the food!

Anna~

Friday, Saturday, Sunday... Amen!

From Michelle~  Anna,  thought of you while eating the best Butternut and Chickpea soup I have ever made. I used my pressure cooker but [it] says you can use a slow cooker as well. Here is the recipe and feel free to share it on your blog.

Winter Squash and Chickpea Soup

2 medium onions, chopped
2 lbs butternut, acorn or other winter squash, peeled and cubed (I used butternut)
1 cup tomatoes (fresh or canned), seeded and diced
1 (16 oz) can chickpeas, rinsed
1/2 tsp coarse salt (I used himalayan pink salt)
1/2 tsp pepper
2 cups low-sodium or regular vegetable broth(or make from scratch)
3 cups water (I used 2.5 cups)
2 TB unsalted butter
Chopped cilantro or parsley for garnish

How~

Add all ingredients together (except butter) in pressure cooker then bring to high heat for 20 minutes. Once it is ready to open use an immersion blender just a little then add the 2 TB of butter. Serve.

For slow cooker it says do the same excpet on high 4 hours or low 8 hours. Add butter after you use immersion blender. 

Damages~

Per serving: 175 calories, 5 grams protein, 30 grams carbs, 7 grams fiber, 5 grams fat, 10 milligrams cholestrol, 401 milligrams sodium

(Adapted from "the Mediterranean Slow Cooker" Michele Scicolone, 2013)

Thanks Michelle.  I hope you remembered to wash your hands...

Anna~

Thursday: Not quite in the Present~

Every day is a gift.  We all get to wake up and change something we dislike or adopt behaviors we admire.  We can do things exactly the same in order to perfect a craft or we can erase, start over, and reflect.  Each day starts anew~  except when it comes to what we ate!

The human body is functioning today on things we put into it yesterday.  Some things are utilized immediately, like water and juice, and some things, like meat, take six to 12 hours to digest.   Processed foods typically linger the longest in the intestinal tract due to the disguise of artificial ingredients, fillers, binders and additives.  That is precisely why some diets suggest an initial cleanse, three days of fasting, an enema or a liquid start.  Your body is kind of like Thursday; not quite mid-week, not quite the weekend, not quite in the present!

How do we make our bodies function in the moment?  Water, soups, juices, or smoothies made with fruits, veggies, and herbs and spices.  Think of it like this; if you can drink it, your body can absorb it!  Everything else has to be digested or broken down into a liquid and then absorbed.  The more solids we ingest, the more water we must drink in order to properly liquify the nutrients to promote absorption.  It may seem impractical to drink our diet, but it is possible to add more liquid to our food~

This morning, after perusing my weekly meal planning page, I blended up some oatmeal, protein mix, skim milk, strawberries, blueberries and some ice.  It was a thick breakfast, a texture I am not used to. My normal shake of choice is dark cocoa powder, protein mix, skim milk, ice, and natural peanut butter; a little thinner and more decadent than oatmeal and strawberries.  Both are delicious, both full of vitamins and minerals, both with fat and fuel, both ready for absorption; maybe I will just skip the oatmeal the next time I whip up a smoothie.  Adding one or two liquid breakfasts a week can help the body finish digesting yesterday's steak and become present - not a bad idea~

So, eat real food, drink lots of water, and give your vitamins their vitamins~  Try a few new liquid recipes!  Have some soup!  Make a smoothie!  Leave the things that come in a box...  instead enjoy things that come out of a garden~  And, as always, remember to wash your hands.

Anna~

Comments and Recipes, Favorites and Questions are Welcome~