Mitzi's Back!

My dear Mitzi hasn't been featured on the blog since Thanksgiving...but she is back today! She has been spending her time playing, lying in the sun, and eating.

She hopes you are having a happy 2009, and she desperately wants you to root for the Steelers on Sunday. GO PITTSBURGH!

A Revelation

I have been dealing with some self-esteem issues lately, but I came to a realization while in the sauna at the gym (workout below.) I realized that my own negative thoughts about myself are the source of my body-image woes. I also realized that there is message sent to all women by the media, and that is that every woman should be constantly "improving" herself - tightening skin, toning muscle, tanning, manicuring, moisturizing...it's never-ending. And then I got it. That's how the beauty industry makes money, by convincing women that it is "weird" to be content and proud of their bodies. I love a manicure, I have an addiction to lotion, I adore working out...but I enjoy those things because they feel good to me. And I have decided that I am going to learn to appreciate my body. I am starting by doing and eating things that make me feel good.

The yummy food above is a raw breakfast I had the other day - Medjool dates (a Costco find), as well as a bowl consisting of 1/2 a grapefruit, pomegranate seeds, part of a banana & some pistachios. Defintely a colorful and filling morning meal.

In addition to embracing good food, I am also continuing my regular exercises...

20 min. stair climber

20 min. indoor rowing

20 min. weights (arms)

10 min. cool down/stretch

10 min. sauna

Hopefully, I will continue to feel better and have a brigher perspective overall. What do you do you lift your mood?

Fifteen

I know, I know. I've been a bad, bad blogger. I'm sorry. I really am. But I really am busy, too.

January 10th was my birthday. I was planning to post about a delightful cake I'd made, or some other kind of special treat. However, life - volleyball, school, work, softball - got in the way. I feel bad. I really do. I promise do to better, to post more often! So far, I have kept all of my promises concerning this blog, and I intend to do the same with this promise. I have a volleyball tournament this Saturday, but I will get cooking this weekend. (We have a three-day.)

On a lighter note, I am so glad that you guys enjoyed the video! I was kind of shy about posting it, but I'm so glad I did! I'll talk to you all soon.

A Workout & Video Post

So I went to the gym yesterday...

30 min. elliptical

60 min. weight lifting (machines, full-body, 2 sets 15 reps)

20 min. rowing

10 min. stretch/cool down

10 min. sauna

I felt great after this workout - I always feel so pumped & refreshed during & after a good chunk of time at the gym. (BTW, I go to the fabulous Prairie Life Center...PLC for short...I would highly recommend this gym in you have one in your area! They have multiple locations throughout the Midwest.)

What in the world do I eat to refuel after a workout? I gotta be honest, sometimes nothing. I'm not usually very hungry after exercising, so I usually have a big meal before. If do have a light munch post-workout, it's usually raw. I rely on LARABARS at breakfast time (paired with ½ a grapefruit in most cases) and for small snacks after I've left the gym.

The above photo is a boatload of LARABARS that the wonderful Lewis from the LARABAR Blog sent me a LONG time ago (hence the weird photo). Because of the increasing popularity and pure pizazz of video blogging (not to mention the possibility of getting another box of LARABARS,) I've decided to make my own video! Check it out!!

Grapefruit Tapioca Pudding

Grapefruit Tapioca Pudding
Serves 3-4.

• 2 cups unsweetened almond milk
• ½ cup + ¼ cup + ½ cup & 2T freshly-squeezed grapefruit juice
• ¼ cup small tapioca pearls
• 1 heaping T vegan powdered sugar, more if needed
• 3T agar-agar flakes
• ¼ tsp. vanilla

Soak tapioca pearls for 30 minutes. Meanwhile, in a saucepan, stir together all ingredients, but only use the first ½ cup of juice. Bring liquid to a boil, stirring constantly until agar flakes are dissolved. Pour into a large bowl and let cool before transferring to refrigerator. As you wait for the pudding to thicken up, drain the tapioca pearls. Put them in a clean saucepan and cover with water. Simmer gently for 7-10 minutes, until the pearls are tender and glossy. The water will thicken a LOT – don’t be alarmed. Little by little, pour the tapioca pearls and the “water” into a handheld strainer. Turn on some cold water and let it gush over the tapioca at high-speed. Remove the pearls from the strainer with a spoon and repeat until all of the pearls are rinsed. Store in the refrigerator until pudding is firm.

Once firm, blend the pudding with the remaining ½ cup +2T of juice. Taste and add more sugar if necessary. In a small glass or bowl, scoop 1 heaping tablespoon of cooked tapioca pearls. Fill to the top with pudding and garnish with fresh chunks of grapefruit. You can stir in additional pieces of grapefruit if desired.

My Resolutions

In the past, I have had trouble setting goals for myself. I tended to expect outrageous things from myself, things that I would never expect from another human being. I would either end up shattered by my inability to reach said goals or worn thin attempting (and sometimes succeeding in) achieving them.

This year, I want to break the pattern. I made a few generalized, simple resolutions for myself. Resolutions that I can be excited about. Last January, my one resolution was to lose weight. I didn't care about anything else. This year, I have chosen to enjoy life - all aspects of life: food, friends, family, activities, etc. I can already tell that '09 is going to be a good fantastic year.

What are your resolutions for 2009?