8/3-4/2013 -- Weekend wrap up, resting & my final exam -- Plus, some hints at awesome news

This weekend was a whole clusterf- well, you know the saying. Dad's birthday was on Saturday so we took him to go see The Wolverine (which he loved, by the way). Then we chillaxed at home. Mom and I had gone to the gym that morning and done about 40 minutes of cardio but I hardly feel like it's worth mentioning since all I did the rest of the day was eeeeeeeeat.

I did make us some "dessert" bars, which I also eat for breakfast and pre/post work out snacks since they're packed full of nuts, seeds and dried fruit.

They are basically KIND bars sans honey, sub agave. I am so happy they turned out well (and are dirt cheap)!

Additionally I made my very first lentil loaf and a batch of freezer burritos so when we're hungry and I don't want to cook there will be food ready and available.

Additionally I completed my HUN 2201 Fundamentals in Human Nutrition final exam (with a 95%) and finished my class at 98% total. I settled in on Sunday morning with a delicious breakfast sandwich, my notes, book and laptop to rock it out. I loved the class but I'm definitely glad for the 2-3 week break.

So then, the weekend was a wrap and I am rolling into Monday. Monday, on which an exciting and potentially life changing event may occur. I have an appointment of the very best kind at 6pm and I cannot wait until the hour rolls around. I'm being vague for a lot of reasons but I will keep you posted on this particular development, because trust me. If it pans out like I hope it will then it will be EPIC.

7/28/2013 -- The Eats and also The Blerch

I was a lazy jerk yesterday. No joke. Fitbit says I took less than 1,200 steps today yesterday. I ate a "reasonable" amount, meaning I didn't go over my calorie count on My Fitness Pal but at the same time when I'm that lazy I feel like eating anything is in bad taste. I kind of don't want to think about it so I'm going to sign off with a photo of my (epic) breakfast, my calorie counts and just call it a day.

(For those of you that don't understand the title of the entry, read this amazingly, fantastical comic by The Oatmeal.)

7/27/2013 -- Semi resting, yoga & other things

I took my first yoga class this weekend-- and I feel in love with it.

Jason came with you (thanks, babe) and we both felt like a million dollars after. I had never imagined that yoga would be such a work out, honestly, but both he and I turned to each other as soon as we were done and mouthed quietly, "Oh my god I'm sweating!!" Our instructor was a tiny thing, but clearly she lives the life. She was patient and kind, accepting and welcoming and I know that I found a new practice that I will follow through with for the rest of my life.

We are considering taking a few other classes throughout the week, but have certainly settled on Saturday mornings (and I am seriously considering going for the $75/mo unlimited so I can go two or three times a week since it's right around the corner from my house).

We both felt so alive when we finished and walked out just dripping enthusiasm. We knew immediately that that is how we want to start our weekends. I am already looking forward to next week, aaaaaand have pulled out my budget to see if I can get the unlimited fit in there somewhere.

Other than that, we went for a walk at Al Lopez Park and ate split a Publix veggie sub on wheat. It was a great way to continue our active day. Then we got a little naughty:

So, Whole Foods Tampa had an ice cream social with some fantastic vegan options. From the top left down we had: So Delicious Vanilla Ice Cream and a ginger cookie, So Delicious Vanilla Ice Cream and a homemade crock pot peach cobbler, Raw Banana Nice Cream and raw, dehydrated granola (both of which we learned to make at the raw cooking class I mentioned a couple entries ago and a small root beer float. 

Not surprisingly the raw banana "ice cream" with the raw granola was by far my favorite. Jason had some different options (since he's still lacto-ovo veggie) and told me his favorite was a small chocolate cake/brownie with a raspberry ice cream. Either way it was a fun little get together and we really enjoyed attending.

With all of that said, I have some other news bottled up and I'm hesitating to mention too much about it here because (I'm a little superstitious and) I don't want to jinx it. Look forward to hearing more about it (whether it goes the way I want or not) but please keep your fingers crossed for me. I really, really want this to pan out and it would take my life in the exact direction I've been struggling for for the last few years. This could be my life's break through!

With all of that out of the way, here is my food log from yesterday (and as always if you have the recipes just shoot me an email):

7/22/2013 -- Rest

Today is the third day in a row we take off from weights. Tomorrow morning it's back to up at 5:45am and at the gym by 6:00. I definitely needed all of these days off as I am just beginning to feel like I can move again with being in serious amounts of pain.

For a quick run down (since I started this blog a little late) last week I did the following:

Monday: Rest
Tuesday:

Weights: Chest & Triceps

3 set/12 rep Wide Push Ups
3 set/12 rep Dumbbell Bench Press
3 set/12 rep Flat Bench Cable Flyes
3 set/12 rep Standing Dumbbell Tricep Extension
3 set/12 rep Tricep Pushdowm

Cardio:

Walk @ 4.5 mph for 30 minutes

Wednesday:

Weights: Back & Biceps

3 set/12 rep Wide-Grip Lat Pulldown
3 set/12 rep Dumbbell Row, One-Arm, Bent-Over
3 set/12 rep Seated Cable Row
3 set/12 rep Underhand Cable Pulldowns
3 set/12 rep Dumbbell Alternate Bicep Curl
3 set/12 rep Standing Biceps Cable Curl

Cardio:

Walk @ 4.0 mph for 10 minutes

Thursday:

Weights:

Legs & Calves

3 set/12 rep Leg Press @ 50 lbs
3 set/12 rep Leg Extension @ 40 lbs
3 set/12 rep Wide Stance Barbell Squat @ 20 lbs
3 set/12 rep Standing Calf Raises

Cardio:

Walk @ 4.0 mph 10 minutes
Walk @ 3.0 mph 30 mintes

Friday:

Weights: Shoulders & Abs

3 set/12 rep Seated Dumbbell Press @ 20 lbs
3 set/12 rep Standing Dumbbell Straight-Arm Front Delt Raise To A "T" @ 10 lbs
3 set/12 rep Lateral Raise, Dumbbell, Side @ 10 lbs
3 set/12 rep Seated Bent-Over Rear Delt Raise @ 10 lbs
3 set/12 rep Exercise Ball Crunch @ body weight
3 set/12 rep Air Bike @ body weight

I've found that with each day I find more and more of the items I want to record (i.e. the first days I was just recording reps/sets, but by the end of the week I was also including the weight measurements).

For off days out of the gym, like today, I figured I will record my eating habits (with photos, oooooof course) just to make sure I'm being held accountable when it comes to my intake and my work outs. As a vegan I find it important to make sure that I'm eating a diverse and nutrient dense diet so I record all of my food on My Fitness Pal, but it's also nice to be able to look back and see what I've had. :)

So onward!

Today's menu:

Breakfast -- 8am -- Breakfast sandwich on Ezekiel flaxseed toast, Gimme Lean breakfast sausage, black soybean tofu and teese vegan cheddar cheese sauce.

Morning snack -- 10am -- 1 large banana

Lunch -- 12pm -- Homemade mung beans in tomato, onion gravy with basmati rice

Afternoon snacks -- 2:30pm and 5pm -- 18gr natural almonds and 1 medium apple

Dinner -- 7pm -- Oh She Glows "Long Weekend Grilled Salad"