Nora Ephron

In my case, I refuse to become a victim of age, genetics, macho shithead doctors, and of the bullshit we are fed about nutrition from companies which mass produce food.

Yesterday I ran passed the local high school.  It seemed to me that a teenage daughter and her mother were leaving the school after having attended some sort of summer session.  And of course, they were both overweight on a hot day in Brooklyn.  The daughter points at me and says, "Hey Mah.  Why dat be always skinny bitches running?"

Lemme tell you something about that teenage girl.  At present, she is my FAVORITE neighbor.  Much love to you Hon.

New Best Friend

I would like for you all to meet my new best friend.  And the best thing about her is she is made locally, in Dobbs Ferry, New York.  Real peppermint is THE BEST soap in the world to wash with after a hot and sweaty run.

http://www.kallisteshop.com

Last night I made a pot of black turtle beans, split green and yellow peas, and buckwheat.  I am enjoying it right now with spinach and avocado.  It's kind of a beautiful thing.

1.9 in 25

• Went my furthest today during a 25 minute run.  1.9 miles.  I could just taste that second mile.  I'll catch it some other time.  I don't run fast, I don't have to.
• My iPod selected Perry Silverbird's Wa-she-poh during my cool down.  Check it if you have a moment.
• THERE IS A VERY STRONG POSSIBILITY THAT I'LL BE BACK IN SCHOOL THIS UPCOMING JANUARY.   I would like to become a certified physical trainer.  I toured an Institute last week which I really liked.
• I have signed up for Headspace, a meditation web site.  I'm giving it a shot.  We'll see how it goes.

https://itunes.apple.com/us/artist/perry-silverbird/id195278032

https://www.headspace.com

In Your Head

You need the daily collision with the asshole in your head.
--Dan Harris, on meditation

While Dan Harris has been a reporter since the early 90s, he is best known for having had a live, on-air panic attack.  He has since come clean about his addiction issues, written a book about his experiences, and has become a huge proponent of meditation.

Meditation has come up a lot during my Reclaiming research.  I was taught at a very young age the importance of prayer.  Trust me when I tell you that I have no intentions of shaving my head and moving back to Crown Heights.  But I would like to incorporate some regular formal chanting into my wellness.  In my world, that means morning minyan on Mondays, Thursdays and Sundays, and of course, sabbath services on Saturdays.  But I am going to search for minyans outside of my neighborhood

My insomnia has been way out of control, but we'll see how it goes.

Penguinspiration and Podcasts

• Here is a link to my Penguin Inspired running/work out spread sheet.  It seems to be turning out quite well.  I am allowing my weekly plans to select which days I cross train and rest.

https://drive.google.com/file/d/0BzGP_JoxFzFKZHY2MDc0aXYxNlE/edit?usp=sharing

• You must you must you must, infinity times ten, listen to Rich Roll's last two podcasts.  If you think you could never go vegan, then Podcast #95 is for you.  John Joseph, from both the streets of New York and the punk band Cro Mags, tells it straight up.

http://www.richroll.com/podcast/rrp-95-explicit-john-joseph-mishka-shubaly-the-post-punk-algonquin-round-table-peace-plants-pma/

In Podcast #96, Rich Roll interviews his wife, Julie Piatt.  She is a plant-based chef, healer, musician, yogi, and mother.  Their discussion about finding balance in life is spot on.

http://www.richroll.com/podcast/rrp-96-julie-piatt-balance-surrender-faith-risking-it-all-to-live-your-best-life/

Oh My Gosh

Eight Months

Thank you WB for sharing this with me

Well, this is what I look like after eight months of committing to a plant based diet, and graduating from power walker to runner.

And while we're at it, let's not forget ZZ Top, I mean legs, since I know how to use em'.

I Dare You

This appeared in the Washington Post a few days ago and was then passed onto me by Vegucated's Facebook page.  I think the method is spot on, however, I will need to reverse the order in my Nutribullet, since I screw the blade on top and then flip it over to blend.  

To see the original article this came from, visit: http://apps.washingtonpost.com/g/page/lifestyle/steps-to-a-sensational-smoothie/1164/?utm_content=buffer2d3a8&utm_medium=social&utm_source=facebook.com&utm_campaign=buffer

If you haven't seen the movie Vegucated yet, then you must.  Visit their web site at http://www.getvegucated.com, and then I dare you to take their challenge at http://www.getvegucated.com/take-action/take-the-vegucated-challenge.

And of course, please let me know how it goes.

Vitamins???

• Could it be, that my recent bout with insomnia is the result of my not taking my vitamins?  I'm not sold on the idea.  It was just a thought.
• Speaking of vitamins, check my smoothie for today: carrot juice, coconut juice, baby spinach, plumb, banana, mixed berries.

Oh so good

New Bad Girls

• I have been truly bad at keeping my food log.  I'm solid for a day or two, and then I just forget to write shit down.  I have not become complacent with my eating.  I have some great stuff in my refrigerator, including: baked tofu with grape tomatoes, seitan, my kale stew with quinoa and lentils, and of course fresh fruits and vegetables.
• I did make two minor foul ups this past week.  I feel as if my body has learned what it accepts as real food.  Rushing to a freelance gig a few nights ago, I happened to be passing near Little Atlas (https://www.facebook.com/pages/LITTLE-ATLAS-CAFE/163956110150) on West 4th Street. I can always rely on them for a variety of really good vegan sandwiches.  But I just had to have one of their vegan Oreo brownie things.  And of course, it was delicious.  But as I walked and at it I was really icked out by what I was putting into my body.  I had these amazing grapes in my bag.  "Why am I doing this" I thought to myself, as I tossed the remaining half into the garbage.

Then, last night, I didn't pack enough food to get me through a night of work.  I thought that I could make do with a bottle of my fused water, and one of my magical smoothies.  That would have been okay, except I trained in the morning and didn't ingest enough calories during the day to compensate.

I fell into the trap of ordering in food, which is never a good idea.  The Chinese food place had specifically noted vegan options.  When my food came, I ate as much as I could and then tossed the rest. There was tofu of course, and the mixed vegetables I was promised were just snow peas, and lots of them.  The sauce was ridiculously spiced and way too oily.  If I were to do it again, I would request that everything be steamed with the sauce on the side.

• And . . . ugh . . . I concede to a truly awful kitchen failure.  I have now successfully made my own power bars several times.  People at work loved them so much that they told me they would help me sell them.  Well yesterday I made way too big of a batch.  They didn't cook all the way through, so I ended up with two big vats of mush.  Lesson learned.

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Check out these new bad girls.  They shall replace my Asics, which have carried me 137 miles.  The Asics shall replace my current at home work out shoes, which will be donated.

Mizuno Wave Sayonara

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Lesser evil
Buddha Bowl
Organic Popcorn
http://lesserevil.com

Somersaults
Pacific Sea Salt
Somersault Snack Co.
http://www.somersaultsnackco.com

I LOVE YOU PENGUIN

I've got to say this, and it's a bit difficult for me, so I'm just going to blurt it out.

The Penguin's training program isn't working for me.

• The part that I like the most about running . . . is the actual running.
• I totally and completely respect John Bingham, and recommend "Running for Mortals" to anyone who has even a remote impulse to get off the couch.
• I have learned a great deal from him, especially the importance rest, cross training, and not to aim too high too soon.
• Would I like to better my 5K times?  Sure I would.  But that's not why I'm doing this.  There's a much greater pursuit here than a finish line trophy.  I want to get out there and go . . . and just keep going.  Yes, the body needs rest.  Yes I need to work other exercises into my week.  But I need to run more than three days a week.  I want to see where it takes me.
• The Penguin's 5K training program is absolutely perfect for anyone who works a standard full-time job.  What my bank accounts lack, I make up for  with personal time.  Living the life of an artist does have it's advantages.

Living With Depression

Living with depression is interesting, especially when you're working towards becoming a stronger endurance athlete.  Running continues to teach me structure on a daily basis, and I am so thrilled that this practice has entered my life.  

But for the past week or two, I have been really bitchy, expressing my thoughts a little too much at work, not been sleeping well at all, and isolating myself quite a bit.  With the random mini meltdowns I've been having, I can't say that I've minded my alone time.

Several medical professionals have told me that the depression which I suffer from is termed "situational."  Being faced with back to back to back losses in such a short span of time has indeed affected my mental health.  I have wondered, however, if all of the trauma awakened something deep inside of me, which had been dormant since . . . well . . . forever.  As I don't want to just shrug and use genetics as an excuse for not taking care of my health, I don't want to blame my recent behavior entirely on hormones.

There are times I feel so unbelievably amazing.  My days are filled with this organic high, which I know that power walking and now running truly enhances.  Over the past few days, I have hit a rough patch, quite reminiscent of the mindset which brought me into that shitty gynecologist's office, who had the balls to misdiagnose me with pre-menopause.  And as I've mentioned a bunch of times, my new kick ass amazing gynecologist is able to view me as an entire painting.  Yes, my body is going through some changes.  But I absolutely love that my new source of comfort are my running shoes instead of cheese doodles, Ben & Jerry's and the remote.

Penguin - Week 2A

Week 2A of my running program has come and gone.  Follow the link below the penguin to see my progress.

https://drive.google.com/file/d/0BzGP_JoxFzFKbWVTWkJYY3A2ZDQ/edit?usp=sharing

Very Day 3

Today was strange.

Very strange.

• I ran today, 2.2 miles in 30 minutes.  This demonstrates excellent progression in my running program.
• During my cool down walk, a half a block from my apartment, I started sobbing uncontrollably.  
• While it seemed sudden, I felt it coming on.  I wanted to stop it.  I tried, but then I had to let it go.
• At one point, it got so bad that I was wheezing as I inhaled.  for sure I would have taken a klonopin if I had it on me.
• By the time I walked through my door, I was much calmer, so I did not treat myself to an anti-anxiety candy.
• Moments earlier I was running, felt unstoppable, and displayed a temple to temple smile across my face.
• I spent the rest of my day buying fruits and vegetables, watching a few bad episodes of work-out reality television from bed in a funk, made myself an absolutely amazing avocado sandwich and kick ass smoothie.
• I ushered a musical tonight.  I felt so uplifted that I bought more fruits and vegetables on the way home.
• Tears fell from my eyes as I wrote this during my train ride home.  And I really don't care who saw.

Wow, check out this graphic I found on the web.

Some Verse

A late afternoon run
Pushed it
Ate
Then filled with exhaustion

Checked out early to bed
Morning came
Migraine
So bad that my face hurt

Apartment no relief
Drug store
Forced
Excedrin my savior

From temple to temple
Iced face
Chill
Organic crackers too

Leafy greens blended with
Carrot
Juice
Coconut and berries

Nursed myself back to make
Home brew
Tea
Drank some hot good potion

Vegan body fighting
One egg
Path
To day 1 since 14

Well I am reclaiming
Body
Health
With a forward motion

What a great day it is
By chance
Rest
From my running program

--Karen 7/8

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Not all was lost today.

Made my own power bars out of dates, coconut, apricots, tahini and cashews.

Here's what happens when you take your kale and lentil stew and mix it with pasta, salsa, and Daiya cheese.  Let me slap myself on the back as I think about the flavor in every single bite.

Digging June

A Peach & an R Train Shout Out

• Dudes.  I am currently drinking, well . . . eating with a spoon actually, the best smoothie I ever made.  We're talking about: carrot juice, coconut juice, a peach, blueberries, and Earthbound's Zen greens.  I made it yesterday and froze it.  Last night when I returned home from work, I removed it from the freezer and put it into the refrigerator.  I just blended it again and now I am enjoying the most mind blowing frozen treat possible.  The flavors are spot on.  Now truthfully, I searched Google for "PMS smoothie" and that is where I got the peach and carrot idea.  It was on several web sites.

• This is an extra special shout out, to the lovely dynamic couple, who I met and spoke with on the R train last week.  As a direct result of our conversation, I got off the train at Borough Hall and went to Perelandra on Remsen Street in Brooklyn Heights.  I went straight back to the incredibly well kept bulk section and bought some beautiful dried dark red beans.  They were actually on sale, at I believe $2.19 per pound.  Aren't they gorgeous?

A Few Nibbles

Buchanan State Forest

•According to Endomondo, I have covered 288 miles.  If I travel due east from my apartment, that places me very close to Buchanan State Forest in Pennsylvania.
•I would like for you to meet my new best friend.  It's Suzie's Whole Grain Thin Cakes: corn, quinoa, sesame.
•I saw fireworks tonight when I treated myself to a Mother Earth slice from Cafe Viva Herbal Pizza: soy meatballs, mushrooms, red peppers, broccoli, sautéed onions, mild sauce.

2578 Broadway, New York, NY 10025

Racing the Rain

I have completed week #2 of my running program.  If you click on the link below the penguin, then you will be able to see my progress.  Now, since I was scheduled to do two 5Ks this week, I am adding a Week 2A.  This will allow me to return to John Bingham's instructions in Running for Mortals.

https://docs.google.com/file/d/0BzGP_JoxFzFKbVltT1laUnRySGY0M2J6bVAxbGpXYlBseGJ3/edit?hl=en&forcehl=1

Well, after two nights in a row of working in the rain, I woke up this morning at 5am, completely prepared to conquer my second 5K of the week.  I checked the weather, before heading out to our chartered ferry, which would take us to Governors Island.  It didn't look good.  A large chain of rain clouds were heading directly towards lower Manhattan.  I thought about what the ride home would be like completely drenched, as I had experienced the previous two nights.

I went back to bed, and accepted the gift as a rest day.  I slept until nearly 11am, and of course, the sun was out when I woke up.  I can keep kicking myself OR move forward, at whatever speed I choose, knowing that there's a much greater race which I am pursuing.

Happy (7/2) Wednesday

Your soul knows when it's on to something. - Rachel 

Wolchin

~~~~~

Today my AMPPW (morning post pee weight) was 126.8 pounds. I am six days away from the estimated first day of my menstrual cycle. I am not showing any of my typical PMS signs, however, my body may be readjusting to the cycles of the many women who I am currently working with.

I have also decided to shift my weigh-in day to Friday, since that is the last day of the week for my running program.

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I have been a very bad girl as far as my food log is concerned. I'll get back to it, I promise. I have been eating fabulously though. I have been very creative in the kitchen, and I'm loving it.

Homemade energy bars

Dino kale, lentils and rainbow quinoa

My very own baba ganoush

And of course, a whole lot of my Home Brew iced tea