diet

All posts tagged diet

Time Out for the Injured Reserves… :-(

Published March 24, 2013 by Susan Woodward

I had myself all pumped up, too!  But I realized when I could barely move my right arm, let alone put weight on it, that Cirque Fit wasn’t going to be as productive for me as has been… and that I couldn’t use the silks today.  😦    I think it’s tendonitis, so I am nursing this baby from now till Tuesday so that I can go back on the silks!

Lisa and I were both on the injured reserve sidelines yesterday, but we stayed to cheer on our compadres.   Still, it’s very hard sitting and watching when I know that I just want to be in there trying to do some move, even if I end up on the mat.  It’s the participation and the daring myself to try something new that I have grown accustomed to in the past eleven weeks, and I am going to continue in that thread!

Jenns 6 Injuries

Hmmm…on the outside of the elbow, it’s “Golfer’s Elbow”; on the inside, it’s “Tennis Elbow.”  Where’s Aerialist’s Elbow?  That has a better sound at least!  But I am certain that this is what I am dealing with, especially since the area on the inside of my elbow is actually quite warm, or inflamed  (hmmm… I am noticing the spelling of that word on the picture.  Sigh…).

Well, I am taking Will’s advice as for how to take care of this arm by resting it and massaging the elbow.  I am actually using hard pressure massage to get my thumb into the joint to loosen the tension, and then I am massaging the arm downward from the elbow to the wrist and then back again.   I think by Tuesday I should be fine to do the class, and then Thursday and next Saturday open practices.  After that, I am off till my next session starts on April 8th, so I have time to rest it some more.

Yes!  I signed up for another session!!  My plan is to continue on the silks, as well as continuing what I have learned from both Will and Patty about exercise and diet.  For my exercise, I have joined the YMCA for my fitness training (class times are easier on my schedule, plus I can swim and hop into a hot jacuzzi and sauna right afterward).  I have met with a trainer, so I have my weight-training and cardio routines set up.  That, plus my silks training 2-3 times a week, will get me into better shape.

As for my diet, I have already made drastic changes.  I am avoiding packaged foods jammed full of preservatives and opting for whole grains and fresh produce.  Because the price of meat has skyrocketed due to the summer droughts, I am looking for other sources of protein to add to my diet.  I do know that my water consumption should be higher… it’s not that I am drinking something else instead, like coffee or soda… I am simply not drinking period.  I don’t drink soda anyway, but I am down to one cup of coffee a day (Tim Horton’s stock must have gone down in the past couple of months…).   I shop at the public market nearly every Saturday to stock up on my fruits and vegetables, and I am juicing most of them!  That is going to be part of my morning routing: getting up and making fresh juice to drink on my way to work instead of making coffee.

Oh, yes… and the most important thing.  STILL SMOKE FREE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Cookin’ With Jojo

Published February 23, 2013 by Susan Woodward

What a busy Saturday… Wegman’s tour with Patty to see the best that Weggies has to offer Health-wise, Nutrition class with the girls, Cirque Fit (with Patty, too!!), and then open aerial practice.   I am sore, sore, sore…but in a great way!  While I might have trouble making a fist (achy hands), I know that my hands are stronger than they have probably ever been in my life.  I do not want any of this to end!  Well…maybe the aches and the soreness can go away, but I want to stay committed to being physically active!

The Challenge Ladies have been great!  We are already planning a 5K in June, and there is talk of joining the Dirty Girl 5K in September!  (I’m not exactly sure what that is, but it apparently involves teamwork and obstacle courses…)  I will be researching that one more!

After a grueling workout and with arms like rubber, I left the studio with my granddaughter Jojo in hand to go shopping for dinner ingredients at Trader Joe’s and then head home to cook with my little Munchkin.

She really is a good little cook!

After a hard workout (Will my abs hurt, and so do my ARMS!!!), protein was definitely on the menu.  Patty had whet my appetite with the quinoa salad she made for the Challenge Girls, so I thought about cooking with it.  I was feeling creative, so while Jojo and I were at Trader Joe’s, I concocted a stuffed veggie recipe:

First, I prepared the raw vegetables:

– 3 large green peppers, halved and cleaned for stuffing (so that will make six)

– 1 medium eggplant, halved and hollowed, ready for stuffing (that will give me two)

We (Jojo and I) then mixed in a large bowl:

– 3 cups cooked quinoa

– one 8 oz. package Trader Joe’s Organic 3 Grain Tempeh (crumbled- Jojo had fun doing that part)

– one 10 oz. package Trader Joe’s Vegetable Masala burgers (crumbled- Jojo broke the burgers into chunks, and I crumbled the chunks for the stuffing)

– the chopped up innards of the raw eggplant

– one 10 oz. jar Trader Joe’s Roasted Red Pepper and Artichoke Tapenade

After mixing all ingredients well, we stuffed the six pepper halves and the eggplant halves.

Jojo cooking 2

Jojo cooking

It looks a bit like she’s trying to make me an offer I can’t refuse, but after four pics and she kept doing that, I guessed that a smiling picture wasn’t going to be part of the deal today.  She said she wanted to make silly faces.  Ok…so I will publish the silly face.  When you look back on this at 16, Jo, you will thank me for publishing it!

Back to cooking…

After we stuffed with veggies, I poured a bit of  Trader Joe’s low sodium vegetable juice over the top before baking.  Popped it into the oven at 350 for about 40 minutes, so that the veggies were tender.  Voila!  Dinner for the family for a couple of days!

The spices came from the Tapenade, the juice, and the veggie burgers.  No added spices (including no salt).

We had supper ready when her mom came to pick her up after she had been teaching silks at a birthday party.  Protein was on Mommy’s menu, too!

This has been a great family thing, joining the Aerial Arts program.  Once I sign up for classes after the 12 Week Challenge is over, Illy will keep me motivated (as my future teacher, she will kick my ass if I miss class), and we can both eat healthier while cookin’ with Jojo!

Trading Old Bad Habits For Newer, Better Ones– and a New Success!

Published January 24, 2013 by Susan Woodward

Baby steps, baby steps, baby steps… but each time I show up at Aerial Arts of Rochester, I get a tiny surprise that continues to encourage me that, yes, this pain is worth it!

The picture may not clearly show it, but I was able to get my heels off the floor about an inch or so while hanging from the trapeze… and I DO have six witnesses who were there when I was screaming my surprise.  I also hung from the bar longer than I was able to last week… about a whole 15-20 seconds longer, but indeed longer!

trapeze

The hip key wasn’t there tonight, but I am not discouraged.  I do know that I can do it… I just have to make sure that I am consistent in getting into it correctly.  Today I was inconsistent, and that’s all it was.  Not a failure.  Laffy Taffy is much easier and actually feels GOOD when I do it because it stretches EVERYTHING!  That’s an improvement.  So I’m not going to beat myself up because I still haven’t hung upside down or been able to climb yet.  That will all come; however, I WAS successful in doing three pushups from my feet and not my knees!

Good things I have done for myself other than keeping up with my training efforts include NOT SMOKING for more than TWO WEEKS so far!!  I went cold turkey from a pack a day to nothing.  Quitting while in the throws of an upper respiratory infection made it easier… but I am happy to NOT go back to it!  The money I am not spending on cigarettes is going into the bank for a trip to Wales this summer.

Another new habit that is working for me is the cinnamon and honey regimen.  I can actually tell that my blood pressure is lower because my chest isn’t pounding and my pulse isn’t racing.  I’m sure that not smoking is contributing to the effect, but I think that the concoction is also helping.

Shopping at the grocery store is also now different.  I’m keeping more to the outer edges of the store in the produce section and the Natural Food section, and I am reaching for organic as much as I can.  I found a new grocery store (well new to me) while out on one of my jaunts to Barnes and Noble (an enjoyable pastime)…Trader Joe’s.  trader joes  It had a really wide selection of organic foods at really reasonable prices.  I found things there I’d never heard of, but was willing to try as I give up my usual Keebler cookies and chips.  One interesting (and surprisingly delicious) item was Chili Spiced Mango; dried mango slices covered with cayenne.  I thought it was a gross combination when I first saw it on the shelf, but since I am in the market to try new and different things, I figured this was as about as new and different as I could get (for now anyway).

I will be going back for more when these are gone… YUM!  I want to go when I have some time to spend going through and looking at all the different imported items they have to offer.  Seems like this might be a cool new place to hang out.

For now, I am providing a link so that you (and I) can check out what’s to offer from the comfort of my computer.

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