happy monday!

What a day, it is absolutely beautiful here today. It's the rainy season here, actually we are coming into the 2 rainiest months of the year but right now the sun is shining and it's clear which was great for my morning walk.

I needed to walk really badly today, I woke up pretty stiff and a little sore so it was nice to get the blood flowing and muscles warmed up. I slept a little too long to get in my entire morning yoga session but the walk seemed to fix everything up nicely.

In about 3 hours I have to go to the dentists which I'm not thrilled about and won't share the details of but will say that it is interfering with my new challenge for the month of September.

This month I will be taking on the Self.com Reach Your Goal Program. You register and then you can access this cute little tracking system which is tied into a selection of workout challenges. I chose....drumroll please.......

run 3 miles with ease

I really want to participaate in the Fun Run at The Son's school 

and after the few positive running experiences I have had lately I think I'm ready to make it happen. 

For the Drop A Jeans Size Workout from Fitness.com, I will be posting my results shortly. I need to go to the mall and try on some new pantalones to see how I did.

We should be having some guest bloggers in the coming days to cover a range of topics so keep coming back.

more later.

xoxo

martha

van halen rocks!

I love Van Halen, not the Hagar years but the truly fantastic awesomeness of David Lee Roth, or as I like to affectionately call him DLR. 

The reason I mention this is because I kicked some major ass rocking out to 1984 today at the gym. I went with my friend Camille. She does this totally mental dance class on saturdays that I fear taking part in. The instructor is famous for turning the class participants into exhausted, sweaty pools of jelly....with nice butts of course.

So anyway, I decided I would get some swim time in and practice my TI drills. I'm doing okay with it. This was only my second week so, you know, it takes time and practice.  I figured after swimming I would get on the treadmill a little bit and try to up my running.

Well I ended up doing this mini TRIATHLON! 

I know it's totally crazy but I did.

I swam for 30 minutes, ran for thirty and cycled  for 30 and you know what, it was TOTALLY HARD and my face was bright red and I was totally drenched in sweat and it felt awesome.

And something really important that came out of it was self-confidence. I have never been a runner and I ran today. I ran for 30 minutes straight on a decent setting with some inclines and I didn't die!

Maybe the 5k in February is an attainable goal after all.

Thanks Dave!

xoxo

martha

fantastic fiber

There are 2 types of fiber, INSOLUBLE and SOLUBLE. Insoluble fiber has water attracting properties which leads to soft stool and easier bowel movements. 

Aren't you super psyched I shared that with you!

Basically you need to eat lots of vegetables to stay "regular" as my grandmother you to say.

You can also get fiber from grains and cereals. According to Harvard School of Public Health, "the term fiber refers to carbohydrates that cannot be digested. Fiber is present in all plants that are eaten for food, including fruits, vegetables, grains, and legumes." 

HSPH also points out that " fiber appears to reduce the risk of developing various conditions, including heart disease, diabetes, diverticular disease, and constipation." Good Times!

So how much should you be eating? 

Answer - About 20 grams

Where can you get fiber? 

Answer - Eat whole fruits instead of drinking fruit juices. 

Replace white rice, bread, and pasta with brown rice and whole grain products. 

Choose whole grain cereals for breakfast. 

Snack on raw vegetables instead of chips, crackers, or chocolate bars. 

Substitute legumes for meat two to three times per week in chili and soups. 

Experiment with international dishes (such as Indian or Middle Eastern) that use whole grains and legumes as part of the main meal (as in Indian dahls) or in salads (for example, tabbouleh).

YUMMY!

That pretty much wraps up Fiber for now. Pretty Easy Right! 

more later.

xoxo

martha

what a week

I've had a pretty busy week and as usual I'm glad it's Friday although the day isn't near done yet.

In terms of the DJSW challenge, things couldn't be better, I have stayed with it this entire time, added weight and reps and managed to do the workout 3 ties every week. I feel pretty great about it. I think perhpas this weekend I'll go to the mall and see if I've dropped a entire jean size or not!

The article on Fiber isn't done yet but I should have it up shortly. I have a couple of reading/writing projects happening and I got behind on the nutrition articles but I figure in a day or so it will be done.

I'm hoping there will be some fun contributions from a few friends of The Snack Pack going up soon. 

More later.

xoxo

martha

super hump!

Wednesdays kill me. 

It is the single busiest day of the week for me. I have a class at the gym, The Son has karate, there's school pick-up, the farmers market, The Baby, tons of driving around, back and forth and getting kids where they need to go. The GAP class I take was murder this week. Silvia had us working our thighs like she was trying to kill us, or get us to kill her. Way too many weighted squats, leg lifts with the bar weight, ankle weight circles, it was SUPER hard but also satisfying.

This is week 4 for the Drop A jeans Size Workout, I can't believe it's gone by so quickly. Next week I am going to post my results and also announce my new challenge, yet to be determined.

I think things are going really well, I feel super energized and happy which is really the point, right?

I have to run, cranky baby.

more later.

xoxo

martha

flex yourself

So you know I love yoga but the kind of flexibility I want to post about today is more mental than physical.

There are times when I get really busy, as we all do, and I don't get to exercise as much as I want to. Today for example, I had to drive super far for a meeting this morning, right there I lost my usual morning walk. Then I got back to a cranky baby and no electricity for a few hours, and there I lost computer time and DVD make-up workout time and frankly, The Baby just needed snuggles for a few hours. Now I need to get ready for a parent-teacher conference at The Son's school. Bye-bye day!

Normally, or in the past I should say, this would have freaked me out. I would have seen this as the beginning of the end to my stretch of good exercise habits and it probably would have been but that was totally a mental state. It would have been the end because I would have been subconsciously making it the end and using a period of getting busy as an excuse. 

This time I say NOT!

When I get back, even though it will be kind of late, for me. I will get my gear on and throw in a DVD. I will remember to do a short yoga session before bed lest I have a repeat of the last time I worked out at night and didn't stretch before bed and tomorrow I will definitely hit the gym to get in a bit extra.

So flexibility is key here, remembering that it is possible to squeeze in the workout during a busy day, that things can get rearranged and that it's okay if you miss a day, you can always make it up on the rest day.

more later.

xoxo

martha

!!!YUMMY ALERT!!!

I love to cook, I really do, and when I find a recipe that gets me excited I have to try it and if it's SUPER YUM-YUM I pass it along, so here it is.

OAXACA TACOS with BEAN STEW and TANGY GREENS

The Goodliness Yummaliscious Saints over at GREEN GOURMET GIRAFFE posted this and it is truly a wonderful meal. It's so yummy that I called my Mom and told her about it, sent the link and she made it last night.

You've got to try it, the greens are especially to die for, the day after I made this I made the greens again, with spinach instead of chard and ate it ALL myself, about a pound of them. YUMMY!

And yes I know I have thrown in way too many capital YUMMY's but this recipe is seriously that good. So go out there and mix it up!

xoxo

martha