Lifting + Aerobics + Yoga + Sick = Stupid

Stupid.  That is how I feel.  I have been sick since Tuesday with what I thought was a sore throat...though I should have known better since Bill's been sick with a fever and cough since last week.  My sore throat has since moved to my lungs.  So what did I do yesterday?  Dig myself a nice cozy sick bed. 

First I went to the gym at break...around 2 p.m. I think.  I tried to do 20 minutes of intervals on the treadmill as a New Rules warm-up only to be sidelined after 5 minutes with a burning throat and fluid filled lungs.  I then went up to the big boy weight room  to complete Stage 3 Workout B.  This work-out seemed pretty easy....probably because I skipped the required intervals.  I felt pretty good after besides the burning throat and cough, so I thought I would try and catch a Yoga class at Revelation.  I hadn't been back to this studio since the wine tasting extravaganza and I was interested in its Internal Muscle Shift Class. 

Now, I was completely aware that this class had a cardio component...I figured this would be a fast paced vinyasa flow start similar to Victoria's class.  Boy was I wrong.  Turns out that the cardio portion was a spin on kick-boxing, step-aerobics, weight lifting and a gazillion squats.  All with yoga breathing.  For 45 minutes.  Oh, and Pilates.  Followed by 45 minutes of yoga.  Really.

I should have left.  My lungs were wheezing and I was pretty sure I was going to puke.  This is a yoga studio so no air conditioning...and I, thinking regular yoga, didn't bring any water.  Right.  Can you picture this?  But the ego, despite all I have learned in yoga, is a funny, powerful thing.  So I stayed and I gave the entire class my all.  And despite the fact that I felt like my legs were going to fall off and my lungs were going to collapse, I really enjoyed it (though I will never, ever do it again following a New Rules workout).  I also LOVED the yoga portion.  So much so that I signed up for their 1 month unlimited plan.  I'll be cutting it close to make any of the 6:30 p.m. classes but they said its cool if I am a few minutes late.  Yay!

I actually felt pretty good when I left the class despite having basically lost my voice.  So where does that leave me now?  Today is my vinyasa class with Victoria and tomorrow morning is a long run with my sister-in-law.  I know I could make it through Victoria's class...I am doubtful of the run...but I may, unfortunately have to skip both and try to get into the doctor's today. 

I hate being sick.  I hate being sick and aggravating it even more because I am too stubborn to sit out a few workouts.  I would throw in a 'lesson learned' here except that this is a behavior I repeat pretty consistently...so lets just say 'lesson noted' and leave it at that.

Granola Bars!

Its recipe time!!  Remember back in the day when I was looking for a recipe for granola bars and my friend Libby came up with one?  I have since made these bars twice and the second time I remembered to take pictures!!  The recipe is from The Food You Crave: Luscious Recipes for a Healthy Life by Ellie Krieger.  I actually own this book and really like it...but the recipe can be found online here.  I'm not going to re-print the ingredients and measurements because of copyright issues, but just click the link.  Oh, and add a half teaspoon of salt to the list. 

Here is how I made them:

Get out Recipe Book and pre-heat oven.  Do this when its 93 degrees out.  Kidding...though it has been around 90 both nights I have made these...I do not recommend it.

The recipe calls for pretty much putting everything in the food processor.  You can see my food processor in the upper left hand corner of the picture below...teeny, right? 

So basically I food process all of the dry ingredients first, dump them in a mixing bowl, and then do all of the chunky and wet ingredients next ... how gross does chunky and wet sound?  By 'chunky and wet' I mean almonds, dried fruits, eggs etc.  Then I combine everything in the mixing bowl by hand and dump it into the baking dish.  This whole process takes me about 10 minutes, if that.  Libby actually does all this chopping by hand, which  is another option.  I then flatten and press the mixture evenly with my hands till it fits the pan.  It will not seem like you have enough mixture, but you do.  These will be the thickness of a single crunchy nature valley bar.

That lime you see has nothing to do with the bars.  That has to do with ginger vodka or wine spritzers.  Totally unrelated.  But helpful if you are baking energy bars at 9:00pm on a Saturday night in a 90 degree kitchen.

Next you bake the squares for about 20 minutes and then let them cool.  You have got to let them cool - no rushing this. The bars are sticky and moist and will break apart if you do not let them cool.  Got it?  Good.  If it is 90 degrees in your kitchen this may take an hour or more... ... practice patience while you wait. 

Once cooled, you can cut them into 24 bars...err...squares.  I like to wrap them individually in plastic wrap and keep them in a zipper bag in the freezer for grab and go fun.  The wrapping is the most pain in the butt part of this whole process.

Thats weird...the lime moved.  I must have been trying to class this shot up a bit.

Are you stunned with the cleanliness of that counter??? Yeesh.  But I think this is a good example of the texture of the bar as I make them...Ellie suggests you food process all the ingredients into a paste.  That just doesn't appeal to me, so I leave the ingredients chunky...which was actually Libby's suggestion as well.  For 24 servings, these bars weigh in at about 130 calories and I find them very satisfying.  They can also be dangerous if you go hunting for nighttime snacks and happen to smear chocolate almond butter on them...in which case, the calories pretty much double...but so does your enjoyment.

The bars are chewy and crunchy and not too sweet.  In fact, if you like a sweeter bar you may want to consider swapping half the maple syrup for honey or agave nectar.  Just a thought...though I like them as is.

Enjoy!!

Not Exactly Back On

Despite my best intentions, I am not fully back on the wagon.  Things have been hectic around the office which has resulted in two days of no lunch break...which could mean two days of missed workouts.  It also, unfortunatly, means a very brief post.  I have managed to keep healthy eating in check with the exception of more than one glass of wine last night and a missed breakfast this morning.  What irritates me most about the lack of daytime break is that I had to sacrifice my yoga class lat night to fit in a The New Rules workout or I would be hopelessly off schedule. 

I ended up finally getting to the gym at 5:45p.m. I started a new New Rules stage and between figuring out the moves and getting through the reps, I was at the gym a little under two hours.What absolutly killed me in this workout were Single Dumbbell Overhead Squats.  See how happy that girl is in that picture? What girl?  This girl.  Right.  She is not that happy....or her weights weight a pound each.  That is a seriously tough exercise - try it.  I dare you.  In fact, the whole of Stage 3 is really tough...my legs are useless today.

The worst part of the workout came right at the end though.  As I attempted to plow my way (badly) through jump lunges and jump squats, I could actually see my yoga class start in on their practice.  I was insanely jealous.  I briefly entertained the though of abandoning my self-torture and joining in ... but decided to stick with the plan, which was to finish the jump squats, chug my protein shake in the locker room and head home.  The result?  Though I am pleased with yesterdays tough workout, I am ridiculously craving a yoga class.  Fingers crossed I make it home early enough to squeeze in a quick practice!

Back on the Wagon

Holidays are tough.  Holiday weekends are really tough.  Fourth of July means too much food and drink and lazing around the pool and too little exercise.  In an effort at full disclosure, here is how the Holiday Weekend went for me:

Friday: Work, Lunchtime yoga class, Out of work by 4:30, in a lawn chair with a drink and a book by 5:30.  Made a good grilled fajita dinner complete with too much wine, Mario Kart and a bag of sweet potato chips and guacamole split with Bill.  The whole bag.

Saturday:  Wake up at 8:30.  Smoothie for Breakfast, locksmith, 5 Mile run with Sister-in-Law followed by 1 hour nap, Something for lunch that I can't remember.  Dinner was a burger, grill potatoes, spinach and red onions, corn on the cob.  Actually, not that bad.  Very little alcohol consumed due to hangover (see Friday).

Sunday:  Wake up at 10:45!!  Smoothie for Breakfast, Chill with Bill, 20 minutes of tough vinyasa practice, Head to Moms where I parked myself next to food, wine spritzers and the pool until 8pm that night.  Home to watch Jaws with Bill and stay up way too late.

Monday: Wake up at 9:45!! Smoothie for Breakfast, Head to Moms where I parked myself next to [MUCH LESS] wine spritzers and food and much more in-pool time.  Home for 4:30pm, Laundry, Tuna wrap for Dinner, in bed with book by 8:30.

It was a great holiday weekend but now I'm feeling like a cream filled salt puff ... and so its detox time.  I am not talking fruit juice and hot pepper or any other weird celeb thing.  I'm talking water and water and water and veggies and fruits and exercise.  If all goes according to plan, today will look like this:

Breakfast: Smoothie
Snack: granola bar, almonds
Exercise: The New Rules of Lifting for Women: Lift Like a Man, Look Like a Goddess Stage 3
Recovery: Protein Shake
Lunch: canned mussells with whole wheat crackers, hot sauce, salad and Chia Seeds
Snack: handful almonds...maybe fruit salad instead
Exercise: 60 minute Vinyasa class/practice
Dinner: Maybe a salad/veggie burger combo.  Glass of wine.

Who is back on the wagon with me???