Weighty Issues

I should probably write the recap for my last race (and I will, I promise!) but today I prefer to discuss something that has been on my mind a great deal lately with PRs seemingly out of reach and swimsuit season all of a sudden upon us: weight.

I am certainly not the skinniest crayon in the box, and I guess if I were I wouldn’t be as consumed with counting calories or as worried about the level of butt jiggle that occurs when I run on down the road. In my life, I have ranged from a size 4 to a size 14; now, I’ve settled into an average size 8.  And that is just fine, I realize that, but also understand that if I lost just 10 more pounds, I would have a lot more ease when I run as well as when I put on a bathing suit.

Honestly, I would LOVE to look like this again: 

Meatless Monday: Jurek Style

While on a brief trip to our cabin a couple weeks ago, I finally got further into ultra-marathoner Scott Jurek‘s recent book, Eat And Run, in which he touts his vegan diet as the key to his success in winning and setting records in countless ultra-marathons- and we’re talking 50 and 100 milers here! Having grown up in the mid-west and raised on the typical meat-fish-eggs-based type of diet, Jurek explains his hesitation and then steady transition to a no-meat-no-dairy lifestyle while accomplishing amazing running feats.

Given that I of course want to improve my (albeit novice) running as well as overcome the digestive issues that seem to almost always arise for me during races, I figured I would give it a try and incorporate a few of Jurek’s recipes into my everyday diet. While I can’t really imagine going vegan 100% of the time, I can tell that my body certainly functions better eating this way- I feel lighter, I sleep better, and my digestion issues have vanished.

Meatless Monday: Service for 1

It’s Day 9 of our family vacation and Hubby will join me and the kids later this week, so in the meantime, I cook for one. Already feeling the effects of too many hamburgers and not enough running, I’m trying really hard to keep up with my goal of vegetarian eating at least on Mondays as the rest of the week demands a turkey sandwich for lunch and some form of grilled slab-o-meat for dinner.

Inspired by my friend Erica’s post on breakfast grains (check out Erica & Abbie’s blog– great recipes, great reading!), I attempted my own version with quinoa and it turned out super delicious and very filling.  Quinoa is nutritional perfection: a gluten-free, whole grain, complex carb, and a great source of fiber to boot- perfect for giving you the energy you need pre-run, and with the addition of the fresh fruit, also provides much needed vitamins and valuable antioxidants.

One bowl will do ya right!

Laura’s Breakfast Quinoa
Follow package directions, be sure to rinse, and prepare quinoa.  Take 2/3 cup cooked
quinoa (hot or cold, whatever you prefer!) and sprinkle with 2 hefty pinches of light brown
sugar and your desired level of cinnamon.  Top with about a 1/2 cup fresh, organic blueberries (or strawberries or raspberries), about a tablespoon of chopped roasted almonds (or walnuts or pecans), and enjoy! 

Meatless Monday: Lazy Style

Happy Monday, everyone!  I hope you had a great weekend celebrating Cinco de Mayo!  I sure did… a little too much fun that I sorely paid for at the Divas Half Marathon yesterday. (recap coming tomorrow) but, that’s okay- it’s Monday and I’m starting fresh and meat-free.

The weather is GORGEOUS in the Bay Area right now, beautiful but pretty warm by 9am leaving my motivation to cook very low.  So, after my grocery shopping this morning, I stopped by my local Noah’s Bagels to pick up a quick breakfast- they have a new line of Bagel Thin Eggwhite Sandwiches (under 350 calories and 15g of fat).  I opted for a asparagus, mushroom and swiss sandwich on a honey whole wheat bagel and paired it with a side a fruit- a perfect way to start the day!

Just as easy to re-create at home but today I’m lazy and not too proud to admit it!

Meatless Monday All Week Long

With just a little less than 6 weeks to go until my second marathon, I am determined to get my body running like a fine tuned machine and am eating vegetarian this entire week while paying close attention that my intake of protein, iron and zinc remains adequate.  (Well, I’m really shooting for just Monday through Friday as Saturday is a 16 mile run so I’m certain I’ll require a big fat bacon cheeseburger after that!)

For breakfast most mornings, I plan to keep it very simple- getting myself fed post-run while wrangling the kids out the door and to school on time is a challenge so the simpler, the better!  I also find that I yearn for protein after an early morning run and found the best delivery of that to be in a delicious and filling smoothie.  Easy enough to throw all ingredients in the blender (with a little help from my cute little sous chefs), hit Liquefy, pour into a glass and go!

Laura’s Easy Flax Berry Smoothies

1 cup nonfat vanilla yogurt
1 cup low fat milk
1 cup frozen berries of your choice (if using fresh berries, add 1 cup ice as well)
1 over-ripe banana
1 tablespoon flax oil

Put first 4 ingredients in blender.  Blend.  Stir in flax oil.  Put smoothie in cup and GO!  Doesn’t get simpler than that!

Meatless Monday

So here’s what I ate Saturday night…

mmmm... baby back ribs...

… and what I ate last night…

crabby deliciousness

Meatless Monday (Stomach Flu Style)

On Saturday night hubby made a feast of baby back ribs, baked beans, and coleslaw and I gobbled it on up, followed by I don’t know how many home made chocolate chips cookies from my BFF Andrea.  Sunday morning, I woke up and my tummy was definitely off. Figured I just over indulged and it would go away but by the afternoon, I had fever and chills, major abdominal cramping, a lot of fatigue, and felt like this:

just put me out of my misery, please