jumpstart to fitness.

Before another day passes us by this month, I’d like to share with all the ladies out there a series I’m participating in. It’s put on by Girlnetic Fitness and is basically a networking group, for women, who share the common interest in staying fit. The Jumpstart to Fitness series kicked off last month and unfortunately I couldn’t make it. However, during the entire month of April, there are fitness classes and groups meeting, giving us all the opportunity to try new activities at a very low cost ($5) or free! There’s crossfit, kickboxing, yoga, spinning and running to name a few, and I’ve already registered for four events. I’m really looking forward to meeting women runners that may be at my same fitness level and share the same goals.

Take a click over and check out the schedule; they have events all over the Capital District and hey, maybe you’ll see me there. Say hi and maybe we can catch up over a tasty vegan lunch!

A second event (or challenge really) that I’m still undecided to participate in is also being put on by this group. [p.s... Girlnetic is free to join] It’s hosted on the site, DietBet.com, and is basically a fitness bet for 28 days. You put in the challenge amount, $25, and at the end of 28 days, if you don’t lose the required amount for that specific challenge (4%), then your money gets distributed to the people who did lose enough, and essentially won. If you are considered one of the winners, you get to split the pot. As of right now, there are FOURTEEN players- meaning the pot is up to $350! I have until Saturday night to decide whether or not I’m going to make the financial commitment and as of this afternoon, I’m leaning yes. More information regarding the challenge and the rules & regulations, click here.

Don’t feel like joining that bet but would like the financial motivation with friends and coworkers? You can create your own bet and wager- I’ve suggested this in my office/department.

Stay healthy and active, my friends!

*This was a sponsored post in exchange for free admission to any/all workouts, however, all opinions are my own.*

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Garlic & Sapphires.

I’ve been meaning to write about this book for a few months now; I read it back in December. I had purchased it (secondhand) for the beau and his advent calendar… but I got to it before he did. It was a great, fast read- it only took me one shift at the bar to start and finish it in full. And to be completely honest (and this sounds funny now coming from a vegan), but I loved the way Ruth described her food, even if it was meat, seafood or cheese. It was almost as if I was eating the meal with her.

Ruth Reichl was the food critic for both the LA and NY Times. As you read through her story and new job in NYC, you get excited for each “new person” she became to taste the food that the city has to offer. She knew that rich people got better service and better food, but she wanted to put it to the test. Reading the reviews online, some people thought that she sounded snobbish and condescending, I thought it was personable and actually caught myself giggling out loud at some of the situations she got herself in. As I dined in New York that holiday season, I glanced into specific restaurants and actually caught myself imagining having that job. It would be so delicious- but so against my current dietary restrictions. Maybe I’d just write reviews for real food… vegan that is.

I would recommend this book to everyone, especially if you do enjoy food (and cream and cheese and meat and seafood). She does add her personal recipes at the end of each chapter- all of which I’d have to modify, but I did appreciate that fun gesture. Once the beau finishes it, I’ll offer up our copy to anyone- reduce, reuse, recycle my friends.

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field goods.

In this week’s bag:

• microgreens medley 
• portobello mushrooms
• frozen broccoli
• leeks
• mixed potatoes
• frozen blueberries

For dinner I sauteed up the leeks and portobello mushrooms in a little coconut oil and once they were good and brown, I added some spicy, local tomato sauce. While that was cooking down, I spiraled us each a zucchini; this time making bigger “noodles.” So stinkin’ good and so good for you!

Earlier in the day (and this morning) I used up some of the leftover veggies from last week’s delivery and made nori rolls! This time instead of rice, I used some homemade hummus (chickpeas, lemon juice, tahini, smoked paprika). Spiraled carrots, pea greens, avocado slices and black sesame seeds to top it off. Roll, slice and enjoy! I personally ate them (yes, I had two) as burritos and may have dipped them lightly in hot sauce. A girl’s gotta do what a girl’s gotta do.

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currently.

Watching: With today being much lazier than anticipated (okay, we did get out for a six-mile stroll), we’ve been lounging in bed, consumed by Netflix. A couple of episodes of Portlandia here, a couple of documentaries there. It just doesn’t get old. The beau has been sick now officially for a week and unfortunately has little energy. I don’t mind the down-time and just keep up on my cold-fighting tactics, fingers crossed that I don’t catch this Frankencold. Some of my recent favorites: Lars and the Real Girl, Half Nelson, Jiro Dreams of Sushi, and Vegucated.

Thinking about: Recently I’ve had a lot on my mind. I’m trying to determine what my monthly challenge will be for February, as this month has flown by! I do have an idea of what I want to do, but it’s a lot of commitment, each and every day. I’m also fixated on my tax returns; not because of the refund but I’m fearing the worst and that I’ll have to owe. I would love a refund of any size and would put it toward my school loans… or toward a summer vacation for the beau and I. No where far and exotic; a local farm that has a bed and breakfast in a barn AND teaches vegan/raw cooking classes. This sounds like heaven on earth.

Excited about: I got a spiralizer for my birthday from the beau’s parents and I couldn’t be more excited to test it out in the kitchen! For months I’ve been fixated on zucchini “pasta” and as much as I hate buying produce out of season, I may need to pick up at least one to give it a test run. Through the help of a new friend, I’ve rekindled my love of spinning. I use to spin 4-5 times a week when I lived in Saratoga and after years of my clip-ons residing in the closet, they are back in the front seat of my car, ready for the next class. This year I will become certified to teach spinning, and have already chosen the date in April. I’m terrified. I’m saving up. I’m anxious to spin at least 2-3 times each week to get myself back into shape on the bike. Working out never felt so good.

Reading: It’s rare that it takes me more than two weeks to read a book these days, but my current selection has been dragging out for almost a month now. Eating Animals by Jonathan Safran Foer is not only a great resource of reality in how food/animal protein is “produced,” it’s also a difficult read. He’s raised questions so far that I’ve never thought to ask, nor do I have the answers to. I’m not going to go into much detail until the review, but do encourage everyone to pick up this book, whether you eat animals or not. I’ve been also picking up old issues of Oxygen Magazine for some new workout ideas- gotta stay fresh in the gym at work and switch things up a bit. Yes, I just said fresh.

Thankful for: The beau’s mother loves birthdays. And when I say love, I mean, she busts out the “happy birthday” toilet paper, cupcake string of lights, candles, singing plates, socks, serving dishes, etc. A little much at first but I now get the tradition and appreciate it. For your birthday, she will cook you anything for dinner. Anything. Roasted duck. A delicious chicken with salad. Hot dogs and beans. Whatever you want, you got. And for my birthday dinner, I requested a vegan burger with fresh french fries. She nailed it. She used this burger recipe, roasted up some celeriac, sliced up some cucumbers and fried up the most delicious fries. And to top it off, she got me a vegan cake AND coconut milk “ice cream.” I’m very thankful for this not because it was delicious, but because she is making an effort. I don’t expect her to accommodate my eating habits but am very appreciative of her each time I visit. She bought a mini cookbook for new ideas and is reading labels. This new journey has been wonderful with the support of my family and his.

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currently.

Watching: Sometimes, when the beau and I start a great season of something on Netflix (Sons of Anarchy for example), we “aren’t allowed” to go further without the other person; just out of common courtesy. Well, I have a hard time not doing that. So instead, I’ll start watching a really lame series that has a million episodes so that I’m never tempted to watch the other. Recently, that has been Say Yes to the Dress. I don’t know what I’ve gotten sucked in? I mean, it’s the same thing over and over and over again and yet I can’t click away. Other than that, we haven’t been watching much of anything; both of us being extremely busy this time of the year. I’d love to watch some classics: Rudolph, Frosty, ELF!, Love Actually… and it came about yesterday while on the subway that the beau has never seen Ghost… this Redbox will be my go-to this vacation.

Thinking about: Well, this one is conflicting. I’m thinking about all that needs to be done for the holiday (ie shopping) and then last Friday’s happenings, well, happened. And although I don’t have a television to watch the updates as they are happening, I have been flooded by information on social media sites. And I think it’s a little much. Yes, what happened was HORRIBLE. Yes, I think changes need to be made (not getting into any politics here people) but I also think that the way the media deals with situations such as this needs to also change. I am not a mother. I can not even imagine what it feels like to lose a child. But I was a nanny. I am a sister. I am a daughter. I work in education. We all have family and have lost someone that we love. To be bombarded by this constant coverage must be overwhelming. I will be lighting a candle tomorrow between 3-8pm to honor the life of Dawn L. Hochsprung, who was a doctoral candidate in Sage’s Educational Leadership program and the Sandy Hook Elementary School principal. We are all connected, somehow, and I think it’s important to stop for a moment and honor, thank and appreciate every single person that surrounds our daily lives.

Listening to: Christmas on Pandora! I’ve got some cleaning, organizing and decorating to do around this apartment and just a lot of errands and will be tuning in the holidays as much as possible. The beau and I have started this little ritual of having a mini 90′s dance party as we get ready in the morning (sorry neighbors). Me being on vacation has kind of halted this. I miss it and will be making an effort to get up at a decent hour to make this happen.

Excited about: Having the time to catch-up on life. I’ve never been so excited to do my laundry, cook!, write, and shop with one week left before Christmas. I’m going to head out early and get it all done in one day. It’s simple this year with my family; we are only buying 1 gift for each other. That means, with only four people in my family, I will receive three gifts. Not huge, expensive gifts. Three gifts that we really want or need in our lives… and I couldn’t be more excited. I’m truly appreciating the smaller things in life and experiences, rather than the number of “things” in my apartment. It should be a simple and easy day… once I figure out what I’m getting everyone.

Reading: Garlic and Sapphires by Ruth Reichl. Ruth was the food critic for the New York Times (I think for a decade) and tells her stories behind some of her favorite, and famous, reviews. I’m about half way through and love it. For every restaurant that she writes about, she chooses a new disguise so that they can’t recognize her and give her better treatment/food. It’s a fun read and with just having been in the city yesterday, it was almost as if I got to be a part of the book and what she describes…if that makes any sense at all?

It was a wonderful day in the city with the beau and we walked for miles! Just soaking it all in, eating some delicious vegan meals, and being tourists while visiting the tree and other must-see landmarks this time of the year. The city also reminds me of how much I love Troy/the capital district… I am not made for the hustle and bustle!

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looking forward.

Each morning this week I’ve reminded myself that I just have to make it to Saturday. Five more days, four more days, three more days, two more days…

Starting Saturday, I’ll be on vacation from my full-time job until the first week in January because the college will be closed. This means I’ll be able to catch up on sleep, cleaning, laundry, decorating, holiday shopping, reading, writing, and everything in between. I feel like for the past couple of weeks I’ve been a robot; just going through the motions to survive. Shake, work, lunch, work, night job, dinner, sleep and repeat. I haven’t had the time to pick up after myself and if I do find an hour or two to myself, the last thing I want to do is clean. I haven’t cooked meals in advance over the weekends because I’ve been working both Saturdays and Sundays AND going to family dinners at the beau’s parents’ house and attending engagement parties. Not that I’m complaining at all for having people include me; my schedule is just packed.

I’ve got some big plans for those nineteen days of semi-freedom (I’ll still be working both part-time jobs):

• a trip to NYC to see the holiday decorations and pig-out on some vegan cuisine
• purge the apartment of clutter (more on this in a following book review)
• hike at least one new high peak
• clean my car
• paint the bathroom

The last thing I like to do on a day off is nothing; I feel very unproductive and I don’t know if it’s all in my head, but my body becomes achy and sore from not being on the go. I’m more than thrilled to re-start myself- that’s the best way I can describe it. To focus on ME for almost three weeks, physically and emotionally, will make me a very happy gal.

{graphic taken from one of my favorite blogs}

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currently.

Watching: I’ve officially watched all four seasons of Breaking Bad on Netflix… and just can’t get enough! And either can the beau. I’ll catch him throughout the day just thinking and when I ask about what, he’ll make a comment like, “Walt is just acting so careless.” Or, “he should have just killed Jesse.” It is actually quite funny how attached he’s become to this one show. Me on the other hand… just realized that the fourth season of Sons of Anarchy is now on Netflix. Can I get a HOLLER!? I LOVE LOVE LOVE me some Jax Teller. I don’t know if it’s because it’s a whole new season or because some of them have new (hot) looks, but it is better than ever. In other news…

Listening to: I’ve switched back to Kanye radio on Pandora (it was on Halloween Party) and refuse to listen to Christmas tunes until after Thanksgiving. A friend is on a roadtrip of the states and texted me with news that the Dixie Chicks were blasting in Texas; an old favorite of ours from volleyball season way back as undergrads. Way back, ha! That prompted me to bust out the old iPod classic (you know, the thick silver original one) and turn it as loud as can be when I get home in the afternoons. Reminds me that I need to make time for old friends more often.

Planning: I’m currently planning a couple of events. A holiday party at work. A surprise for someone in my life (no one reading this blog)! A new workout this Friday. My breakfasts and lunches. As an overview: this time of the year flies by and I don’t want to look back realizing that I forgot to do something significant. I also received an unexpected phone call this afternoon from a great friend and will soon be planning a get-together with him. That’s why I’ve got to carry around a monster planner everywhere, and yet, I forget that the banks were closed today!

Thinking about: something I’d like to participate in in the Spring. I’m not going to say much until I think it through, research it, and decide if it is right for me. I am, however, kind of dwelling on a close friend of mine. This person, I would hope, would tell me if I was flat-out making a mistake. But I’m afraid to tell her just that in fear that it might hinder our closeness. She may be happy and may not listen to a word I have to say, but I would like her to listen, fully, and then move forward. I worry for her and question actions made not only by her, but others involved. This is one of those times that I will not quiet my intuition.

Looking forward to: Thanksgiving. I don’t know what my family is doing yet but hopefully it’ll be at my Aunt and Uncle’s cabin in the woods. The food is simple. The company is a small gathering of close family, but is exactly what I enjoy about the holidays. No pressure. No act of impressing. Just great conversation and some board games in front of the fire. This will be my first holiday without my sister; she’ll be spending it with her boyfriend’s family. And to be honest, I don’t know how much I like that. But we are growing older and have to learn how to share.

Reading: There are a couple of books on my windowsill these days: Signs of Life, A Memoir of Dying and Discovery and The Lean. The Lean was an unexpected read and was given to me by the beau’s mom. Essentially, by the end of the book (if you follow the author step by step), one will be vegan. And to be honest, I’m pretty excited. I’ve been leaning in this direction for a couple of weeks now, and with nothing holding me back (other than my love of cheese), this might be the final push. The memoir I found randomly and am so far enjoying it thoroughly; only thirty or so pages in, but still. I’ll have full reviews of them both when I’m finished.

Making me happy: Last week’s delivery of spicy spring mix has rekindled my love of salads. No added veggies. No added cheese. No croutons or fruit or nuts. Just lettuce and a light dressing of oil and balsamic vinegar. Our food has been fresher than ever and I love what’s in season. I love that the beau too has a strong interest in what we consume and I feel that regardless if our opinions differ, he’ll support me and try to make my journey a little easier. For example: he found the most delicious vegan buffalo chicken dip. And it was so deceivingly good, I think I’d make it for my family. I’m hooked on brewing our own kombucha and growing our own sprouts. Oh, I have so much to share! And I think it’s official… kitty loves the beau.

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currently.

Watching: You heard it hear, the beau got me hooked on Breaking Bad. And when I say hooked, I mean, when the two of us are home together, we are snuggled up in bed watching at least one full episode. It just keeps getting better and better! If you have access to Netflix, you better check it out. Today. We’re already on season two and can’t even imagine what happens between now and season five. No spoiling it for us!

Listening to: Per my Facebook status last night, I downloaded a ton of new music. Partly because I need more to dance to in the morning and partly because I need more motivation to get me out there running. I’ve got a little Pink, a little old school Q Tip and some ever motivating Beyonce (who runs the world?!). One foot in front of the other.

Thinking about: My blog. I’m working with the beau to have it completely re-done for the new year (looks wise) and am anticipating the change. I’ve also thought about changing the name but am leaning towards no because you all search for me as zeelemons already. Which is great- thank you! And with this thought about re-design, I’ve also thought about content. A lot has changed over the past two years and all I can say is that I mean every word I write. I have no regrets or doubts about what I’ve posted. Much of this thought has come over the recent post I made toward an “ex-boyfriend” and the feelings I felt when we “ran” into each other at my part-time place of employment. Let me get things straight: oh hey, this is my blog. I write about how I am feeling. I write about what I eat. I write about what I see, experience, hear and anticipate in the future. I’ve written some funny posts and I’ve written some posts that were raw and putting me completely out into the open. Sometimes it takes me days to put my thoughts into words and sometimes, it takes just ten minutes. You have every right to disagree, argue and voice your opinion in the comments; as you’ll notice, I’ve never deleted one despite what has been said. And guess what, you don’t have to continue reading either. I’ve come to understand that no matter how hard I try to explain myself (and really, I don’t have to) or show my perspective, that someone will always see things differently. I’ve learned this lesson. I know who I am. Who I want to become and how I will grow to be that person. As things change, you can stay with me or you can click further. And I promise, I’ll try not to bring this up again and if I do, you have every right to remind me to shut up. Deal?

Loving: This new protein powder that I picked up this past weekend. The maker is the Garden of Life; it’s raw, it’s vegan and it’s pretty darn tasty! I was worried about switching from a brand I’ve enjoyed for years and decided that this was a much needed switch. I’ve been on a kick about taking a smoothy each morning for breakfast and wanted the best I could afford for giving me my daily nutrients. It has less protein than a whey, which I was using before, but I wasn’t going for just protein. Check it out. I got mine at a local vitamin store and they offer a no-questions-asked return policy within thirty days. But I won’t be returning this item. So fresh and so clean.

Reading: I’m still chugging along at Something Blue. I haven’t been reading much in the mornings like I use to, with working doubles it has been tricky to rise in the dark. But it is due back at the library by the 11th so I’ll have to make that deadline.

Making me happy: Late night walks (I’m talking miles) in the unseasonably warm air. My first apple pie. New running sneakers. Possible new workout routine. The mid-semester lull. A kitty cat that loves to snuggle. And the beau sleeping soundly by my side. Life is good.

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I saw you.

I saw you and you didn’t dare make eye contact with me. You in your red pants, me in my green. It was extremely awkward, to say the least.

I’ve seen you many times over the past year or so, walking around town, driving past me at intersections; only living but a few houses away. I’ve called “hello,” I’ve waved; all of which have been ignored. And then you walk in to my place of employment and act as if the girl at the register was the only one scheduled that shift.

When we were together briefly you must admit, we always had a good time. Some of my fondest memories are with you and now, you seem to have re-written them, not including me. I do understand that I broke your heart and that you were sad, for a short period, but you should be nothing but happy. For you my fast-friend, are married.

And I am nothing but happy for you. When I “stumbled” upon your wedding photographs, I smiled, remembering you always said you never wanted to marry a Sage girl. Let alone have the ceremony on the campus. I smiled because that’s just what you did. And from what I’ve heard, she’s perfect. And I’m jealous that she now gets to enjoy your good times. But not to the point that I am hindered. Just sad that you can’t recognize what was and what had come from it. She’s your lobster.

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you go in first.

Dear Beau: VIP lists, free pumpkin ale and a cow card made my night. Dear Roscoe: Just a few minutes ago I realized how much I don’t use your name. I need to start using it more frequently because it suits you well. That and we are a match made in hunting heaven. Dear Shake ‘n Take Machine: Get ready! I’m going to start using you more frequently this upcoming October. Dear T-Bone (because you do deserve two notes): when I see you after work, I don’t want to leave your side. Because after all, that’s where I belong pointing out roses, old VW vans, dirty little bird feathers and dog poop.

p.s…we started growing our own sprouts! This was a lentil. And he tastes delicious!

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