IT training

I've have the privilege to take part in Group Personal Training this summer. The session will be 12 weeks long and week 1 was a doozie.

I mentioned a few weeks ago that the body gets comfortable with your routine and you don't reap the benefits of all of your hard work.

This is definitely the case with me. We've been running and running and I've felt that my fitness level has been going down instead of up. That was proven during the first week of our group class.

We are using the IT method but at a much higher intensity. None of the moves are complicated.
Here is a run down of our session:
- 1/2 mile warm up run, grab weights and head out to the water front.
- Form 2 lines and 2 at a time run the length of the dock holding your weight with both hand chest high.

Now as I'm running holding my weight I'm think. HUUUUMMM I just lost this same amount of weight so running would be easier.....something is not right.

-Sprint back, oh that is funny.

-Run the length of dock still holding the weight but then squat down and walk backwards, back to the start.

-Walking lunges holding the weight straight above your head.

-Squats with a jump and shuffle to the side, still holding that weight. In fact when you jump you lift the weight above your head.

-Go to a small incline. Keep your weights you don't want to miss out of this bit of fun. Again form 2 lines, then 2 at a time race to the top of hill then run easy down hill.

-Grab some water and then do 20 burpies???? OK we called them squat thrusts in school. Oh why did I drink that water.

You get the idea.

I alternated between feeling sorry for my team mates being stuck with me ( min of 20 years older and much heavier) and thinking they should be grateful to have the extra time to recover between activities.

It was tough but it was also fun. The activities are varied and playful.

But remember when I said don't be to hard on yourself? And to look at the big picture? There is a silver lining.

This week we did fit testing. 1/2 mile timed run followed by as many push ups as you can in a minute and the same for sit ups, burpies, lunges, squats and then planks to exhaustion. I was quite happy to find that with the exception of burpies my numbers were very close to my team mates. My weight is down and I can tell a difference in how my clothes fit.

So don't be afraid to push yourself but make it fun. If you can't do it then find someone that can push you. It's well worth it. I can't wait to see the improvement at the end of the session.

Working cook books

As promised I'll be bringing you my favorite working cookbooks. This will take several posts. One of the features a really serious cookbook should have, in my opinion, is a spiral binding. I hate trying to hold the book open and read it at the same time. I mean how many times have you spilled something on a page because you've had to set something on the book to hold it open? It's always something sticky. OH maybe that's just me. Anyway I 'm getting off topic.

My top pick for a working cook book is: Vegan Homestyle by Kay Hansen. This is the Betty Crocker of vegan cooking. The book is true to it's title and is home style cooking at it's best.

Everything I've tried in this book has been a delight. It's a little book ( all the easier to put it in your purse and carry around for some light reading) but packed full of recipes . There is a very yummy gluten recipe and then on the next page is the follow up, "what to do with gluten". I've been asked that question every time I mention making it.

Most of the recipes can be made from ingredients you already have in your pantry and are quick to prepare. So if you need some guilt free comfort food this is the book for you.

Beautiful Cookbooks

To me cookbooks have 2 basic categories. Working cookbooks and beautiful cookbooks.
I have both types in my collection and like I've mentioned before I will sit and read a cookbook like other people read novels. So here are a few favorites.





Vegan Fusion, Artful Vegan and The Conscious Cook all fall under the beautiful cookbook category.

These are the cookbooks that you would be proud to display on your coffee table. They're full of wonderful photo's. The Artful Vegan and The Conscious Cook have the perfect recipes for those special dinners when you have time to enjoy the preparation and the calories to spend. Vegan Fusion leans a little more to raw and are much simpler to prepare. All three have delicious recipes.

Next a selection of working cookbooks.

This is a moment made for worshipping

Just got back from a great run. Even though it was hot, humid, pretty darn slow, I ran with a light heart and an attitude of praise. Praise for a strong body, the desire to run and enjoy it, for the sun, the cooling breezes, the smiles on the faces of the other runners .

I like to listen to music while I run and my favorite is Run and Worship. It's a CD that I picked up at the ABC. I'm not trying to advertise here I just really like this CD. There is also a one for walking but I haven't picked it up yet.

The lyrics make me want to lift my arms in praise, how can you resist with lyrics like; this is a moment made for worshipping, this is a moment I'm alive or hallelujah God is near, there is no like my God.

We are fearfully and wonderfully made. :-)

Sweet Potato Fries

Ok for once I'm a little ahead of the game. I'm making sweet potatoe fries for class this morning and oh my they smell wonderful.

This recipe comes from The Engine 2 Diet. It's easy, healthy and sooooo good .

Sweet Potato Fries

2 sweet potatoes with skins on, scrubbed and sliced into stips

Preheat oven to 450. Place the potato slices on a sprayed basking sheet and cover with foil. Cook for 30-4- min, turning one. Remvoe the foil after 20 min and allow ther slices to brown.

Chicken Flavored Choplets

Here is the recipe for the gluten we had in class this past Sabbath. I would post a picture but choplets don't last long around our house. They're so easy to make 20 min mixing and 20 min cooking.



Broth
3 qts water
3T nutritional yeast flakes
1/2 tsp onion powder
1 packet GW golden broth
1/2 cup tamari
1/2 tsp celery seed
1/2 tsp garlic powder
2 bay leaves

Choplets
2 cups wheat gluten flour
1/2 cup all purpose flour
3TBLS nutritional yeast flakes
1 TBLS soy flour
1/2 tsp garlic powder
1/2 tsp celery seed
1/2 tsp onion powder
1/2 tsp Bill's Chicknish seasoning
2 cups water
3TBLS tamari

Broth: put all ingredients in a 5-6 qt pot and bring to a boil.

Choplets:
Stir together all dry ingredients, let mixer run for a couple of minutes to get all ingredients incorporated. Slowly add the wet ingredients. If you have a good mixer let it knead the dough for you for 5-8 minutes. Knead longer if you prefer very firm choplets.

Cut gluten into small pcs and drop into broth to boil for 20-25 minutes. Choplets double in size while cooking in broth.

Store with broth in fridge or freezer.

You can use any breading mix that you like. Sabbath I used flour, garlic powder, nutritional yeast. You can also coat and bake, use in soups, pot pie or grind to use in sandwich spreads.


I hope you try them. Let me know how they turn out.