Overheard

This afternoon after work I headed to the mall - I had a top to return at Loft and wanted to do a little casual shopping. I seem to not have time to do this on my own often anymore, and I really do like leisurely shopping alone! My recent quest has been to find a nice pair of dress pants for work in a camel/khaki color. Who would think this was so impossible? Curvy fits no longer are right for my body. Modern fits can be a little too slim in the hips/low rise to accommodate my tummy that I'm still working on getting rid of. I would complain it's very frustrating, but to be honest, I still sometimes have to pinch myself that I no longer am limited to plus size stores, even though it's been at least a year and a half since I've had to shop in one, and I am happy and thankful for that. I was still almost shocked when I asked the saleswoman at Ann Taylor (where I've never shopped before), how their sizes run (large like Loft?) and she looked at me, then said I probably usually wear a 6, so try a 4. Seriously? I think she was being sincere, but of course I questioned that she was just trying to flatter me. In reality, I'm an 8 pretty solidly in most clothes, a 6 apparently at Loft and Ann Taylor. Oh the mind games women play about their bodies! Unfortunately, I think it really starts at an early age, and so many women are guilty of perpetuating it with their daughters, whether they realize they're doing it or not. When I was in the dressing room at The Limited this afternoon I overheard a group of teen girls and one of their moms - they were all trying on dresses and outfits (and sounded like they were having a blast). One of the girls came out in a slim fitting dress (size 2), and the Mom (not HER mom, mind you!) actually told her she should try some spanx, how much she would love how great they'd make her look. Seriously? Could she not realize that she was perpetuating body image issues? No size 2 16 year old needs to wear spanx or get it in her mind that she should be self conscious.

PB Apple Sandwich goodness

Last month I bought a 1 week meal plan from Happy Herbivore to see how it would work for us. All vegan, with calories at 1200-1500. Well, it worked as far as helping out when I didn't have time to plan, but some of the recipes were just so-so and fairly basic. I have her cookbooks so I don't think I'd do the meal plan again, but I did discover a couple quick meal recipes I really liked. One is a light peanut butter sandwich recipe that I adapted and healthified even more. Here's my version. Sorry, no photos, I ate lunch too fast!:

Peanut Butter Apple Sandwich goodness
serves 2

Ingredients:

• 1 organic apple - honeycrisp, fuji, empire, etc.
• 1 tsp cinnamon
• 1 TB chia seeds
• 1/2 tsp vanilla extract
• 2 TB natural peanut butter
• 2 TB Better n Peanut Butter (sold at Trader Joe's) (or make equivalent of PB2 - I bought on Amazon)

Directions:

1. Core apple and slice/chop roughly. (I don't peel, but I do use organic). Put in food processor and pulse a few times. You don't want to make applesauce, but you want small pieces of apple.
2. add in cinnamon, chia seeds, vanilla extract, both peanut butters
3. pulse in food processor until well combined. If may be a little runny but will thicken up overnight. If it's really runny, add in a little more peanut butter.
4. Spread on yummy bread! My current favorite is a sunflower seed wheat flax bread from a local bakery, Blue Apron. This makes two generous sandwiches.
5. Refrigerate sandwich overnight. SO yummy cold, you'll be sad your lunch is over. I know I am!

Tuna Salad Salad

In other words, not a tuna salad sandwich!

I'm going to try to get back into posting recipes more often and hopefully then I'll have more of a quick reference of ideas. Now that I get up at 6 for work I've found I need to have my lunch prepared and packed the night before. I haven't done a lot of planning but have had some yummy lunches! Most have been made by combining what sounds good in the fridge, a few from recipes I search for and then adapt according to what I actually have.

Excuse the crappy photo, I thought to take a picture as I was almost done with lunch. So, sadly, this is all you can see, so just imagine!

Tuna Salad Salad
Serves 2

Ingredients:

• 1 can albacore tuna in water
• 1/3 cup chick peas
• 12 grape tomatoes, sliced in half or fourths
• 5 leaves of curly kale, torn in small pieces
• 1 TB olive oil
• 1 TB lemon juice
• onion salt, pepper, garlic powder, to taste
• 1 TB canola oil light mayo
• 2 stalks celery diced small

Directions:

1. Tear kale, combine with olive oil and massage until slightly wilted.
2. Drain tuna, pull apart with a fork and throw in bowl.
3. Add halved grape tomatoes, diced celery, chick peas
4. Add lemon juice and mayo
5. season to taste
6. Mix well, divide into servings and enjoy the next day for lunch!

Body Awareness

I'd like to say that yoga makes me so aware of my body all the time that I know what's going on when I feel some soreness or pain, but I'm not there yet! It does make me way more aware than I've ever been though, and makes me want to discover what I can do to help it. The past week I've been having this soreness/stiffness on the right side of my neck. It's like I woke up one day and there it was. I asked Cheryl (my yoga teacher and best massage therapist ever) what she thought I could do for it. She wondered if it was related to working at a desk all day now, and suggested some stretches I could do during the day. The stretches helped, I did them periodically at work yesterday.

Thad wondered if I'd pulled it doing some abs in a class, I wondered if I just slept funny. Then he asked me more about how my desk is set up and my computer. BINGO! For the past week I've been using a brand new laptop, and it's hooked up to a nice big monitor - I've been using both screens to work with (which is nice for space to have different programs open). Well it also means Ive been turning my head from straight on, to left, many many times throughout the day. No wonder it hurt to turn to the right. No wonder I had a knot in my neck on the right side.

So today I switched it to just using the big monitor and it feels better already. How crazy is that? I also just got off the phone scheduling myself a massage for Thursday after work! woo hoo! I had a gift certificate to a local spa and Cheryl  is out of commission as a massage therapist for awhile recovering from shoulder surgery, so sounded like the perfect plan! I'm so excited!

Run!

I know, I always said I would never be a runner. I guess I'm just proving the 'never say never' cliche'! Last weekend I didn't get up early enough for yoga and so decided to go for a run. I ran 1.36 miles and walked probably another mile before/after. One of my goals this year was to run a 5k so I've been talking about looking at finding a race to make a goal.

Today I went to Kensington to run with a friend from yoga. Her pace is similar to mine, but she's training for a half marathon. I figured it might help me push to run further. I was a bit nervous about going and being able to run very far, so I skipped yoga this morning, I didn't want to be worn out for the run. Thad of course tells me I'm being too hard on myself, but that is really nothing new. Anyway, the run was great - perfect weather in the 60s, a slight breeze, and a route I'm very familiar with since Thad and I walk it often with Izzie in the summer. I did a total of just under 4 miles (not sure exactly since my GPS screwed up on my phone), probably 11:30-12:00/min miles. Apparently I'm in better shape for running than I thought I was, and it's even a hilly route. Felt great to have done this - I guess I can easily do a 5k! :)

If it works out, I'll try to make this a regular Sunday thing!

First paycheck!

Woo hoo! It's been a couple weeks at my new job and today was my first paycheck. What a great feeling! I've reflected a lot the past month about how I've undergone this process over the past couple years that led to where I am today - I vividly remember even months ago thinking I would rather work part time and have more flexibility. It was the right time for me now to get back into a full time job and I'm enjoying it. And we are looking forward to being able to save some money too!

Today we had an internal open house that I helped coordinate - sorta practice trade show tables for the different products, presented by sales staff. It was a great opportunity to really learn what the products do and how they interact. Not having an engineering background, it has been a lot to wrap my head around. There's some incredibly smart and dedicated people I work with who clearly enjoy what they do and several were patient and happy to explain the products to me. Definitely feeling more grounded now! :)

So far I now have at least 1 show I'll get to travel for to Huntington Beach, CA in late August. Hoping for more!!