frozen yoga

it's a balmy -24 degrees in my corner of the world today--pretty chilly.  so, i thought i'd be clever and attempt to tie-in the frozen weather with a topic i've wanted to mention on this blog for a few weeks now: yoga.

ok.  i started dabbling in the yoga world a few weeks ago and i'll be real with you, no one was a bigger hater on yoga than  me.  when i work out, i like to get violent with it.  i like running and kicking and punching and sweating and hurting.  i don't like frou frou stretching and breathing and feeling good about the universe and listening to jazz (with a soft 'j') flute.

however, lately my favorite workouts have been a lot of just hurting and not so much running and kicking and punching and sweating.  since i like those things more than i hate stretching and breathing etc., my only option was to make friends with the enemy so i can be all chill and flexible and coordinated enough to get back to my rage place in my sweat dungeon.  enter yoga.

i thought a good compromise between my typical hate workouts and a more touchy-feely workout would be if i put jillian michaels on the job.  so far, i am not dissapointed.  yoga, to my surprise, is effective.  i'm more flexible.  my IT band isn't as problematic (i ran my first mile straight threw last week which is a big victory coming off my injury a few months ago.)

also to my surprise, yoga is tough, friends.  it is a serious workout and i deffinitely did not give it the credit it deserves. plus, you don't have to leave home and once you have the moves down, you can bust them out just about anywhere. and, practicing yoga makes it ok to go wandeirng around town in 'yoga pants' without just coming off as being too lazy for real pants. i mean, everyone else might still think you're just being lazy, but you'll know you're legit.

if you're looking for a way to stay warm and start limbering up just in time for valentine's day (ooooh la la!), click here on mind, body, green's beginning yoga website.  try out a couple of poses over the next few weeks and let me know how it goes (with the posing, not the v-day escapades  )

skinny dippin'

hummus: it's ridiculously delicious and, in my opinion, getting ridiculously higher in selling price these days.  i mean, essentially, it's just a bunch of mashed up chick peas which i can buy for 89 cents a can instead of $4 for a little tub.

i did some research on hummus.  i was happy to find out that it is also ridiculously easy to make.  i don't have a picture of the hummus i made because it's all gone already, but i do have the winning recipe :)

basic hummus

• 1 can no salt added garbanzo beans - rinsed
• 2 cloves garlic
• 2-3  tbs lemon juice based on your consistency preferences
• 3 tbs Fage 0% Greek Yogurt
• 1 tbs olive oil

i used the ever amazing "magic bullet" to smoothe up my hummus.  you may use a  blender or food processor if you're one of those fancy people that own one.  basically, just throw everything in your blending/mixing/mashing vessel and process till smooth. 

since chick peas are so mild in flavor, you can pretty much spice it anyway you want to.  the above recipe is extra garlicky because i love garlic.  i also put in some crushed red pepper for a little heat.  this stuff was great. hummus makes an excellent substitute for mayo on sandwiches, fatty dips for your veggies, and if you're like me, it's good straight-up: one tablespoon at a time.

this recipe made more than the standard small tub of hummus and took about 5 minutes start to finish.  it stored well for atleast 4 days...at which point, me and my husband had it polished off.  i'm not a mathematician, but i'm pretty sure this hummus cost me about 50% less than store bought and i got 100% more out of it.

if you have pita pockets lying around the house, cut them into triangles and brush with olive oil.  season with sea salt or any other spice you might like and throw those in the oven at 350 degrees for about 10 minutes, flipping half-way through.  you'll have tasty little pita chips to go with your homemade hummus. :)

it's going to work out.

so...it's been about 6 weeks since we last talked.  i don't think you really missed me and to tell you the truth, i did not miss blogging...not even a little...not even if there was a fire (mad snaps if you know the theatrical reference, also, without googling it.) anyway, in the spirit of twenty twelve, i'm resurrecting this blog.

here's the quick and dirty:

• my leg...oh, my leg.  my leg is le screwed.  i scoffed at a 6 month recovery estimate. you see, they tried to make me go to rehab and i said, "OW OW OW."  my IT band is still a wet blanket and she's not going anywhere. she like, unpacked her bags and everything.  i can wear high heels again which is great BUT i've found i'd rather be able to bust out 3 miles without flinching again in my running kicks than walk two blocks in heels. it's all right, though.  it's going to work out.

• the holidays happened. i got hella fat. lack of exercise did not help. i'd feel worse about it if i had tried at all to show some restraint.  i guess i can't keep my inner paula deen on such a short leash because when she gets off the chain, bitch runs wild. it's all right, though.  it's going to work out.

so, basically, i have had no regular workout routine since halloween but i'm still eating like i was burning 500 calories a day.  makes sense.

it'd be cool if we could just pick up where we last left off.  i mean, i'm down with forgetting about the past two months of disappointment if you are.  i mean, come on, it's a new year and everything.  aren't we all supposed to be forgiving and optimistic and gearing up for our BEST YEAR EVAH!?!  i don't put stock in the theory that my life's trajectory can magically change at the stroke of midnight.  however, with persistence, perhaps i can nudge some things in different directions over the next 363 days or so.

it's going to work out.