Good morning and happy Monday, everyone!
Ahhh I wish I was headed to Tampa right now instead of headed to work but if I’ve made it this far I guess I can make it til tomorrow afternoon. Two more workdays to go!
I was so tired this morning that my alarm woke me up! I rarely set an alarm because I have this neurotic internal clock where I always, always, always wake up about 5 minutes before my alarm goes off. Even when I’m super tired. It’s weird. But this morning the alarm went off and I was like mid-dream and it just seemed like such a rude awakening! I turned the day around quick, however, when I did a 30 minute morning yoga class in my living room from yogadownloads. This time I tried “morning yoga #1” and it was really great. A wonderful way to start my day and I enjoyed it a hundred times more than going to the gym and being in such a constant rush! This class focused on body awakening back bends and had flow movements and vinysasas throughout. Even though it was only 30 minutes, I still feel like I got a good workout in and let me tell you, I am SO sore from doing yoga the past two days! My arms, my legs, my back…my biceps are sore from all the chatarungas and my back is sore from back bends. It feels wonderful! I am so incredibly happy that I found a way to get back into yoga when I don’t have enough time in my day to go to the studio. It’s such a blessing!
I didn’t eat anything before practicing this morning and that suited me just fine. Afterwards, however, I had the bowl of homemade muesli I put in the fridge last night. It had dried berries, banana, toasted almond slivers and agave in it. I also had a cup of black tea.
For lunch I decided to pack some baked beans I had made a couple weeks ago then put in the freezer. Baked beans freeze and unfreeze wonderfully and are super easy to pack along for lunch. I also packed a chunk of baguette and a peach. For a snack, I’m bringing a yogurt and the rest of the pretzel bag (which is not much but I didn’t just want to throw the crumbs!).
I feel so less stressed that I don’t have school tonight and I can come home after work and relax and unwind! I’m planning on pizza and a movie…
BethT
June 30, 2008 at 2:48 pmJenna, like you I am obsessed with fresh peaches right now! Do you have any delicious recipes (pie, tart, whatever) that use fresh peaches? I’ve never baked with them but they are so cheap and plentiful at my farmer’s market right now, I’m dying to experiment.
tfh
June 30, 2008 at 3:34 pmThank you for the tip about the yoga site! I do have about eight DVDs I’ve been doing for years now, but I find I’m so much more excited about practicing when I can keep it fresh.
Heather
June 30, 2008 at 3:49 pmI’m excited to hear about that yoga site! I haven’t been able to attend my usual yoga class since school started. Thanks for the tip!
Lauren
June 30, 2008 at 4:25 pmJenna,
Thanks for your response about salmon the other day. I will def. give it a try!
You make me laugh……since you have decided not to be vegan you have had yogurt everyday! (I am not vegan couldn’t live without cheese either).
I actually have a question about yoga for you.
Ok for yoga, the few times I have tried the beginner classes don’t seem effective it terms of soreness- like you said your biceps are sore. Yet the advance are too advance for me- I can’t do most of the poses. Was there a time when you couldn’t do chatarungas? To me at least, it seems that if you are not strong enough to do things like that then it is hard to get to the point where you can do chatarungas, because there is no real intermediate. I am just using that pose as an example. The studio by me is baptiste, but I mean since we don’t hold poses for that long, it seems like they can’t be that effective as a workout. I went to a more advance when and was in child’s pose so much of the time! Also, this yoga does not have a video with it, right? I am thinking that could be hard to follow. Sorry for the novel length post!
Lauren
June 30, 2008 at 4:42 pmI just wanted to add, my grammar in that post is horrible! Sorry!
Jessica
June 30, 2008 at 4:44 pmtfh (and anyone else!) i was wondering what yoga dvds you recommend…my two favories right now are baron baptiste power yoga level one and the power yoga total body with rodney lee (which jenna recommended) and i’m always looking for more!
adria
June 30, 2008 at 5:44 pmI love dinner and a movie nights! I had three of them this weekend.
Yoga- what a wonderful way to wake up. I shall look at that website.
Chef Erin
June 30, 2008 at 6:26 pmI’m not much for yoga, but last night I downloaded some cardio classes for my ipod at exercisetv.com. They’re about $12 for each pack, which contains 5-6 workouts that co-ordinate to a theme. (I got “slim and sexy”, which had an ab workout, a bikini-body workout, a couple cardio-striptease videos, amongst others.) The workout videos in each pack are about 90mins total, so you can do all of them, or mix and match based on how much time you have.
jenna
June 30, 2008 at 8:51 pmLauren,
Oh my gosh, there was DEFINITELY a time when i could not do a chatarunga!!!! You have to keep at it though and lift weights on the side to build upper arm strength. And practice doing sun salutations with chaturungas in it…even if you have to go to your knees, still do them because they will build your muscles. Yoga takes a TON of upper body strength and I still struggle and I’ve been practicing for about 7 years now. I would keep doing the beginner—maybe go to a class so you can get the guidance. It will be rewarding when you practice hard and then see results. All last year my goal was to do head stand pose and I practiced every single day. When I finally was able to do it (it takes so much core strength its crazy) it was such a great moment. I’ve never attended a baptiste class so I’m not sure what its like. But for me, I don’t do yoga for a workout, more of a body-soul-mind thing. The physical benefits are just extra. I would just keep at it!!
A.Cook
June 30, 2008 at 9:36 pmHey Jenna!
I know I am late in catching up from the weekend posts, but I just wanted to say that I think you are doing the right thing by listening to your body and being true to yourself when it comes to your eating. I know that when I decided to become a vegan I wasn’t sure I could really do it, and I kept saying “If I feel like eating x, y, or z, then I will.” I don’t think a strictly vegan diet is for everyone. Personally I do pretty well with it (because alot of my favorite foods happen to be vegan), but since “officially” becoming vegan I have had tastes of other people’s foods from time to time that were definitely NOT vegan (including meat!). So what I’m trying to say is that you still rock and you shouldn’t have any regrets or guilt–only you know what is right for you.
Ashley
PS-Just out of curiosity, did you feel normal after you had the yogurt, cheese, eggs, etc.? I sometimes wonder if I ever decided to go back if I’d not be as able to digest certain things…
jenna
June 30, 2008 at 9:54 pmAshley–
I felt more normal than I have in the last 6 months for sure because for the first 23 years, I did eat those things. It would be harder, for sure, if I had been a strict vegan or something for 10 years or whatever, but only trying it out for 6 months didn’t affect me at all and I feel so much happier right now! I guess everyone just has to find what works for them!
polly
June 30, 2008 at 10:47 pmYoga girls,
Try Baron Baptiste’s Long and Lean. I have a ton of Baron DVDs and that one is by far the most challenging for upper body strength and core. I love it because it’s just Baron and 2 girls… not a bunch of sweaty people like his other DVDs. ha. He is a great teacher and it’s easy to follow. Tons of my friends do that DVD now.
I could no way do a chaturanga when I started 4years ago! I was so frustrated. I was a runner and felt like I was not doing it right and just wanted to give up. But… now no more running and feel better than ever and can do a few chatas (not a whole class of them tho) but that’s okay. I do yoga for the mind-body wonderfulness and not for a workout either and go figure… got in the best shape of my life doing just that.
Lauren
June 30, 2008 at 10:50 pmThanks Jenna!
So when you first started yoga did you do it in conjunction with weights? Right now, I beleive you said you want to only do yoga and not weights?
Glad you are feeling better eating yogurt 🙂 Do you plan on drinking milk and eating meat again? I go in phases with meat.
natalie
June 30, 2008 at 11:31 pmhey jenna!
I’m sure you have answered this before but how exactly do you make your muesli and how long does it hold you over compared to a normal bowl of oats? I’ve been wanting to make it but Ican’t really figure out how!
thanks!
Kristie M.
June 30, 2008 at 11:45 pmBethT — peach muffins are heavenly. seriously, you need to make them. as long as you have some self-control 😛 i don’t use a very “healthy” recipe because i eat them as a treat, but i’m sure you could modify it…
http://southernfood.about.com/od/muffinrecipes/r/bln181.htm
oatmeal
June 30, 2008 at 11:47 pmYoga really is a great way to wake yourself up! It gets your blood flowing but it’s relaxing at the same time–love it! Maybe I’ll give yogadownloads a try 😀
Mmmm muesli are my thing right now, especially in the summer and all! Nothing better than waking up with a nice, chewy bowl of oats all ready to eat in the fridge!
Hope you have a relaxing night after work!
Amanda B
July 1, 2008 at 12:00 amHi Jenna,
How will you be balancing your yoga with your cardio? I have been running too much and it’s created an imbalance in my life. I prefer Pilates to Yoga, though. Any advice? I still want balance between strength, cardio, and flexibility.
Alicia
July 1, 2008 at 12:05 amI do baron baptiste’s long and lean as well and it’s a very good workout that gets you sweating despite being relatively short. I believe the whole workout is around 45 mins. In fact, I just did it yesterday evening. 🙂
What I like about yoga is the whole mind and body connection.
jenna
July 1, 2008 at 12:39 amNatalie,
I’ve always worked out and lifted weights…just always been generally an active person I suppose and I always played sports in high school. I prefer to just practice yoga and not lift weights because lifting weights isn’t all that fun for me but it comes and goes. When I was doing power yoga classes (90 minutes long) and walking a couple miles to and from class everyday I think i just did yoga and no cardio..and I lost 15 pounds. its all about finding a balance that works for you. Just do what you enjoy doing and that will be the right thing.
Yes, I’m going to eat meat but I don’t really like milk so I think I’ll stick to soymilk for right now…we’ll see
Ilene
July 1, 2008 at 12:59 amHey Jenna, what sports did you play in high school? Just curious 🙂
jenna
July 1, 2008 at 1:11 amIlene,
I played tennis…all four years I think…I also played softball one year but tennis has always been my sport. I played all year round and, for a time, was considering playing in college. I miss it!
jenna
July 1, 2008 at 1:13 amNatalie,
I use 1/2 cup oats and 1/2 cup soymilk with a small handful of toasted slivered almonds, some dried cranberries and a sliced banana.
natalie
July 1, 2008 at 4:07 amthanks! I’ll be sure to try it sometime this week 🙂
Amy S.
July 1, 2008 at 3:50 pmShiva Rea has some great yoga DVDs and you can choose the modules. I used to do yoga more often so I am less flexible and balanced and this is easing me back in (though I joined a gym for the summer that has classes so I will try those)