Challenge Accepted!

Breakfast

Chobani plain, the last of cottage cheese , go lean cereal, warmed up blueberries, organic banana slices, all natural peanut butter.

Yum!

It was fabulous as was catching up on a few blogs, finding a cool new one, and ordering Jillian Micheals 30 Day shred!

I am super excited about this, I checked in with Caitlin of HealthyTippingPoint , who I chatted with when first starting this blog, and she is up to a challenge of not only a new trail race but also a 30 day dvd challenge to increase her strength as a runner. I have always been a big resistance/strength trainer but since running more, I find myself just wanting to focus of running and forgetting about my strength more often.  So, along with her and Dori at Dori’s Shiny Blog and whomever else decided to do this as well, I am going to do this DVD every morning for one month in hopes of shredded muscles for spring and summer!  Well, every morning after I get it in the mail!
woohoo!

Body:

Off to a run at the gym

Mind:

I need to study for my exam on tuesday!

Soul:

Lunch date/Movie Date with Caroline ( the one with the french boyfriend)!

Seared Ahi Tuna with Red Pepper Garlic Aioli and Farro

Sounds impressive, tastes phenomenal, but it was easy and cheap as usual!
  

Seared Ahi Tuna

They were on sale at Lowes’ for $4.99 a pound, so I grabbed a pack which had 4 servings but 2 full steaks.

I put about two teaspoons of oil (smart balance) into the skillet, and then crumbled a Bumble Bar into the oil, allowing the sesame seeds and flax seed to toast.  ( I thought of this idea because I had two left and was hoping to do something fun with them. I don’t normally like or buy sesame seeds, so it was a cool way to use this product. It added a layer of slight sweetness that carmelized the outside of the tuna too)

I dropped in the tuna steaks, seared them on both sides. Seasoned with a little salt and black pepper. I like when they are still slightly pink inside, otherwise the meat turns out dry and tough. (Sushi grade tuna is usually served raw anyway, right?)

On the side I steamed a bag of frozen green beans ( also on sale at Lowe’s: for $1 for the whole bag!!!!)

Red Pepper Garlic Ailoi

1 clove garlic, well minced
2 tablespoons of mayo ( I used Smart Balance, seriously should I not work for Smart balance, I use the oil and butter and mayo and now just bought their new peanut butter, too !!?!??!?! )
1 cup greek nonfat yogurt
about 1/4 tsp salt and same amount of pepper ( but to taste)
2 tablespoons roasted red pepper hummus

Mix all ingredients well.
I served mine on the side but I mixed the farro in it for Jeff. I made garlic aioli for french fries in lab two weeks ago and have been wanting to make it ever since! Yum!

Farro:

1 cup pre-soaked Farro  ( see my Spinach Pesto Farro for more info on it)
4 cups water
dash of salt

Bring to a boil, simmer on medium for 20 minutes, drain.

Super fast and delicious! I am really satisfied right now and it feels fantastic.

Pre Gym Snack:
Chocolate chip zbar

Lunch

It was a little bit of this…

some brussels…

A little bit of that…

A little whole wheat couscous and chickpea leftovers.

And a little bit of this..

Half a peanut butter and grape jelly sammy

And a little bit of that…

 

Some toasted , locally grown Kale

Recap:

Body:

70 minute power yoga via yogadownload. It was AWESOME! I can’t believe how “still” I truly felt and totally in sync with my breath. I actually focused on repeating what the instructor kept saying ” May I live happily, May I be free from hostility, May I be free from distress” and then towards everyone else living happily, without hostility, free from stress. I think out of context, I would feel weird thinking that but during my practice it was great way to channel energy and thoughts.

I also headed to the gym but ended up walking for 60 minutes on the treadmill. My knee just didn’t feel like it, not that it was hurt, just needed a little break.

Mind:
I cleaned out our third bedroom closet which had tons of my clothes in it, and I added more ( Yes more) clothing to piles to give to goodwill, to my friends, and to my sister.

I did laundry and actually put it away and ironed and folded etc-

I played three games of suduko. such a pleasure for me.

I added a few more links to the nutrition course info page AND a few more on the recipe page!

Soul:

I wasn’t able to fully shake the weird feeling I woke up with, but the yoga was incredibly helpful. Some of the poses were challenging to hold but I held on to them because I knew that I could, because I needed to be stronger.

I think it is hilarious that The Bachelor has been called ” The most hated man in the U.S today” ( i think that was said on GMA or Extra…). To go back to the yoga Menta:  I hold no hostility towards him. ( haha ) However, I do think what he did was totally not cool. It would be tough to fall in love with 2 people and have to pick 1. However, at the same time, he put himself into that position and so did those ladies. I think everyone deep down KNOWS when you ask someone to marry you- you know it is what you truly truly want and will do anything to make it happen- OR you “think” it is the best decision despite what your “gut” tells you. I think he knew the entire time he really felt more strongly for Molly- so it was a a* hole thing to do to Melissa AND Molly!

I made plans for lunch/girlie movie with a friend tomorrow afternoon- not sure if it will be Bride Wars, Confessions of a Shopaholic, or maybe He’s Just Not That Into You , or … Any suggestions? Which one would you guys choose to see ( again) ?