Monday, March 30, 2015

Spring Break!

Hello from Los Angeles! I'm spending my break from school here because 3 of my best friends live here. So far I've mostly been hanging out and making my friend Lexi apply for jobs.
Since March is almost over, I figured I should talk about how my working out challenge went. I went to at least one group fitness class a day except Saturdays, when I can't make any classes. There were two Fridays I skipped because I needed to study for tests on Saturday, and I work all day so that early morning time is important. I think I've gotten slightly more in shape because I no longer feel like I'm actually dying during cycling class, and I'm looking forward to start going more than once a day. I started out going to only one class a day and in the last week or so have finally been adding more when I can. I want to keep it up for at least 3 months because I know that's about how long it takes to really start to see a change. My diet hasn't been stellar. I would blame it on the stress of the end of the quarter, but that's not a good excuse. I was hoping giving up sugar for a month would give me less of a sweet tooth, but no luck. I also had some weird strong cravings, like for cheese. I'm currently on vegan vacation while I'm on actual vacation. 

Monday, March 2, 2015

Happy March!

And Happy Texas Independence Day!!!




I had something very important to say... but I forgot. Anyways, we got our first sugar treats yesterday at Mighty-O's! 2 donuts is still a lot for me. And actually, I had my first sugar Friday when I caved and bought chocolate chips. I them used said chocolate to make some nut butter brownies with a failed batch of chocolate sunflower seed butter. The only sugar was in the chocolate chips - the seed butter had 1 date in it and I used a banana in place of the eggs and sugar in this recipe! I didn't quite make a full recipe, and I finished them all in 2 days. The recipe does warn they won't last 24 hours... but in my defense they taste better warm and I was pretty much just eating a banana with sunflower seed butter which makes it a perfectly acceptable breakfast in my opinion.
I also started working out at a new group fitness place, which ties together perfectly with these brownies because they posted the recipe on their blog as well. I went to my first tabata class yesterday, which was fun, and I'm actually a little sore today. My goal for March is to go to at least 1 class everyday, and maybe I'll work myself up to 2-a-days but I don't want to burn out. Except I can't go to any classes Saturday so I guess that's my rest day, or the day I run if I feel like it. I've been enjoying eating in a defined window of time, except this weekend when I didn't really, but I think it helps me sleep better if I have a few hours to digest before bed. I've always known that, but it's hard when I work till 7 or 8 and then want to be asleep by 10 (which also hasn't been happening, but that's another story). I hesitate to call this fasting, even though it is, because that can sound extreme or scary to people and I'm not really eating any less food than a normal person, I just eat it in a smaller window of time. Pretty much I have a snack or smoothie before class at 11, lunch sometime between 2-3pm, and then usually a snack or 2 in between whatever classes I have from 5-7. If I'm really hungry before or after, I'll have a glass of almond milk with this greens powder I have, which is actually expired but I'm trying to use it up so I can get more fancy powders.