and so the training begins...

This week I will start my training for my 5K in October. I will just be walking for 30 to 60 minutes as long as my knee holds up. A few week ago my left knee started bothering me and now I am taking an OTC remedy to ease the discomfort away.

I have done some research and here is my first training workout that I will attempt by the end of next week.

• Brisk five-minute warmup walk. Then alternate 60 seconds of jogging and 90 seconds of walking for a total of 20 minutes.

Now this might be too strenuous for me so I have to see how much I can do. However I will adjust as necessary. I may start with a 30 second jog and 60 walk to see how my heart and lungs hold up. I will report back and let you know.

As for my diet I am going to attempt to have green smoothies daily and do a lot of juicing. Wish me luck!
Celebrating Life,
Alma

This one's for me

I put a goal out there to run a 5K race some time this year. The time has come for me to register and I feel myself fearing. Fearing the race, the training and the diet. I have come so far only to let it go. I have been back on track the last couple of weeks eating more and more raw foods as the days go on. I still carry about 15 pounds of weight gain since I went off track. My motivation for exercising subsided but I am working on that too.

I know that I am the only one holding myself back. I want this race to be a metaphor for leaving my past in the past and looking forward to the future and the possibilities of doing anything I put my mind to. Imagine a person with oxygen running a race. I will run for life! My life!
Celebrate Life,
Alma

Green Smoothies

Tonight it is back to volleyball. The NorthEast is getting a break from some hot, humid weather and I am glad! I like the different seasons but the humidity makes it harder for me to breathe hense harder for me to play volleyball. Anyway tonight should be a lot of fun. People will be wanting to play since last week was the day before the holiday and many people did not get to play. I have my oxygen tanks full and my LARGE bottled water in the refrigerator. When that clock ticks to 7PM, I am out of here!

My diet is going well! I am not 100% raw but I am pleased with the way it is going. I eat a small portion of cooked foods on a daily basis. I do my green juices and green smoothies. I eat my LaraBars, raw trailmix and fruits. My weight loss has not been the same as last time I went raw and that is because I am not exercising as much and I am not 100% raw. Hopefully I will get myself back to that space real soon.

Kait asked me about green smoothies today. I found a list of recipes that she can start up with. This list is from Frederic Patenaude.

Always blend the fruit first –
2-3 cups any greens of your choice, 2 cups papaya, 2 oranges, 3 dates
1 handful lettuce leaves, 1 handful mint, 4 bananas, 1/2 cup water
1/2 bunch romaine lettuce, 1 cup strawberries, 2 bananas, water
4-5 kale leaves, 4 apples, 1/2 lemon juiced, water
2 big handfuls mixed baby greens, 2 pears, 2 mangoes, 1 cup fresh or frozen blueberries
choc-mint – 2 cups spinach, 10-12 mint leaves, 3 bananas, 2 Tbs. carob powder, 1 cup water
1 handful of spinach, 2 stalks of celery, 2 bananas, 2 pears, 1 apple, 1 cup water
1 small handful of spinach, 2 cups arugula, 2-3 mangoes, 1 cup water
1/2 head romaine lettuce, 1 small pineapple, 1 large mango, 1-inch fresh ginger
1 handful wild greens (e.g. dandelion), 1 small handful mint leaves, 3 cups honeydew melon
3-4 stalks celery, 2 ripe persimmons, 1 banana
1 handful chard leaves, 5-6 kale leaves, 3 large bananas, 1 cup water
1 handful parsley, 3 cups of peeled papaya

Celebrate Life,
Alma

Drummer Gal

I just found out that LaraBars was bought out by General Mills in a co-bloggers site. Here is the link. I too hope the quality and integrity of the product does not suffer. So much for helping out the little guys. Why is it that the little guys usually get bought out by the big ones?

Anyway, I had a lot of fun on the 4Th of July. I got to play a drum once again in a parade. Nothing like the joy of creating and playing music ! Who knows I may have a new career.

I had a great weekend eating lots of watermelon and delicious Jersey tomatoes. It rained but I was able to enjoy the beach, family, friends and my puppy.

Celebrate Life,
Alma

Happy 4th of July

Wow, I am actually proud of myself. I am doing well on raw again. I have stuck to diet and have enjoyed it. Looking back I believe that I will have to have a better plan of action for the winter months. Fruits and vegetables do not run as abundant, sweet and affordable. Besides that my body wanted something hot and substantial and cheesecake could only cut it so far. I tried because I did eat a lot of cheesecake but I am going to try to get some recipes that will become my new "comfort" foods.

I ordered LaraBars from amazon.com and they just came in today. I am so excited because when I want cake or a chocolate candy bar I reach out for the Jocalat. I love their cherry pie flavor also. Has anyone tried their chocolate coffee one?

Well last night I made 4 batches of green smoothies in my Vitamix and I froze them in containers. I am good to go for about a month. It is time consuming and I do lose some of the nutrients but it is a quick fix. I usually try to have 2 containers or servings out at a time. I try to have a green smoothie for breakfast on a daily basis. This starts my day off right! Sometimes I will have another serving after volleyball. Nothing like replenishing your body with good carbohydrates after a workout. This really assists your body in replenishing nutrients and building your muscles.

My smoothies consisted of kale, collards, a little spinach, bananas. I varied each batch with different fruits. One had blueberries, one strawberries, one was mostly bananas and the last one had fruit sorbet which I had made last month. Thanks to my parents for going shopping for me. They went to Amish country in PA on Sunday and bought be lots of fruits and vegetables. I still have a watermelon to cut up and sprouts to juice.

Enjoy the weather and happy 4th!

Celebrate Life,

Alma