Like the quotation above, I feel that 90% of my day today was just about showing up: driving here, running there, teaching now, resting later. Mondays are notoriously busy for me; I start around 9 a.m. and finish around 9 p.m. There are sporadic rests in between, but I use the term "rests" loosely because they are usually spent organizing things through e-mail or running necessary errands.
On top of these exciting gifts, I started a new teaching job in town and was very excited to meet some new students. It's always an awkward, interesting process to teach new students. I love to look back at the progression of my classes after I get to know them a little. Even though I am a teacher, I always consider my students my friends. Meeting new students is really just like meeting new friends. It's such a lovely process!
Days like today, however, can easily become tiresome and exhausting. I have found a method to keeping my energy up and making the whole thing go by faster...and it's all about...well-timed eating! If you think about food as our body's fuel, it makes sense that loooonnnnng days like today require a great deal of eating. The trick (for me) is to eat reasonable portions on a regular basis. I am reading a book by Christine Avanti called Skinny Chicks Don't Eat Salads and it does a great job of explaining that - in order to keep your blood sugar stabilized - it is important to eat multiple, small meals throughout the day and never go more than four hours without food. This approach really works for me. I never "crash" and I never get hunger pains. Here's how I ate today (as an example).
7:30 a.m.
wake up!
8:00 a.m.
- 1/2 cup oatmeal w. protein powder, cinnamon, stevia, and milk
- 2 cups coffee
11:30 a.m.
- 1/2 cup fat-free cottage cheese w. 1/2 cup unsweetened applesauce and cinnamon
- 1 pumpkin spice latte (from my students...yay)
2:00 p.m.
- Egg white salad sandwich w. Spinach & Croutons (see recipe below)
5:00 p.m.
- Pasta w. Snow Peas & Chick'n (see recipe below)
- 1 navel orange
- 1 decaf coffee
8:00 p.m.
- Special K Chocolate Protein Shake
10:00 p.m.
- 1 can lentil soup
- 1 serving frozen teryaki vegetables
Midnight
bedtime!
Spinach w. Croutons
This sauteed spinach recipe is adapted from the great Vegetarian Cooking For Everyone by Deborah Madison.
- 3 big handfuls spinach leaves
- 1 tablespoon minced garlic
- Pinch red pepper flakes
- 2 tablespoons croutons
Heat a small skillet over medium-high heat. When hot, spray with nonstick cooking spray and throw in the garlic and red pepper flakes. Saute until the garlic turns golden. Add the spinach and a dash of salt and, tossing regularly, cook until slightly wilted. Remove to a plate and top with the croutons. serves 1
Pasta w. Snow Peas & Chick'n
This hardly constitutes a recipe, but it's low calorie and low fat and also provides an impressive amount of protein, vegetables, and fiber.
- 1/2 cup fiber-enriched pasta
- 1/2 cup snow peas
- 1/2 serving soy-based "chicken" (such as Morningstar Farms Chick'n)
- 2 tablespoons all-natural, light Italian salad dressing
- 1 tablespoon garlic
- Salt, pepper, and red wine vinegar to taste
Bring a small pot of water to boil. Add the pasta and cook until al dente. Two minutes before the pasta is done, add the snow peas. Drain the pasta and peas and add to a medium-sized bowl.
In a small skillet, brown the "chicken" and garlic until heated through and golden (about two minutes). Add "chicken" and garlic to the pasta and peas. Toss together with the dressing, salt, pepper, and vinegar. serves 1
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Yoga Solo
Today - clearly - is not the kind of day that allows for much exercise. However, I did squeeze two 20 minute yoga sessions in (one in the morning and one before bed). I simply did poses that felt good and that I thought would loosen up my body. I did a few strength-building exercises (such as the Pilates hundred and about 15 push-ups) as well. Not bad for such a long day. And, as I like to think, better than nothing!
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