Rx; Sunshine

My doctor is retiring. Not really a huge deal to me personally since I hadn't gone to see her since before college, but I was thinking it would probably be a good idea to get a physical - just make sure I am A-OK, ya know? So, I set up an appointment with a NEW doctor - old doc wouldn't see me since I hadn't been in since before 2010.  And, I guess, as is procedure for new patients nowadays, they did a full blood panel.

This week I went in so we could go over everything. I guess that's a thing too now? Every page of the test results, she pretty much spent applauding me for staying so healthy. She even told me that she rarely sees such great cholesterol levels. She drew a little star and happy face on my chart - and like the 5 year old I am, I beamed.

Of course, I spent the whole time waiting for the "But..."

and, of course, there was one.

My vitamin D levels are - in her words - "kinda wimpy". Optimal levels of Vitamin D are between 50 and 70. Mine are at 26.

Kitchen Adventures; Strawberry Mango Popsicles

I'm struggling with the reality that it's August already.

Last weekend, hubs and I bought a watermelon. Goal number one was to juice it and make delicious watermelon cocktails, which we did. Hubs made them though. I merely enjoyed.

What I did do, was get out a mango that was nearing the end of its shelf life and half of a giant box of strawberries and juice them. The thing about juicing a mango though... you don't get much juice out of it - you do, however, get quite a lot of pulp.

I was inspired.

Since strawberry juice is one of my favorite things ever - more so then even strawberries themselves - and I have been dying to make popsicles, I scooped some mango pulp into popsicle molds and then poured my strawberry mango juice over them.

... with fingers crossed, but really, how can you go wrong with strawberries and mango?

Seven Days of Yoga; Week 31

Sunday I was supposed to run 10 miles according to my training program, but I was having some pain on the back of my right knee, so I decided to skip it - give my legs a rest and I could pick back up with training when they were feeling better.
Though I didn't practice yoga, I got to teach the Sunday Sunshine Flow class at the studio, which was really nice.

Monday I taught Power Yoga in the morning. I got some great feedback from one of the more experienced teachers at the studio. It was really helpful. He told me to own my music and add a couple tougher poses when I'm subbing for harder teachers. He also said how really great I did and that he was rooting for me. Yay!
That night - after picking up a cupcake for myself - I ran 7 miles, which is the furthest I've run ever. Hooray for breaking personal records. I was so happy, but I was also SO tired. It helped me to really feel like I'm on track though - like next month running this half marathon will actually be doable. So, I ate half my cupcake (since it was giant) partially in celebration of running 7 miles and partially as a belated bday gift to myself.

Tuesday, in keeping with my training, I ran 4.5 miles. That's what 4 laps around the local apartment complex comes to since it's just barely over 1 mile each lap. I'm having some trouble with my right knee. Not really pain, per say, more like discomfort. Not sure what it means or what I should do about it.

Wednesday night I taught Power Yoga and then stayed for the Candlelit class after. I listened to the constructive criticism from the other teacher on Monday. It was easy to listen to him since he is such a great teacher. I taught a harder class. I kept the volume up on the music. I felt really good about it.

Thursday night I wanted to get home earlier than the previous week - when I was out until past 9:30 running. I had 5 miles to do, so I thought I could split them up. Not ideal for training, but ideal for getting home at a reasonable time. I ran 2.8 miles before class, cleaned myself up a bit, taught my beginners, and then ran 2.4 miles after class. Not bad, eh?

Friday was a rest day, but T and I went to the gym together for a bit. I didn't do much. - some pull ups, dips, and chest press. I did about 2 minutes on the elliptical, but there was a woman getting a massage on the table nearby and she kept moaning - like mooaaaning. It was majorly distracting, so I left.

Saturday I got up earlyish 5 miles. I improved my pace like crazy, but apparently now I am injured. I don't know what happened. I may have overstretched or something post run because I was in zero pain during the run, but later that day my right knee really started to bug me. It kind of feels like I pulled something, but I can't be sure. So, I'm just taking a few days to rest it.

How was your week?

30 x 30; Get CPR Certified

I put getting CPR certified on my 30 x 30 list before I learned that most gyms require you to have it before they'll let you teach fitness classes.

So... wanting to teach yoga at a gym kind of gave me the kick in the butt that I needed to sign up. The way it worked out, I found a class on my birthday. It didn't really bother me that I'd spend my birthday morning watching CPR videos and practicing on a dummy, and anyway, I can save lives now - and I feel like my future children are safer.

The coolest part for me personally, is that I can make the mommies in my mommy & baby yoga classes feel safer. Since I'm also certified in infant CPR, God forbid something happens, I can be there to help effectively.

I feel like more of a contributing member of society now - less a helpless bystander.

Eat Breakfast

Way back, when I joined this crazy group of ladies to link up and be happy, I wrote this post. It's about getting up early and having a leisurely breakfast in the morning.

It made me happier. It really did. I makes me happier, because, yes, I am still getting up early enough to have a calm, relaxing, rejuvenating, wakeful breakfast at my kitchen table. This morning I had a bagel, if you must know.

I pay bills. I read my daily Skimm emails, which I was reading way before Joy the Baker talked about getting her daily scoop alongside waffles, by the by. I can't help if I'm less popular than she is. Not important. In the mornings, I breathe. I wake up and I sip my coffee as the dog sniffs around. Sometimes I glug my coffee, but it's still down right leisurely.

This whole time I'm thinking it's the leisure that makes my mornings happier. I still think that's true, but I talked to a nurse the other day and she told me that 9 times out of 10 when she asks folks if they had breakfast that morning, they say no, and in general, the 10 percent of people who do actually eat breakfast are in significantly better moods when they see her in the morning than folks that skipped breakfast.

Pretty interesting, huh? The simple act of just eating breakfast may have been making me happier.

Though I certainly think the leisure helped too.