She Says: Why Set Limits?
Thanks for all the music suggestions. I got a ton of music today, including, but not limited to.
- Beyonce – Single Ladies
- Poison – Bel Biv Devoe (Can’t trust a big butt and a smile)
- Through the Wire – Kanye West
- Britney Spears – Circus
- Lala – Ashlee Simpson
- Number 1 – Nelly
- Hero of the Day – Metallica
- Enter Sandman – Metallica
- Paper Planes – MIA
- Burnin’ Up – Jonas Brothers (Yes, that is correct)
- Lady Gaga – Just Dance
- Fergalicious – Fegie (I be up in the gym just working on my fitness)
- More than a Feeling – Boston (I play air drums during this one)
- #41 – DMB (b/c it’s my fav and sometimes it’s about zoning out)
- Pussy Cat Dolls – I Hate this Part
- Notorious BIG – Juicy (Now honeys play me close like butta play toast)
- 99 Problems – Linkin Park & Jay Z
- Untouched – The Veronicas
- So What – Pink
- Sober - Pink
- Who Knew – Pink
- The World I Know – David Cook version
- Distrubia – Rhianna
- I Get Around – Digital Underground and Tupac
- How Far We’ve Come – Matchbox 20
- Times Like These – Foo Fighters
- Viva La Vida – Coldplay
- The Heart of the Matter – India Arie
- Poker Face – Lady Gaga
- What Them Girls Like – Ludacris & Chris Brown
- Everybody Nose – N.E.R.D.
- When I Grow Up – Pussycat Dolls
Before I went to the gym I had the third flavor of the Quaker True Delights bars from the Foodbuzz Tastemakers program, the Honey Roasted Cashew Mixed Berry.
I focused on the flavor and ingredients in my previous reviews of these bars, but never mentioned the size or texture. In size, they are similar to a Kashi granola bar, making them thicker than a standard Quaker granola bar. In texture, they are softer than a regular granola bar and definitely less dry than a Kashi granola bar. I liked the honey flava of this one, but too sweet for me. Toasted Coconut Banana Macadamia Nut still reigns supreme. Side note: Foodbuzz actually sent bars to Mark here and to my parents’ house in Rhode Island. My dad ate all the bars and liked the Dark Chocolate Almond Raspberry the best. This is not surprising. Dude is a chocoholic.
So, today I ran for 50 minutes (5.7 miles) at the gym. I find that for me the miles between 4 and 7 are the easiest to run. The first 3 are always the toughest and involve the most self-talk with myself. You know, when you have the conversation with yourself about whether you’re going to quit. After mile 3 it always gets easier. I hope this is true for running outside too!
You Can. I Can.
I did some shopping and baking for my Secret Valentine’s present and then I did another Dave Farmar yoga class. This class was not as difficult as the previous one I did and the audio conked out at the end, but still I LOVE these classes. I want to send Dave Farmar a Valentine. It’s the closes to a live class that I’ve done. He’s interesting, but not preachy and gives good verbal cues about posture adjustment. You do have to be fairly independent in your practice though, as there is not a lot of step-by-step instruction.
Today he talked about setting limits. Specifically, he wanted everyone to do headstand, which is not something I feel comfortable attempting unless a teacher is there, but still I did the preps and eventually did forearm stand instead. But anyway, he talked about how people get freaked out when they need to do headstand and say, “Oh I don’t do that.” This is exactly what I say! In my mind I am too weak to do certain poses. He said that’s silly. Why set limits for yourself? I had no answer.
One reason I love yoga is because the lessons I learn always parallel my everyday life. It’s interesting because I just decided to do a half marathon in May, which is something I would never have thought I could ever do a few years ago. I think I’ve mentioned before, but I hated running when I was little. I had pretty bad asthma and I wheezed whenever I ran. I would skip it during gym class and suffer through it at cheerleading practice. I’ve never considered myself an athlete, never played a sport and I am still hesitant to call myself “a runner.” I always said, I could never run 5 miles, or 10 miles or whatever and now I’ve challenged myself to run further than I ever thought I could.
What I took from Dave Farmar today is that it doesn’t help me at all to go into anything with a negative attitude. Mark tells me this all the time and is the king of creating a positive mindset. If I say, “I can do it,” then at least I have a chance. If I say, “I don’t” or “I can’t” then what chance do I have to succeed? It’s been a long time since I felt proud of myself, but already in the last couple days since deciding to do that half I’ve felt a surge of excitement, confidence and energy. I want to do it. So, throughout my half marathon preparation when I think I can’t go anymore, I will remember little kid Heather, wheezing when she ran, and I will tell her, “You can.”
Dinner and Dessert
After all this yoga and reflection I chowed. Nom nom nom nom nom. I made Sarah’s Curried Sweet Potato Fries and had leftover cauliflower, leftover eggplant and tomato sauce and some tofu. (Mom, you have to go to her blog. She is a retired lawyer like me and has two really cute daughters. One wears crazy stand up pig tails). Luckily I had curry and dried ginger that Meghann sent me. I also added cinnamon. Curry and cinnamon make everything better!
Tomorrow I shall be an art teacher at the Elementary School. Subbing is hilarious! I baked something for my Secret Valentine today. It’s in the oven, so I’ll show you tomorrow.
Tags: cauliflower, eggplant, product review, quaker delights, running, songs, Sweet Potato Fries, tofu, yoga
February 5th, 2009 at 10:58 pm
amazing post heather! i love this idea– why do we set limits anyways!!?! i could NEVER run a mile when i was little– like you i had asthma! i just was not athletic– now i run (well i do when i dont have this injury!) 5 miles a day! i never thought this would be possible! the mind is a powerful thing– it’s time we stop setting limits with ourselves– all of us are capable of ANYTHING! oxox thanks for this post!!!
February 5th, 2009 at 11:05 pm
this is a great list. a lot i will have to check out. I totally agree about the first 3 miles, it is an awfully large hump to get over, but it works everytime.
February 5th, 2009 at 11:09 pm
Thanks for the playlist!
February 5th, 2009 at 11:30 pm
You have a rockin playlist now! 1, 11, 12, 21, 23 and 32 are in heavy rotation for me as well. You won’t regret your purchase!
TGIF…
February 6th, 2009 at 12:03 am
Great song selections!
February 6th, 2009 at 12:07 am
Yay for positive thinking! It’s the only way to power through things! Side note, my mother, who read her first food blogs EVER today (because she was checking out mine), was like, “Oh that Hangry Pants guy is good. Those nut pancakes looked frickin awesome.” I’m not kidding. I tried to explain that “hangry pants” isn’t necessarily a “guy,” but I don’t know if she caught on.
February 6th, 2009 at 12:18 am
Great post Heather. I am the same way with headstands…”I don’t do those”. Why not? I’m never going to learn to do one with that kind of attitude. Thanks for the pep talk! I can’t wait to try a David Farmar class as I’ve read such good things about him.
Dinner looked amazing. I love Sarah and all her fry action. I’m thinking of making the french toast ones soon.
Now, we’ll see about those POM martinis. I’ll try not to let you down.
February 6th, 2009 at 12:19 am
definitely try philip urso – he gives you more of a workout than dave.
February 6th, 2009 at 12:31 am
ooo have fun being an Art Teacher! Tomorrow I shall be a teacher and a student so weird!
February 6th, 2009 at 12:43 am
I couldn’t believe it when I saw my suggested song on your list (#31)! I feel so honored. That seriously is the BEST song, though. You gotta let me know what you think
.
February 6th, 2009 at 12:49 am
Liz: I liked it! It had a good beat and was entertaining. But I think I need to listen to it more before running to it again. I like to get addicted to a song and then use it to power me.
Thanks for the suggestion.
February 6th, 2009 at 1:06 am
that’s not a bad pace to run at for 5.7 miles. so i guess you typically base how much you are going to run by timing yourself? or did you set out to do exactly 5.7 miles?
February 6th, 2009 at 2:28 am
Aww…thanks for the sweetness. Weren’t the fries awesome?!
I think we were separated at birth, not only because you make killer fries, you like stand up pigtails, you think being an attorney in private practice sucks BUT also, I have about half those songs on my current playlist (including Ashlee Simpson, for shame) and I am the same way about runs. The first three miles KILL me. Once I get past the 25 minute mark, though, I’m golden.
Have you chosen a training program yet? What’s your long run this week? I’ve got a 7 miler on Saturday. Wished you lived closer so we could run and chat!
February 6th, 2009 at 3:51 am
it is such a insightful post! You’re so right, we tend to set us limit before even trying to. Our body is much beyond our mind limit and challenge ourselves is a MUST in this life.
I’ve never done Dave farmer’s class yet, any recommendations? I like really killing workouts!
February 6th, 2009 at 6:04 am
CURRIED SWEET POTATO FRIES? that sounds splendid! Where did you get that idea? And I like seeing that you are baking for the V-day…..:-) how lucky is your cupid?!!!
Love Beyonce, DMB (all the kids in my town listen to dmb/see him tour in the summer. i have a feeling you did the same?), Metallica, it’s all great!!
Your post brings up a topic in which we can all relate to- I think we as humans are afraid of failure, so we make an excuse even before we try: but how great would it be for a day to have a “i can do anything” mindset?
February 6th, 2009 at 6:39 am
cant wait to see what you baked so I can steal, errr, borrow the idea.
and I LOVE to workout to Biggie. Tupac. Mase (rememver mase??)
February 6th, 2009 at 7:13 am
good reminder on keeping our mind open and forgetting about limits…….leaving us the option of taking off and flying!
February 6th, 2009 at 7:18 am
Heather: I ate three of the bars and my favorite was also the Toasted Coconut Banana Macadamia Nut.
Have fun today subbing!!!!!
February 6th, 2009 at 7:32 am
Matt: I just planned to run for 50 minutes and that’s what the treadmill said when I stopped.
February 6th, 2009 at 7:44 am
curry and cinnamon DO make everything better, and i so agree about running getting easier once you hit the four mile mark. yay, half marathon prep!
February 6th, 2009 at 7:47 am
Amen!!
February 6th, 2009 at 8:15 am
Sounds like a great yoga class. It’s so true…sometimes we just holdourselves back for no reason!! CRAZY.
February 6th, 2009 at 8:28 am
I have not worked my way up to headstand yet but I know exactly what you mean. I was so scared of shoulder stand that I avoided it so long, now, I can’t imagine practicing without it.
February 6th, 2009 at 8:42 am
you are spot on with 4-7mi being the easiest! i run on a treadmill now currently (like you – waiting for it to warm up before I hit the road!)….
wed I had a 4 mile run and man oh man, I had to tell myself to STFU and just FINISH and NOT stop – my legs were burning slightly but I finished! I think I said something like if I ran 7 miles on Saturday there is NO reason why I can’t do 4 miles today – ahahahaha
the negative self talk got to me yesterday though
only did 1.5miles (was supposed to run 2.5) but seriously my legs were on fiiiireee
have fun teaching!!!
February 6th, 2009 at 9:08 am
One of my spin teachers plays #41 during an early morning class and it is PERFECT!
February 6th, 2009 at 9:18 am
nice run!
I have asthma- it never went away from childhood – but did yours ease up? Yoga has been really helpful.
I love headstands and handstands. I think its from the 10 years of gymnastics .
love the bar review!
February 6th, 2009 at 9:21 am
I love this secret valentine idea! I am def participating in the next secret ____. Can’t wait to see what you baked up. Love the song list- all good stuff!
February 6th, 2009 at 9:47 am
ok i LOVE all of those songs…you are a girl after my own pop-music lovin heart.
Good luck with the art teacher subbing, that does sound like quite the adventure!
February 6th, 2009 at 10:03 am
Looks like a fun music list!
I like DF’s question, “Why set limits for yourself.” I should write that one down as a reminder. One of my fave quotes is “What would you attempt to do if you knew you could not fail?” Love that one!
Fries look great! I just got some organic sweet potatoes and haven’t figured out what to do with them yet, so maybe I’ll check out your recipe?
February 6th, 2009 at 10:30 am
I love “So What” by Pink. That’s a nice girl kick-ass song.
Hooray subbing!
Oh the inter-dialog conversations I have all the time. The first two miles are a butthead but once I’m past that it’s all gravy.
February 6th, 2009 at 10:36 am
What a great message, Heather!
I’m craving yoga today – mostly for the life lessons you get during the practice. And the workout is kick ass too
February 6th, 2009 at 10:53 am
Looks like a good list. I hope you’re having fun subbing! Art class was always my favorite in elementary school.
February 6th, 2009 at 11:45 am
I need to download So What and see what all the fuzz is all about!
Headstands aren’t my thing, I don’t like being upside down. That’s so awesome that you ARE a runner now after your childhood asthma. I used to have asthma too, but running still gives me the whizzes!
February 6th, 2009 at 12:18 pm
Love that list Heather! Music seriously makes a workout sometimes!
February 6th, 2009 at 1:07 pm
I SO appreciate the tip on breaking past three miles. I have never done it, but I have never ever read before that it is a common breaking point. Thank you!
February 6th, 2009 at 1:59 pm
The first few miles are hardest for me too. My legs need a little time to warm up and my brain needs time to mentally adjust to the task at hand, or at least that’s my theory.
February 6th, 2009 at 4:56 pm
Maybe try headstand against the wall? I feel the same way about yoga and life lessons, btw