Muffin’d Day

So, did your team win?  Cause I still don’t know who won…and well, really don’t care much.  I don’t even understand the rules of football, so therein lies the truth about my sports knowledge.  Yep, devoid!

Anyhow, instead of waiting for the game to start, I spent the morning after my New Smoothie enjoying your responses to changes in your life and snacking the afternoon away before my run on things like a Banana Chocolate Chunk Muffin, an apple the size of a softball, pb pretzel nuggets, and shortly after the run, an Asian pear.

I went out with the intention of doing an easy 5 miler but that didn’t happen. Well, I ran about 3.5-4 of it, and had to walk around a mile back to my place.  My quad was acting up and I sure as heck don’t want it to get any worse, so less aggravation = walking instead of running.  It’s ok though, because it was a sunny 65F* and I was enjoying my new running playlist I made!

With my intention to participate in this week’s Vegan for a Week, hosted by Morgan at Life After Bagels I made some goodies to get me through some upcoming field days this week!  Thanks to my trusty Vegan with a Vengeance and made two different kinds of muffins! 

First up, Carrot and Raisin Muffins!

I followed the recipe (which I’m not going to write on the blog since it’s from a book…for the good of the author) but reduced the sugar and amount of raisins.  I also replaced the oil with unsweetened applesauce.

Of course I had to try one out and wowzers!  I used some organic raisins that I’ve been getting in my AH box and they were fantastic!  So flavorful and I love that I can’t really taste the carrots (I hate cooked carrots) but it provides a much needed sweetness to the muffin!

Of course I had to have a real meal because I can’t just eat muffins all day long…so I made up a taco salad, sans the taco.  It was a mix of all the veggies from last night, including the broccoli and cauliflower and some tomatoes mixed in my mixed salsas.  My mouth was on fire!

Of course my muffin making didn’t stop at the Carrot and Raisin Muffins…I also made Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Muffins!  Also out of Vegan With A Vengeance, and making my mouth water.  I haven’t taste tested this one yet because I am absolutely stuffed to the brim…but we’ll see how I fee before I go to bed (wink wink).

And of course there is being entertained by Honey, who think she owns my heating blanket. It’s mine cat, you have a fur coat; use it!

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[[Side Note: Muffin’d to Love

So, I love muffins. I make them at home all the time, in various varieties, usually without oils and butter but chock filled with chocolate.  Why not right? I find them extremely portable especially when I’m out in the field. They keep well and don’t fall apart at the bottom of my backpack.

But then there is this other Muffin Top that I’ve been keeping in hiding and revolting over.  Ya  know, it’s the one that as far as I know, every girl hates.

I have finally come out of my “denial bubble” that yes: I have a muffin top, along with love handles and a bit of a tummy.

At first (and of course still have my moments now) I was mortified by this.  Holy crap what are people going to think of me now that I have this extra…stuff on my body, something I have gawked at so many times over the years?  My favorite clothes will no longer fit, I’ll have failed in keeping my body the way I want it, and I’ll have to wear things that don’t streamline my body because they’ll see everything. EVERY SINGLE CURVE!  EVERYTHING I’VE BEEN TRYING TO HIDE FOR YEARS!!!

It’s unfortunate to add that this mortification is being fueled by a trip that I’m taking in three shorts months…to this beautiful place:

(Source)

I’m going to Kauai.  Yep, going to Hawaii.  And I’m terrified to blast…because I’ll be living out of a bikini.

It’s been running through my mind since I bought the ticket almost a month ago, that I need to tone up.  I need to be ready to run around on the beach and feel good about it.

But you know what, I know that I can’t do that.  Not because I’m too lazy and not motivated, but because I have other priorities.  Yes, there are other things I’ve realized that I have to take into consideration…like I’m in the midst of training for the first marathon of my life!!! 

If you had asked me a few years ago what was more important, looking good in that bikini or running a marathon, I would have said the former.  And truthfully, I probably would have taken drastic measures to get to the state I would have wanted to be in.  But things have changed now.

I want to run a marathon, with as little pain as possible, and that means I have to do things differently than before.  I have to eat more, and rightfully, that’s not going to help this ring that is forming on my body.  But you know what, it’s yet to hamper my running so I need not care, or let it bother me so much.

I’m going to enjoy the foods that are being presented to me, familiar or different, even if it does cause an obscene amount of stress.  Breaking boundaries and looking for CHANGE is something that will help recovery, as all my trusty readers have talked about on my last post. 

So right now, this is my motto: Terror/insecurity can be overcome with triumph, you just have to be willing to take the step past it to get there.  ]]