Sayonara… for now!

I’ve been trying to think about how to write this post for a week now! It’s been very tough making this choice, but I know that, for now, it is the best option for me.

I’m taking an indefinite hiatus from the Blogworld. I’ll be back, probably in April when my second job ends, but for now it is too much for me to work two part-time jobs, keep my apartment clean, spend time with my husband, cook meals, and work out.

I am so thankful to ALL of you who have read my words, cheered for me during the triumphs, and allowed me to lean on you during the rough times. I hope that you will leave my feed in your reader and continue reading when I begin writing again.

It’s not goodbye, that’s for sure, but for now, it’s see you later!

I am willing to… Maria’s 2010 goals

1. I am willing to stop buying soda to keep on hand at home and treat it like a dessert instead. (I will choose to have it occasionally when dining out, but this isn’t a huge step since I never drink it at home anyway.)

2. I am willing to start listening to my body and respond to its nutritional needs. I will feed it when it is hungry and stop eating when it is full.

3. I am willing to commit my time to training for and running a half marathon in 2010.

4. I am willing to start researching future career goals for myself, including dietician/nutrition programs.

5. I am willing to take off my makeup every night before bed.

6. I am willing to floss my teeth or swish Listerine every day.

7. I am willing to only weigh myself once a week.

I think all of these goals are definitely achievable for me. 2009 was a great year, but I am looking forward to what 2010 has in store—for me, for my family, and for my health!

Guest Post: Chelsea from Chelsea’s Chew and Run Fun

On Moods and Foods

“You are what you eat.”

We’re all familiar with that old adage. However, I’d like to take it one step further by stating, You feel what you eat. Sure, your body absorbs the nutrients you ingest and your metabolism reacts to said nutrients. Something most of us forget about, though, is the fact that our moods depend heavily on what we eat as well.

I’ve grappled with depression and anxiety for a vast majority of my adolescence and post-adolescence existence. After many years of highs and lows, and the weight fluctuations that went with said highs and lows- I can honestly say one thing that has been a consistently helpful factor in managing depression is maintaining a healthy, balanced diet and getting plenty of endorphin boosting exercise.

Let me just clarify that clinical depression is a gnarly beast, and is an illness that cannot be cured with any quick fixes. Coming to terms with depression and working towards alleviating it requires a variety of remedies that can include the following and beyond:
-Cognitive therapy or Counseling
-Reversing negative cyclical thoughts
-Possible medication (Such as a SSRI, Selective Serotonin Re uptake Inhibitor)
-Consultations with an MD or Psychiatrist
-Physical Exercise
-Establishing a solid sleep pattern and ensuring that you get at least 7-8 hours of sleep per night
-Refraining from excessive alcohol and drug intake (especially if you’re taking an SSRI)
-Eating a wide variety of foods, focusing on fresh fruits and vegetables, lean proteins (particularly omega rich fish like salmon, walnuts, and eggs), and whole grains

So, as you can see, eating more fish and jogging will not necessarily result in you feeling like your old self again.Though, it most certainly can help. The sheer act of doing something positive for yourself (such as a stress releasing yoga class or an outdoor run in the sunshine), can help to instantly lighten your mood.

Some foods that have been regarded by medical professionals to be natural mood boosters include the following:

1. Omega-3 Fatty Acids a.k.a Fish Oils
You can find this in fatty fish such as salmon and tuna or in
walnuts and flax seed. Try a few walnuts in your salad or flax seed in your yogurt. Try to include fish in your diet at least once or twice week. Fish oil supplements are also a great source if you’re not a big fan of seafood. Recently, I’ve discovered eggs and soy milk that are enhanced with Omega-3 acids. Who would’ve thought that the delicious spicy tuna roll from your favorite Japanese restaurant was actually helping your brain to send neurotransmitters more efficiently?

2. Brown Rice
Full of vitamins B1 and B3 and folic acid (all three help boost memory and cognitive function), as well as being a great food for the digestive system because of its low-glycemic index. Brown rice is a definite source for a mental pick-me-up when you’re feeling the mental lethargy of depression.

3. Water
Drinking plenty of water everyday is essential in improving mood, hair and skin, motor functions, organ functions and much more. If your diet is full of sugary drinks, make sure to include more water in your diet to offset the sugar. Of course it would be best to start eliminating one of your sugar drinks for a glass of water, and continue until you have completely switched out. Many people see a difference in their symptoms when they make this simple change in their diet.

4. Cabbage
Put it in soup, make a fun salad or amazing side of Cole slaw with it. Cabbage contains vitamin c and folic acid and is a great stress-busting food.

5. Oatmeal
Well, this will be a popular one in the food-blog community. Oatmeal (and other whole grains) is a great depression fighting food because it contains vitamins B6 and B1, folic acid, and pantothenic acid. Oatmeal is another low-glycemic food which digests slowly in the body and helps eliminate the mood-swings that other high-carb (muffins) and sugary (frosted cereals) breakfast meals brings.

Those are just a few examples and benefits of healthy foods contributing to healthy moods.

As for exercise, several studies have shown the link between mood elevation and heart-rate elevating activity. Do you wonder what causes that? Besides the “runner’s high” that people sometimes get when they really hit their stride on mile six of a long run, exercise releases endorphins (your brain’s “feel good chemicals”), and neurotransmitters (helps boost mental lucidity), which can create a calming effect for the entire body. Not to mention, the confidence boost you get when, over time, you’re able to slip into your skinny jeans again thanks to the calorie busting movement.

There is no specific exercise you need to rely on to boost your mood. Starting with any type of movement at all (dancing to 80’s music in your living room does count!), is a step in the right direction.

Finally, I just wanted to say that happiness is not a constant sensation. Life is naturally filled with ups and downs. However, when you take measures to really strengthen and nourish your mind and body…you may just find yourself much better equipped when those unexpected lows come your way. Be well!

—

Thanks so much, Chelsea for helping me out with a guest post! I’d highly recommend checking out Chelsea’s blog where she has a whole “Moods and Foods” page! Not to mention she’s one hilarious lady!

I love all the tips and advice in this post. I don’t mention it much, but as someone who lives with clinical depression, I know just how important it can be to get moving and take good care of your body.

Guest Post: Susan from The Great Balancing Act

Hello! As funny as I think it would be to carry on a post pretending to be Maria, I’m an awful liar and imposter. I’m actually Susan from The Great Balancing Act, a little blog where I eat excessive amounts of pita bread, talk about Starbucks, and sometimes share things I’m learning through my personal training certification.

There are many things I love about Maria’s blog. First there’s Maria, who is a complete and utter sweetheart I love her weight loss story and how she now seems to be in a good place in terms of her food, fitness and overall health. Of course, the Japanese goodies always catch my eye too

I wanted to write a guest post that would properly reflect Maria’s blog. But there are so many great things about it, I had a hard time deciding! The one thing that kept sticking out in my mind was her 101 in 1001 list. It was here that I first learned something like this existed. I am a huge goal-setter and list-maker, and this idea really appealed to me.

I have yet to write a proper list of 101 things I want to accomplish in 1001 days (approx 2 years and 9 months). But I thought it would be fun to get a start! The goals must be specific and reasonable to do within the timeline. They must also be something that requires a little extra effort So without further ado, here’s the “starter list”:

• Run a half marathon
• Run a full marathon

• Learn how to bake different varieties of bread, and do it at least once a month for a year

• Have an article published in a national magazine

• Help at least one person lose weight and get in shape as a personal trainer

• Get down to just two packs of gum a week

• Squat my bodyweight
• Host a dinner party
• Change my own oil

• Move to another city
• Visit both my sisters

• Get a dog

• Roast a whole turkey

• Travel to another country

• Get a four-toast toaster with an egg poacher

 

Awwww yeah Doesn’t that look amazing?? I honestly dream of these things.

 

So those are some things I want to do over the next 1001 days – what are yours??

—

Susan, it looks like you have a wonderful start to your own 101 List! Thanks so much for writing the guest post and for all the wonderful compliments. Please check out Susan’s blog for lots of Starbucks fun while she begins the process to become a personal trainer. I’d hire her for sure!!!

I am willing to… Setting New Year’s Resolutions

One of my friends on Sparkpeople.com posted a really great blog entry about New Year’s Resolutions the other day. In the past I’ve allowed my desires for the incoming year to focus entirely on weight and how much I needed to lose or food and how I desired to steer clear of certain kinds of treats.

A recent article in Experience Life Magazine challenged its readers to rethink the way they create resolutions. By using the phrase “I am willing to…” and committing to small, sustainable lifestyle alterations.

A few suggestions in different categories include:

FITNESS:
1. Make movement the first thing in your day
2. Make TV time workout time
3. Take a one-song run
4. Stretch yourself
5. Research and read articles about nutrition and fitness

FOOD:
1. Load up on water
2. Eat breakfast
3. Pack Snacks
4. Rethink your ratios
5. Go color crazy

FINANCES:
1. Keep your values visible
2. Practice non-grasping 
3. Keep a wish list
4. Wait it out… don’t buy big items without taking a few days to think it over
5. Cash out … use cash to pay for leisure activities/items

These are just a few of the article’s suggestions, but I think it’s a great idea. I think we are all guilty of having lofty goals for ourselves that we can’t quite reach because they’re just too vague. This year try setting several small achievable goals.

For example, instead of saying “I resolve to get out of debt this year,” try, “I am willing to set aside $200 each month to pay off debt.” Or trade in “I’m going to lose 5 pounds this year,” for “I am willing to replace one snack a day with a piece of fruit.”

You get the picture.

What are you willing to do in 2010?

I’m going to unveil my list on New Year’s Day! But I can promise there won’t be any resolutions to drop pounds and avoid chocolate this year.

Tokyo Shopping List

Hey all! While Jeremy and I are skee-daddling around the fabulous city of Tokyo, Japan, I thought I’d share a few of the items I’m either hoping to buy and bring home or will be ordering VERY soon.

1. The BIG DADDY

This is definitely my “Red Ryder BB Gun” for 2009. I am so tired of pre-mapping out all of my routes so I will know the exact distance I am running and then having to time all of my laps. I’ve been waiting and waiting to take the plunge and buy a Garmin. I wanted to make sure I am invested in running for the long haul. Now that I am sure, I’m ready to make a commitment.

2. A running belt

I carry a decent amount of stuff with me when I run. And I always run outside. Add those two factors together and you’ll realize that stuff’s gotta either be carried the whole time (a pain the you-know-what) or be tossed somewhere (and then I spend the rest of my run paranoid that someone’s gonna steal my stuff).

3. A good yoga mat

 

Because the sticky-tack for the inside of my cabinets isn’t cutting it.

4. A pair of rain boots

I’m of the opinion that wet sneakers send a perfectly good day right down the toilet. Too many days have been ruined by wet feet and jeans soaked up to my knees. Rain boots are not just a desire. They’re a necessity in Japan.

5. A few good books

 

 

I love to read, but I don’t get to sit down and just delve into a good book anymore. I’ve been interested in reading these particular titles for a few months.

6. Some new workout DVDs

These are just a few I’m considering. If you have any recommendations please let me know ASAP!

 

7. New running shoes

I’m hoping to find a specialty running store in Tokyo to get my feet tested and fitted for shoes that will work with my foot instead of against it. Maybe I’ll even invest in some insoles!

Conquering double digits

10 MILES

I finally did it. I ran ten miles and made them MINE. It was terribly tough, mentally and physically, but I am so relieved and happy to have accomplished that!

I can’t believe I just ran 10 miles. If you would have told me two months ago I’d be knocking out double digit runs at the end of 2009, I would have laughed in your face and told you there’s no way. I had an injured foot and couldn’t even manage two miles without limping home in pain.

Patience and rehabilitation are the key to getting back on track after an injury!

What’s up with everyone falling in the last few days? Meghan, Monica, and Jenna have all taken spills. Well, you can add my name to the list now!

I tripped over my own feet at the beginning of mile 3, but got back up and kept going because there was no blood on my hands and they just stung a little bit. But, at the beginning of mile 8 I really fell hard and hit my right knee.

I didn’t stop running. I just got up and kept going, mainly because I was embarrassed. A little old lady had watched me fall and came running. After assuring her I was okay, I just kept trucking… but my knees, which were already kind of achy from all the running, weren’t feeling so hot.

I came home and washed off my scratched up hands to find my knee looking like the above photo. Whoops! Probably should have not been stubborn and checked on my knee after the second tumble.

Here were my mile splits:

Mile 1: 9:45:2
Mile 2: 8:36:5
Mile 3: 9:58:2
Mile 4: 9:51:1
Mile 5: 9:50:1
Mile 6: 9:56:7
Mile 7: 10:03:2
Mile 8: 10:11:7
Mile 9: 10:51:8
Mile 10: 9:53:1

Total running time=1:38:59:6

Not only a personal distance record, but the longest I have ever spent running straight, without walking breaks.

Who votes I am gonna be sore tomorrow?

Christmas 2009 in review

The holiday season this year has been strange, being away from home and loved ones, but my first Christmas in Japan and as a married lady ended up being a lot of fun and one I will never forget!

Christmas Eve.

Unfortunately I had to work and teach morning classes on Christmas Eve. and Christmas Day. But I got to work baking up enough cookies to feed a small army, once I made it home.

It took up my entire afternoon! Our little Japanese microwave oven can only fit one pan at a time.

First up, I made Cranberry-Almond Cookies using this recipe from Good Things Catered. I subbed out the white chocolate chips (which I’ve never seen in Japan) for the chopped almonds.

I think it was a good switch because these cookies are amazing. I’m serious when I say I could easily eat them all in one sitting! If you’re looking for an easy recipe that turns out some incredibly moist and flavorful sweets, this is it.

Next, I tried Good Things Catered’s recipe for “The BEST Chocolate Chip Cookies.” My husband loves chocolate chip cookies and dark chocolate, so it seemed logical to use the bitter stuff instead of the semi-sweet. It was a good switcheroo.

Again, because of the oven and the sheer monstrosity of these cookies (I even halved the recipe!) it took forever to bake them. That was okay, though, because I enjoyed nibbling through a few of them while trying to find the right temperature/time for my oven.

I finally got it on the last batch!

Finally, I used a box of Hogdson’s Mill Whole Wheat Muffin Mix and 1/2 a cup of dried blueberries to make a batch of 12 mini-muffins. These were enjoyed for breakfast on Christmas Day.

When J came home from work (he, too, unfortunately didn’t have the holiday off) he dug right in to those chocolate chip cookies. They didn’t last past Christmas Day, even though I made 15 HUGE cookies.

Ooops!!!

The Presents

After debating back and forth for a few minutes about when we should open gifts (my family has always been Christmas Eve. night openers, while J’s family wakes up super-early to dig in), we chose to go ahead and make a night out of it by unwrapping the small things we’d picked out for each other.

The husband played Santa this year and doled out the gifts as he saw fit.

Just a note: Because we’re heading to Tokyo next week in celebration of The New Year, we decided to keep our gift giving to each other pretty minimal this year. In fact, the rules were you could only shop at the 100 Yen Store and the limit was 10 items. We’re waiting until next week, in Tokyo, to buy each other ‘big’ gifts. This was a fun challenge and required some creativity and thought!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

J had already picked out one of my big gifts before we agreed on the gift-buying rules. He really is the most thoughtful husband I could ask for. He knows how much I love to cook and wish I knew how to make more traditional Japanese dishes… so he bought me a cookbook written by people just like us (English teachers from outside of Japan) that suggests easy ways to use the stuff I see at the grocery store.

I can’t wait to try some of the recipes out!

  

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

We make some pretty goofy faces when opening gifts.

My favorite gift this year was definitely my new GIGANORMOUS oatmeal mug. I’ve been eyeing this thing for months, but I’m just not the girl who buys herself things for no reason. Even if it was only 100 Yen.

Lucky for me, my wonderful husband remembered I wanted it!

Christmas Day

I devoured the two blueberry muffins pictured at the beginning of this post for breakfast. I usually am not a huge fan of whole wheat muffins because whole wheat can have such a strong and off-putting flavor for me. But these were good muffins.

Work knocked out until Monday, I set to work baking making our Christmas Cake. The Japanese are very big on eating cake for Christmas, so much, in fact, that stores go nuts trying to sell you specially made cakes this time of year. However, at about 30 bucks a pop, I decided we could do just as good making our own.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

I did not bake the cake. I used  a store-bought chocolate sponge cake, but the icing and decorations were all me.

I began by frosting the top of the bottom layer and then sitting the top layer on it. Then, I added A LOT of homemade chocolate frosting to the top and sides, using a butter knife to spread it out as evenly as I could. Once it was coated to my liking, I used warm water and the same butter knife to smooth the icing.

It turned out a hundred times better than I expected. The chocolate icing on top is supposed to a snowflake.

  

Me with my creation. Forgive the tired face, I had just got home from work and the grocery store.

Christmas Dinner

Because we did not make dinner for Thanksgiving, I was hell-bent on cooking something, anything for Christmas. In the end I decided to make barbeque chicken breasts, mixed veggies, and garlic cheese biscuits.

I set out our nice china.

And we poured ourselves a glass of sparkling grape juice. It’s a tradition for us to have a glass of sparkling grape juice on New Year’s Eve. as we watch the ball drop in Times Square on the TV, but we won’t be here for that, so we moved it up a bit.

My plate:

And dessert… times two!

The only thing that could complete the day is this face:

Which is another tradition in my family!

It really has been a special and wonderful holiday.

I am, however, ready to get back to normal life and lay off the sweets for a while. I hope everyone had a fantastic Christmas and was able to spend time with those you love the most!

A pool workout?

I totally switched it up in the workout department today. Since my husband and I were making the 5 minute walk down the road to the onsen anyway, I decided to use their pool and swim some laps. Except it was a walking pool.

I’ve never seen a walking pool, but I knew when I saw all these people walking and lunging around in a long, strangely-shaped circle, I probably wasn’t supposed to start making a lot of ruckus by splashing all over the place. Instead I hopped right in and started running, lunging, and doing all sorts of other exercises.

Surprisingly, I liked it a lot. It got my heart rate up and I was exhausted by the time I had been in half an hour. I did get to do a little bit of regular swimming, too. It felt nice to just be moving my body for the sheer great way it makes me feel… not because I am trying to burn calories or train for a race.

I think I might start going on Saturdays once or twice a month.

Eats

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Obviously it’s been a real Italian kind of day. I’m okay with that. I had planned on reheating some frozen soup for dinner tonight, but my body was really craving pizza.

—

I’m taking the next two days off blogging to enjoy the Christmas holiday and spend some needed and well-deserved time with my husband.

Merry Christmas everyone!

Have a great holiday and enjoy time with those you love!

I’ll catch you back here on Saturday!

Cheery-o

The journalism major in me wishes to issue this CLARIFICATION:

Apparently my last post sounded kind of negative. I received a lot of comments saying you were sorry I was homesick and feeling sad about Christmas. Thank you for your concern. But in all honesty I am not feeling that homesick or holiday deprived at all. I just wanted to share with you guys that seasonal holidays aren’t experienced the same way for everyone. I think it’s a combination of growing up and being away from home.

Either way, I try really hard to not be a negative person and I hope none of you ever see me as such. So that’s where my desire to clear that up comes from.

Enough of that!

I had the most satisfying bowl of oats this morning. It looked a lot like yesterday’s bowl, but tasted even better!

And that was all thanks to these gentlemen (don’t ask why my spices are male… I don’t know).

A generous sprinkling of vanilla extract+ground cinnamon+nutmeg+allspice+1 T Hodgson Mill wheat germ with flax and cinnamon=pumpkin pie, minus the actual pumpkin part. Maybe apple pie would be a better description.

I used the rice cooker to bring half a chopped apple, 1/2 cup of Quaker rolled oatmeal, and 1 1/2 cups water to a boil. Then I threw in the extras from above.

Rice-cooker-oats are still a favorite of mine. They take forever to cook, but when they are finished you are left with a voluminous bowl of oatmeal that will keep your body full for hours. I think slow cooking+fruit=lots of oats.

Oatmeal should always be eaten with your favorite spoon. This one smiles at me and makes me wanna sing “Don’t Worry. Be Happy” really loud.

Today’s going to be a good day. I can just feel it. I’m waiting on breakfast to digest and then heading out to pick up the two miles my foot just wasn’t feeling yesterday. Afterward I plan to do some upper body ST, have lunch with my husband, and take a dip at the onsen.

The weather report says it feels like 35 degrees outside. The onsen has never sounded so good!