Veganarian

My l'il sister Kacy is trying out a funny balance of Vegan + Vegetarian as part of a New Years health kick. I don't entirely understand her motives but I admire her courage. (She's downstairs cooking us dinner right now. This is the girl who texts me excitedly when she properly makes rice for dinner at school.) As long as she doesn't become one of those preachy douchey Vegans, I'm down with her choice. She says that a lot of her choices are related to the hormones and processing in meat products, so I told her she will have to kiss EVERYTHING A MCDONALDS GOODBYE. Which I suppose is the point of the whole exercise.

Kacy tends to hibernate for 12+ hours every day when she can, and she's hoping it might afford her a little more energy, which is a decent try, anyway.

I can't judge her because I ate vegetarian for about a year in my teens, more as an identity thing over a moral/nutritional thing. I also cooked veggie stylez a lot at school because it was inexpensive. (And I'll probably do it again!) Either way. That's what's happening right now.
I got so excited that she was making dinner for us. She's wearing the glasses because she A) wants to look cool B) onions make her cry C) all of the above.

It's funny to watch the people in my family move independently of one another. Off to work/the gym and cooking each other dinner.
I'm in the midst of trying to decrypt the application process to University in a different city. My older sister just got a new job related to her desired field. (CONGRATS JILLIGAN!) I guess this is what it feels like to be part of a family as it grows, changes and evolves.

Whether Kace is in a phase or not, for some reason it's fostered some pride to me that she's trying something new and different under the banner of self improvement. I advised ma that she should be happy her kids are expanding their horizons and trying new things of their own volition. Mama, being classic mom, doesn't GET IT.

Which is yet another entry on the list of things that my parents don't understand about their children. Maybe just for now, or maybe not ever. I've been wondering lately over the fact that my parents STILL DON'T UNDERSTAND ME. Something I thought I let go of more or less when I graduated from college, became an adult (more or less), that kind of thing. We are all growing, moving, changing. Independent colonies broken off from the original mother(andfather) land.

I guess the difference between teenhood and now is that now I can appreciate WHY we fail to connect on some subjects: music, tattoos, politics, clothes, careers, and so on and so forth. This is in contrast to just fuming about what I assumed was ignorance but was really just differences in time and upbringing and culture and other things. What can you do? Just wait until you're on your own, I suppose.

P.S. If anyone has any suggestions for workout songs or healthy recipes they'd recommend, I'm in the market!

The Lazy Guide to Health

As you can see, we've done a teeny tiny makeover here. I was thinking about it yesterday and I think the new title reflects a lot more about what this blog is going to be about. Arcade Ragdoll was snazzy and flashy, but Life of Wiley is... well. Self explanatory. I'm probably going to be messing around more with links/layouts/other stuff, but for now, this will do.

I haven't been posting at all because I've been busy: thrift store shopping, working, building my new Ikea desk... (actual workspace, WOO!) and working out. Lots and lots of working out. With the 10K run on the horizon (October 16th!) Jill and I have been trying to add half a kilometer a week to ensure we can run the distance when the time comes. It's all very physical and mental, like getting your mind to hold hands with your body. You can't have one without the other, it all has to work. Two weeks ago I ran outside for the first time in a long time. I was dreading it so badly, because running outside is buckets harder than running on a treadmill. I couldn't push myself to run more than 2 kilometers, running for about thirteen minutes.

This week I ran almost 6KM nonstop. (5.92, so sue me.) The difference? Making up a strategy to run harder early in the week and soften up later, plus keeping a strong, positive mentality. I don't mean sprinting around for miles thinking of sunshine and rainbows, (sometimes, running or pushing yourself takes you to some dark places-- that's why I find it easy to run to Slipknot...) but you have to appreciate everything your body does for you.

You might be thinking I'm crazy, on this sure footed suicide mission to smaller jeans and a finish line that's miles away, so far no one else can see it, but I tell you. There are little things you can do to make small health improvements in your every day life, and yes, it can be fun. Depending on your idea of fun, I guess. They don't even involve working out. Yes, I said it.

Random ideas to improve your health and/or happiness without working out:

Pop a Pill
If you have a bit of extra cash kicking around, you could invest in a multivitamin. A good multivitamin can keep your iron levels up through any tough workouts you might put yourself through. (Iron makes hemoglobin, which helps your bloodcells carry oxyen. It's also good for keeping your mind sharp. Woo!) Besides that, it can lower the risk of heart disease & helps to prevent cancer. It will probably cost between 10-20 dollars, but it could be a little boost that your system needs.

Quit it!
Everyone has a vice. Jill's is chocolate/sweets/desserts, she used to have to eat them every day. I have a Diet Coke addiction, a big issue since lots of people I know and love are expecting me to die from Maybe you smoke. Maybe you guzzle coffee like a Hummer engineered by Starbucks. Maybe you stay up too late! Whatever it is: there's always a little room for moderation, or extreme prejudice when it comes to vices. Jill's boyfriend made a bet with her that she couldn't eat chocolate or candy for a month. In a show of solidarity I'm giving up my precious Diet Coke... (15 days and counting!). Even if it's not for good, trying to cut something back or out is a good way to start.

Try Wholesome Livin'!
No, I encourage whatever debauchery you might have goin' on, I'm talking about food again. When I was in college (god, I feel old now) my darling friend Josh looked at the margarine and the turkey bacon in my fridge and gave his head a shake. I saw lower calorie options, he saw chemicals and processed foods. I saw quantity, he saw lack of quality. Nowadays I tend to prescribe myself to a similar philosophy. The less ingredients, the better it is for me! I may not be able to taste the difference between butter and Becel like he can, but I'm a lot more conscious about picking my foods now. (Thanks Josh!)

DIY
In a train of thought close to the previous one, making your own salad dressing, cookies, pizza, pasta sauce is better for you and lets you light up with culinary ambition and accomplishment! Making it from scratch, do it. It's healthier for you. If you enjoy spending time in the kitchen, this one is a gift AND a no brainer. Plus, if you're making it from scratch you'll appreciate the process more and also the final product.

Team Up
You need a partner in crime, don't you? The Robin to your Batman? Find someone close to you, from your best friend, your lovah, your sibling, your co-worker, whoever. Tell them about your goal and ask them to try and keep you on track and encourage you. Then offer to do the same in return. You scratch, they scratch type deal. ;)

Embrace Your Inner Child
If your goal is endurance based, such as quitting or even starting something for a week, a month, a year, try giving yourself visual motivations to keep going. To keep ourselves active and training hard, I stuck a calendar on the fridge, then popped to the local dollar store and bought a jumbo pack of stickers. Everyone in my family got a different kind (I'm dinosaurs!) and every day we work out, we get to put a sticker on the day. It's fun, and it keeps us on track and competitive as we try to match one another sticker for sticker.

Anyway, I have to run now, I'm going to yoga because I need to get my sticker for the day. What small changes have you made/can you think of in the name of better health and happiness today?

Peach Almond Semifreddo

Dessert isn't something you usually get to indulge in when you're on a "DIET" or as the-diet-is-a-naughty-word people like to say, a "lifestyle change." There are alternatives, like dried fruit, and tea, strawberries, that sort of thing.... But those don't hit the spot. Sometimes you want the slab of chocolate cake, that bowl of ice cream... Well this semifreddo recipe might be the next best thing, while I'm still trying to squeeze into a smaller pair of pants.

Traditionally a semifreddo (Italian meaning half-cold) is a dessert with a frozen mousse-like texture, made with ice cream and whipped cream. DOESN'T sound very healthy, does it? Thankfully, I found a recipe in the July 2011 edition of Clean Eating magazine. It's tasty, low cal, and about as good for you as you can get with dessert.

I made this for my parent's anniversary dessert (along with a stellar Roasted Garlic Barley Risotto, ohmygod) because we're all trying to eat a little healthier these days. It's hella easy. HELLA, I SAY.
Peach Almond Semifreddo (Clean Eating Magazine, July 2011)

Ingredients:
1 cup nonfat plain Greek yogurt
1 egg, separated
1/3 cup evaporated cane juice (I didn't have this, so I just used the same amount of agave nectar. If you don't know what any of this stuff is....uhh.. Go ask your local hippie/yuppie grocery store!)
1/2 tsp pure almond extract
1 tsp pure vanilla extract (I used a vanilla bean as well, because I had one around the kitchen!)
3 egg whites
2 medium peaches, pitted and diced
1/3 cup unsalted almonds, toasted

Prep:Line a 8x4x5 loaf pan with plastic wrap. No worries about nonstick sprays or nothin'!

I toasted my almonds over medium heat in a frying pan on the stove for about ten minutes, until they smelled good! Then, I covered them in a tea towel and smashed them with a big kitchen hammer. MORE FUN!Then I separated the eggs, taking care to make sure no yolks got in with the whites, and cut up the peaches. Easy peasy!

Instructions:
Combine yogurt, the egg yolk, the cane juice and the extracts. As I mentioned I used a vanilla bean in addition to this... and I have to admit the flavour was a little strong. I'd put in half next time.In a separate bowl, beat the egg whites into stiff peaks. (I find that they whip better with a pinch of cream of tartar, and also at room temperature!)
Fold the whites into the yogurt mixture, 1/3 at a time. Then gently fold in the peaches and almonds. Pour mixture into the loaf pan and smooth the top. Freeze for 2 or 3 hours, until just frozen.
When it's finishing, invert it on a serving tray, peeling away the wrap and slice with a knife that has been warmed by hot water! (Warning: REALLY try to eat it after 2 or 3 hours. Through a series of unfortunate events, I had to wait 24 hours and it was frozen solid and by then... So then it had to thaw. It was a little icy, but it still tasted awesome. When done properly, I bet it's the shizzle.)

Looks like ice cream?