let it burn

morning berries and antics

This morning started off with a not so delicious protein smoothie that consisted of berries, almond butter, and brown rice protein powder. The man at the vitamin shop promised me I wouldn't even taste the protein powder, and he was right. I taste the heaping of clay, chalk and mud, oh nom nom nom. Help: In need of more magical protein powder, but I hate stevia, and artificial sweeteners, so bottoms up to whoever can find me that mix.

 

The best part of this shake was the almond butter drowned in mud.

style for style

My inspiration today: My Grandma Betty. She's crazy, but down right haute and if you listen to her you might cure your day. Smokin' right?

This is her classic, throw my hands up because I don't know why you're taking my photo pose.

kick kick kickin' it.

So Nike dropped off a sweet little package on my doorstep the other day, and I have to say I am in love. Typically I like my running shoes with a bit of support and comfort, so I didn't think these skinny minis would hold up, but they more than carried their weight in my workout this morning.

Super comfy, lightweight but yet still supportive and let's be honest the colours make my heart warm.

sweaty sesh

Oh Jillian you kicked my butt today and mama liked it.

these boots were made for bloggin...

A little swoon from Vogue Italia this morning.  I'm gonna need this cape and boots from Stefanel.

So about that protein powder... You got any tips for me?

retail and yam therapy.

Houston, we have a shopping problem.
I may or may not have spent a few dollars at the mecca yesterday. BUT, I have been so good in the last year that I don't feel bad about it in the least. Yes, I work for lululemon, yes I am still as passionate and obsessed about our products as I was in college stashing my per diem from softball road trips, to drop it all at lululemon come Monday. After reinvesting in some luon, and a Jillian Michaels workout, I made myself my favorite dish: Vegan Bandidas! 

Did I mention my new kicks came in the mail today? A treat from my weekend at the espnW retreat.

What the deuce is Vegan Bandidas?
My own concoction, adapted from my favorite restaurant on the planet, Bandidas Taqueria, in Vancouver, British Columbia. I live in San Diego, so I don't get to eat there much. But I spent the entire month in Vancouver for the Olympics, and my roomies and I took a stab at combining their "Ronny Russell" and "Estelle" tacos. If you are ever in Vancouver, take the skytrain to East Van, it's worth the trek.

Voila! Bowl full of delicious dreams.

Vegan Bandidas la recita!

2 yams
2 mangos
2 roma tomatoes
1/4 cup of raw pepitas (pumpkin seeds)
1 pear
2 tbsp Coconut Oil
1 tsp of Honey
Dash of cayenne pepper (if you like it hot that is)

*Chop up all your veggies and fruit, maybe 1/4 of an inches pieces, throw it in a bowl
*Mix in the coconut oil, honey, and cayenne pepper
*Place in a baking dish and bake for 50 minutes.
*Enjoy with corn tortillas, or in a bowl with black beans!

va bene cosi

Good morning good morning good morning, it's time to rise and shine.

Last night some of you may have noticed that I made a new declaration. Having that goal, and the accountability of a few friends and strangers in my back pocket this morning put a smile on my face while making my morning protein shake.

Some berries, some brown rice protein powder, some peanut butter, some sort of delicious. The cup made it though... really.

Heading out to take on the day, and swing by lululemon for a few new threads in support of my new journey.  Do you support retail therapy?  Happy Tuesday.

P.S. Here's a couple photos I kind of love, though the subject, I do not.  I am not a fan of Linds, or her crazy life but I am a fan of awesome photos and everything Vogue Italia.

When I hear somebody sigh, "Life is hard," I am always tempted to ask, "Compared to what?" - Sydney J. Harris

I was never the girl next door. - Bettie Page

Lindsay, Lindsay, Lindsay. Not entirely a fan, but I admire the way you are who you are without apology.  Va bene cosi.

photo via Vogue Italia

Get Over It and Blog It

I am obsessed with health and fitness blogs, but it wasn't until recently that I realized why; I am living vicariously through the bloggers that I follow. They seem to have all the answers, they seem perfect, their lives seem easy, and above all they look healthy. A goal I believe every woman shares and envies of other women who have attained it. This has got me thinking... I can do this, I should do this, and starting now, I am officially doing it.

Julie from Peanut Butter Fingers

It's obvious

The women I follow are healthy, fit, and seemingly happy, if they weren't I probably would not be following them. I am intrigued by what they do, what they eat, how much they eat, how they work out and how their day went because, it's a life we'd all love to share.

It's not that complicated

The truth is my life is not that far off and I could be these women.  But I always look for the shortcut, give myself excuses, and tell myself daily that I am too fat to be healthy. I'd rather eat as little as possible and then bash myself later for not being the healthy weight I "should be". It's easy to do that.  There's no prep work needed, just don't eat that much, and tell yourself how much you suck later when you dip your chip into the cheese sauce.  

The lovelies I follow all work out in different ways, follow different diets and have a different approach to health. But they have one undeniable commonality that I am missing in my life, accountability. Accountability in the forms of daily food, exercise and even mood logs,  for all of the world to see.

It's time to get over it, it's time to blog and log it.

From this point on, I'm done complaining about my body, my big old donk, the fact that I have muscles left from college, and believing that I cannot ever have the body that I want.  I am going to keep a weekly fitness and food log for the world to see... Or at my Mom and Grandma, let's be real here... I'm also taking a stand for my happiness in this process. I'm going to plan a bit more, whine a lot less, and vow not to talk about how much my body sucks to anyone including myself. Here I go...

This Nike Ad makes my heart warm.

Day 1

The morning did not start off with my renewed sense of commitment to my health and more importantly my happiness, so please excuse today's recap:

Grub
Breakfast - Coffee with 1 tablespoon of Coconut Creamer
Lunch - Spinach salad - 2 cups of spinach, 1 roma tomatoe, 1/4 cup of aduki beans, 1 tsp of peanuts, olive oil and balsamic vinegar.
Snack - Handful of mixed nuts
Dinner - Chips full of cheese sauce, salsa, black beans and a glass of sangria (Post Savasana bliss at Baja Betty's guarantees a Baja Belly)
Dessert - 1/2 cup of Pinkberry (I felt so bloated and annoyed with myself I threw
away half of it.)

Sweat
Ran 2.5 miles
Hot Yoga - 1 hour

Rant
Over feeling bad about my body and making it up with boatloads of cheese dip. Tomorrow really is a new day for me...

a weekend with espnW

Holding the rope in the Navy Seals bootcamp workout!

Last week I was very lucky to attend the espnW retreat in La Jolla, California. To say it was like living a dream would be an understatement. We took yoga, we surfed, we climbed through Torrey Pines, and some even took on a navy seal bootcamp workout. But we weren't there just to sweat and rub elbows with female athlete legends, we were there to begin to create the possibilities within the espnW network.

Julie Foudy and Billie Jean King on a panel on Friday discussing the past and future of women's sports.

Having played softball at UCLA, and then professionally in Italy, the thought of a network created by ESPN with women at its core makes every bit of me smile. This network will be much more than a cheer squad for female sports. Personally, I am not one to feel bitter or even believe that men have an advantage over women, or have greater opportunities, or a greater spotlight in sports. Sure men have the ability to make more money through sports, it's just a fact, but being an athlete has taken me places and taught me things that you cannot price a salary with, and for that I am humbly grateful.

That said, being a former athlete who struggled with what's next when you retire your dreams of being an athlete, a goal you'd hosted since you were 4, I am happy to know ESPN is thinking of women like me and the girls behind us. Even more, I am happy ESPN can leverage who they are to be a catalyst in driving health, wellness and longevity for all women in the future.

Softball player Jessica Mendoza talking shop.

what is espnW and why it matters

ESPN, "the worldwide leader in sports", is creating what seems to be a network for women that will serve as a platform for female sports, health and wellness, and raising the next generation of female athletes. Being at the retreat, I get the sense that espnW is not trying to create the network that will be the end all and answer for women's sports. I get the sense that they're out to make a difference in the lives of both women and men, regardless if they have ever played a sport or consider themselves an athlete.

 

Summer Sanders crawling in the sand during bootcamp. Love her top by the way...

Throughout the weekend we heard from female sports giants like Billie Jean King, Jennie Finch, and Gretchen Bleiler. Their message seemed to be the same; we have to fight for equal rights in sports just as we do in life, we have to fight for our platform, and at the end of the day we as women have to not fight with each other, but work together to ignite change. What I took away was we have to teach the generation behind us to continue to play sports and be active. We have to help them set goals and within that set realistic expectations of what being an athlete is, and what it can help you accomplish and create even outside your sport or physical creed.

Together we're pretty tall and powerful...

I truly believe espnW can be a resource for young girls to teach themselves how to fuel their bodies in sport and all physical activities. I believe and hope it will be a resource for women who've retired from their sports to stay active and healthy throughout their lives. Lastly, I hope it tells the story of women in their sports before, during and after.

Amy Palmiero-Winters tells her inspiring story of balancing a life as amputee ultra-marathon runner, and single mom.

Personally, playing sports has taught me to work with a team, to work with those who are different than yourself, and above all to work to be a part of something that will always be bigger than yourself. The need to compete, win, and to always work towards something that is greater than any of us individually has never left.

Amy rocking the Navy Seal bootcamp workout.

My game has left me in a way, and I've had to search for a way to keep my body healthy. I would have died to have a resource that would help me with that transformation after I retired from my sport. During college, I almost had to leave my sport because of my health or lack there of. I battled with rheumatory arthritis, and it wasn't until I researched my diet and began practicing yoga did I win the bout.

This little lovely sat with me at lunch. Great reminder that yogis are athletes.

If I knew then what I know now, that food is a medicine and a fuel, that yoga has made me a better athlete and that life goes on beyond the white lines of our fields and courts, I would have enjoyed my game even more and I would have been much better at it. For that I am both hopeful and grateful to see what espnW creates. Be the change espnW.

What do you think about ESPN creating a network primarily for women?

Want to join the conversation in creating espnW? Join them on Facebook, or Twitter.
*Special thanks to espnW for allowing me to use their images.