I had an “Uh-oh, I think I’m in trouble” realization recently, when I was out on a run on a 78 degree day, thinking it felt mighty hot.  If I think that’s hot….how am I going to feel when it’s in the 90’s or more?

Well I got my answer this past Tuesday, and if all goes as planned I will have a follow-up answer today.  Total. Body. Meltdown.  My strategy was to orient my run according to the location of a) my house, b) the neighborhood water fountains, and c) the neighborhood pool/community center, which is both air-conditioned and has a water fountain inside.  My thought was, if I keep myself within a reasonable proximity of these three things, I should be okay.  I also carried a small bottle of water.

Suffice it to say, I needed that fountain and that community center — early and often.  I did manage to get a decent-ish run (though I think I redefined the word “slow”), but holy smoke, that wasn’t easy!  More than the fatigue near the end, it was the low-level nausea of being so hot and sweating so profusely.

But I must say, I will still take the heat any day to the extreme cold.  At least I don’t have to worry about my digits losing their circulation before I can dash to the nearest heated building!

See, this is what happens when a scheduled outdoor run gets RAINED IN.  The mind runs amok in lieu of the body running outside.  But the energy has to go somewhere, so I hereby present the following:

Your current exercise program MAY have “jumped the shark” (or need a makeover) IF…..

• When people ask about your exercise program, your response is, “Oh yeah. That.”
• You don’t remember the last time it was modified or updated.
• You DO remember the last time it was modified, and it was when the show Magnum P.I. was still in first run.
• Your exercise manual was written by a guy asking you if you’re sick and tired of having sand kicked in your face when you’re at the beach.
• Your “self pep talk” during the workout has become, “It’s ok…That which doesn’t kill me makes me stronger!”
• You’re relieved when you see your colonoscopy appointment will occur in place of your regularly scheduled exercise session.
• The exercise leader in the video is doing high-impact aerobics barefoot or stocking footed.
• The program’s tagline is “No pain, no gain!”
• The night before a workout day starts to feel like Sunday night when you were in school.
• “It must be 15 minutes before workout” now replaces “It must be that time of the month” as the likely explanation for your mood swings.
• You pull out your exercise mat, only to come up with oddball chores that you suddenly MUST attend to NOW (“Oh shoot! I keep meaning to alphabetize my book collection!”).
• You begin to fantasize about Role Reversal Day, when it will be YOUR turn to make your trainer do 50,000 crunches while chanting “I love abs!”
• You start doing Google searches for studies entitled, “Study shows you burn more calories on the couch than running a 5K”
• You find it much more enjoyable to sit down and WATCH the workout video, maybe even with a bowl of popcorn, and can’t believe you never thought of this before.
• The person who created the workout is now a contestant on The Biggest Loser.
• Your home equipment might possibly have been in an ad from a 1982 issue of Better Homes and Gardens.  Or worse, you BOUGHT that equipment through that 1982 ad in Better Homes and Gardens.
• You begin watching late-night fitness infomercials. And wonder….”Maybe it’s not such a far-fetched idea?  After all, it’s STILL 6-minutes of exercise….”
• You’re seriously considering renouncing all worldly goods and joining a monastery, as 15 hours of meditation sounds more appealing than yet another round of your 30-minute gym circuit.
• More than once you have fallen asleep during a workout (and it’s not while in Savasana in yoga!).
• You’re entertaining the thought of working out for 3 hours on a Sunday, in an attempt to bank up on your “quota” and skip out on exercising the rest of the week.
• You’re using an exercise program in a magazine that includes recipes made with a “NEW” artificial sweetener called aspartame/Equal.
• You know the workout so well, right down to the instructor’s exact cues, that you now routinely incorporate the entire workout into your dreams, dialogue and all.  (If only doing so would burn more calories as you sleep!)

And last but NOT least….

• Your idea of “hitting the gym” has been reduced to pulling up into a parking space, walking up to the building, giving one of the bricks a light “whack” with your palm….then getting back into the car and driving home.

Now aren’t you hoping for a clearing of the weather just as much as I am?  The “running mind” is clearly far more troublesome than the “running body”!

Just goes to show, don’t panic at a bad forecast.  I had my gym bag packed as they were calling for thunderstorms today, but lo and behold the cloud cover parted and sun/blue skies prevailed.  Hurray!  Why are runs that were not supposed to happen so much sweeter than even the regular ones?

Let’s hope this continues, as many of us have commented that here in the Midwest it doesn’t seem like summer has arrived in full swing yet.  Could this be our omen?

Over the weekend, Mr. TheHungryRunner and I attended the women’s triathlon, held in Naperville, Illinois.  A friend of mine was doing that race for the third time, and we wanted to cheer her on.  It was a unique experience right off the bat as it was the first time I’ve been to a race in which I was the spectator, not the athlete!  I quickly gained an appreciation for how the “other half” goes through; truth be told, I’ll be glad to be back to having the “easy job” of just showing up and running, and not to have to deal with all the standing around, shlepping all the stuff, finding various spots for viewing and photo-taking, etc.!

Now, I could consume an entire blog entry just talking about what a phenomenal inspiration the event was for me.  It really is true, you had all walks/phases of life, shapes and sizes, all ages and ranges of ability, all goals and levels of experience represented there.  These women amazed me, talk about a testimonial to the adage, “You’re capable of more than you think.”  And what a wonderful race organization, right down to the offer of having a “swimming buddy” accompany any athlete who suddenly felt scared at doing the swim.  That’s the kind of team spirit that makes my heart melt.

But there was one prevailing takeaway from the day that trumps even the above:  I am NOT good triathlete material.

You see, I tend to be one of these people that make things WAY more complicated than they need to be.  I love making packing lists, printing out maps and schedules, planning my strategy, checking things over numerous times, taking a dry run of the course if possible….it’s part of why I love racing, it’s part of the experience for me.  Especially when I do well and can somehow attribute the success to those activities!  But part of why running is so good for me is just the opposite:  it’s about as simple as simple gets.  Put on a pair of shoes and go outside and run.  That’s it.  At the end of the day, that’s all it is.  And while I still love to meticulously arrange my race day “kit” the night before and empty out my entire wardrobe on race day (”I don’t have anything to WEAR!!!!!”)…..I am also learning the art of turning off the alarm, grabbing a cup of coffee, picking out the first outfit in the drawer, lacing up my shoes and grabbing a bottle of water…..and just showing up for the race.  Get the packet, put on the bib, and away I go.

And given even the most SIMPLE of triathloning entails all that STUFF…the equipment and nutrition and transitions and carrying thingies and pre-race set up and post-race pack down and dedicated clothing for each purpose, etc…..um, no.  I fear I would be the first triathlete who had a SHERPA (pace sherpa?) accompanying her throughout the race!

So I’ll admire from afar, but I think I’ll stick to running for now.  And the world remains just a little less complicated.

I can’t believe I’ve managed to stretch this experiment out to at least three separate posts.  At least it allows everyone else to have a life.

Exciting life or not, I’m quite pleased to report that YESSS my adjusted experiment — using a large container of PLAIN yogurt (i.e. no fruit or other flavor, not “creamy” outside of what yogurt is naturally like), correcting my mistake of accidentally using 4 (folded) layers of cheesecloth, instead using just one…..WORKED!  After about 12 hours of sitting and straining in the fridge, I ended up with a solid “ball” of yogurt “cheese.”  Slightly thicker than Greek strained yogurt and slighly less solid than cream cheese….I might describe the texture as that of whipped cream cheese.  I eagerly turned the bundle upside down, and the ball released itself in one, easy piece from the cheesecloth and into the waiting container, no mess whatsoever.  Triple yay!

And unable to resist, I cut a portion (yes, that’s “cut” as opposed to ”spoon”!) to be eaten with dinner, experimented with topping it with first a drizzle of honey, then some sugar-free fruit jam (raspberry).  The jam was good, but the winner is still the honey.  It provides a nice sweet balance to the tang of the yogurt.

I bought 2 more large containers of plain yogurt, so you know what a success it must have been that I’m so eager to do some more!

A few days ago, I posted on the desire to experiment with straining my own yogurt, both because I enjoy eating thick yogurt and for the purpose of using strained yogurt and/or “yogurt cheese” in recipes.  So.  Here are the outcomes of my experiment so far:

Straining flavored yogurt with cheesecloth:

Since most of what’s in my fridge at the moment is flavored, “light” yogurt, I was curious to see how it would strain.  My thought was, a thickened cherry or vanilla “yogurt cheese” could make an interesting spread on toast, or an ingredient in a smoothie or light cheesecake.  So I cut out a section of cheescloth, set it in a strainer, and spooned the contents of a 6-oz. container into it.  I initially placed a bowl under the strainer to catch the liquid that way, but eventually tied up the cheescloth and suspended it from one of our cupboard handles, thinking the weight of the yogurt might help strain out the liquid.  About 4 hours later, some liquid did leave the yogurt, but very, very little.  And although I placed the little cheesecloth bundle back into the strainer with a jar of preserves on top (to “push” more liquid out)…..there wasn’t much more straining going on.   The result was yogurt that appeared only slightly thicker than before, not enough to really be noticeable.  If anything, it was simply annoying, trying to scrape the goopy yogurt off of the cheesecloth.  Next.

Straining flavored yogurt with a coffee filter:

I had read that a coffee filter can be used instead of cheesecloth.  Thinking this might be more effective and less messy, I set a coffee filter in the same strainer, and dumped a cup of “light” pineapple yogurt into the coffee filter.  I set the strainer on a bowl, put saran over the filter and set it in the fridge.  6-8 hours later I went to make a smoothie with the yogurt, only to discover that there wasn’t ONE DROP of liquid strained out of the yogurt!  In fact, the strainer wasn’t even wet! 

I began to wonder if maybe these “creamy” flavored yogurts are made with binders or related ingredients, specifically to prevent separation and therefore aren’t good straining candidates.

I also made a discovery, this morning as I pulled out Yogurt #3 for the next experiment, that I inadvertantly left the cheesecloth in it’s folded state when I did that first strain.  It turns out it’s actually folded (duh) two times, meaning I had 4 layers of it for that first experiment.  So maybe that was part of the reason for the less-than-impressive results.

So…..

This morning I took a large (16 oz.) container of plain, nonfat yogurt, and once again pulled out the cheesecloth.  This time I made sure I unfolded the cheescloth so that only one layer was used.  Put the cheesecloth into the strainer and the strainer into the bowl, then spooned in the full 16 oz. of yogurt.  Set it into the fridge.  EUREKA!  Within the first hour I already had over 8 oz. of liquid strained out.  More has been strained since, so I think this might be the ticket.

So is it because I used plain yogurt instead of flavored/creamy?  Is it because of the weight of the larger amount?  Using only one layer of cheesecloth?  Who knows, maybe a combination of all three.  I imagine, though, that starting with plain yogurt is a huge key.  So if I want flavored strained yogurt, I might still have to start with plain, then flavor it myself before straining.  But….I plan to re-test the flavored yogurt with the single layer of cheesecloth, so hopefully we’ll have a better idea soon.

So curious to see what happens with the current strained-yogurt-in-progress!

…..and just to be fair, I’ll also include 12 benefits as well, to maintain the rightful “net positive” balance!

I’ve been working in fitness for over 15 years, so by now much of my routine and work habits are so second-nature I rarely think about them any more.  But there are those times when my Life and Work worlds collide, and I’m reminded that it isn’t always smooth sailing, doing what I do.

So here they are, lest you consider embarking on this profession yourself!  At the very least, think of this the next time you’re taking class from your (hopefully) smiling, friendly yoga instructor, whoever that is!

1. OK, let’s get the obvious one out of the way.  Do you like eating beans and bean dishes?  Well do your mourning now, because it’s in your best interest to cut those out of your diet, given you have a daily quota of Downward Facing Dog and other “intestinally provocative” postures you must demonstrate to unsuspecting students.  Ditto for cabbage, brussel sprouts, and any drastic changes in your fiber intake.
2. Are you a pre-menopausal woman?  Now is the time to address a major hazard that will challenge you more than any Scorpion Handstand ever could.  First, stock your car and your teaching bag with a back-up pair of black leggings or shorts, and a lifetime supply of those products that husbands dread having to buy on behalf of their wives.  For ”cyclical” symptoms that are decidedly yoga-unfriendly, figure out what works to soothe the savage beast (or bloat, or cramping, or that truly special not-even-a-sponge-could-absorb-this-much-water retention), and be vigilant about following through with those measures.  For me it’s watching the sodium, cutting out carbonated beverages, and lots of peppermint and other herbal teas.
3. If you enjoy TV shows that are actually current and aired in prime time…..well I can’t help you there.  But if you prefer reliving endless reruns late at night, this is the job for you!
4. Feel a cold coming on?  Run as fast as you can for the vitamin C, tea, local medicine man, whatever it takes, as there is about a 99.999999% chance that if the cold sets up camp in your body, your voice will be the first to go.
5. You’re human and you will give in to cravings even if you normally eat cleanly, no problem.  But it’s also guaranteed that you will run into a handful of students the minute you head to the grocery store to satisfy that hankering for MegaCaramelWhiteChocolateChipToffeeCookieBombs.  And forget the “Oh they’re for my husband/dog/sick friend in the hospital” explanation.  Honesty is definitely the best policy!
6. Related to the above, honesty to others or not, it turns out (darn it) that your body WILL acknowledge that extra helping of MegaCaramelWhiteChocolateChipToffeeCookieBombs you hoped you “got away with.”  And that yoga apparel isn’t made to camouflage that fact.
7. Body lotion becomes Item Number 1 on your Christmas (and birthday….and anniversary….) wish list.
8. You will soon find yourself having a hard time getting a hold of your pedicurist, and when you do manage to snag an appointment, will wonder when it was that he/she began using a power sander for client’s heels.
9. If you do manage to pull a muscle (of course doing something else, not yoga!) or sleep wrong and cause a stiff neck…..you still have to figure out a way to discretely teach class (and hope that no one notices that in order to look right, you have to rotate your entire body).
10. Forget “good hair” day.  From here on out the goal is a ”semi-cooperative hair” day.

So there are the top 10 hazards of my job.  Now for 12 of the many benefits:

1. As a side benefit of spending much of your time demonstrating stretches, leading breathing techniques, and using your “yoga voice,” you are always far more calm and centered than you are when you have a week or two off from teaching yoga.
2. (Hopefully) You learn early on that if you don’t truly practice what you preach — a healthy lifestyle and mind/body/spiritual practice to the best of your abilities, it shows.  This is good because it forces you to stay committed to living your best life and being a good testimonial to the benefits of yoga!
3. You’re in a profession in which causing people to fall asleep is a GOOD thing.
4. You’re in a profession in which people are actually HAPPY to see you and come to use your services.
5. Never ever a need to wear pantyhose!!!!  That alone could sell it for me.
6. You get to enjoy the satisfaction of watching people leave in a better mood, feeling better physically, more relaxed, etc. than when they arrived.
7. You get to be inspired by your students and clients, boosting your own enthusiasm for giving it your all and also taking good care of your own body and mind.
8. You get to flex your “staying positive even when cranky” muscle, which in turn improves your overall mood and cheerfulness outside of your classes and appointments.
9. You get to choose your themes and design your own lesson plans, watch the effects, and use that information to tweak and refine.  Ditto for your music, your candles, the overall mood of the class, etc.  Definitely part of the fun!
10. You never have to worry that yoga won’t be worked into your week.
11. You realize how many kind and gracious people there are out there, and you have the good fortune to comingle with them on a regular basis.
12. You realize that the list could go on and on but you have to stop it here!

Hey, this IS “The Hungry Runner” after all.

Went for an 8-mile run around the neighborhood yesterday afternoon, and was reminded of one of the many “non running” pleasures of running: smelling the cornucopia of fragrances of cooked food along my route!  It stirs my appetite, yes, which I love because I get to enjoy my dinner even more, but it also provokes my imagination and, oddly, boosts my sense of connection to my community.

Imagination-wise, I get to visualize what it is I’m smelling, where it’s coming from, who is cooking, who is eating. Often, for some reason, I seem to smell toast. As in, toasted bread. I picture sandwiches or accompanying garlic toast to some lovely spread of salad and pasta. Other times, it’s some undecipherable comingling of spices or herbs, sauteed aromatics, and other cooked vegetables. With this I picture either a local restaurant or family busy at work on preparing the international cuisine of their heritage, be it Italian, Indian, Thai or some hybrid of several cultures. Often lately it’s that unmistakable waft from someone’s outdoor grill, either chicken or hamburgers or even hot dogs. I don’t normally like hot dogs, but my nose doesn’t know that! I picture a plate of a savory hamburger, barbecue sauce, crunchy dill pickles and of course some summer fruit like watermelon or juicy peaches. And yes, I even notice the ”junk” food; yesterday my route took me past a Burger King and KFC within close proximity of each other, and although it’s been years since I’ve eaten any food from either location (in fact the jury is still out on whether I’ve ever had KFC…don’t remember), for that one moment I’m not ashamed to say I found the “mysterious fried something or other” a beguiling smell in its own right.  Major “whew” that at least the smell of fast food remains calorie-free! 

Community-wise, although I may not be consuming what it is I’m smelling, remaining attuned and fully beholding these aromas enables me to partake on some level.  It pulls me out of “my” microscopic world and enables me to, momentarily, be just one more bee in the beehive.

It all helps to bring me back to opening up my senses and enjoying those sensual encounters that are all around me and add such a richness to my day!

I used to make “yogurt cheese” back in the 80’s, which utilized cheese cloth and magically transformed a cup of yogurt to a cream-cheese-like consistency.  Once I got the hang of it, I began flavoring my yogurt first, so that the resultant “cheese” would have, say, a peach or carob or vanilla flavor to it, which I then used as a spread or ingredient for various dishes.  Worked out well, though at the time I found it a bit tedious, and eventually strayed from doing it.

Fast-forward to the present:  being one who has always preferred a thicker yogurt, you can imagine my addiction to that divine strained Greek yogurt that has managed to explode into even the “regular” grocery store scene.  Even the non-fat varieties have a richness that is almost hard to believe.  And considering I now have a super-deluxe blender with which to make smoothies, I have even more reason to stock up.

The problem is, this specialty food is on the pricey side, and isn’t always reliable in availability.  So….recalling my homemade yogurt cheese days, I wheeled into the kitchen tool aisle and tossed a package of cheese cloth into my cart.  Though I originally made the yogurt cheese with an actual devise that was made for such a purpose — a convenient “holder” for the cheese cloth under which you put a bowl to catch the liquid being strained out, I’m hoping to figure out a clever way to jerry-rig something similar on my own.  Obviously I will have to stop the straining process before my yogurt goes to “cheese,” but I’m truly curious to see how closely I can duplicate the texture and thickness of my beloved Greek yogurt, and if I’m successful, what the outcome is in a smoothie recipe.

So into the kitchen lab I go; I’ll be back with the results as soon as I have some to share!

Here they are, evidence that I love to stretch….maybe a little *too much*:

http://www.youtube.com/view_play_list?p=393C21C76BE03784