Feeling better

…although I will have to say that I had a crappy visit to my doctor on Saturday. I’m on the hunt for a new one but we don’t have to get into all that right now.

I want to thank you though for your support and for understanding that not every day is a good one!

So let’s focus on food shall we? After all, with the PCOS diagnosis, I will be changing the way I do things around here. I’ve been toying with the whole vegan thing because I’ve read so many positive things about it, but again, I don’t want to label myself as anything yet. So I’ll start with this: Low carb/low sodium and as little yeast as possible.

Why? Because I feel like this will work best. According to my doctor (and a lot of research) my body is not properly processing sugar. My insulin is messed up, my metabolism is messed up, and this is the reason for the sudden weight gain. Also, after speaking to a co-worker, the bloating, gas and uncomfortable feelings are all normal. So I’m learning to live, adjust, and understand what makes me feel better and under control.

That being said, check out this recipe: Lentil Quinoa Salad 

It was really easy to make and was perfect as a side to my homemade Sunburgers. I ate them both all week long for lunch and will probably do the same thing this week as well.

My version is an adaption of this recipe.

• 1/2 cup quinoa (I used red quinoa)
• 1 1/4 cups water, plus 2 cups
• 1/2 cup lentils
• 1 teaspoon no salt added Dijon mustard
• 2 tablespoons red wine vinegar
• 1/4 cup olive oil
• 1/4 teaspoon garlic powder
• 1 lime, zested
• Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
• 1/4 red onion, chopped
• 1 tablespoon chopped fresh cilantro leaves

Directions

Put the quinoa in a sieve and rinse in cold water. In a large microwave-proof bowl with a cover, add the rinsed quinoa and 1 1/4 cups water. Cover and microwave on high for 9 minutes. Let it sit for 2 minutes then stir. Quinoa should be tender enough to eat, but with a little "pop" upon biting.

Put the lentils in a sieve and rinse in cold water. In a saucepan, simmer the lentils in 2 cups water until the lentils are tender, but not mushy, about 30 minutes. Drain and cool.

In a small bowl, whisk the mustard and vinegar together, and drizzle in the oil to make an emulsion. Add the garlic powder, lime zest, and salt, and pepper, to taste.

To assemble the salad: In a medium salad bowl, mix the quinoa, lentils, green onions, and chopped cilantro. Top the salad with the dressing, toss to coat and serve.

This recipe is perfect as a side or main dish, and it’s perfect for everyone. Vegans, meat eaters, and those who make fun of me for eating “weird hippie shit” love this salad. I brought it to a barbecue this weekend with some friends from high school and they loved it.

I know, it’s not necessarily low carb but quinoa is good for you. I’m obviously not going to cut out ALL carbs, just unnecessary ones.

On a side note, I’ve been neglecting to discuss my exercise regimen. This is mostly because it’s changed drastically from before. I’ve been combining lifting with cardio 5 days a week during my lunch hour. I usually work out for about 45 minutes total: 30 minutes of cardio (run, walk, run/walk hills, elliptical) and tons of ab and arm work. Some legs (usually squats and lunges) and I’ve even started messing around with the cables. I did some bench presses last Friday.

I’ve been incorporating Jillian Michaels’ idea of doing something for one minute at at time…so I do a particular workout for a minute, then switch to abs for a minute, back to the first for a minute, back to abs for a minute, and on to the next. Make sense? And abs have been my go-to cool down exercise. In between my sets of whatever, I do crunches on the balance ball. It might not be perfect but it’s making me happy for now. And since I cancelled my gym membership at Washington Sports Club, I can’t go to any classes.

I’m still supposed to be running the Army 10 miler in October but I have not run more than 3 miles in 4 weeks. I’m not quite sure I’m ready yet either. I need to get my health in order before I start thinking about running this race.

If you have any fun, quick, and easy workout sessions please let me know. I have access to weights and machines, but only have about 45 minutes to work out. Anything to help change things up!