Creamy, delicious and raw broccoli salad w/ citrus avocado dressing & sprouted wild rice.
On a Bay Horse
Vibrant vegan in Fort Collins, CO. Rider of horses, bikes and snowboards. Apartment gardening champion.
(via veganrunnergirl)
Barbells and Beakers: The Myth of "Toning"
When asking people (especially women) about their goals with weight loss and fitness they normally respond with, “Well, I’d like to tone up.” Like “clean eating,” the term is ambiguous. Google it, you’ll get THOUSANDS of articles. “Want to lose cellulite? Tone!” or “Tone up those problem areas!” Dictionary.com has a definition after a long list of ones involving sound that basically says “strengthen ill-used muscles.”
Lots of weird words for a very simple concept.
First of all, “toning” implies that you can spot reduce. They give you specific exercises for specific areas of the body, like your inner thigh, muffin top, etc. They have you powering out multiple exercises targeting one or two muscles in hope that you “replace that fat with muscle!”
It doesn’t work that way. Fat and muscle are two completely different things. Fat is our storage form of energy, muscle is what we use to move (along with tendons, ligaments, etc). They are two completely different things and one does not simply *become* the other. When you do strength training exercises you are increasing the diameter - not the length - of the muscle. Increasing your heart rate, eating below your maintenance calories, etc. will cause fat loss - but in no particular area.
Let me repeat that - fat loss does not happen in one area because you “worked” that area out. It is 100% determined by genetics as to where you gain or lose weight first/last.
That’s the myth of toning - the idea that crunches will give you a 6 pack, that the adductor machine will give you a thigh gap, or that running will only burn leg fat. You lose fat based on genetics, you gain muscle based on hard work. “Toning” is just another word for losing fat to reveal your muscles.
(via veganrunnergirl)
lil bby! i get to cuddle these thangs everyday
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(via died-and-went-to-avocado)
Scott Jurek’s Lentil-Mushroom Burgers
Ultramarathoner Scott Jurek says he grew up as a “meat-and-potatoes kid who didn’t like to run much.” As an adult, he has won seven Western States Endurance Runs and two Badwater Ultramarathons, and he set a new American record for the most miles run in 24 hours (165.7). And he’s done it all on a vegan diet. “Most people assume I grew up in a hippie household,” he says. “It wasn’t like that. I just found that I needed to watch what was going into my body as I became more serious about running.” During college he began experimenting with plant-based foods and developed his own recipes. In his new book Eat and Run (Houghton Mifflin Harcourt, $26), on shelves in June, Jurek credits his diet with helping speed his recovery times, boosting his energy, and improving his race performance. He also shares his favorite vegan recipes, like this lentil-mushroom burger. “It has a ton of protein,” says the 38-year-old Jurek. “But more important, it tastes great. Even people who love hamburgers will feel satisfied.”
1. In a medium-size pot, bring 2 1/4 cups of water to a boil, then add 1 cup dried green lentils, 1 teaspoon dried parsley, 1 minced garlic clove, and 1/4 c up chopped onions. Simmer for 35 to 40 minutes.
2. Combine 3/4 cup chopped walnuts, 2 cups bread crumbs, and 1/2 cup ground flaxseeds in a small bowl and set aside.
3. In a separate pan greased with olive oil, sauté 1 cup chopped onion, 2 minced garlic cloves, 3 cups finely chopped mushrooms, and 1 1/2 cups finely chopped kale or other winter greens for 8 to 10 minutes. Set aside to cool slightly.
4. Remove lentils from heat, add 2 tablespoons Dijon mustard and 3 tablespoons balsamic vinegar, and mash ingredients together.
5. In a large bowl, combine lentils, sautéed vegetables, and bread-crumb mixture. Cool in a refrigerator.
6. Using your hands, form patties and fry or grill until lightly browned and crispy on both sides, about 3 to 5 minutes each side. Serve on a toasted bun or on their own.
Makes 12 four-inch burgers.
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(by htomren)
BBQ tempeh sliders!
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