Happy Halloween!

Capoeira Brooklyn celebrated last night with a Halloween roda (dress like your nickname).

Here we all are looking utterly unprepared to have our picture taken:

That's me in the front—the drop of water. For Pingo, or "droplet."

Halfway Day

. . . Hooray!

Congratulations to E, Jessica, Mike, Anshuman, and Amy! What an awesome accomplishment, you guys. I can't wait to hear your final thoughts.

And today marks the halfway point for Shelly, Naomi, Denise, Jonti, and me. 45 days down, 45 to go. Way to go, y'all!

Apparently, I was talking about jumping rope in my sleep. Oy. The jumprope seems to pervade my dreams on Wednesday nights. However, this morning's actual workout, accompanied by Doc Watson, went off without a hitch. Although it was accompanied by Patrick's e-mail warning us not to stray from out diets. Oh, say, like eating too much fruit? Crap. Busted! 

PCP Diet for Zombies

(Via my friend Beth, though I'm not sure from whence it originally came)

Oh my...

My arms were already shaking on my very first shoulder press this morning!

Then Pacato and I took a whole series of Day 43 pictures before I realized I was still in my underwear . . .

(Yet another benefit of PCP—you don't even have to get dressed to work it out!)

But I'm done with my exercises, new (clothed) photos are posted, I just had my power breakfast, and now it's time for work. Happy Tuesday everyone! And a great Day 43 to all the ladies who are taking it through December. Get 'er done!

Popeye Had It All Wrong...

DUDE . . .

Forget the spinach. It's definitely the eggs. Or the fish. Or the eggs and the fish. Though I do love the spinach . . .

I had so much energy in my capoeira class Saturday morning (it helps that I didn't do my strength exercises before class this time.) My body felt strong and solid in every movement. For the first time, I can see real potential for growth in my game.

The change isn't just physical. Teachers often compare capoeira to a conversation. Knowing I could trust my body freed my mind to focus on building that interaction with the person I was playing. This most basic component of the game is more important to me right now than learning fancy tricks—those will come—but I think it is also the most difficult part.

The experience renewed my commitment to PCP and to capoeira. Not just for the results but for the community that makes them both so special.

It's Peanut Butter and Jelly Time!

Okay, not for real, BUT the delicious-looking cranberry-orange relish recipe E posted the other day made me think back to a recipe I remember seeing on PCP alum Shelby's blog . . . jam! I love jam, especially preserves. In fact, a peanut butter and jelly sandwich is hands-down my favorite meal.

Perhaps making jam would pick me up? I've been a little down this week—I haven't felt 100%. My poor digestive system is all out of whack. At first, I thought it might be the eggs, but I have a sneaking suspicion it is more related to my dried fruit addiction. I thought I was over the dried papaya spears . . . but then I moved on to apricots.  At any rate, the jam worked.

Voila—breakfast!

That's pluot jam, made in the food processor with one pluot and 2 dates. It was enough for four pieces of toast (I shared.) I liked it so much, I may just keep making my own jam for life. (Incidentally, Shelby's blog has lots of interesting, simple meal ideas and fun tricks, like homemade PCP Doritos. Plus, it's just fun to read.)

It's where I also found the online stopwatch.

I needed a break from counting to 1400, so yesterday I timed my jumps, and today, I broke them down into consecutive 5-minute sets. 

And now it's time for my first capoeira class since Tuesday . . . eep!

TTFN . . .

In Your Dreams

Fortunately, I sneaked a peek at this morning's workout routine last night. What a doozy! Thursday is the only day of the week when I really need things to run on time. So I set my alarm even earlier than usual.

5:30 am: BEEP BEEP BEEP BEEP!

Y'all, I blew through my jumps. 1001, 1002, 1003 . . .

And when I finally stopped?

I was still in bed.

I dreamed my way through my jumps. I was almost convinced I had invented an awesome new way to exercise. All you have to do is lie there. . . .

Blog it out, y'all...

So . . . I was totally going to use this time to pay my bills . . . but instead I just opened up today's e-mail from Patrick in which he mentioned the doomed "PCP Valley" . . . which is due, oh, right about NOW! Hit the nail on the head, why don't ya??

After rejoicing at this morning's much later than usual (6:45 AM!) alarm since Monday is a beloved jumping-only day, my mood went gradually downhill. I was running late, my jumps didn't go that well, and I couldn't concentrate all day. Plus, I sort of resented not being able to eat what I want, when I want. (Keeping in mind that I did choose to do this program.)

I started to wonder about my progress. Why do I still crave sugar? Have I been eating too much fruit and/or agave? Will it be evident in my photos? Oh no! Are Patrick and Chen going to take away my meager fruit servings in the name of fighting sugar belly?

At any rate, I'm much more stoked after getting the week's new diet plan. I can still eat as much veg as I want at dinner (SOUP! It's cold out there, y'all.) And my daytime carb and overall fruit portions are up. Plus . . . more eggs! I'm up to one whole egg and five whites a day now. (I sort of like just carrying around hard-boiled eggs and popping a white into my mouth every so often.)

Here's the scene at my house. Photos taken as a big pot of eggs were boiling on the stove.

Done, done, totally done. I forgot to take empty cartons when I went to pick up our farm share last week, and they multiplied.

Eagerly awaiting the chance to fulfill their destiny

Oh, and then I opened tomorrow's workout and saw that we will be doing the pistol squat, the lawnmower, and the bicycle. Three of my favorite dance moves!

I'm feeling better already . . .

Well...I made the cookies.

Actually, I split the recipe in half and did an experiment: one batch of regular pumpkin chocolate chip cookies and one batch of pumpkin raisin PCP cookies. Equally delicious.

Hmmm...Cakewrecks, anyone? 

Perhaps you can tell the PCP cookies from the traditional ones.

At any rate, I learned several things:

1. I like pumpkin cookies more than I thought I did.

2. It is absolutely impossible for me to make cookies without a) eating the dough and b) eating the cookies. (Mark this as a total PCP diet fail, as I am currently supposed to eat ZERO dinner carbs. Every time I passed the mirror, I lifted up my shirt and gave my budding mini-abs a silent pep talk to help me burn the treats away.)

3. If you have cookies for dinner, and your partner has to get up early the next morning, he will go to bed without you . . . even if you are still high on sugar. There is a small chance you will use this time to make online purchases. Hopefully you will still want them in the morning.

In other news, I got up this morning and blew through my jumps. Almost 1350 straight with very few trips. I didn't even do variations. Hmm . . . a PCP version of Arthur Dimmesdale's self-inflicted torture*? I'd wear a scarlet C on my chest, but I think the upset stomach is punishment enough.

Pumpkin Raisin Cookies

You can find the traditional chocolate chip recipe here, but here's the PCP recipe. We had a couple of friends over, and all the cookies disappeared.

1 c canned pumpkin

2/3 c maple syrup

1/3 c unsweetened applesauce

1 egg

2 c whole wheat flour

2 tsp baking powder

2 tsp ground cinnamon

1/2 tsp salt

1 tsp baking soda

1 vanilla bean

2 c raisins

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Combine ingredients in order. Drop by spoonful on baking sheet and bake for 10 minutes or until lightly brown.

Still . . . until mid-December rolls around, I'll be sticking with these:

(via kraftomatic)

*It wasn't actually torture. It was pretty refreshing.

Freeze! This is a stick-up...

I have in my possession a pumpkin chocolate chip cookie recipe, and I'm not afraid to use it (okay, I am). I have never been a big fan of pumpkin cookies—too cakey. But I could substitute agave for sugar, whole wheat flour for white, and carob for chocolate chips. Should I or shouldn't I???

I don't even care about the cookies. I wouldn't even enjoy eating them (does that count for something?) It's the act of baking that I miss. 

Hmm, psyche . . . I wonder what else could be going on here?

With One PCP Month Down, Reflections On Some . . .

UNEXPECTED SIDE EFFECTS

Mouth ulcers. Ouch. They're gone now, but wow. Maybe I was eating a lot of acidic food? Or maybe I was just stressed . . .

I've burned myself cooking an exorbitant number of times. Stupid things like using an oven mitt to pull a pan out of the oven and then one minute later trying to move the pan around with my bare hands. Doh.

I totally pulled a muscle in my back doing pull-ups. It's all better now. I suppose this probably shouldn't be considered "unexpected," but I sort of felt like a bad ass . . . whatwith my athletic injury and all.

PHYSICAL CHANGES

Two of my favorite dresses are already too big. One just makes me look like a clothes hanger, and the other is wearable. I'm not sure how I feel about this. On the one hand, yayuh! Go muscles! On the other hand, am I going to disappear? Also, I really like those dresses, and I do not really like shopping.

I feel so much stronger in my ginga (capoeira's most basic movement.) Just try to knock me over,  y'all! (Okay, don't really.)

I finally had a jumprope breakthrough last week. No more tripping every few jumps, and I even started doing tricks with more serious aspirations . . . which raises the fun level by approximately a gajillion points.

MENTAL CHANGES

What was once a very special treat (fish for dinner!) is no longer special, and what I used to take for granted (oil and salt!) is now very special indeed.

I'm finding new ways to hang out with friends that don't involve eating and drinking. Like renting bikes, navigating a corn maze, or lounging at the Jazz Age Lawn Party, where my cousin, Erin, won the pie-baking contest. See?

My relationship with food is changing. I appreciate what I'm eating so much more, though I still eat really fast. The rare times when I can't weigh my food, I can guess on portion size, and I don't eat till I'm stuffed.

I've realized that for the remaining two months I'm going to have to cut back on capoeira so that I can preserve my sanity (and that of my household.) Instead of going at least four times a week, I'll probably keep it to two and use that free time for things like cooking, sleeping, and actually seeing my friends.

I'm embracing the suck with gusto. Like in the swimming class Pacato and I just started.

Mostly, I just wanted to post this photo because it makes me laugh.

Newsflash: I'm human! Perhaps the hardest lesson to learn of all.

GRATITUDES

On day 28, I am thankful to PCP for...

1. Making Monday the most exciting day of the week (no strength exercises! the new diet plan! new workout regimens!)

2. How easy it is to get dressed in the morning...especially when I'm running late. I no longer have to wonder if something is going to fit before I put it on.

3. The tiny six-pack that is my only workout motivation some mornings.

4. More energy. Way more energy. If I'm tired, I know it's because I need more sleep, not because I'm on a sugar crash.

5. Helping me slow down. The only way I'm going to survive the next 60 days is by allowing myself free time to relax . . . and accomodating for an earlier bedtime schedule.

AND FINALLY . . . GOALS

1. Eat slower

2. Find some good jumping music

3. Learn some bangin' new tricks, like these:

4. Finally start working on that handstand?

You Can't Make Me Eat That . . .

Y'all, I have to confess. The past few nights I have eagerly run home to check e-mail, waiting for Patrick to announce . . . an INDULGENCE! I just want to make cookies. I don't need to eat them. Okay, maybe I can have a bite. But mostly it's about old podcasts of This American Life; the crackle of homemade toffee juxtaposed with soft, sweet batter and just a hint of dark chocolate; and the rest of the day simply melting away. And so, last night, when all hope seemed lost, the e-mail came. Day 25. KNOCK YOURSELVES OUT, LADIES!*

Suddenly, I didn't want it anymore. Maybe it's the guilt from the dried fruit habit I picked up in the last couple of days. The habit that's probably going to THROW OFF ALL MY CARB COUNTS. (R.I.P. dried papaya spears. I can't keep them in the house anymore.) Maybe I've already had my indulgence?

The timing couldn't be better. Pacato's mother is in town, and we will eat out at least once. But  though I am trying to avoid them at all cost, restaurants aren't as intimidating as they used to be. (What else did I eat today? Did I exercise enough to eat these fried pickles?) A restaurant doesn't HAVE to be an indulgence. I can't control the amount of oil or salt the chef uses, but to some extent, I can control my portions (cue internal food scale), what I eat, and how it's cooked.

Which brings me to today's altercation. My boss's birthday lunch. At what has to be the absolute most delicious hole-in-the-wall Israeli place in town . . . that is also not known for its friendly service. I ordered grilled fillet of sole with rice and salad. When it finally arrived after half an hour, it was fried. And not just that, the rice and salad were covered in beans and sauces. An entire meal that, while no doubt delicious, GOES AGAINST EVERYTHING I STAND FOR RIGHT NOW. When I pointed out that I had ordered grilled fish, the guy insisted I said fried. A few years ago, timid Emily would have eaten it anyway, but I've lived in New York almost six years now—I sent it back. And then I went to the salad bar at the grocery store and ordered this:

*Up to 400 calories

Thought for Food

Did you guys see this? Michael Pollan's favorite popular wisdom from readers in this weekend's New York Times Magazine: The Food Issue.

My favorites are "When drinking tea, just drink tea" and "It's better to pay the grocer than the doctor."

Ain't that the truth!

Back in the kitchen...

As week three comes to a close, I continue the pursuit of delicious. Here are a few recipes that were a hit in my house over the past few days. . . .

Fig, Mushroom, and Green Onion Pizza

Saute chopped figs, mushrooms (I used maitake), and green onions in a tsp or less of olive oil. Spread out on tortilla. Bake in 350 degree F preheated oven for 1o minutes or so. (If you have time to make your own whole wheat crust, this recipe is really wonderful.)

*A serious favorite. Pacato tried to distract me so he could steal mine even after I told him it wouldn't be as delicious as the one I made him with salt and extra oil.

Dutch Pancake

Combine cooked grain (quinoa or bulgur work well) with your morning eggs, fruit (apples and berries are good), and ground cinnamon, cloves, nutmeg, or whatever spices you like. Pour in cast iron skillet and bake in preheated 400 degree F oven for 15 minutes. Reduce heat to 350 degrees and bake for 5 more minutes. Drizzle with agave.

*This scrumptious idea came from my friend Anne. It's the first thing I've cooked that actually tasted like something non-PCP. You can also make it savory or cook in the microwave or on the stovetop.

Salmon Papillotes with Fennel, Potatoes, and Olives

Place large baking sheet on bottom rack of oven. Remove other racks. Preheat to 400 degrees F. Cut fennel lengthwise, carrots diagonally, and potatoes into 1/8-inch thick slices. Keep separate. Blanch separately in boiling water (fennel—2 minutes, carrots—1 minute, potatoes—2 minutes.) Transfer fennel and carrots to bowl of ice water and drain. Drain potatoes. Toss fennel and carrots with chopped olives, lemon zest, thyme, minced garlic, dash of olive oil, and black pepper to taste. Put potatoes in center of parchment paper squares. Top with salmon and fennel mixture. Gather sides of parchment up to form a pouch, leaving no openings and tie tightly with string. Bake on preheated sheet for 20 minutes. Serve immediately.

*Modified from my friend Bailarina's favorite salmon recipe. Pacato also did his own version of salmon packets in the steamer, and they turned out really nicely.

Arugula Salad with Steamed Sweet Potato and Avocado

That's all. 

*I stumbled upon this one as I tried to use up my leftovers. Quite possibly the best salad I have ever had—no lie. I ate it for breakfast alongside the Dutch pancake.

Popcorn with Lime and Chili Powder

Simple enough. Also from my friend Anne. (Hopefully popcorn's allowed?)

Steamed Scallops

Turns out I love steamed scallops with a passion that's difficult to match. I've been buying them frozen and throwing them into the bamboo steamer for 6-7 minutes. 

How do you guys like to cook fish?

Speaking of being in the kitchen, I just finished putting together tomorrow's breakfast and lunch, based on our new diet plans for the week! I'll be back tomorrow or later this week with more general observations. For now, it's time to get my eight hours. . . .