Let's Talk About: Brewer's Yeast (PLUS A GIVEAWAY!!!!)

Brewer's Yeast: (from Wikipedia)

Yeast is used in nutritional supplements popular with vegans and the health conscious, where it is often referred to as "nutritional yeast". It is a deactivated yeast, usually S. cerevisiae. It is an excellent source of protein and vitamins, especially the B-complex vitamins, whose functions are related to metabolism, as well as other minerals and cofactors required for growth.

Nutritional yeast has a nutty, cheesy flavor. Another popular use is as a topping for popcorn. It can also be used in mashed and fried potatoes, as well as in scrambled eggs. It comes in the form of flakes, or as a yellow powder similar in texture to cornmeal, and can be found in the bulk aisle of most natural food stores.

You guys? This stuff is gold. Delicious, delicious gold. It doesn't hurt that it's yellow and flaky.

I first tried brewer's yeast as a kid. I lived in a hippie town, and the movie theater the next town over (we didn't have one of our own) had a shaker of brewer's yeast at the concession stand. Which is how I first tasted it on popcorn. Ahhhh, hippies.

Things on which brewer's yeast is delicious (that I have tried in the past few weeks):

-popcorn
-bread with butter
-tuna with mayo
-ummmm, EVERYTHING

Okay, maybe not, like jelly. That's gross. But, it's the best thing I've ever put on popcorn.

And it's great for making faux cheese sauce (Which is a life saver, with my dairy issues). If it weren't so dry I'd probably eat it straight.

I'll eventually post some recipes with brewer's yeast, but right now I'm rocking it simply sprinkled on things.

Anyway, this is all talk, right? Well, I ordered the brewer's yeast from Swanson Vitamins, and they were generous enough to send me two tubs (for super cheap, which is aces in my book).

So, instead of hoarding it, I figured I'd spread the love, because it's delicious you guys. And popcorn has a butt ton of fiber in it, so everyone wins. So, whoever wins gets a big ole tub of brewer's yeast. Maybe I'll throw in some popcorn. And paper lunch bags so you can pop it, oil free, in your microwave. We'll see.

GIVEAWAY!!!!!!!!!!

How to enter: (one entry per thing you do)

1. Tell me your favorite way to eat popcorn.
2. Tell your friends about the giveaway (maybe they'll win and share with you? Popcorn party!)
3. Email me a picture of you, eating popcorn, which I can post here. (I'll give you FIVE entries if you send me a .gif of you eating popcorn.)

Giveaway ends at midnight June 5th.



Note: I know blogger has had some commenting issues. If you're having trouble commenting, try opening this blog entry in another browser (I can confirm that Chrome works, if you have it installed). If you can't get any sort of commenting to work, email me you entries: rose@meiri.net

Sub-Note: I was not paid for this review. I am just a fan of delicious flavor.

Secret Sub-Sub-Note: If you get the above reference you get another bonus entry.

Saturday, Lazy Saturday

HAPPY BIRTHDAY ALMOST RUNNER!!!!!

Head over to her blog and wish her a HUGE happy birthday!!!!!!!

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After the run with my trainer, the rest of my Saturday was pretty lazy.

I did kick around on the bike I won a few years ago.



The husband and I did a loop through the neighborhood. He's using my old bike (that was fixed up by the bike shop). We both suck at riding bikes, so it was pretty hilarious. I, for one, don't know how to change gears on the new bike. He doesn't know how to sit comfortably on a bike seat.

We have a lot to learn.



Hopefully, it will get more fun.

Then we took the dog for a walk.



Eight more days until he gets the cone off! Which means eight more days until I can go running with him. Right now we walk him twice a day, which is still good for us.

I started playing "the cat game" when we walk him, because there are so many outdoor cats in our neighborhood. The game is simple: count the number of cats you see.

This morning I beat our previous record, and saw 5 cats. Cooper failed to poop, though, which means I'll be coming home to a poop covered house, since instead of going home to walk him for lunch, I'll be going to the dentist to get my permanent crown put in. Oh joy.

I did get some quality cuddle time Saturday night.



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Growing up did you have pets? Were any of them "yours"?



What is your next race?

I'm running the Camp Pendleton 10k mud run this Saturday. It's going to be AWESOME.

A Run With My Trainer

Yesterday, my trainer and I went for a run.

I almost died.

Not actually died, but you know how dogs pant when it gets really hot? I was doing that.

I spent the week warning my trainer that I was slow. Sure, I could run for a while, but slow. SLOW.

Well, first, the outfit:



I was dancing around, waiting for the self timer to kick in.



Since my bangs get super retarded when I run, bobby pins are my best friends.



So, back to the trainer. We meet at the designated parking lot, and he casually drops the "I run seven minute miles usually, so that's the pace we'll be going" bomb.

What?

WHAT?

You guys, I haven't ran hard in a long time. So, occasionally I do some speed work on the treadmill. And yeah, I run hills sometimes. But, mostly, I lollygag around. Don't get me wrong, I enjoy the hell out of it.

But running hard and fast? Yeah, I'm not so good at that.

Also, it was noon. So it was a billion degrees (the internet says it peaked at 73F yesterday, but eff that).

But, whatever. Might as well try it, right?

I did my best to keep up. And, for the first three miles, I did. It was hard. The whole time. It never got easier. I never felt like I was fully catching my breath. It was definitely much harder on my lungs than it was on my legs. Clearly, this is an area that needs to be worked on. I could not get out words while we were running. Ug.

Then, at mile three, as we were crossing a foot bridge, we encountered a skunk.

He was CUTE. He was breathing about as heavy as I was, had beads of sweat visible on his fur, and wasn't moving. Not very well, at least. Ug. Poor guy. And, poor people who now couldn't cross the bridge.

So, I grew up in the woods. And I don't always make good choices. But, after about ten minutes of coaxing and being crafty, I got the guy to slowly wander off the bridge and into the shade. Without getting sprayed. I consider that a success.

But then we ran another 2.7 miles. And, this time, I wasn't keeping up. I was trailing pretty far behind. My legs were slowing down to my normal pace, and I'll be damned if it didn't feel just as hard as the earlier, faster pace. My trainer would wait for me when we'd make turns, then gallop off ahead effortlessly. Bastard.

Finally, it came to an end. THANK GOD. That was fucking HARD.

We stood by the cars while I hunched over, catching my breath. Every time I stood up I got light headed. Awesome.

We talked for a while. I gave him girl advice, and he talked about adopting a dog.

After 20 minutes or so, I got in my car and left. At this point, most of the sweat had evaporated. Sorry.



But I was feeling pretty good.



And you could still see some remnants of the pit stain of yore.



So, yes, the run was awful, but I felt god afterward. And, it was about 2 miles longer than I had thought it was. Which is a good sign.

I'm not sure my trainer will ever run with me again, but I know I need to get out there and push myself more often. It will serve me well.

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When was the last time you really pushed yourself on a run?



When you estimate the distance of a run, do you tend to over estimate or under estimate?

For me, when a run is really, really hard, I tend to under estimate the distance. When I'm feeling good about it, for some reason, I think I ran a whole lot further than I actually did.

TWO THINGS: DOg and Bike Advice

The husband and I went on a quick (maybe a mile?) bike ride today, the first time on a bike for both of us in a long while.

And let's just say that both of us need advice on how to make bike riding more enjoyable. Like, how to make the seat not hurt lady bits or man bits. How to worry less about falling over. How to adjust the seat for maximum comfort. And basic stuff, too. Advice, no matter how dumb. We are coming from zero here. (spoiler alert: I don't even know how to change the gears on my bike. But my bike is weird).

As a thanks in advance for all the excellent advice you are sure to give me, here is a picture of what happens when The Dog tries to lick my face:

Thursday's Workout

Last night I had my second workout with my trainer at the new gym.



You can stalk me, but my trainer could kill you with his bare hands, so, yeah, there's that.

Technically, this picture was taken in my office bathroom, before I left for the gym. I was excited. Clearly.



So, something cool this gym does that the old gym didn't: If you don't need a locker, they're just hold your keys at the front desk. Score! It makes a ton of sense.

I'm still weirded out by being at a new gym. Part of it is, it's not *my* gym. I don't know where everything is, I don't know the people there, I don't fully know how things work. New is scary. Plus, while they have TVs on every treadmill, they don't have subtitles when you turn the volume all the way down.

First world problems.

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The Workout:

Foam rolled my IT band and calves.

x3
20 wide-v lunges (so, instead of walking lunges in a straight line you angle each step out to the right or left, depending on which leg is going forward) with curls
20 side lunges (10 each direction) with curls
10 "box" jumps (onto the edge of a flower box). I LOVE THESE!!!!

3x
Okay, this next set was all done using a TRX with my heels hooked into the loops, lying on my back. I'm just going to try to describe them.
10 lift my butt, and bicycle my legs, sort of, but keeping even pressure on the loops
10 butt lifts
10 butt lift then bring both knees toward my chest

3x
Again, TRX. My trainer called these "TRX mountain climbers" even though they're weirder than regular mountain climbers. My toes were hooked into the TRX loops for both, with my stomach facing the ground, but only my hands were actually touching the ground, so my neutral position was sort of like a plank.
10 pike, then bring one knee toward the chest, then legs out, then pike and bring the other knee in
10 pike, then bring both knees into the chest, then legs out

Weird. And difficult. But they were difficult because of my muscles, not because it was so complicated that I couldn't emulate it. So, basically, GOOD difficult.

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It was a sweaty day.



Which you know I love.



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My trainer talked about maybe doing a crossfit type bootcamp once a week. THAT WOULD BE AWESOME. I would totally fit that into my budget/schedule. I love working out with him. If I were rich, I would have a session with him every day. But, I'm not.

He did invite me to go running with him tomorrow, in the heat of the day, around the lake by my house. He's definitely faster than I am. But, it will be good. I'll get to push myself. And he'll get to call me a wuss.

I don't think I'm going to bring my camera, because while he knows I'm some sort of queen dork, I don't think he understands the extent of it. Plus, if I'm going to keep up with him, I'll need to focus on the running, not the picture taking. I AM trying to figure out the most sweatarific shirt I can wear, though, as I'm sure I'll be drenched by the end.

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I also have a casual running club run Sunday morning. It's been a while since I've been able to get the team together, so I'm excited.

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Monday my friend Andrew is doing the Crossfit Mervyn, or Merkin, or Munchkin or something like there. I'm going to cheer him on.

I'm also contemplating doing a half marathon Monday morning with the EMTs. We'll see if the timing works out.

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So, action packed weekend.

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My boys.



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What are your plans for the weekend? More importantly, how are you going to fit exercise in? Are you racing this weekend?



What's your favorite BBQ food?
Anything drenched in BBQ sauce is aces in my book.

Three Things Thursday:

1. I went home for lunch to check on Cooper (the new doggie) and make sure he didn't poop all over the kitchen floor. Since he's not allowed outside on his own for two weeks (and his cone doesn't fit through the doggie door anyway), we baracaded him into the kitchen, so if he does make a mess, it's on the tile. He's all drugged up anyway, so I don't think he minds.

He was super stoked when I came home, though. I took him for a short walk, and he sniffed another dog. He is so mellow. And, we have never once heard him bark.

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2. I pulled something in my shoulder while stretching this morning. I take this as a sign of getting old. I turn 30 in six months, which is 50 in Los Angeles years. So, clearly, my body is falling apart.

It's probably actually just fatigue. I slept poorly last night, because I could hear the dog breathing. I've talked about how messed up my sleep is before, but here is proof. The sound of a dog breathing on the other side of our bedroom can wake me up. Awesome, right?

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3. I'm contemplating running this:


Even if I don't, you should. It's a $5 entry fee, a crapton of prizes, an excuse to run, and a great cause. DO IT!

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Tell me three things you did today. Anything, doesn't even have to be exercise related.

Half Run, Half Hills

Tuesday, after work, to make up for Monday's candy-lunch-debacle, I headed out to the trains to do a short run, then hills.

I love that driving up I can see the hill I climbed the first time I came here. I looked it up. It's called Castle Peak. Cool.



So, I wasn't looking as super adorable as normal. I figured, at the very least, I could look cute in comparison.

So, here is me looking AWESOME. Please compare this picture to all the others, to bring out my adorableness.



This run is SO PRETTY.



And, nobody was out and about. Usually after work the trail is littered with teenagers. I assume there's a high school nearby.



It's not all open fields.



I enjoy this run very much.



Also, anyone who thinks nature is quiet has never been out in it. Birds and bugs are LOUD.



The world's largest tin can.



Lost in the brush (please reflect back on ugly-picture so this picture looks more flattering).



Heading back.



It felt like about a three mile loop. The out was mostly slight uphill, which meant the back was lovely and slightly downhill.

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Then it was time for hill work again.



Ascent number one.



It sucked. Not gunna lie.



Number 2.



Slightly better.



Until I got all light headed and crap. That's when I knew it was time to quit.

But, I did get my sweat on. And that's through TWO layers of fabric (well, three if you count the sports bra, but I don't).



I even got a little bit of back and butt sweat.



It's starting to look like I'll never be a professional butt photographer. *sigh*

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The Reebok Realflex continue to be shoes. My feet love anything, you guys. But, they grip fine, and I have yet to fall flat on my face. That's always a plus.

If you're looking to get some minimalist trail shoes, these might work. Or they might now. I don't know. They're fine for me. And "fine" is great, because it means I don't have to think about my feet. I'd only really know if shoes sucked if they left me in crippling pain (like the one time I tried to run 18 miles in brand new custom inserts because the people at the shoe store never told me I had to break them in. Whoops.)

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Do you have a strong shoe preference?

I don't. When I first started running I bought the cheapest tennis shoes I could find at Mervyn's. They were on clearance because one was half a size bigger than the other. Spoiler alert: I ran in them fine, and never had a problem. My feet love running, and love not sucking. It's dumb luck, but I can run in pretty much anything. Sorry.

Where do you buy stuff for running? A running store? A sporting goods store? El Internet?

Meet Cooper

So, we got a dog.



He's a terrier. He's 1.5 years old. He's stuck in his cone for 2 weeks.

I can't wait to go running with him.

2 weeks.

Top Three Racing Strategies

RunAddicts.net posted 3 tips on how to dominate your next race.

At first, I was stoked. I like reading new tips.

But. Um. Then I read them.

Click on the link above to read the full article, if you really want to, but, here are the three tips:

1. Go out fast
2. Keep even splits
3. Go out slow

Are there any other options?

No, seriously. Either you get slower or you get faster or you stay the same?

I guess this is great advice for someone who goes out fast, then slows down, then goes fast again? Or something. I'm confused as to how this is helping anyone, except to say "do what works for you."

Which is what is should be titled. These are not three tips. These are basically the three ways you can run a race.

So, yes, do what works for you.

Oh, hey, I should write an article, too.

Three AMAZING TIPS on How To Start a Race:

1. Start with your right foot forward.
2. Start with your left foot forward.
3. Jump forward with both feet at the same time to surprise the competition!

BOOM. I'm a genius.

Of course, I'm not qualified to give you advice. The last time I seriously tried to compete in a race I almost puked at the end, won my age division, and quit running for a few months. I am the king of non-advice.

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What is your best advice for racing strategies?

I think mine is: don't take articles you read online seriously.

Workout Wednesday: New Gym. Blech

New gym. Or should I say NUDE GYM.

I'm sure my old gym was the exception, but there people changed in dark corners and hid their shameful nudity from the world, AS IT SHOULD BE.

Okay, okay, I'm kidding. But, at the old gym, each shower was in a room with a private dressing area and a big locking door.

The new gym has private shower stalls, but it's just the stall, and there's no place to put anything that will stay dry, so you have to venture out at some point, clad in a towel at most.

*sigh*

When in Rome.

Maybe it's because I never took P.E. in high school (I got credit for playing sports instead). And, well, my school didn't *really* have a locker room anyway. Not that we ever got to use.

So, I'm not used to this group nudity thing. I don't think there's anything wrong with it. My two main problems:

1. I don't want to force anyone to see me naked. Especially when I'm the only one getting out of the shower and changing. What if these people didn't sign up for nudity either?
2. I CAN'T HELP BUT STARE AT NAKED PEOPLE. I know, I know. I try not to. I fight it. I avert my eyes. I can't act normal. I don't know what to do.

At least the locker room is super nice.



The happy naked time shower area.



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We talked about:

Mostly the newness of it all. There was NO music playing (the old gym blasted shitty music at too high a volume, all the damn time), so it was weird. I spent most of the time listening to other people get trained/make creepy grunting noises. Very weird.

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The workout:

3x
15 shoulder pull down things? I have no idea. New machine.
15 (per side) single leg roman dead lifts (no weight, yo, just getting my stretch on)

3x (all with the TRX)
20 forward lunges with my hands in the TRX loops so my shoulders stretched back
15 squats while holding the TRX taunt with my arms straight up. IDK. This was fucking HARD.
15 lean back on my heels, pull myself upright again, elbows in
15 same thing, elbows at a 45 degree angle
15 same thing, elbows at a 90 degree angle

3x
15 squat to overhead rows
[pause to watch a guy in 70s style shorts do stretches that mimicked him blowing himself. SCORE.]

Then we tried to do some stretch thing. When my trainer demonstrated he looked like some graceful circus gymnast pretending to gallop like a gazelle while lying on his side.

I looked like a moose having a seizure. My body did not understand how to contort in certain ways. It's, as usual, a range of motion issue. With my shoulders. And hips. I felt stupid the whole time. It didn't help that whoever designed the top I was wearing never envisioned someone exercising while on her side, and what little boobage I had kept threatening to pop out. Weird.

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And, I had to resort to taking pictures of myself in a bathroom stall.





Change is stupid and I hate it. Okay, so this gym is closer to me, and bigger, and parking is easier. But, yeah, change is stupid.

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I'm sure I'll get used to it. This is the fifth different place I've worked out with my trainer. I always get used to it.

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If you go to the gym, what is your locker room set up like? Any tips or general rules for me?



What is your workout today?

The Bachelorette: Episode 1

First, my thoughts on the guys. These are notes I jotted down while watching the show. First impressions and such.

* = they stayed.


*Ryan P: solar power guy. brought a camera for just out of the limo. Kind of cute. First impression rose.


*JP: construction. shaved head. "cupcake" Looks like Breckin Meyer


*Ames: finance. yale. foreskin eyes. 39 marathons. brought her ballet tickets? when are they supposed to go?


*ben c: new orleans. speaks french.


*benjamin/ ben f: winemaker. shaggy hair. lou diamond phillips. dead dad. brought wine out of the limo.


*bentley: dad. COZY?????? telegraphed as douche bag. wanted Emily.


*West: lawyer. wife died. gave her a broken compass.


*william: "bad luck" dead alcoholic dad. dead dad watch?? did impressions. SUper adorable impressions.


*Lucas: [I never wrote anything down about him. Clearly, he left an impression]


*mickey: chef. good grammar. tried to kiss her straight out of the limo. ewwww.


*stephen: long hair in face. pig nose.


*chris d: white boy rapped. "just a hobby of mine."


*matt: secret handshake.


*Jeff: creepy mask dude. Possibly deformed.


*nick: personal trainer. shaggy curly blong hair. poem.


*Blake: DENTIST.


*constantine: medium hair. dental floss ring.


Anthony: Butcher. NJ accent. Alternatively, carries wallet in cheeks. open collar, gold chain, moles. seems retarded.


Frank: looks like a football player. spun her and picked her up. Weird.


Micheal: nerdy looking. whipped out a guitar. threw it in the pool. "I don't really play guitar." hilarious, or creepy?


chris m: canadian.


jon: picked her up and carried her off.


tim: heavy accent. looks old. fought with mask man. had trouble talking. Got super drunk. SENT HOME.


Rob: "I don't have any crowns for you to point out."


I didn't even write down Ryan M's name. I did spend a chunk of the episode wondering why they called Ryan "Ryan P" if there was only one. Ha.
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Some of the guys made more of an impression than others.

In case you forgot, Ashley is damaged goods. That's what the producers want you to know. And, they clearly blamed her forehead.

So, this season, on The Bachelorette, they're covering it up. But, so you don't feel neglected, they boot her in tiny booty shorts TWICE in the first four minutes of the show.

Bless you, producers. It's a nice booty.

Oh, wait, Ashley already knows that Bentley is a fame whore? An ex contestant is friends with his ex wife? Or something? "But, you have to give people a chance." Ug.

Why do guys think they can just pick women up off the ground and move them around without asking?

Oh, man, she fell for Bentley's BS hook line and sinker.

Things Ashley does that annoy me (Aka: things that I will assign workouts to):

-squishy side mouth
-"putting it all out there"
-regret with brad/regrets
-clasping hands in front of her face
-"really?"

Possibly:

-Every time the editors put creepy music on for mask man (That editing was HILARIOUS)
-Every time William does impressions (he's my favorite)
-Every time you see a guy shirtless (Rrrrrrrrow)

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If you watched, what do you think are going to be reoccurring bits of awfulness or hilarity that you think I should assign an exercise to?

Who is your favorite thus far?

William! He's hilarious.