PB2 Shortage and The Wizard

I went to Good Earth earlier this week to pick up some groceries, including my beloved PB2. When I came to the shelves full of peanut butter there was a gaping hole where my beloved PB2 is supposed to be. A cute store clerk asked if she could help me and informed me that the PB2 jars would be out until VALENTINES! She then proceeded to tell me "We sell the packets". The packets have about 1 whole Summy serving. Who is she kidding?! I go through about 4 jars in 2 weeks. The poor girl took a step back because I think I must have been snarling and foaming at the mouth. I was forced to get these:

 

Yes, that would be the chocolate PB2 and some other powdered peanut butter substitute that has more sugar. Thumbs down. I even checked Whole Foods. They are out too. I promptly went home and ordered 4 pounds of PB2 in bags that should be here on Valentines day. 

I also picked up some Ezekiel brand pita pockets! Yeah buddy!

At least I have my pitas and hummus to save me during this PB2 famine. 

Biggest news of all. I went to see the Wizard. The amazing and wonderful physical therapist that I was referred to. Cheryl Farnsworth. Every time I go to see a therapist they look at what is hurting and treat it. This therapist did a head to toe analysis of my body to find out WHY I keep getting injuries. I was in her office for three hours being poked and prodded by two therapists. The final word was that my feet pronate, which causes my pelvis to come out of alignment forcing strain on my knees and IT bands which are stuck in the middle. She explained that I can wear high heels on end because I am not pronating in them and am standing on the balls of my feet. She also told me that was ok and I am welcome to wear....wait for it....ANY KIND OF SHOES THAT I WANT! I am officially in love with this woman.

They taped my feet, my knee and my heels. They gave me exercises and referred me to a podiatrist for orthotics. Final answer: I will marathon again and I will wear heels for-ever.

So now I am wrapped like a mummy in medical tape:

Don't mind the tramp stamp

My feet are taped too, but I didn't want to take off my shoes because my feet are cold. Sorry kids! Hopefully my blog will soon be full of race training scheduled and runs to come this year. I am hoping to be able to run a full marathon again by the end of the fall if this magic works!

I Really Wanted to Run

My physical therapy appointment with the magical therapist is on Monday and I can't stop thinking about running. My knee continues to hurt just about every day and every day that I am at the gym, I have to convince myself to not get on the treadmill because I am aware of what will happen. Sore knee for days....even more so than it already is.

I woke up this morning at 8 am and it was no different, so I decided to make the best of it and went to the gym determined to make the next hour of cardio the best hour ever. I got on this machine that they have at my gym....I don't think you can actually call it an elliptical? Maybe?

It is this thing:

 

The Cybex Arc Trainer. Anyway, it is basically like lifting your knees up to your chest for an hour with resistance. I burned 930 calories according to the machine. I still wanted to run....so I went to Bikram Yoga. Apparently the desire to run fills me with energy. I went to Bikram Yoga for 90 minutes and I don't think I have ever had so much sweat in my eyeballs. Ever.

I came home around noon and finally had my "morning" cup of coffee and then the urge to run came over me again....oh dear. I sat on our stationary bike downstairs for 30 minutes. Yes, I am a crazy person. 

Speaking of crazy, I have been reading this awesome book by Rich Roll that I highly recommend. He is an ultraman, meaning that he competes in Ultraman which is twice the length of an ironman. Amazing book and HE IS VEGAN! Yay! The book is called Finding Ultra. 

So now I have been having a dream about running and cycling in an Ultraman about every other night...one of these days.

I have been trying to convince my dad, who is also a vegan, to start cycling again. If you ask him about his cycling career, he will say "Oh, I liked to bike a bit once." The truth is, he was an AMAZING cyclist. He took 3rd overall in his first ever race when I was a little girl with almost no experience and would go out for 50+ mile bike rides every weekend until I was probably 8 years old. I will leave you will a pic of me and the pops both pre-vegan:

 

Have a most excellent weekend!

Less Gluten, More Food and Possibly Running Again

I have an appointment with ANOTHER physical therapist that was recommended to me. This time may be different. The referral came from an adorable nurse I work with, who I recently found out has been referred to as a ninja "because she comes outta nowhere and wins marathons". She recently ran a marathon in California that she "wasn't ready for" in 2:55. I have high hopes.

I have been started my mornings off for a long time with oatmeal or Low Sodium Ezekiel Bread with PB2 and sugar free apple butter. I will never understand why some companies put sugar in apple butter....

 

It is delicious. If you are unfamiliar with PB2, I have been eating it for some time. It is peanut butter that they drain all of the oils out of. It comes in a powder form, is 100% natural and all you do is add water.

 

They have a website: PB2  

The chocolate is amazing as well and the nutritional value is the same as the original. I have also been eating Ezekiel Bread for some time. I have found recently that a lot of the foods I have been cutting out are full of gluten. I haven't been doing it on purpose because of the gluten, but I find it pretty interesting that all of these foods have this in common....

I have also been making green protein smoothies with spinach, water, a scoop of protein and frozen blueberries, raspberries and blackberries.

 

I also made a salad the other night. Mixed greens, almonds, cranberries, tomatoes and avacado with Walden Farms dressing...yummmy AND I was so full! I shall include the dressing link: Walden Farms

Last, but not least, I made my first excursion following a massage I had downtown. I took a break these last few days from any upper body exercises. My back was so sore that manfriend said the knots "felt like gristle"....just what I was going for. Anyway, Trader Joe's a scheming sonofabitch with all of their delicious foods! I got this THREE LAYER HUMMUS and it is AMAZING!!!

 

Yes. I eat it right out of the container. Don't judge.