So I realized after I posted yesterday that I forgot to include the thing that I had most wanted to write about.
To get to the city, we decided to take the train. And just like the typical American family with younger children, we were late. As we were parking in the far end of the parking lot, the lights were blinking and the gates were coming down because the train was approaching the station.
We sprinted.

And of course, it wasn’t our train. It was a train going to Eastern LI; not the city. Awesome. However, this did make me realize something. I was not gasping for air because of my run to catch the train.
Even when I was in high school and in shape from running and conditioning during cheerleading season, I would always breathe heavy after running. Short distances or long, sprinting or jogging, my cheeks would turn bright red and I would pant for a few minutes until my breathing slowed down. I liked running, somewhat, and I wasn’t in terrible shape. I also had the stamina to run a mile, even if I looked like hell as soon as I stopped.
But not at that train station yesterday.
When I stopped running, I was breathing at a completely normal rate. After sprinting across a parking lot that was pretty big. I was shocked.
Later on, I noticed a similar situation. Stairs. Like I said, even when I was in shape, running up a quick flight of stairs to my room got my heart beating and my lungs heaving. I never knew why my body was so sensitive. I have come to the conclusion that it was my diet. Although I worked out at college, it was nowhere near the same amount or regularity that I did for cheerleading in high school. Since I’ve been home, I have been to the gym once. Clearly, I am not in any better shape than when I was younger. Yet, for the first time, I was able to run without looking and feeling like a couch potato.
It was amazing. I can’t wait to see what happens when I start spinning again at school with MKF. Imagine when I actually exercise and eat right.
Anyway, my meals today:
Breakfast- green smoothie with a frozen banana, blueberries, pineapple, strawberries and spinach.
Lunch- salad with romaine, a cucumber, a banana, raisins, dried cranberries and walnuts.
Dinner- I made a salad from the salad bar at Ruby Tuesday. It included green peppers, peas, edamame beans (<3), cucumbers, chick peas and dried cranberries combined with a mixture of spinach, baby greens and romaine. Topped off with a tiny bit of oil-free balsamic vinaigrette.
The verdict? Eating a diet that happens to be vegan but, more importantly, is high in vegetables, fruits and beans while low in salt, sugar, fat and processed ingredients seems to be good for my health. Or if health is too broad of a term for you, than at least it seems to be improving my breathing/heart rate after exercise.
Happy Weekend!
-B