Best Lunch Ever

I am working from home today. Busy! Not "working" like job sense, but working on applications, taxes, boring grown up things. I decided to treat myself with a yummy lunch since I have been working all morning!

I made a boca burger with 100 calorie bread, spinach, tomato, ketchup, mustard and relish. I had a few tomatoes on the side as well (I LOVE tomatoes). It was quick, easy, and delicious! I can see myself making a lot of quick boca burger meals in the future :)

For dessert I had frozen green grapes. They tasted so sweet! I need to do a few more things, then depending on how hot it is I will decide on what my workout will be (running or swimming). Until then, back to work!

"Me" time.

Why does everyone think it is so weird I am here by myself right now? EVERYONE is asking me "Are you bored?" "your by yourself?" and is SHOCKED. This is exactly what I wanted! I love "me" time! I had a great day today, and it was all in the company of myself and Scampy the baby doggie I am watching. He seems a little down so I have tried to spend some more time with him, just petting him and talking to him (quite a bit). Everyone HAS to talk to their dogs, I have never had a puppy but I tell Scampy everything! Maybe my "me" time is getting to me...

Look at his cute bandana!

That was a confusing paragraph. Anyways- today was wonderful! I decided to make breakfast before my workout, since I knew I was only walking and not running. I made a whole wheat english muffin with almond butter, flax seeds and strawberries and blueberries on top. It was amazing!

 I woke up and went on a 8 mile walk/ run. I only had "20" minutes on my chart, but I wanted to explore my area, and what better way to do it than on foot? I actually used my friends house as a marker and put that in the gps in my phone and made my way there. I took a picture of his house and texted it to him (he is at work) and he just replied "creepy, yes that is my house". I ran back home and logged it!

I walked/ ran 8.11 miles in 1:58:15. 

I was quite hungry when I got back, and made a protein smoothie! I usually only drink the 2 scoops of my protein with water, but I added milk today and ice, a few strawberries, blueberries, flax seeds and a little bit of almond butter. It was yummy!

 I spent another glorious sunny day at the pool. I haven't "laid out" in a long time. In Thailand I was very serious about my sunscreen since I knew how hot the sun is there. I really want a tan right now though! I still wore SPF and enjoyed being in the sun and having a day of doing NOTHING!

 I have been trying to read the labels to watch my "sugar intake". I have a few family members who have been losing weight with the "belly fat cure" diet. Basically you get 15 grams of sugar a day, and something with carbohydrates. I am not seriously doing it right now because I am running, and need the carbs, but it is amazing to look at some of the sugar grams in things like a glass of orange juice! I am just trying to "cut back" my sugar and see what happens.

Also, I have decided to try a few days without meat. Yesterday was my first meatless day- and I am trying again today. I have toyed with the idea of being a vegetarian, I think this would be a great opportunity to try... A few days? A week? Again, I don't want to change my diet drastically right now since I am running my half marathon Sunday and possibly training for the San Diego full marathon in a few months, but these are just things I am considering.

85 and SUNNY!

Today was fabulous! I got in last night, and was greeted by my friends adorable parents. I got to the house I am staying at where I am housesitting and dog sitting, and everything was labeled. My friends are the cutest, I actually had Disney dollars on my bed with a note that read "Best of luck with the marathon. Please get yourself something very "Princess-y" to celebrate!" I will just have to do that! There were also the cutest little Disney characters. I am going to put them on my Birthday cake this year!

The best part about today? RUNNING OUTSIDE! I was so excited. I ran my 30 minute run at a comfortable pace.

I ran 32 minutes 59 seconds, 3.54 miles

It's written differently today because my chart said "30 minutes" instead of how many miles it gave me a time. Tomorrow I have a 20 minute run. I laid by the pool today and was going to read my new Malcolm Gladwell book "What the Dog Saw" but I kept falling asleep! I have read all of his other books, Blink, Outliers, The Tipping Point, and have enjoyed them all. 

I love the nice weather. I am in a great mood. I went to Publix tonight to stock up on some healthy treats for the next few weeks. I am excited to try some of the things I bought that I have been seeing in blogs such as flax seeds and almond butter.

I am going to sleep extra early tonight so I can wake up earlier to run, it gets hot pretty early! I am not complaining though! 

3 mile EZ, aftermath of a long run

I woke up today with a sore right shoulder. Well that and a puppy poking my head to wake up. Reilly (the Golden Retriever) slept in the same room as me last night and I knew that meant he would wake me up as early as possible for feeding time. I was right, 7:30 AM his little paw started gnawing my face to wake me up to feed him. His life revolves around food and resting. Silly dog.

I don't even know how that is possible, I must clench my arms too much when I run. It's pretty sore still :( My legs were also pretty chafed from the running skirt, but not too bad. The 3 mile run was easy today, I went at a really slow pace as well. I went to LA FITNESS in Bloomfield Hills, it was really clean and new looking.

I ran 3 miles in 30:40 at a 10'12 pace.

I wanted to go really slow and just concentrate on feeling better. We had a big breakfast this morning with Parker's family. We had bacon, potatoes, whole wheat toast, and eggs. Every Sunday they have "Sunday breakfast" it's so cute! I am still here, that is why I went to the gym in Bloomfield. Before we went to the gym I had a pear and I just got back and had oatmeal with blackberries I crushed up using my fingers. Although it was messy, it was delicious! I made Parker one too but put walnuts and brown sugar in his. I also had some shredded sauerkraut, I know this is a random thing to eat, but I love it!

I'm enjoying a relaxing Sunday. I usually like my "rest day" to be Sunday, and now with no more long runs I can do that. I have spent the entire weekend away from home. The weekends always FLY by! I talked to my friend today I am housesitting for in Orlando. I met them in Thailand during a contest I was in, and they are genuinely some of the nicest people I have ever met. It is crazy some of the friendships I have made while abroad. I miss my friends from all over the world!

One week of food journal... Thoughts?

It's been one week of my food journal. At the end of the week it forces you to look back and go over the week. The weeks seem to FLY by, but when I look at my eating patterns, there were definitely a lot of days I wouldn't consider "healthy". Through the journal I realized (even though I always knew but never wanted to acknowledge it) that most of my eating is done at dinner time- and way too much. If I could eat around the same amount I eat for lunch, it would be perfect. Especially since I am adding in snacks and bars/ protein/ shakes to my diet with my running and working out.

Today was my race pace run.

I ran 3 miles in 25 minutes and 6 seconds, with a pace of 8:20.      
                                                   
This would be a awesome race pace if I could keep it up for 10 more miles! I think however I am aiming for anywhere under 9 minute miles to reach my goal of under 2 hours.

I might go to Yoga or Zumba tonight. I did a little bit of abs and strength training today with 8 and 10 lb weights, but if I have energy- why not? And it's only 2 weeks until Florida!

Update: I went to Zumba tonight. 

Healthy Cookies? Not.

I know this just doesn't sound right "healthy cookies", and I don't really think my cookies were healthy for Cooking Club tonight, but they were a hit! Let me rephrase that, they were by NO means healthy. I just used "better choices" in the recipe. While they were good (I didn't take a final product picture, but I will and they were CUTE!), they didn't taste anything like the delicious cookies my cousin made this past year for Christmas.

Here is the recipe and how I "altered" it.

Grandma Giorgio's Cookies (Revised)

Ingredients:
4 tablespoons Vanilla
6 Eggs
2 Cups Sugar (I used Sugar in the Raw)
2 1/2 Sticks Butter (I used Organic Unsalted Butter)
6 or 8 cups flour (I used Kroger Wheat Flour)
6 Heaping teaspoons of Baking Powder

Mix in Electric Mixer
Eggs
Sugar
Vanilla
Butter

Mix with remaining ingredients.
Let raise 1/2 hour
Roll out dough and cut out with cookie cutters
Bake at 350 for 12 minutes on an un greased cookie sheet

For Frosting:
(I messed this up, I bought bakers squares of White chocolate, and although it "worked" it wasn't the same delicate topping I remembered. Like I said, this part was not healthy at all.)


You basically just melt it for 2 minutes in the microwave, after one minute stir then dip them in it. I put little pink sugar on the top, because they were shaped as hearts!


Other ways for frosting:
White Chocolate in little disks to melt

Mix powdered sugar, milk and cream of tartar

Just buy white icing (cream cheese frosting) and put in bowl to make fluffy

Sugar in the Raw

 

Sugar In The Raw natural cane turbinado sugar is grown and cut exclusively in the tropics. There, nature's own sweetener is gently converted into the natural crystals that make Sugar In The Raw.

The secret lies in the fact that Sugar In The Raw is never bleached or over processed. It is the result of slow boiling layer upon layer of high colored cane- allowing the golden crystals to retain their natural molasses and bringing the extra flavor and richness that nature intended. You'll immediately recognize the difference in our large crystals and deep golden hue. Sugar In The Raw adds rich taste to coffee and tea drinks and a robust flavor to baked goods. Its distinct luster and depth of its crystals distinguish Sugar In The Raw from all other natural sugars. 

At our Cooking Club we also had salmon, bak choy (my favorite Chinese vegetable!), cauliflower with bread crumbs and cheese, red pepper hummus, and a health drink from the Weight Watchers website, I'll post later.

It was a fun night. I have a lot of decisions to make in the upcoming weeks.

Back on the treadmill...

It's always hard for me to fall asleep Sunday night. Probably because I love sleeping in Sunday! I fell asleep really late last night, so was exhausted at work. I got home from work and slept from 2-5:30 PM today! Not good. I woke up, ate dinner and went to the gym to complete my 4.5 comfortable pace run. I haven't been on the treadmill in over a week, since I've been on the track. It was hard to get back on it, since my preference is OUTSIDE, track, treadmill. The track and treadmill don't do justice for running outside, but the track was nice compared to the treadmill.

I ran 4.5 miles in 42 minutes and 59 seconds.                              

I tried Organic Peanut Butter this morning with my bread. It was definitely not as creamy as regular, but it was still good. I really like this multigrain bread as well. I need a better picture to link the brand.

I can't believe it's already 9:45 PM. Probably since my day consisted of sleeping. Tomorrow my friends and I are doing a "cooking club" where everyone brings one dish (appetizer, main, drink, dessert) and there is always wine and a different theme. We do it about once a month, I just joined since I returned home from Bangkok. Tomorrow's theme is "healthy eating". I have dessert! It was originally Valentine's Day themed and I really wanted to make these cookies my cousin made for Christmas. I decided I am going to attempt them tomorrow substituting ingredients to make it "healthier". Some ideas I had were to substitute the butter for organic butter, sugar for sugar in the raw, and flour to whole wheat flour. By making them mini, will make them healthier because we won't be tempted to eat so many! I will see how they turn out tomorrow and maybe even document the process.

I need to get back on a normal schedule for the week, goodnight!

10 miles= hungry

This is the Nike "videos" I mentioned with my Nike plus watch! I was thrilled to see this lady pop up, I wasn't sure how I did today. I tried NOT to look at my watch as much, instead concentrated on making the run "fun" by NOT looking at my watch.

I prepared last night by making a playlist with songs I knew I wouldn't want to change on my arm throughout the run. I put enough music for 2 hours, but didn't need it :)

Here is the playlist I listened to today (I can' tell the exact songs because I had it on shuffle!)

It was GREAT. I even found myself singing along to pass the time, since I did the run today solo. I decided to run my 10 miles today, even though it hasn't exactly been a week since I ran my 8. Tomorrow I have a busy day, and knew I had time (and energy) to complete it today.

I ran my 10 miles in 1 hour 27 minutes and 10 seconds. 8'42 minute miles average. 


I wore my lululemon Run Speed shorts, which honestly were better than the RLX ones. The RLX ones, although I love them- ride up. The Run Speed shorts, don't!

After my run I was really hungry. I went to Kroger with my mom and we bought some healthy snacks. We also bought this Black Cherry Zevia. I read about in a magazine, and since then have been wanting to try it. I LOVE IT! My mom, cousin and I all had it at dinner and we all loved it. It was $5.99 at Kroger for a 6 pack.

Writing in the "journal" today was fine, however I burned 1023 calories today during my run! How in the world do I eat healthy when I'm starving after a run? I usually have a protein shake, but we were out today so I had a string cheese.

I didn't end up seeing Harry Potter last night, we would have been late. I despise being late for a movie. Even missing a minute. It's Friday night at 8:07 PM, my cousins and sister just left my house. They were all over for eggplant parmesan and pasta dinner. I skipped the noodles again and had eggplant and sauce.  I have a busy day tomorrow, therefore I have to wake up early to do my 3 miles EZ run before it all. There are not may things that will wake me up early on a Saturday morning, I love to sleep in- however for some reason running is one thing I don't mind waking up for! One thing that is difficult is my mom hates running. She is convinced it's terrible for your knees and body all around. She wants me to become a walker instead, insisting it has the same health benefits of walking. I love walking, but I can't imagine feeling accomplished after completing a half marathon, walking. Is it terrible for you?