The Little Things
January 31, 2012

Wow- January flew by really quickly this year! Does it feel like it went quickly for anyone else? January has been a great month of getting organized and checking a lot of items that have accumulated over the last few months on my “to do list”. It was also an exciting month as I took a few new steps of wellness in my life, and had a few new experiences.

Overall I’m really happy with the way that January has gone and the goals that I have met.

A few goals for February:

I’m excited for this next month ahead!

Now it’s your turn to share: Did you meet your January goals? What was one exciting thing that you accomplished these past 31 days? Do you have any goals for the next month? 

January 29, 2012

My first month of training is now over, and I’m really happy with how it’s gone so far. This was by far my favorite week of running and cross training, and all my runs felt strong.

Here’s the breakdown of the week:

Total Miles: 9.5 miles running + 7 miles cross training = 16.5 miles total miles. Overall this week I actually ran the same number of miles this week, which I was ok with. My monday run was fantastic, and done at a faster speed then I’ve done for that distance before, and my 5 mile run felt strong. I’ve only run 5 miles one time before (at the end of October- you can read about that big accomplishment here), and I ran it today in 5 minutes less then I ran it 3 months ago. YAY- progress, right?

Lesson Learned: When I run after work I need to be intentional about how I snack in the afternoon. On Tuesday I didn’t have enough calories in a snack before I worked out, and while I was fine working out, by the time I sat down for dinner, I felt sick and dizzy. No good. I had a glass of almond milk after the run before I stretched, foam rolled, and showered, but I guess that wasn’t enough.

Biggest Struggle: My IT bands. They get so tight after runs, even with foam rolling. They haven’t been bothersome while I’m running, but the day or two after running it always hurts to walk down stairs.

Now you get to share: What’s one accomplishment you’ve had recently? What’s your favorite way to fuel after a run? 

January 26, 2012

Wow, January seems to be flying by! I’m pretty sure I was sitting at Starbucks two days ago typing last weeks Thankful Thursday post! Ok, so back to things that I’m thankful for this week/today/right now…

I’m thankful for Chobani: For this lactose intolerant girl, Greek Yogurt has been a huge addition to my diet, and helps me get in the calcium and protein that I need each day! In case you get sick of any of their multiple flavors, you could get plain and make it however you’d like! Delicious, healthy, and all around fantastic! YUMMM. (you can see a post dedicated to this delicious yogurt here).

I’m thankful for warmer weather this week! After a very chilly last week/weekend,  it finally warmed up on Sunday night and has been much warmer this week. Of course my body is confused if this is supposed to be spring, fall, or winter. Because I’m pretty sure I’ve experienced all 3 in the last couple days.

I’m thankful for an awesome run on Monday: Seriously, it was great. REALLY REALLY great. I can’t tell you exactly why it was so fantastic, except that IT JUST WAS. Maybe it was the first run in awhile that was outside, maybe it was the warmer weather, and maybe it was the pace. I’m not sure, but it was awesome, and I get a cheesy smile when I think about it.

I’m thankful for friends to text while watching TV: There’s a few TV shows I watch each week that friends around the country also watch. I love texting or FB chatting  throughout the show! Not only does it make that show more entertaining, but I get to catch up on their lives as well! It’s fun to know that I end some days with this!

I’m thankful that I was so productive this weekend: Because of the nasty weather outside, I decided to stay in most of the weekend and check lots of items off my “to do” list! I finally finished labeling the pictures from the trips I took in 2011 (I KNOW- so behind, right?), organized some past bills (this should be a blog post in itself), cleaned, cooked a number of foods and froze them for future use, grocery shopped, and a myriad of other items! My weeks are much less stressful when I get things done on the weekend!

Now you get to share! What are you thankful for today? What’s one thing that has been on your “to do” list for awhile? 

January 25, 2012

This is sort of a “What I Ate Wednesday” post, but it’s actually just a mix of some of the more exciting meals I’ve had in the last week.

Dinner last Tuesday: 2 scrambled eggs, baked tofu, and half of the spinach and mushroom salad from The Melting Pot. This was the first time I’ve ever made tofu, and it actually wasn’t bad. I’ve avoided buying it for the last few years because it looked nasty, but it tastes much better then it looks!

Lunch on Saturday and Sunday. On Saturday I went to a restaurant with a friend, and got a Pear and Gorgonzola Cheese melt. I only ate half of it at the restaurant so I didn’t overload on dairy, and that also meant I got another meal out of it! I’ve never had a sandwich melt with fruit on it, and oh my gosh it was amazing! I’m trying to figure out how I can re-create this for myself! Served with a side of sliced apples and sweet potato fries!

Dinner Monday night. It doesn’t look pretty, but it tasted great! I made 2 scrambled eggs mixed with black bean, red onion, spinach, and corn, topped with lots of nutritional yeast. I’m not sure what to call that? I had it with a slice of whole wheat bread cut in half, topped with coconut butter and home made plum jam!

So those are some of the meals I’ve been eating recently! Looks good, doesn’t it? 🙂

Now it’s your turn to share: What would you call my scrambled egg concoction that I ate on Monday night? Have you ever tried nutritional yeast, or does the name/look of it weird you out? What was one of your favorite meals this week? 

January 24, 2012

For all of us out there who are lactose intolerant and/or looking for a great source of calcium & protein, Chobani Greek Yogurt is a fantastic any-time-of-the-day option! When I was first diagnosed with lactose intolerance, I had an incredibly difficult time getting the calcium I needed each day. Once I found Chobani, which  people with lactose intolerance are able to digest well with essentially no symptoms, this got me closer to where I need to be on my calcium intake. Especially now that I’m training for this half marathon and increasing my mileage for the week, I’m trying to increase my intake of protein as well. I know that a lot of people enjoy Chobani as a breakfast treat, but I tend to enjoy it most as a lunch or afternoon snack!

I enjoy stocking up, especially when there’s a sale. So, imagine my happiness when I went to the grocery store a few days ago and saw a 10 for $10 plus 1 free sale on Chobani! I may have jumped a little bit in the aisle and quickly started throwing yogurt in my cart:

Plus they had the 3 new flavors of Chobani, which I have yet to try but am excited. I ended up buying 33 of them. Another great thing about Chobani is that it lasts for awhile, so the yogurt I bought was dated out through March 12th. Because I ended up buying so many, I ended up saving $9.63! Not only did I get my beloved Chobani, including the new flavors, but I saved money while doing it! This girl was very, very happy!

All my Chobani is happily tucked away in my refrigerator, waiting to be eaten. And I will now have to pull out every ounce of self-control I have to not attack it for every meal!

Now it’s your turn to share! Have you ever tried Chobani? If you’re obsessed with it like I am, what’s your favorite flavor and/or way to eat it? 

January 23, 2012

Happy Monday! I woke up almost an hour before my alarm, and wasn’t feeling the best. However, I have a long list of things to do today, and was not going to let that feeling ruin today. I got up and ate 2/3 of a Luna bar and drank 12 ounces of orange juice. While that digested, I caught up on the news and read a few blogs. Outside, a wind advisory was in place, with winds being about 25 mph. After two weeks of running on the treadmill due to the nasty weather outside, I woke up this morning to the snow melted and clean roads, and knew I needed to get a run in outside! So, braving the winds whipping around me, I set out for a quick 2.5 miles. Despite the wind, I was able to keep my pace faster then I normally do outside! I felt strong and pushed against the wind. The wind occasionally knocked the breath out of me, and my eyes were watering the entire run, but I didn’t care. I was outside again and it felt amazing!

Many times throughout this blog I’ve complained that I go out too fast and run each mile more slowly then the last. Normally my 2nd mile is a minute or two slower then my 1st mile. I guess one good thing about running on the treadmill is it is training my body to not do that. Today I ran out with no goal in mind, but when I checked runkeeper after the run, I saw this:

How's that for consistency?

Ok, so I only ran 2.25 miles, and then walked the last .25 for my cool down, so that 14:26 doesn’t reflect running the way the first two miles did. Anyways, I was shocked. Somehow my body hit the exact same time miles 1 and 2. Amazing, right? So, while I might complain about the treadmill from time to time, it’s apparently helping me with my pacing.

Despite feeling gross when I woke up this morning, my run made a world of difference, and I’m feeling very happy right now. Funny how having a good run makes a huge difference. Now I’m doing a bit of this:

Icing!

I’m not sure if this is really easier then taking an ice bath, but it certainly is more pleasant! Ok, I’m off to work! Have a great monday!

It’s time for you to share: Are you a consistent runner, or are your splits all over the place? What’s one of your cures when you wake up feeling gross? 

January 22, 2012

I’ve completed week 3 of training, and I finally feel like I’m back into my grove of running from the fall! Despite some aches and pains, which have always been present while running, it was a great week of fitness. Of course it started out with my huge three hour dinner at The Melting Pot, which made my run on Tuesday just a little slower then usual!

Here’s the breakdown of exercise for the week:

Total Miles: 9.5 miles running + 4 miles elliptical = 13.5 total miles

My run on Tuesday was supposed to be 3 miles, but I had some bad foot pain starting at 1.2, and hobbled through another .8 miles. I decided it wasn’t worth being sore or hurting the rest of the week just to get another mile in, so I took it easy and went 2 miles instead.

Lesson Learned: Listening to my body is important! I took a mile off my plan for the week, and my foot did fine the rest of the week. I’m glad I didn’t push it, despite wanting to follow what my plan said.

Biggest Struggle: The treadmill! Ok, I know I put the treadmill last week as well, but I feel like it’s my biggest battle right now! It was cold, windy, and really snowy this week, so I did all 3 runs on the treadmill. I get bored and antsy, and a quarter of a mile seems to inch along. I always want to quit much more on the treadmill then I do while running outside!

If you care to share: How do you keep your mind occupied while on the treadmill? Are you good at being in tune with the needs of your body? 

January 21, 2012

Brrr. Has anyone else been hit with cold and snowy weather the last few days? Today was my “long run” day (4 miles), and I was really hoping that the roads would be clear enough for me to run outside. However, when I went outside, this happened:

Needless to say, running outside didn’t actually happen today. Instead, this happened:

The gym was pretty full, but luckily I got a treadmill immediately and was able to finish my 4 miles without someone standing there waiting.

I took my 3rd ice bath today, and I have to say that it has definitely gotten less painful each time. It’s still painful, but I don’t violently shake anymore, so that’s improvement. You know when it’s really cold outside when you don’t actually have to add ice to your bath water to make it an ice bath. The water coming out of the faucet was a chilly 50 degrees, so I went with that. Using my space heater to warm up the room and drinking hot water or tea has definitely helped make this much less painful!

I finally feel like I’m back into the grove of running after my month long break over Christmas. I knocked out 4 miles without taking any walking breaks, and felt strong throughout the run. YAY! It’s the little things that bring joy to my life.

Now it’s your turn: Do you take ice baths? Do you like running in the snow or will you either wait or go to the gym to do your runs? 

January 20, 2012

This past Monday a friend of mine asked if I wanted to go to The Melting Pot for dinner. I’ve heard of this restaurant for many years, but because it’s so expensive, most of the people I know who’ve gone there go to celebrate an engagement or anniversary. Since I had the day off from work, I agreed. After settling into our booth right at 5 pm, we quickly scanned the menu and settled on The Four-Course Classic. The way the Melting Pot works, the person you go with shares the same pot as you do, so you order jointly, and therefore must agree on the same food.

Course 1: Wisconsin Trio Cheese Fondue

This course came with the pot of cheese (of course!) plus 3 different sides. 1 basket had 3 different types of pre-cut bread, 1 cup of bite-sized green apple, and 1 cup of bite-sized broccoli, cauliflower, and carrots. I forgot to take a picture of this course, but it was delicious!

Course 2: Spinach Mushroom Salad

This salad had mushrooms, red onion, tomato, and bacon on a bed of spinach, and it was delicious!

Course 3: Tuna, shrimp, seasoned sirloin, chicken breast, and teriyaki-marinated sirloin. With the meat course you get a choice of the cooking style for your pot. We chose the “mojo” cooking style, which was a caribbean-like dish that was spicy and citrus-y and smelled delicious!

Raw Meat Platter- it looks so pretty in its raw form, doesn't it?

Meat In The Melting Pot

This course also comes with 5 different sauces to dip your food into, and each of theme complimented a different meat fantastically!

Course 4:  Cookies & Cream Marshmallow Dream Fondue

Oh my gosh was this amazing. It came with a tray of various desserts to dip into the chocolate including rice krispie treats, banana, strawberry, both chocolate and cinnamon covered marshmallows, brownie bites, red velvet cake, and cheese cake. It was nothing short of absolutely amazing and decadent.

Dark Chocolate Marshmallow with Crushed Oreos on top!

Delicious treats for dipping!

I cannot say enough about how delicious this meal was! It’s a lot of food for two people, but because dinner took from 5-8 pm, each course had time to digest before digging in to the next course! I would probably reserve the 4 course dinner for an incredibly special occasion due to the price, but I could see myself going for dessert sometimes.

What’re your thoughts? Have you ever been to The Melting Pot? What’s your favorite type of fondue? 

January 19, 2012

Today was a good day. A very good day. Nothing extraordinary happened, but, in its normalcy, it was a beautiful day. Given that, I decided to participate in “thankful Thursdays” today.

I’m thankful I had a good workout today: Tuesdays run was not good. At all. I felt a bit disheartened, and my fears start to run a bit out of control after a run like that. Today’s run was good. I ran 3.5 miles on the treadmill, alternating between reading headlines of the news and watching the snow fall outside. It was beautiful, and the time flew by.

I’m thankful for the snow today: I’m not, however, thankful for all the accidents that happened in the area as a result. The snow was beautiful, and I enjoyed it from the comfort of the gym, briefly on the drive home, and while stretching and foam rolling in my apartment.

I’m thankful I’m sitting inside a warm Starbucks writing this right now: It’s chilly outside today, and I’m cheap and keep my apartment cold. I’m thankful Starbucks has free internet where I can curl up with a delicious drink, the heat, and my lap top!

I’m thankful for the chance to write professionally: I’m working on something right now that is planned to be published sometime this year! I’m excited for it, and I love getting to write about the things I’m passionate about!

I’m thankful that Thursday nights are the start to my weekend this month: January means a shortened work week for me. I don’t like this because I love my job, but I do like this because it gives me more free time to work on my list of to-do items!

I’m thankful for the delicious meal at The Melting Pot this past Monday: I’ll have a post soon (tomorrow?) dedicated to this meal. It was exceptional and a fun experience!

Now you get to share! What are you feeling thankful for today? Do you enjoy working at coffee shops?