Wordless Wednesday: Happy National Running Day

Review: Mini-Flexball Workout by Stott Pilates and Foam Roller/DVD Challenge Giveaway!!

I don't know what it is about stability ball workouts, but for some reason I always go into them thinking they are going to be easy. Once I do them I'm surprised at how challenged I was; this time was no exception. The folks at Stott Pilates, a premier brand of Merrithew Health & Fitness, sent me this Mini-Flexball Workout DVD, a mini stability ball and mat for review.  I was pleased with the items sent over. The cloth mat is soft, in a neutral green tone and a non-skid surface bottom. The mini ball was easy to blow up with the plastic tube provided.

 While getting the workout queued up to go, I was impressed with how much information is included on the DVD in addition to just the 41 minute workout. Many DVD's just include an introduction, the work out and maybe a bonus workout option but this DVD provided much more. 5 Principles of Pilates - breathing, pelvic placement, rib cage placement scapular movement & stabilization, and head & cervical placement were each covered separately and in a decent amount of detail. This is information typically covered only in a live class or within the body of a DVD and I found it very useful that these principles were demonstrated individually and separate from the workout. There was also a bonus workout - the next level - a "meet the Master Instructor" section, information on Pilates education, equipment and other DVD's available.

 Led by Moira Merrithew and demonstrated by a pupil, the instruction was given very thoroughly with a lot of explanation. Throughout each exercise (26 in all) she offered modifiers, and explained what body area each exercise was working and how I should be feeling. I really liked this because I can think of many classes I have been in where I am wondering if I'm even doing it right or what the purpose of the exercise is. I also liked that the workout did not get monotonous. With 26 exercises in 41 minutes, I was constantly moving on to the next thing before I had a chance to get bored. 

Being a runner, this type of workout is a great compliment to my weekly mileage. I always welcome ways to improve my core strength. Utilizing the mini ball adds just a bit more challenge to maintaining balance during the exercises. My lats, back, glutes and hamstrings all felt the work during this DVD. The instructor recommends at the end of the workout to do this DVD about 3 times a week. With the stretching in the beginning and the moves to combat the hunching-over I do all week at my desk, I feel that this workout is a great benefit for me personally. According to the package the Mini-Flexball workout is a "2 out of 5" in intensity. While nearly all of the workout was doable for me, there was one exercise I simply could not do without modification. The move required going from a position laying on your back with bent knees and rolling the ball from your thighs to your knees and over to your shins essentially bringing you to a full upright seated position. This DVD was pretty much a wake up call that my ab strength needs some improvement. I look forward to working toward successfully completing this exercise!

Giveaway! Stott Pilates has provided me with a Foam Roller Challenge DVD and an accompanying Foam Roller to give away to one lucky person! Complete the entry information below. Winner will be announced next Saturday June 9, 2012. Must be in the U.S. to win.

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On Fire This Week!

The Boys and their late-night light saber shenanigans

I start my new job tomorrow. I am beyond excited. I was very fortunate to have a week + off between jobs, and I really took advantage of it. I am always seeing small projects around my house that need to be done but never get to them with the hustle and bustle of every day life. Whenever I take time off from work, its usually because we have something planned and there is no time for getting around to projects then either. Holidays here and there are days I fully cherish and look forward to, so no catching up on any nagging items then. Of course, that's my choice. Instead of enjoying myself on the weekend I could commit to...cleaning out my closet or something of that nature but, nope. I'd rather not.

Well, I didn't make it to cleaning my closet this time around either, but I did take time to think about what kind of accessories I need. I am trying to get rid of a large dresser in my room so that I can put a small writing desk in its place, and need to make room in my closet to incorporate the clothes in the dresser. Part of that means cleaning out the top drawer which is filled with a combination of jewelry and important papers. That type of project would probably take me a full day because I'd have to go through each and every paper and item of jewelry to determine what I can get rid of. When I stop by Target this week and get the items I need for my closet, I'll empty out the dresser (easy) and put the contents of the top drawer in a box which will some how make the task seem smaller.

Let's hear about all the great things I accomplished:

Found a place to donate my business suits. I have been saying for a while now I was hoping to find a good place to send my business clothes that I hope I will never have to wear again. I found a great charity called Dress For Success that is exactly what I'm looking for. Really easy, quick search on the internet, but for some reason just never go to it!

Worked out hard every day. No lie. This is how I would live if I didn't work. I was in pure heaven. I did a fitness center/circuit training/treadmill work out, a Body Pump class, a Body Sculpt class, yoga, and TRX. I also managed to get a couple outdoor runs in as well. I am totally sore but I feel amazing.

On a machine at the gym, workin' it!

Had fun with the kids. I got to pick them up from school each day. We went fun places for lunch, I took them to the indoor pool at the Y that has an indoor water slide, we had ice cream, we saw The Lorax, I took Buddha to an open play session at a gymnastics academy while Monkey was in school. We had play dates, we played outside in the court and they rode their scooters, skateboard, rollerblades. I know typically the kids don't get to do these things during the week as their caregivers are more comfortable keeping the kids confined to the house and backyard. So to the boys, this was definitely special!

Lunch time smiles!

Finished The Hunger Games Series. For some reason, I struggled with the last book. But I finally finished. I really enjoyed the first two and tore right through them, and had a hard time getting into the last one until towards the end. The funny thing is I usually read at night in bed and with all this extra working out I've been doing I kept falling asleep when I would attempt to read.

This book was awesome. Couldn't put it down.

Ate well with no regrets. Ok, I usually do this anyway. But this time around I honestly felt I earned everything I ate. We had a great dinner out with our neighborhood friends at a fabulous Vietnamese restaurant  here in town and indulged in dessert too. We took the kids out to a sushi feast at our favorite local joint. I ate ice cream with the kids. I drank some wine. I had a Skinnygirl Margarita or two in the evenings. We had some great meals at home as well - salmon, asparagus and roasted potatoes...pork chops another night...pasta a few times I was alone with the kids....I fit in my requisite green smoothies a few times of course to balance it all out. I'm sure I'm forgetting something, but I can assure you it was good!

Nothing Bundt Cakes, mmmmmmmmm!

Filled a photo album with a backlog of pictures. That's right. All of 2011, with the exception of our Disneyland trip in December, fit into one album. So now I'm just going to get one small album just for the Disneyland photos...not nearly as daunting as having a box full of Snapfish envelopes staring at me for months on end.

This bad boy holds 500 photos. It's now full.

Took my baby gear to a new consignment store here in town.  I have been giving away the baby and toddler clothes over time as the kids grow out of things. I kept hanging on to the bigger things: Pack n' Play, co-sleeper, double stroller, and various others *just in case*. Well, I think that ship has sailed. Part of me really wants another child, but I am kind of starting to enjoy the phase my boys are in right now and can't fathom starting over with another baby. If only I was younger and could afford to wait a few years. You know, rest, recover, otherwise known as forgetting how friggin' hard it is to have a baby. But I'm over 4-0 (just a little) and I guess its time to move on.

Reduced a large pile of "important" papers to nearly nothing. I swear, the longer I hang on to stuff that I think I need, the funnier it is when I go through the stack and realize I can now throw it away because its irrelevant. I have the hardest time with the art work the kids bring home. I've started taking photos of most of it because you just can't keep it all.

Picked out new bedding. I've really been needing something new. Something to brighten up my room especially since spring, and eventually summer, are coming. Everything in our room is brown. The walls, our bed frame is black but has a brown suede headboard, our current duvet is white with a dense brown paisley pattern, and our sheets are solid brown. West Elm sent me an email about one of their sales, and I got suckered a great deal on a duvet and sham set that I had been eyeing. Its totally different than what we have and is just the change we need. Now I just need to get new sheets, but that's the easy part.

Dreamy isn't it? Adds some color to our brown room.

Pampered myself. I went with a friend to get pedis and also got my very first shellac on my nails. This is fantastic. It lasts until it grows out and doesn't need to be drilled or filled. I can see myself doing this again for sure! I usually don't get polish on my nails because with small kids my hands constantly seem to be in water and regular polish seems pointless.

Love this!

And lastly, I had my blog header re-done.  What do you think? My fabulous friend Tracey did it. I love it.

So I feel like I made the most of my time off. I am thrilled that I managed to accomplish things I've needed to do, as well as enjoy myself and my family. I am totally ready for my first day at my new job tomorrow. BRING IT!

Burn Fat Friday! How I Plan to Alter My Work Outs To Get Fit For My Sister's Wedding

"My Sister Is Getting Married Fitness Plan"

First - the pity party. In the last couple months, I have been dealt some rough fitness blows. My Running Buddy had to stop running due to foot problems...which has been devastating. First, I totally miss the quality time and the awesome conversations we would have that would make the miles fly by. My body is definitely showing signs of reduced activity. We were regularly doing 4-5 miles at least twice a week and sometimes up to 3 or 4 times a week. That regular activity made me feel great, and motivated to do other things like yoga or Jillian Michaels DVD's on my off days. Going out and running in the dark and the cold before work alone doesn't sound as doable any more, or safe for that matter. I've tried the treadmill but get bored after 2 or 3 miles. I drag my family out on the trail so that they can ride bikes/walk or whatever while I run on the weekend, but its just not the same since our pace is different.

Since Monkey started kindergarten and needs to be at school at 7:45, this has totally cut into my morning work out time. I have never been a morning person in my entire life, but somehow I managed, with the help of my Running Buddy, to start getting up and running at 6 or 6:30. Now with school, this time is not early enough to work out and start getting him ready. The thought of waking up even earlier than that sounds positively dreadful.

I feel like Buddha!

Time to suck it up: I looked in the mirror the other day and I don't like what I see. It's totally fixable, I'm not completely negative. I just know I need to make some changes. What works for me is a consistent routine. Now that I am working out almost completely on my own, its up to me to set that routine and stick to it.

The inspiration: An old co-worker of mine happened to send me a message a few weeks ago to ask when we are going running. Yeah! I was ecstatic. She is a scrappy, under 5'0, kick-ass mother of four boys who does boot camp a few times a week before she has to get her kids up and ready for school. In the dark. And the cold. The very things that I complained were preventing me from working out. When our kids were on Thanksgiving break for a week, she and I met 3 times to run in the morning before I went to work. Mind you, she came to meet me after she had been at boot camp. Seriously, what was I complaining about again?

The plan: So, scrappy mama and I have decided to run a 5 mile loop on Saturdays. Now that our kids are back in school, she isn't able to do boot camp and run with me afterwards due to time. This will be something I can look forward to and will kick my butt into gear. We are going tomorrow, I can't wait!

I am also going to walk for 20 minutes at 1pm Monday through Thursdays when I am at work. I did this today, and managed to do over 1.25 miles. I just need to explore and find a good route. It was fun, and nice to get fresh air and out of the office for a time period longer than it takes me to walk to Panera or Whole Foods to get my lunch.

Which brings me to my next item - less Panera Bread. Great stuff, don't get me wrong. But I think I become less "fascinated" with food when I stick to the same boring things all the time. This mentality has worked for me in the past. When I go to a place with a menu, there are too many choices and too much potential to make bad choices on a whim. I know there will be plenty of days I won't have time to make myself something in the morning and will end up there, or getting a massive burrito or sandwich at Whole Foods.

I will continue to fit in a 3 mile run every other Friday between dropping Monkey off at school and volunteering in his class.

I will start walking with my ex-running buddy on the alternate Fridays.

I want to try this!

I will set my alarm for 5:30 so that I can fit in a Jillian DVD before I have to wake Monkey for school Monday through Thursday. Either Ripped in 30, or Yoga Meltdown. I also like Body by Bethenny and need to check out her newest DVD as well.

I will put all of these items into my calendar and set up alerts so that I am less likely to flake.

Today I am linking up with some great bloggers for the Fitness Friday Blog Hop. Come by and check us out!

If Someone Offers Help, Say Yes!

My husband has always been incredibly supportive of my interest in fitness. While he's not always on board with my adventures in healthy cooking (he draws the line at meatless meals) he will never criticize me for wanting to run or work out. Even though it seems he's never home, when he is he will watch the kids if I want to work out. I'll admit, if he is actually home in the evening I typically will forgo working out so we can have family time. But if he's home in the morning and I know he's had a decent amount of sleep, I will leave the kids behind and get my sweat on. At the very least, he never complains.

Dreadmill. Better than Nada.

I made a sacrifice this week. Driving my son to school and walking to class with him is my favorite part of the day. However, my husband's schedule had him home at a reasonable hour the last few nights. Usually I let him sleep in and try to get my kids ready in the morning as quietly as possible so as not to disturb him. But this week I think I am feeling the after-effects of the Halloween candy and just felt I needed to step things up a notch. He offered to drive Monkey to school the last two mornings and I jumped at the chance to use the treadmill that is not quite a lovely decorative feature in our bedroom. Earlier in the week, Monkey stayed home sick from school so I took advantage of the time I would normally spend driving him and went for an icy-cold outdoor run.  That means, my friends, I exercised 3 times this week before work. And I plan to fit in a work out tomorrow morning too! I feel happy about it and its just what I needed...but realistically I know this won't happen every week.

On Tomorrow's Agenda

My husband has offered several times, even during weeks where he wasn't home early, to drive Monkey to school once a week so that I can go for a run. I usually feel guilty and just let him sleep. It doesn't help that Monkey always tells me he'd rather that I take him to school. But I'm starting to think I should take him up on the offer. Maybe on a Tuesday or Wednesday, since I typically work out Friday through Sunday. He wouldn't be offering if he really didn't want to do it.

Do you ever have a hard time accepting help? I remember being like this after my babies were born too. I have a natural tendency to try to "do it all."

Transition: Working It Out

The only thing that is constant is change. I don't know who the first person was who said that but man, they weren't kidding. Monkey goes back to school on Thursday. He's going to be in shock, starting at 7:45 and all. The poor kid is going to have to get up at 6:15 am, a full hour earlier than he had to get up for preschool. And for the first time, he'll be going to school every day. I have been trying to put him to bed earlier the last several days, but that's not going so hot. I guess he will eventually self-adjust.

And what about poor Mama? I had been working out and running in the mornings before my kids get up. I have been dedicated for the last several months, but I just don't see myself getting up at 5 am. I will have to work out, get ready for work, get the kids ready for school, drop them off and go straight to work. I shouldn't knock it until I've tried it but I have never been much of  morning person and that just seems like it would be pushing it. Just a little.

I am also contemplating going to work in walking clothes, doing a power walk for 30 minutes around my office complex and changing before I head into work. There is also an onsite gym but I don't know if I will have time to get a decent work out, shower and walk into the office before 9am. My 45 minute commute unfortunately eats into any good chunk of time I would have to be productive. bleh. It will be a work in progress, stay tuned.

Not My Imagination - Out of Shape!

Wow. I wasn't kidding. I knew I had not been as consistent with my strength training lately (the last couple weeks) and had maybe been a weee lax in the diet department. But after running last weekend and doing Ripped in 30 and Yoga Meltdown so far this week, I was surprised to wake up SORE! Me, SORE from 2 days of Jillian! I noticed it mainly in my abs and my shoulders/arms (presumably from all those bloody push ups she makes us do). Anyway, it was a wake-up call that I just can't let myself slack like that too often. Today I took a day off from working out but will be up and out at 6 am to do a 4+ mile run.

Doing it every day!

 I  made sure that I had a nice sized salad every day for the last week or more at dinner. A few of the salads I had in restaurants but the majority of them I made at home. I prefer to chop my own romaine lettuce which is not as convenient but I just like the quality of the lettuce better than the pre-cut bagged salads at the store. At the Farmer's Market they sell different types of salad mix that I also enjoy and will have to remember to pick some up. I'm trying to keep in line with My Plate and make sure half of my plate is fruits and vegetables. I would rather fill up more on greens than meat or pasta/rice/bread, although trying to keep my grain portion to a quarter of my plate when I am not always eating meat is kind of hard.

I also started having quinoa for breakfast again. For a great breakfast quinoa recipe, see my previous post here.

Nothing like a warm bowl of quinoa in the morning with blueberries, walnuts and almond milk! This really keeps me full longer. Even though I like or should I say need to eat every few hours, I find that when I eat my mid-morning snack I don't particularly feel like eating that much, just a little bit of whatever it is (almonds or fruit) satisfies me pretty quickly.

I am SO glad I tried this!

Speaking of almond milk - I had never tried Trader Joe's Almond Milk before, I have to say I am not going back to my other brand! While I won't be able to buy Trader Joe's at a bulk store, it is way better. It doesn't separate, even when you pour it into coffee, which is what grossed me out about almond milk in coffee. I had switched to soy only for my coffee. Then I was caught up in all the bad soy press again when researching online, and didn't know WHAT I should put in my coffee. I had even temporarily (2 weeks) gone back to organic cow's milk. Trader Joe's is low in sugar, fat and calories and smooth creamy. And, I can put it in my coffee without it separating! LOVE!

Photo is a little blurry but you get the idea!

I even managed to bring carrots to snack on at work! Although it didn't keep me from dabbling in a little bad office food (pastries on Monday morning, and some to-die-for Italian bread with chocolate bits in it this morning), I'm sure it kept me from going overboard. But I am not all about deprivation...just moderation. Peace.

I was not compensated for this post. These views and opinions are my own.

Getting A (LOVE) Handle On It

Tight, right?

I just have to tell you that I had a fabulous picture to use for this post but it was a little too steamy, and I don't want to offend anyone. I'll just have to keep the image to myself I guess!!

If I had a dollar for all the bad food that comes through my office, I'd be rich! I think I am going to actually start a meme to recap the bad food battles I have to deal with at work. I wouldn't play the victim card, except as I'm mentioned before, I have no will power! If it's there, and it's something I like, it will be hard for me not to eat it. And lately, it's been ice cream. Lots of ice cream. That went on for about 2 weeks. Let's see, there was cookies and cream, mint chip, mint oreo cookie (Ben & Jerry's...yum), and a new Ben & Jerry's flavor called Clusterfluff, which was good. Fortunately someone saw the light and started bringing in sugar free popsicles. I'm not a fan of sugar-free stuff or fake sweeteners or fake coloring for that matter, but I had to break down. Eating these popsicles had to be better for my waistline than the ice cream.

I had to say, when I tried the Whole Foods Coconut Frozen Fruit Bars that someone brought in one day, I wasn't terribly disgusted with myself. They satisfied the sweet craving without being too sweet, and the stats weren't horrible. Of course, you have to like coconut or these aren't going to do it for you. They were actually filling, I probably would have been happy with half!

So I think my strategy is going to keep the supply going of the sugar free popsicles. While less than ideal, they are cheap and easy to bring in. And if they are always there, my co-workers will be less likely to run out and come back with something worse.

I have had a few good runs this week, once I even went alone once as my running buddy wasn't available. I was impressed I knocked out 4 miles without any interesting conversation to keep me distracted. I actually found that my own thoughts were enough to keep me company and I got a lot of mental "to-do's" wiped off my list. I definitely need to do more toning/strength work and want to start doing Jillian Michael's Ripped in 30 regularly again.



I also heard Jillian has an ab DVD. I so need to do abs! Especially after Memorial Day weekend, when a lot of eating and drinking took place. I feel like my ab muscles are stretched out. Need to tighten this baby up! It's at Walmart right now for under $9. One of the few reasons to endure that place.

If my abs looked even half this good, I'd be happy

Even though our weather has absolutely sucked, and summer doesn't seem even close to being on it's way, I don't want to be blindsided when suddenly its bathing suit time and my body still looks like its stuck in crock pot and fireplace season.

Today, I have been good so far. Breakfast: Kashi Go Lean cereal sprinkled with blueberries. Out of almond milk so had to go with organic 1%. And my usual coffee and stevia.

Lunch: Burrito with whole wheat wrap, vegetarian refried beans, a handful of shredded lettuce, salsa and a sprinkle of monterey jack. Water to drink.

Dinner: I'm making a basic grilled chicken salad. I am really on a salad kick lately. I have had a salad every day since last Sunday!

Doing alright today since I worked from home and escaped the bad food. I even ran 5 miles this morning. Hope you all have a happy, healthy weekend!

Are you changing your eating habits at all with the anticipation of summer? What works best for you to curb your appetite?

My Fitness Week (Weak)

No Rest For You! (Soup Nazi Voice) 
I'll be the first to admit, I wasn't very dedicated this week. After an inexplicable bout with insomnia Sunday night which ruined my Monday, I managed to pull off Yoga Meltdown on Tuesday. I don't know why I did Level 1, I really needed the push of Level 2. But whatever, I broke a sweat. I vowed to work out every day this week. Right.

Good stuff

"Who's Your Daddy?" - Jillian Michaels
Wednesday I took a day off for no apparent reason other than I usually take Wednesday off from working out. Although I wasn't supposed to, since I flaked Monday. But again, whatever. Thursday I ran about 3 miles before work - we cut it short because it was sort of windy and my RB hates wind. I am still glad we went, 3 miles is better than no miles, right? Friday we got back on track with a nice, 5 mile trail run. Saturday morning, back to Ripped in 30...which if I keep going the way I have been will be more like Ripped in 60.

Bad Office Food, Part XVII
I am officially grossed out by my snacking! You know how in the past I have talked about Bad Office Food? I took it to new heights this week. Monday, someone brought in a Boston Cream Pie. I had a decent sized piece, and felt I deserved it for no apparent reason. On Wednesday, there were brownie bites. The size really is an illusion that can mess with your mind. The serving size on the package was 1, and they were about 130 calories. I had already eaten 3 or more by the time I heard this information, because I didn't even read the label before I ate them. The same person who reported the calories started to talk about the fat and sugar, but I didn't even want to hear it because I was fully disgusted with myself and did not even want to know! This is why I eat healthy meals at home and at work, and am so obsessed with staying on track with fitness, people! Because I want to eat pie and brownies!

The Moral of the Story
I need to be better about bringing healthy snacks with me to work - I know that eating crunchy foods helps me work better. I can't explain it. So I need to pick up some celery and carrots for work snacks, and make that part of my regular grocery list. That way I will always have them on hand. I really love pita chips too, and I had them at home and have no idea why they did not make it to the office with me. And I will tell myself a thousand times I need better willpower to fight the bad food, but I don't know if I'll ever listen.

I Need a Swift Kick!

Image from Infobarrel

Feeling Sluggish
I don't know what is wrong with me lately. I've been blaming the time change but I don't know how 1 measley hour could ruin my entire week! I think that every night, it was hard for me to go to bed on time so I was staying up later than normal, and still getting up early so each day I was getting more and more behind on sleep. I did manage to run 3 mornings, (12.2 miles total), but did nothing else. And I mean NOTHING. I usually do DVD's on my off-days: pilates, yoga, or whatever. But I was just so tired. I hated waking up in the morning and having it be pitch black outside. I just wanted to stay in bed. I told myself I would do my DVD's this weekend, and so far, nothing still and its Sunday and I've just resigned to start fresh next week.

Fighting Sickness
Both of my kids had yucky coughs last week, and my husband had the dreaded flu and now has a nasty, and I mean, nasty sinus infection. How I have managed to avoid the plague so far, I don't know. But I also think that's why I was feeling lousy...it was taking all I had to fight the germies. I had a mild but annoying head ache 3 days in a row that is finally gone I think. Head aches make me want to do nothing but SLEEP too.

Looking for Inspiration
I belong to this great running group on Facebook that totally inspires me. Women of all levels, from new runners to seasoned triathletes share their triumphs, their struggles, fears -  and seek and give advice. I don't always have time to participate in the discussions but I read them all. The last few days that I haven't exercised (last day I ran was Thursday), I have run vicariously through my online friends. It helps to keep me from losing my focus, or losing sight of what I should be doing even if I am not up to it. I hope this monsoon-like rain stops soon, its supposed to be the first day of spring and I am feeling instead like I should be wrapped up in a blanket and hunkering down for the winter!

Staying In-Tune with ME
I had a big appetite this week and knew I was eating more than I was burning. (I had pizza twice). But, I think my body was telling me something. It was saying, REST. And NOURISH yourself. And I listened.

How has the time change affected you? Is it feeling like the first day of spring where you live?

Friday, Time to Break Out the Wine

Clos La Chance, drinking local tonight!

 
TGIF my friends! What a week. It's rained non-stop here, fortunately everyone seems to be out of town because traffic was a breeze to and from work every day. I bring this up because my commute has an enormous effect on my mood. I mentioned a couple days ago I was having some challenges (um, my kids!) with exercise but have still managed to fit it in when I can. Doing even part of my yoga work out and doing arm weights and core exercises while I watch a bit of TV is not so bad! Sure I'm not out running 5 miles but I think our bodies need variety and new challenges to stay in shape. It's supposed to rain all weekend but my running buddy and I still hope to get in 10 miles between Saturday and Sunday. As a matter of fact, when I am done with this post, I plan to get on my treadmill. I am sitting here with my treadmill staring me in the face. I have no excuse! And Good Lord, will that Valentine candy just go away already??

Chip is off tonight - so we are going to do something as a family. Since its raining and one of our brood is too small to sit through a movie at the theater, I am thinking a family dinner out is what's on tap. Probably not anything too healthy as my Monkey is already telling me he is ordering a corn dog (so I'm thinking Chili's). Other than the Valentine candy I have been eating well all week. Breakfast was oatmeal, with almond milk sprinkled with blueberries and cinnamon and vanilla. This was my lunch today:

Black Bean Burrito
1 whole wheat tortilla wrap
3/4 cup black beans (rinsed if they are canned)
1/2 avocado
1/4 cup shredded cheddar cheese
Trader Joe's corn salsa
dash of salt n pepper (optional)

This is the quick and dirty assembly: Put tortilla on microwave safe plate. Put beans in center, top with cheese. Microwave for 40 seconds, depending on your microwave. Top with avocado and corn salsa. Dash with salt and pepper if you so desire. Fold up the bottom, and roll the sides. Easy, healthy and tasty.

Just waiting for the hubs to get home so I can crank out a run, and have a glass of wine. Aaah Friday. Finally. Have a fantastic weekend!

The Best Laid Plans

My running buddy and I had already decided to take this morning off. I was still planning to get up and do a yoga DVD before work, but my children had other plans for me. At 2:30 Monkey came to my bedside and said, "Mommy, take me back to my room." This doesn't happen super frequently, but often enough to not be all that surprised. I decided I would just crawl into bed with him until my alarm went off at 5:30. He's got a full size bed, and I'm 5'2 so we fit well in there together! It could tell when I lay down next to him that I wasn't going to fall asleep right away. Then my mind started to wander, and I tried to get myself back on track with "sleepy" thoughts. Before I knew it, Buddha had opened his door. His room is across from Monkey's, so as soon as I heard the baby gate we have across his room rattle, I tried to act quickly but turns out Monkey was still awake and he sat up. We both went to get our little Buddha, and brought him into the bed with us. After what seemed like quite a while of listening him recite the Cat in the Hat, and singing Frosty the Snowman, he and Monkey were out. And soon, so was I. My alarm went off before I knew it, and there was no way I was getting up to do yoga. I slept for as long as possible, and quite soundly.

I had a decent day at work, although the commute home was hell. I planned to make a quinoa recipe for dinner tonight, but discovered a box of Kamut Spirals in my pantry that were near expiration so I decided to switch things up. Kamut is a grain high in protein and minerals, but it is not gluten free.  I also made the decision to do the Kamut instead of quinioa because I have a great recipe that calls for artichokes, and I had a few artichokes that needed eating before they went bad. I am sorry I did not take photos, but I think it sounds good enough to try without seeing it!

Ingredients:
1 12 oz box kamut spirals
2 tbsp olive oil
1 lb chicken breast, cut into small chunks
4 minced garlic cloves
1/2 cup white wine
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 tsp black pepper
2 15 oz cans quartered artichokes, drained and chopped
(I substituted 2 fresh artichokes, steamed with most of the outer leaves removed)
1/2 cup or more grated Parmigiano Reggiano cheeese - my favorite on pasta
1 tsp basil

Cook pasta according to directions. While waiting, heat 2 tbsp oil in a large skillet on medium high. Saute the chicken, until browned. Add garlic and saute briefly. Then add the white wine, salt, pepper, artichokes and simmer until the sauce thickens, about 5-7 minutes. Check that the chicken is cooked. Turn the burner off and place pan on an alternate burner. Put the pasta in a large bowl, add the cheese and mix gently. Add the sauce and combine. Sprinkle with basil. (I always opt to use fresh, however I did not have any on hand).

Doesn't this sound heavenly?

Have a great night! Hope my children sleep on through so I can make my 6 a.m. running date!

Running Crazy!

 

Speeding Up

I know its only Tuesday, but I am having a great week. I have already run 12 miles! My running buddy and I were feeling like we had hit a plateau, so we added a little extra distance on to our morning route. It's just the little kick we needed to get going again. We have also been trying to increase our pace, and sometimes mix it up with a bit of alternating between walking briefly and then running fast. We talk a lot while we run, but sometimes running gets a little boring if we just keep the same pace all the time. I swear since we have increased our pace our runs seem to go by faster, even though we have added distance. And, my legs feel it so much more. I am sore and fatigued, but in a good way. If there is such a thing.

Minding My House

I have also been improving on the household front. I have spending less "unfocused" time online. Instead of aimlessly surfing the web or checking for Facebook updates and tweets like an addict jonesing for crack, or just sitting while watching TV, I have been multi-tasking and getting more done. Last week I managed to dust my bedroom, clean 2 bathrooms, and vacuum 3 rooms and do an insane amount of laundry. Not only did I just wash and dry the clothes, but I folded them and put them away. One night I even did arm weights while I watched TV. By no means did I achieve all that really needs to be done in my house on a weekly basis, but I have already accepted the fact that I can't do it all when I am working full time. Anything that gets done is a bonus!

Family Time

During the week this still suffers and I don't know if there really is a solution. I don't know what I'm going to do when my kids are in school and have homework, and how we're going to get it done. By the time I get home from work it seems like all I have time to do are the necessities: feed, bathe, and bed. Buddha has been sleeping in a bed now for 1 whole week! Only at night time, as he still has been napping in his crib. This is because during the week I am not here and I think it might be a little too much for my MIL and Mom who split the week watching my kids to try to sleep train him in a big boy bed. He has figured out that he can get off the bed and walk out of the room. And he tries it, repeatedly. He still desperately needs his nap during the day and I am afraid that initially when we take his crib away completely that he may end up skipping naps because his caregivers can't keep him in bed. I guess we'll get there in due time.

Food, Bite By Bite

I want to start documenting what I eat on my blog, but am afraid it will become a chore. So I may do it from time to time, and will continue to share great recipes as I try them out. I have been doing well with eating so far this week (I know, its only Tuesday!) and have discovered my love for quinoa. I stumbled upon this website for  quinoa recipes. If you sign up for the newsletter, will you receive a free download of a cook book! I can't wait to try many of them, they look fabulous and quinoa is good stuff. It's a complete protein (which is rare for a plant food). You can eat it for breakfast, lunch or dinner!

I have been eating egg whites and wheat toast for breakfast and find that it keeps me satisfied until my mid- morning snack, which has been half a grapefruit the past 2 days. I continue to bring my lunch to work to prevent me from making bad choices. Monday, for lunch I had tuna mixed with Dijon mustard, and lettuce on an Orowheat Sandwhich Thin. I love those things. I used to think I needed to mix my tuna with a bit of mayo, but Trader Joe's makes this great Dijon which is full of flavor and has a little kick to it. I can easily do without the mayonaise! I also had a small cup of Campbell's V-8 Vegetable Soup. When I was craving something sweet later I had a banana. Today I brought a piece of chicken I baked the night before, and some quinoa I had made over the weekend, which was mixed with sauteed onions, diced tomatoes, garlic, and some organic jarred marinara. I had more vegetable soup on hand but wasn't hungry enough to eat it.

Tomorrow I will be roasting a spaghetti squash, which will yield enough for me to eat the next few days for lunch or dinner. I have learned to appreciate meatless meals...not just on Monday, any day of the week. YUM!

Hope your week is off to a good start my friends!

Time to Stop Celebrating Already

OK Girl, the Holidays are OVER!

I know, I know, the holidays are so 2010!! I drank, I ate, I partied, I enjoyed. As I do every year, with a birthday in January, I don't start to really tighten my belt where food is concerned until after my birthday is over. I typically celebrate with friends and loved ones on my actual birthday, but have a slew of other lunch dates and what not that trail in afterwards. 

Liquid Lunch

If you follow my blog, you'll know that I spent most of my birthday weekend in Monterey with my husband and dear friends. We ate and drank our way through that town in a little over 24 hours that we were there. I tried to be good during the week...but on Sunday, my husband opened a bottle of wine that we bought on our weekend away, which we drank Sunday and Monday. Thursday, my boss bought our office a round of pints from the pub that is (unfortunately/fortunately) adjacent to our office. Then on Friday, I had lunch with a dear, old friend of mine at Ragoots which is an amazing place near my home. Of course a birthday lunch wouldn't be complete without a couple glasses of wine! I had this fabulous Tuscan Linguine that had artichoke hearts, sundried tomatoes and other yummy things that I love. I ate the whole thing! I skipped dinner that night because I wasn't even slightly hungry.

Liquid Breakfast

Saturday I had breakfast plans with some other dear girlfriends at Bill's. We decided to have a round of Bloody Marys. They were quite good, so we decided to have another round. Someone happened to mention that it was my birthday, in an offhand way, like "Let the birthday girl order first." I didn't give it a second thought, I mean, what would they do for your birthday at a breakfast joint anyway...surely not bring out cake with a candle in it! I had an omelet with spinach and gorgonzola, and hash browns. We were chatting it up and having a great time and enjoying our omelets when I start to hear a tambourine. I was about to say, "Why on earth would someone have a tambourine in here?", when it got louder, and then I heard another tambourine. Soon our table was surrounded by a group of waitstaff, who also starting banging on white plastic buckets with sticks and singing to me. I may have been crying, I was laughing so hard. I was surely stunned, and a little embarrased but it was so funny! AND, they bring your whole table a round of tequila shots! Can you say, liquid breakfast?? We were feeling no pain. After our "meal" we decided to walk around, and walk it off. Somehow we decided it would be a great idea to go to stop at Aqui, another great restaurant in town, but for their swirl margaritas which are to DIE for. It is a frozen margarita, swirled with sangria. We had a great time celebrating my birthday. I had a blast and I'm not mad at myself, my birthday only comes once a year. I think that is the last time I am celebrating this birthday, and I am going to buckle down.

Betty Ford

I started my morning with egg whites and wheat toast. And I made sure to get out for a run, although it is pretty rainy here. I managed to get 4 miles in and am feeling pretty good. I will be running for the next 4 mornings, and cutting out alcohol in any form during the week. I really enjoy having a glass of wine at night, but don't need the calories or the relaxation it brings when I have so much to do...like folding laundry or core/ab workouts while I watch TV. My running buddy decided on a positive affirmation that would help her get through the extra 1/2 mile we have decided to add to our morning runs. I thought I would share with you the song that runs through my heads when I feel like I want to quit. It's called "I'm a Survivor" by Destiny's Child. It's actually about a woman surviving the break up of her relationship...but I don't think about that. I just like the chorus and apply that to my running.

Have a GREAT week!!

Crazy Get After It Running Plan

I have a good friend that I have known for over 25 years. Yes I am that old, but thank goodness I don't look it! She and I love to get together for our "girl time" which is when we run, and talk. It's great for us to catch up and discuss the economy, finances, political and social issues, wine, food and chick stuff. I have always been motivated by my running buddy. The last year or so our running time has taken a hit as both of us have had some changes in our schedule which makes it difficult to run together as much as we'd like. She works a shift job so her schedule changes every 6 months, and I have a husband with a shift job that impacts my schedule, and I have 2 little ones under 5 that I have to work around also. It's no wonder I am looking and feeling a bit heavier than normal.

In recent blogs I have mentioned that I have never been a morning person, but somehow have been managing recently out of desperation to get up and exercise before work. Well I am even kicking it up a notch. My running buddy and I are pledging to run together in the morning, so early that it doesn't interfere with anyone's schedule. Which means sometimes on my day off I will be getting up to run at 6am, and she will do the same. Then a couple times during the week, we will run before she has to be at work...and since she starts at 6am, we will be running at 4:15. OMG. I can't believe I was even crazy enough to suggest this to her, but I think we are both serious about being fit and making changes in our lives.

I told my husband our plan and he gave me a funny look. I know he doesn't want to say it, but is thinking, "Yeah, right." Well it makes me want to prove to him as well as myself that we can do this! Yes, I will be tired. Yes, I will be freezing. Yes, it will be dark. But what choice do I have? It's so easy to make excuses. And as my buddy said, there will be less flaking at that time of the morning. We won't have anything interfering with our ability to run but ourselves. I can't blame my husband, my kids, a dr. appointment, birthday party, or anything else. Hell, the Giant's just won the World Series. I can, and WILL run before dawn. I will keep you posted on my progress!

Happy Fitness! A great weekend to all!

Squeezing in Exercise When You Can

I have to laugh when I think about my tight schedule this weekend and how I desperately needed to fit in some sort of exercise. We had a mid-day birthday party to go to, and being busy as I was during the week with work, did not manage to pick up a gift. So Saturday morning comes and I get the kids fed breakfast and we wait for my husband to get up and going. Before I know it the clock says its after 10 a.m. My husband wants to go to the Farmer's Market which we usually do together but there was no way we were going to do that AND go get the gift in time. I had the idea that I would run (literally) to the closest Target for the gift so I could kill two birds with one stone. So, we split up, each taking one son. I wanted to take my 19 month old so I could run with him in the jogging stroller - and have the cargo space in the stroller to carry our loot back -  but my nearly 4 year old wanted to come with me and there was no talking him out of it. I have pushed him in the jogging stroller recently on a trail near our home but thought we would look ridiculous, with me wheeling this too-big- to-be-in-a-jogging-stroller boy through TAR-jay.

So thinking quickly, I put him on his bike, put his helmet on and grabbed a bike lock. I put his backpack on and put my wallet inside so that he would be able to carry the gift back. I have to admit, it was a pretty slow pace but I managed to keep moving the whole time. When I got too far ahead of him, he would say, "Wait up, Mom" and I would run back and circle around him.

While in the store I had to keep in mind that the gift would need to fit into my son's backpack, and couldn't be too heavy or bulky for him to bike with. The shopping was a success, and we made it back home in time for me to hop in the shower and make it to the party being just fashionably late.

My son was so proud of himself because I kept telling him what a big boy he was and how he was being such a big help to me. I was proud of myself for not blowing off the exercise and thinking outside the box! Win-win for all!