Ratatouille and Our Amazingness

 

Last night for dinner I made another recipe from Better Homes and Garden’s Slow Cooker Favorites Made Healthy. It was super easy, and pretty tasty.

I didn’t use the bread they suggested, instead I used just light wheat bread and it it into triangles. It’s 5 ww points per serving. For me, it was a perfect lunch portion today, but last night for dinner I was left a little hungry. I wish I would have beefed it up with a little pasta or rice.

So far this week, I feel great. I’ve been eating well. I’ve exercised. Work has been exhausting, but I am officially over the summer hump (as we call it) and have less than 50 days until Labor Day and my life turns back into something, somewhat, resembling normal.

I’ve had a few questions in comments lately about how my knees are holding up during training. They are doing pretty well. I just have to be sure to stretch them out and ice them at the beginning of any soreness. They are holding up better than I thought they would! Especially the one that was hurt awhile back.

There is so much stuff going on in the blog world these days:

Ryan of No More Bacon is celebrating his 1 year “healthiversary”!

Caitlin of Healthy Tipping Point and Operation Beautiful got some very exciting news!

Seth of Fit with a Purpose is hosting another challenge!

Lindsay at Healthy Stride completed her first cycling event!

I know I’ve said it before, but I am so happy to be a part of the blogging community. I get really excited for all of you when you achieve something amazing. It motivates me to get out there and do more!

We are all amazing.

For the first time in my life, I feel comfortable saying “We” instead of “You”. We are all amazing. We are proof that healthy living is achievable and fun. We didn’t go to a fancy ranch, we aren’t popping pills or crash dieting. We are just doing it.

Good for us! Let’s give us all a round of applause! Own your amazingness. I am finally owning mine and it feels pretty good.

Leave me a comment and tell me something AMAZING that you have done. It could be something as simple as cooking a healthy dinner to running a marathon. I know you have all done something…let’s hear about it. Let’s celebrate our amazingness together! :)

I’ll start: I ran a 10k when even at the starting line I was doubting my ability to finish. I ran it, had a great time running it and was very proud of myself at the end.

Plan-a-rana-ding-dong

 

It’s Monday. You know what that means, a plan to tackle the next 5 days. A plan to keep my ass in check. A plan that I am relaying to you so that you will give me a swift kick in the butt if I happen to tweet that I an lounging around in a hammock being fed chocolates by Greek God replicas. I’m helping you, help me. After all, that’s what’s important here. Me. :)   

Meal Plan!

Monday – Crock Pot Ratatouille with Parmesan Toast

Tuesday – Corn & Basil Cakes with a side dish of veg

Wednesday – Jerk Fish Tacos with Peach & Mango Rice (way easier than it sounds, I’ll show you the way)

Thursday – Crock Pot Chicken with Rice & Peas (a WW recipe I can’t link for some reason? Don’t worry, I will still share it, if it’s any good)

Friday – Surely there will be leftover food and I will eat it.

Work Out Plan!

Monday – 30 Minute Run (Boo-yah already done! My legs felt like lead, and the whole run was hard, but I did it.)

Tuesday – Weights or DVD

Wednesday – Rest

Thursday – 5 Mile Run (I am 1/2 Marathon training, let’s not forget!)

Friday – Yoga

Saturday – 30 Minute Run

Sunday – Rest

If I happen to get a little golf in there too…BONUS!

So there it is people. That is this week’s plan. I am going to do my best to stick to it. Because if you know you are doing your best, there is no need for excuses.

This post, like my run this morning, is brought to you by one my favorites:  Joan Jett and The Blackhearts.

I don’t like excuses

 

I don’t like excuses, but I seem to be full of them these days.

I’m working my ass off at work, so I’m too tired to work out after work.

I’ve had a rough week, I deserve to indulge in too much (insert sinful delight here).

I have nothing good to blog about, so why bother.

I’m EXHAUSTED. Mentally, physically and emotionally.

Those are just some of my excuses that I’ve been using lately to be unaccountable. Unaccountable for taking care of myself. I just don’t think that’s acceptable anymore. I knew this summer was going to be rough for me. I thought I had planned accordingly. I guess I was wrong.

I need to get it together. I am going to focus on the little things.

This weekend was amazing. A friend of mine from Greensboro decided to come down. I was excited to see her, but then, my sister decided to come down too and surprise me. I had no clue she was going to be here! We had a wonderful time and I am yet again thinking how lucky I am to have such amazing people in my life.

Today, didn’t quite go as planned. I meant to wake up early this morning and run…I didn’t. I meant to work out after work but was late leaving the office, then got stuck at an open swing bridge and got home much later than expected. BUT, I still managed to eat a healthy lunch and dinner.

Lunch was a wrap with Asparagus, Sprouts, Granny Smith Apple, Laughing Cow Cheese, Dijon Mustard and Lettuce.

For dinner, I used my crockpot to make some Sesame Ginger Chicken (7 oz. chicken breast, Lawry’s Sesame Ginger marinade, a little water, onion, Sriracha sauce and soy sauce cooked on low for 6 hours) which I shredded and ate in lettuce wraps with some healthy fried brown rice, using leftover rice from Sunday.

 

I managed to write and post a blog entry today…ok, well, I haven’t posted it YET, but you get the point.

And finally, tonight instead of being home alone wishing I had more time to spend with my husband, I am actually going to just unplug and do exactly that since we are actually both home at the same time…at least until he goes to work shortly.

I have a good life. I have a roof over my head. I know the right choices to make. I do what I can. Sometimes it’s the little things that make the big picture seem not so big.

You just don’t need excuses if you know you are doing your best. It’s time I start doing mine.

Table for One.

 

Last night I made SkinnyTaste Italian Spinach Meatballs for dinner. Absolutely amazing. Best meatball I have ever had in my entire life, healthy or not. I didn’t deviate from the meatball recipe at all, except I made only half of it and I added fresh basil as well as parsley. Knock out hit. Making my sauce I was able to use a tomato fresh out of my TopsyTurvey Tomato Grower! It’s a tiny “patio breed” of tomato. It tasted great in my sauce! Isn’t it adorable? :)

The meatballs were too glorious (sorry, I didn’t take pictures) for my usual sit down at the coffee table in front of the TV routine. They deserved much more than that. While cooking I was listening to some music, Band of Horses to be exact, and I left that playing and I sat at my bar table. 

Beautiful, isn’t it? My brother made it. Yep, I said “made it” not “put it together”. He used scrap pieces of wood. The same wood was once an entertainment center in one of my old apartments, before that I’m sure they were someone’s bi-fold doors. The man is a genius. He put a lot of love into it. My sister also bought me the bar stools, so it’s kind of a double-love table.

I never sit at my table. Isn’t that terrible? I eat alone most of the time, so it just made sense to take my food to the living room. I sat at the table last night and enjoyed every bite of my food. It was peaceful. It was as if I could feel my mind unwinding from the day without distraction. While I may not sit there every night, this is definitely something I am going to repeat very soon.

After dinner, I took Chaser for a 2 mile walk! He didn’t appreciate it, he’s lazy, but  I appreciated his exhaustion when a little thunderstorm blew up when we got home. After our walk, in a great mood, I even painted my toenails with a sparkly purple color nail polish that a Drag Queen left at my house many moons ago and I did laundry! I don’t believe any of the above things would have been accomplished had I just done the normal sit in front of the coffee table and watch TV while eating dinner. Eating dinner at the table changed my entire evening. Just that 1 little thing.

This leads me to my question of today: Where do you eat?

I won't lie anymore

I'm not going to lie about it anymore. I'm not going to sugar coat it. Since my knee injury, I have fallen off the wagon.



I have eaten entirely too much, mindlessly snacked even more, used my knee as an excuse not to exercise AT ALL and for the past 10 days I haven't tracked my food, I haven't cared. I pretty much just gave up.

This morning, I feel terrible. I feel like the old me. I feel snappy, moody, sluggish. My pants are feeling a little snug. I have no energy. I feel depressed. I couldn't get out of bed this morning for love or money. I stayed in bed until the last possible minute and then rushed to get to work. I don't like this.

I started my morning with a Green Monster with 1/4 cup uncooked oatmeal added for substance. Today is the day I have to climb back on the wagon.

I have to go to the gym after work. I know I can't run, but I can swim, I can do the elliptical and I can do weights. I have to.

If you haven't noticed yet, this blog post is more for me than for you. It's a pep-talk to myself.

Suck it up cupcake. Get through this work day, go to the gym after work and don't go snack crazy tonight. Period. It's not rocket science. Just do it. Oh and by the way TRACK YOUR FOOD DUMMY! If no one sees you eat it, your ass still knows you ate it.

My Meal Plan for the Week:

Meatless Monday - Homemade Gnocchi* with Spinach Pesto (sans-pine nuts)
Tuesday - Sweet Potato with Beans, similar to last week's Meatless Monday
Wednesday - Goulash (do you know how long it's been since I've had goulash? I just randomly started craving it and I know I can make a healthified version)
Thursday - Tuna Burger
Friday - Leftovers of some sort, maybe on a pizza.

*I made a batch of homemade gnocchi yesterday, my kitchen was a mess but it was totally worth it. It's amazing! I think this will become a regular edition to my meal planning schedule.

I got a question on my last post about how I find time to cook. Cooking is a huge form of stress release for me. I enjoy my time in the kitchen very much. Meal planning helps a lot with time because I know what meats, etc. to remove from the freezer and have thawed and ready for use each day and I don't have to spend time thinking about what to make. Most of my meals take less than an hour to prepare. I go into the kitchen at about 6:15 and I'm sitting down to eat by 7 at the latest. It's a time commitment that I enjoy, I wish I could find more time to be in the kitchen!

My exercise plan for the week:

Monday - Swim
Tuesday - Elliptical and Weights
Wednesday - Swim
Thursday - Elliptical or Bike and Weights
Friday - Swim or Elliptical

Since my May Motivation training schedule is out, I need to come up with a new plan. I must have a plan. I will fail without one.

Ok. This is it. No more excuses. I want you guys to hold me to it. If I don't post tomorrow about how I went to the gym after work today, I want you guys to call me on it. I'm serious.

Happy Monday, what is your plan for the week? Do you have one?

The Spouse.

 

I was going to share my recipe for spaghetti today or talk about my workout schedule some more. I am doing really well this week, so far, I was going to write about that too. However, some recent discussions I’ve read in blog posts got me started in another direction.

The Spouse. Mr. Unlikely Success Story. Mr. Tonyne (he hates when I call him that, so I like to :) ). Jeff.

God’s gift to women? I’m not so sure…but he is a good man and I love him very much. My husband has an esophageal condition known as Barrett’s Esophagus. On top of this condition he also has esophageal strictures and a severe nut allergy. The nut allergy, is manageable, however the other two make it very hard for my husband to eat. Basically anything he eats has to be liquid by the time he swallows it or he can get choked. So, if you imagine doing that yourself…it’s difficult and nearly impossible with some foods. Because of this condition, my husband is underweight. Going out for dinner is next to impossible for him and he eats very, very slowly. He feels uncomfortable eating around people because of it.

If that isn’t enough (and trust me, it is!), my husband might quite possibly be the pickiest eater alive. I can’t tell you the number of times I make a Green Monster, asparagus or any vegetable other than broccoli to hear him say behind me “That’s nasty.” Has he tried most of this stuff? Probably not, but this is who he is and I knew that when I married him.

My recent lifestyle change has made meals almost impossible for us to share. He eats a lot of processed food because it’s convenient and quick since it takes him so long to eat. I cook him chicken and dumplings occasionally, but for the most part we eat separately. We also work different schedules, he runs a bar at night, I run a maintenance department in the day.

Our marriage is different that way. We are both very independent individuals. We love each other and try to make sure and put focus on the time we do have together, but when it comes to things like my races or successes, he’s not always around to share them with me. Most of the time, I’m alright with this…sometimes, I’m not. Do I feel jealous sometimes when I read about couples doing this together and fully supporting one another? Absolutely. I would never say Jeff is not supportive, because that’s not the case at all. He doesn’t flinch when I need new running shoes, a new healthy living gadget, cookbook, etc. He listens to me when I talk about a new recipe or training schedule.

He’s never visited this blog, he knows it exists of course, but how does a weight loss/healthy living/cooking blog interest him? I get it. Does it hurt sometimes? Yes. Do I want him at the finish line of my races. Yes. But I understand too. If I was limited and held back by a health condition, would I want to have someone’s health successes constantly in my face? Probably not. I feel bad sometimes because I am so excited about my new life and I talk about it incessantly, much to the chagrin of those around me I’m sure.

One of the points I wanted to make by putting myself out here so personally, which is really hard for me, is that the blogging community is such a fantastic source of support and encouragement for me. My friends and family are great as well, don’t get me wrong they listen to me drone on A LOT (Jeff included), but here I can talk about the changes I’ve made all I want. You can either choose to read about it or choose not to. I know that someone somewhere is waiting to hear my race recap or read my recipe from dinner last night. Not all of us have that super interested, living the same lifestyle spouse at home and that can be hard.

What it comes down to is we do this for ourselves, first and foremost. Yes we do it to be around longer for the people in our lives, but if you are making a lifestyle change you have to do it for YOURSELF. YOU are important and YOU are worth it.

Those of you out there that feel alone, like you don’t have a support system, you do. You have it right here. The Health & Wellness blogging community is made up of some of the kindest souls I’ve ever “met”. I am really happy to be a part of it.

I think that’s enough for today. I just want to tell you all again how much it means to me when you read and comment. I try to read and comment on as many blogs as possible because I know that the encouragement we get from our blogs or our online support system (whatever it might be) might be the only encouragement some of us get that day.

Tell me 1 thing the blogging community has given you, if you write a blog or not, just 1 thing.

May Motivation

 

Can you believe this week will deliver us the 1st of May? I can’t believe how quickly this year is flying by. The past week I was very lazy, flailing around, not really working out. So I decided that I would change all that with a May Motivation Work Out Schedule:

I am one of those people that tend to do better with a To Do list, or something to mark off. My training schedules for races hang on my fridge and as I complete each day I make a little note (minutes/mile, etc) and knowing that I get to do that everyday somehow makes me do it. I’m a little OCD. Not going to lie about it. Just because I’m not training for a race, doesn’t mean I can’t have a training schedule, because starting June 27th I will begin training for the Myrtle Beach Half Marathon with I have now officially registered for. I don’t want to get out of shape in the mean time. Alt Cardio means at least 20 minutes of cardio activity that is not running, I can walk, bike or use the elliptical.

Usually I have a rest day on Saturdays, but I’m not off on Saturdays, so I might as well get up early and work out since I’m getting up for work anyway. Sundays, I don’t have to work, so I can truly just enjoy a Rest day. I scheduled my “long runs” for Thursdays because that’s my other day off and just seemed more practical to me based upon my summer work schedule. If anyone wants to use my schedule, feel free! I can even email you the file if you want to change it, print it and hang it on your fridge! :)

ACE Fitness posted an interesting article about setting goals on Twitter the other day, I wanted to share this information about goal setting with you:

One proven way to set effective goals is using the SMART goal method. This method will allow you to take those vague ideas and transform them into reality.

SPECIFIC: The goals must specifically state what is to be accomplished. They must be easily understood and should not be ambiguous or subject to interpretation. For example, rather than stating you would like to improve your fitness level, set a specific goal to be able to run a mile in 12 minutes.

MEASURABLE: The goals must be measureable so that there is no doubt about whether you achieved them. Measurable goals also allow you to evaluate your progress. Goals can be measured objectively or subjectively (i.e., how you feel and look), or both. For example, you could measure your percent body fat and body weight, but also monitor how your pants fit.

ATTAINABLE: The goals must be attainable—not too difficult or too easy. Easy goals do not motivate, and overly difficult ones may frustrate you and lead to a perception of failure.

RELEVANT: The goals must be relevant or pertinent to your particular interests, needs and abilities. For example, when preparing for a 5K walk, running quarter-mile sprints would not be the best approach

TIME-BOUND: The goals must be time-bound by specific deadlines for completion. Timelines can be both short-term and long-term and should help you stay focused and on track.

*Courtesy of ACEfitness.org

I think these are great things to remember when we set goals. As I read on OhSheGlows’s blog the other day:

 “If you only do what you know you can do- you never do very much.” Tom Krause

Setting goals will help us do the things we don’t think we can do. What are you current goals?

I have one quick food idea to share from the weekend. I wanted a quick pasta dish on Saturday after work and grocery shopping, so I threw together a quick Mediterranean Pasta. It had the following items:

• Whole Wheat Pasta (1 serving cooked)
• 6 large olives chopped (I used kalamta and green)
• 2 Tbsp chopped onion
• 1/2 cup chopped spinach
• 1 roasted Roma tomato chopped
• 1 artichoke heart marinated in light Italian Dressing* chopped
• Some Greek Seasoning blend
• 2 Tbsp Reduced Fat Feta Cheese

Toss together and serve. It was fully of healthy oils and tasted amazing. It only took about 15 minutes to throw together too!

*I buy canned Artichoke hearts in water and when I get them home, I transfer them into a jar with 1/3 cup Fat Free Italian Dressing. They are cheaper that way, and I know what is in the marinade.

My husband and I have enjoyed a lazy weekend around the house. I even managed to fit a craft project in! Now it’s time to kick my ass in gear for the week, I’m off to the gym.

Happy Monday? :/ That doesn’t really work, does it?

Conference Take-aways

 

Yesterday I blogged about my Conference Downfalls, today I want to blog about my conference take-aways. I attended a 2 day conference for the Vacation Rental Management Association. I promise, I’m not going to share with you how to run a Maintenance Department for a Vacation Rental Company although that is what I do and I did learn a lot of helpful stuff.

One of the sessions I attended was for Customer Service. It was focused on how your attitude impacts your customer service. We spoke about who our customers are, in our business we have 3 main ones…we have the vacation home renter, the vacation home owner and the owner of the company. These 3 customers can not always be made happy at the same time although that is what we strive for.

I swear, I have a point that has to do with health and wellness coming up really soon.

During a lull in the presentation my mind started to wander to the blog and to what I was missing on Twitter and Facebook and in a dream like state (you know you’ve been there in conferences before) my mind started to blend what the presenter was saying with my thoughts and I pondered the following:

“Who is MY customer? Not my company’s, but mine.”

The answer, is me. I am my own customer and owner. If I have a complaint, it’s my fault, it’s up to me to fix it. No one is going to give me a refund. No one is going to credit me back the pounds that I gain when I have a bad week. And some times, I will have to make a choice that will not make me happy.

Like when I turned down the bread and butter at lunch, but then fell victim to the dessert cart. Both choices made me unhappy and happy in totally different ways. Ok, I am derailing…sorry.

So I began to apply parts of the presentation to the customer service of myself. 2 key points stuck out:

“Think about ‘can do’s’ instead of ‘can’t do’s'.” This will effect your interactions with others (or yourself) in these key ways:

1. Resiliency  - When faced with obstacles such as changes in your schedule or unsupportive people, you are more able to stick with your plan.

2. Enthusiasm and Energy – A positive attitude generates enthusiasm about what you do.

If we focus on the things we can control, on the exercises we can do, the changes we can make and stick with, instead of the things we can’t the rest will slowly fall into place.

The 2nd point that stuck out to me was the following quote:

“Today’s exceptions become tomorrows expectations.”

That quote will help me to remember that while it is alright to treat myself occasionally, today’s exception (or treat) can not become tomorrow’s expectation. Think about how easily that happens. You have a stressful day, you reach for a piece of candy, then that becomes your mind’s expectation during every stressful situation.

After this presentation and taking away as much as I did, personally and professionally, I did the only respectable thing. I bowed out of the conference early, before the last session and went for a run.

Although I was prepared for the conference, I had healthy snacks in my purse, I still made poor choices. However, I won’t let today’s exceptions become tomorrow’s expectations.

The conference is now over and I have today off from work. In honor of Earth Day, I think I am going to spend the day outside!

Lighthouse 10k Race Recap

 

The morning started out with my usual pre-run breakfast. Coffee and toast with jam. I packed a Luna Lemon Zest bar to eat about an hour before the race on the car ride to Oak Island.

When we got there, the wind was KICKIN’! It was kinda cool out too. I guess that made me channel my inner Brett Michaels. TIP: Don’t put your bib on in the car, it will be crooked.

It was a point to point race, so we loaded up on trolleys to go to the finish line. I rode over with my friend Kelly who did the 5k.

The first mile was over the Oak Island Bridge. It was a slight incline, but nothing like the Ocean Isle Beach Bridge which I crossed twice during the OIB Run for Food in January. The view from the bridge is amazing. I realized I was doing pretty well coming down the other side of the bridge and was holding steady within a 9 minute mile until about mile 2.

We wound and wound through some neighborhoods and by the first water stop I was starting to feel a little tired. The water and a good song on the Ipod got me moving again. It was right about this point where we round a curve and saw ocean. It was a beautiful day and the wind had either slowed to a cool breeze or just felt great at that point. I continued to look to my right and at the ocean whenever I felt the urge to slow down or stop. It kept me distracted for awhile.

Around mile 3, we were at the 5k’ers starting point. This is where I really started to struggle. I walked for a bit, but never for long and just kept trucking.

Right at 4.5 miles, I felt it. Someone had set my legs in concrete and then set them in a Jell-O mold. That’s the only way to explain it. I felt like I weighed 1,000lbs. I ran as much as I could, but walked fast when I needed to. The sun was directly in my face and I was covered in sand.

When I saw the 5 mile marker, I knew it was the home stretch and this helped me push forward. I finished in 66 minutes and 41 seconds. I couldn’t have been happier or more exhausted crossing that finish line!

I am so proud of myself. The goal I had in my head, that I never expected to achieve, was 66 minutes. I will totally take 66:41 as a BIG WIN for me!

My friends Kelly and Jen ran their 5ks and both did VERY well! Jen even placed 3rd in her age group! I am so proud of both of them!

I don’t know how so many runners have such beautiful pictures after or even before races. I always look like a hot mess! However, I am proud of that messy hair and that sweat! I earned it!

With my first 10k now complete, and my work schedule not really allowing me to run any more races until the fall, I am already itching to do another one. It’s going to be a LONG summer!

Here is my playlist, although honestly, I know music was on while I was running…but I don’t really remember listening to it. I was just focused on every step.

 

I think it’s time to go nap by the pool! See y’all later! Go run! :)

My Whys & Wherefores

Yesterday Jack Sh*t, Gettin' Fit asked us to tell him the Why & Wherefores of our recent weight loss journeys. Some of the questions really made me stop and think...so I wanted to answer them publicly because even though it's been over a year since I made this lifestyle change, I am nowhere near having it dialed in.


Why do you suppose you let your life be less than you imagined it to be?

I wasn't unhappy when I was fat. I was totally ok, most of the time, being the chubby friend. I had been that person for so long and had tried to lose weight so many times before, I never imagined I could be anything else.


Why do you stumble so often despite all your good intentions?

Quite simply, because I'm a klutz.


Why do you sabotage yourself?

I tend to sabotage myself when I'm in a panic for some reason or overly stressed. I use overindulgence of food and even alcohol sometimes to numb my feelings instead of just embracing them and dealing with them. It's something I'm working on.


Why are you here anyway?

Because blogging keeps me accountable. I don't want to tell the 67 subscribers to my blog that I ate 2 double cheeseburgers on the way home from the grocery store before cooking dinner. I didn't do that recently, that is just an example of my past behavior.


If you’re making it, if you’re succeeding on this weight-loss journey, tell me why this time is different than all the others. Why are you going to make it this time when you’ve fallen short before? Why are you going to keep it off this time when you’ve gained it back before?

I choose to make it different. I choose to do the work, eat the right foods and take care of myself. If I don't choose to make it different, it won't be. That, and I'm actually enjoying myself this time around. I found that I love running, fitness and cooking healthy foods. I made the lifestyle change fit my life instead of revamping my whole life to fit the lifestyle change. I swear that made sense in my head.


Why are you a different person now than you were before?

The past year has changed the way I think about things. It's changed my personality, it's given me the confidence to say "I can accomplish the goals that I set for myself". Confidence is a powerful thing. Something I never had before.

I think it's important to acknowledge the fact that this will never be easy. I will always have to make an effort to be active and not eat too much. I think knowing that, accepting the fact that there is no magic quick fix and accepting the fact that if I stop, the weight will come back helps to me keep me going.

And since I'm answering questions today, here are some I've gotten on Formspring. Remember you can ask me anything!


How long did it take for you to build up your mileage / speed?

I started running in May of 2009, it's March of 2010. I feel like I still have quite a ways to go. I think it's important to stress that I still take short walk breaks as needed for 30 seconds to 1 minute to catch my breath.

how do you warm up before a run?

Good question! Let me preface that I was "taught" to run, this is just my warm up. I usually walk at a brisk pace for about 5 minutes, then stretch, and then I run. I start at a slow pace and then gradually pick up speed as my muscles warm up.

What things make you the happiest?

Running, my dog Chaser, my family and friends and really good food (in no particular order) :)



Ok, that's enough of the inside of my head for one day! Time to go try to get a run in before hitting the town to run errands. Oh joy. :)

Major Tom to Ground Control

5'ish something o'clock wake up, Day 2: 5:40am.

I've been awake approximately 15 minutes. Today is not as smooth as yesterday. It's not bad. I just feel a little spacey. I didn't go to bed early enough last night, I may have hit snooze 3 times this morning. I'm going to try and stick with it though, on my work out days at least. I get to have coffee twice this way.

Weigh-in, 164.2, +2.3

It's bad news this week kids. I kind of saw it coming. First there was the food and booze festival that visiting my family always turns into and this week I couldn't get control of the snack monster. He sat on my shoulder almost every night this week "You know you want pudding, a graham crackers, and chocolate oh and don't forget some granola and yogurt!"

You know what though? I made a lot of positive changes this week, so I don't mind, I'm just going to focus on those.

1. I ran over 8 miles while visiting my family, I didn't quit my exercise just because I was on a mini-break.
2. I cooked some amazing food this week.
3. I found that waking up earlier means a better run!

So, I refuse to look at this as a bad week, even with the gain.

I have another recipe to share with you guys! Last night I made a Turkey Sausage & Lentil Pasta Stoup. It's stick to your ribs hearty and yummy! It's not very pretty to look at (I think that was this week's theme!) but it's comfort food to the MAX!




Turkey Sausage & Lentil Pasta Stoup

POINTS® Value: 8
Servings: 2

Ingredients

4 oz Louis Rich Smoked Turkey Sausage, chopped
1/8 cup(s) onion(s), diced
1/8 cup(s) carrot(s), chopped
1/3 cup(s) canned diced tomatoes
2 tsp garlic clove(s), minced
1 tsp black pepper
2 tsp Italian seasoning
1 tsp crushed red pepper flakes
2 tsp table salt
3 oz Barilla Whole Grain Rotini
1/2 cup(s) dry lentils, rinsed and drained
2 cup(s) fat-free chicken broth, save 1/2 cup for later!

Instructions

Brown sausage in a sauce pan, add onion and cook until translucent. Add carrot and garlic and saute for 2-3 minutes.

Add chicken broth, rinsed lentils, diced tomatoes and seasonings. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat to a simmer and cover, allow to cook for 40-45 minutes or until lentils are fork tender.

Add pasta, remaining 1/2 cup of chicken broth and cook for an additional 20-25 minutes until pasta is tender.

I served with a sprinkle of Parmesan cheese. So tasty!

It's my last official weekend off and I think the husby and I are going to be lazy. We may go see Alice in Wonderland in 3D and I know some rented movies are on the plan. I will also FINALLY go to the grocery store! I miss fresh fruit and produce! However, as of tomorrow I will have made it 2 weeks without a single trip to the grocery store. I feel like I need a tee shirt. :)

I guess that's all she wrote! I have a date with some weights.

What are you big plans for the weekend?

Hi 5:15am. Nice to meet you.

Those who know me well know I love sleep. I love sleep so much I could marry it. I love to flip my pillow to the cool side, sigh contentedly as I drift back to sleep after the alarm goes off and I've hit snooze for the 3rd time.

However, when it comes to my morning runs this often leads to me being pressed for time, rushing out the door and not properly warming up or stretching. On Sundays I wake up at least 1 hour before I want to begin my run. I eat some toast and jam, drink a cup of coffee and really wake up before I head out for my run. I decided to apply this to a week day run, that meant waking up at...

5:15am

Wow. The only time I get up before 6am is if travel is involved. This morning I only hit snooze once at 5am and then got out of bed at 5:15. My coffee was brewing, I made some toast and I sat down and watched the news. I caught up on some blog reading, played around on facebook. Then, after I finished my toast, I cleaned up the house a little, I was full of energy and it was 6:15, time to run. It was raining, so I headed to the gym and...



pounded out an AWESOME run! I felt better, ran harder, had enough time to warm up...it was as good as my Sunday runs. I can't wait to see what happens to me this afternoon and this evening...will I crash? I guess I'll have to wait and see, but if it means running well and feeling good, I think 5:15am and I might just become friends.

I don't know if you noticed a new edition to the side of my blog right over there --> but I've jumped on the FormSpring wagon. Feel free to ask me anything either by using the box provided or clicking here. I'm not at all interesting though...you've been warned. :)

Last night's dinner of crockpot BBQ chicken was tasty, but not really worth the calories, so I'm not sharing it. I'm looking forward to modifying tonight's dinner. It's a recipe I found for Lentil & Sausage Soup. I tend to like my lentil soup more stew like than soup like but I love the idea of putting pasta in it. I'm also going to use Smoked Turkey Sausage as well. Yummy! We'll see what it becomes. I still haven't had to break down and go to the grocery store. I haven't been in almost 2 weeks! Yay for pantry items! I really miss fresh fruit and produce though, I'm officially (aside from some carrots) out.

Ok, I need a new run mix so I want to know...What is your "Get Pumped" song?

Right now, what's been working for me is Korn - Freak on a Leash

Everyone has one...a song that comes on and you can't help but feel amped up and ready to go. No matter how silly...I want to know! Please share! :)

Rare Saturday Post

Ok, I know I don't normally post on Saturdays, but I'm having a "Holy Crap" moment.

My husband randomly said "Let's go to the thrift store". That alone was the shock of my day, he hates shopping, until I got to the store and found this really cute coat when I first walked in. I was bummed to see a "EXPRESS (already not usually my size) 7/8" on the label, but I wanted to try it on anyway thinking "One day, it might work". Well, guess what?



It totally fits. :) *happy dance*

This feels more like me.

Happy Thursday Folks!

I feel more like me today. :)

Cracking jokes, smiling, laughing, talking...it feels good to be back.

I want to thank every single one of you that had encouraging words for me yesterday. You have no idea how much I needed to hear them and how much they helped me. I am so grateful for every one of you and you all helped to get me back to my good spirits.



Oh, my bad...was Rob Pattinson in there? Gosh, I'm sorry. I don't know how he found his way into my Thank You. So strange...

Last night I had a tasty dinner! I made a variation of the Weight Watcher's recipe for Italian Sausage and Pepper pasta.



I'm not going to retype the recipe because I didn't change it much and I don't want to take credit for it, all I did was add some chopped asparagus and chopped fresh spinach. It was very filling and very yummy! I have the leftovers for my lunch. Tonight I'm making Chicken Souvlaki Pitas!

I had a pretty good run this morning. It was on the treadmill. I am growing to hate the treadmill. I used to prefer it to running outside, but now it's just the opposite. I had good speed on the treadmill though and that I like. :)



Tomorrow is my official weigh-in and you know what, I don't care if I'm up. I over ate this week, big deal. I still worked out when I was supposed to, logged everything I ate, even the bad stuff and I made it through the week without killing anyone. I will reign in my eating, I always do. This will not be a set-back. I call that a huge success.

I made this JibJab video yesterday to make me smile. This is what the husband and I would look like if we were bobble head figure skaters. :)

Personalize funny videos and birthday eCards at JibJab!

Ok, time to actually get some work done. I am so happy it's Thursday! So happy in fact I sang a cheesy song at the top of my lungs on the way to work. I sang "I wanna know what love is....I want you to show me!" You know the one. What's your favorite Monster Car Ballad? :)

It’s officially official!

It’s officially official! I am registered for the Oak Island Lighthouse 10k, that I have already been training for! The race is on April 17th. It goes over the Oak Island bridge, another high rise style bridge and winds through Oak Island. I am excited for this race, not only because it’s my first 10k, but because two of my friends will be participating in the 5k!

Jen	Kelly

It’s Jen’s first 5k race and Kelly’s return to races! I am so proud of both of them and I know having them there will keep me motivated! How could I not have fun with these two around? And if I drop somewhere in the middle, two people will be at the end wondering where I am and will hopefully pick me up on their way home! :)

I ran this morning...don't lecture. My knees felt fine, it was mostly just the bending action that was causing me pain. They are a little tender since the run, but nothing major and I'm wearing flats today to be a little kinder to my legs in general...actually, I'm wearing my awesome furry boots that I got in Greensboro, remember them? Here's my run stats, not terrible...



It felt pretty good. My next scheduled run is a 4 mile training run on Sunday. I'm going to try it, but I will stop if I have any pain. Tomorrow is some more 30 Day Shred, I moved up to Level 2 on Monday. That DVD kicks my ass. Period.

I think that's it for today! I am making a big taco salad for dinner and I'm really excited about it!

What has been your favorite meal that you have had this week?

I love a rainy day.

It's a very rainy, gray day here in coastal North Carolina. I love a good rainy day though. I think the rainy days make the sunny days seem brighter.

Last night I made a very yummy dinner! Since I finished up my Meatless Monday meal for lunch (I made it on Sunday this week) I wanted something quick and easy for dinner. I had some cooked chicken in the freezer from last week, so I decided to utilize it for a recipe I got in an Eat Better America email. If you don't get these, you should really sign up for them. They are full of really great "healthified" recipes!

Mexican Kiwi Tostadas is the recipe I chose and of course, changed it up a bit.



Ingredients

3 item(s) Mission White corn tortillas
2 medium kiwifruit
1 tsp McCormick Ground cumin
1/2 tsp crushed red pepper flakes
1/8 tsp table salt
1/4 cup(s) fat-free sour cream
2 Tbsp Ortega Picante sauce, medium
1 oz Sargento Reduced fat mexican blended shredded cheese
5 1/2 oz cooked chicken breast
1 cup(s) spinach, chopped

Instructions

1. In a bowl combine cumin, crushed red pepper and salt. Sprinkle on chopped chicken breast.
2. Coat corn tortillas with nonstick cooking spray and place in oven at 400 degrees for 10-15 minutes turning once, until crisp.
3. In a small bowl combine sour cream and 2 Tbsp Picante sauce. Spread mixture onto warm tortillas. Top with spinach, kiwi, chicken and cheese, top with a spoonful of additional picante if desired.

What resulted was a wonderful combination of flavors! This will be a keeper for sure! I enjoyed mine with a Woodchuck Draft Cider. It's made in Vermont...just like me! :)



This morning, I had a great run! For my training, I was to run for 25-30 minutes. I ran 30.



Followed by a Blueberry, Banana & Spinach smoothie! I'm trying to get into this whole Green Monster Movement because the benefits are amazing. I have to say, I didn't even taste the spinach! It tasted like a Blueberry, Banana and Vanilla Soy smoothie. I'm not completely doing the green smoothie thing, but...baby steps.

Finally, I want to share Weight Watcher's Tip of the Week, I found it very applicable to myself and I think you will too.

"Take each disappointment that comes your way as feedback. Learn from each experience, revamp as necessary and move onto a better frame of mind."

Have you learned anything recently from your experiences?

With that, Happy Tuesday!

I awoke to a dancing mouse...

This morning, despite my very best efforts to sabotage myself and stay in bed for a few extra minutes, I made it up for my run!



I ran inside, on the treadmill because the wind was kicking and COLD this morning. It was a good run, I felt good and once I got started I ran the whole time.

I think part of the reason I made it out of bed was the song that was on the radio when my alarm clock went off. "I believe in miracles...since you came along, you sexy thing..." you all know the tune. It got stuck in my head and I started thinking about this video I'd gotten years ago in an email with a mouse dancing to the song. By the time all that had went through my head, I was awake and new I wasn't going back to sleep anyway so I got up and ran. Because I know you're interested and if you're not, I don't care, I'm going to share the video because I love it! :)



If you haven't seen my Meatless Monday post from last night for the Black Bean Cakes with Avocado Butter, be sure to take a look, it's a keeper for sure! I enjoyed 1 bean cake on an Arnold Sandwich Thin with a little Avocado butter for lunch yesterday so it makes a great 1st and 2nd time around meal. Always a bonus!

I'm still doing well this week with tracking, even the stuff I don't want to track. The extra bites of this and that while cleaning up the kitchen and what not. I'm hopeful to keep it going in the right direction for the rest of the week.

How were you active today?

Get off your ass! Here's your motivation!

Yesterday I shared one of my new favorite quotes with you and asked for you guys to give me some quotes in return. I got some really great ones. I had a 2 mile run scheduled for last night that I totally wanted to skip. The quotes I read gave me the motivation I needed to just go run! So, get off your ass! Here's some motivation!

Heather shared - "Brick walls are there for a reason. They give us a chance to show how badly we want something." -Randy Pausch

Kylie shared - "Reach for the moon. Even if you miss, you will land among the stars". Unknown

Elaine shared - "Beyond the very extreme of fatigue and distress, we may find amounts of ease and power we never dreamed ourselves to own, sources of strength never taxed at all because we never push through the obstruction." William James (she shared 3 amazing quotes, but this one was my favorite)

Shannon shared - "The future is no place to place your better days." Dave Matthews Band (I LOVE this one...of course, I love DMB)

Thank you ladies for giving me motivation and inspiration for yesterday and a blog entry I can look back on for motivation for the future!

The weather is still awful in NC, well, it's sunny, but it's 30 degrees. I am going to look for some cold weather running gear tonight, thanks to everyone's recommendations, I think I know what I'm looking for!


Yesterday was another on-point day! I wanted to hit the ground running in 2010 and I think I'm doing it. Hopefully the momentum pendulum will continue to swing positively!

Deep Thoughts

"I am motivated simply by my awareness of the impact today's actions have on tomorrow's circumstances." Chase Streetman

I found that quote today and it honestly moved me. It made me think about why I push myself to eat well and exercise. I think it's my new motto. I know now that if I take care of my body that it will take care of me in turn. This is something that I have learned over the past year.

This quote doesn't only apply to health and wellness, but it also applies to our relationships to others, our jobs, almost anything.

I think our ultimate goal should be to better tomorrow's circumstances by changing our actions today.

Have you ever had a quote or comment just kind of make you pause and think?

With a little help from my friends...

Welcome to 2010 everyone! I hope it's going well for you so far! For me? It couldn't be better!

Jeff and I had our friends Jeff (yep, there's 2 of them) and Kelly over for New Year's eve. They arrived with their overnight stuff because we didn't want anyone drinking and driving.



We had some good food choices to go with all the booze. I made the WeightWatcher's Festive Feta Spread which I served with some homemade crostini. It was really delicious, but I do recommend making it the night before because the longer it sits to blend, the better it tastes!

Then, the drinking began!



My sister had gotten me these beer bands for Christmas 2008, we used them to mark our levels of intoxication.

I was quite proud of my last minute decorations, I think I put together a cute presentation. Even though it was just going to be the 4 of us, I wanted it to be a fun night!



We talked about the past year, the past decade and shared stories, achievements and failures. We laughed, we drank and drank some more. At midnight we used Skype to call our dear friend (and Kelly's sister) Katie who recently moved to Orlando. It was nice to be able to celebrate the turning of the new year with her, we miss her so much!



Even Chaser got a little carried away in the moment!



I rang in 2010, somewhat healthy (if you exclude the booze), safely (I didn't even leave my house) and with some amazing friends. It made me feel good to be with people (even by way of videoconferencing) that mean so much to me.

On New Year's Day my Mom came down to visit and she'll be spending the rest of the weekend with us. We had our Christmas with her last night and my family continues to surprise me with their generosity and love for me and also for The Hubs. I am truly humbled and I consider myself a very lucky girl to have such amazing family and friends in my life.

So, on this, the 2nd day of 2010 I am feeling very grateful for all I have been given in my life. This is the breath of life. This is what it's all about. I think we lose sight of that from time to time when we get caught up in the day to day.

As the song goes "I get by with a little help from my friends..."