Meal Planning vs. Whole Foods

Yesterday was a great Monday (which doesn’t happy a lot, right?)!  It was announced at work that I would be receiving a promotion, my coworkers brought in Glazed and Infused donuts and I scored free Cubs tickets from my super generous co workers for tonight’s game vs. the Pirates.  I wish every week could start out as well as yesterday did!

Since work started off so well, the day flew by.  On my lunch break, I had the chance to spend some time outside and stop by a local Starbucks for a mid-day treat.  Instead of bringing it right back to the office, I took some time to plan out my meals for the week.

Meal Plan:

Monday: Chicken, sweet potato fries and salad

Tuesday: Balsamic salmon, quinoa and asparagus

Wednesday: Turkey tacos

Thursday: Out to dinner – fundraising event

Friday: Shrimp fra diavolo

Saturday: Chopped salads

Sunday: Take out/wing it

Lately I have been super disappointed in the produce that has been at my local Trader Joe’s.  I have been reading lots of bloggers posts on meal planning and was surprised to see that some of them were able to score just as much produce/goods for the week at Whole Foods as they were if they would have shopped at Trader Joe’s.  Could this be?  I had to try it myself.  With the plan above, here was my list for the week:

Produce:

• Lettuce (Organic)
• Tomatoes (Organic)
• Cucumber (Organic)
• Bell Peppers (Organic)
• Asparagus
• Avocado (2)
• Sweet Potatoes (2) (Organic)
• Lemons (2)
• Limes (2)
• Jalapenos (4)
• Bananas

Meat:

• Eggs (Organic)
• Chicken (Organic)
• Ground Turkey (Organic)

Frozen

• Shrimp

Dairy

• Greek yogurt (Organic)
• Cheddar Cheese

Canned

• Tomato Paste (Organic)
• Crushed Tomatoes (Organic)
• Diced Tomatoes (Organic)

Bread

• Qunioa Pasta
• Gluten Free Cinnamon Raisin Bread

Grand Total: $81.44

Not too shabby!! I have easily spent that much if not more at Trader Joe’s.  I was really happy with my loot and glad I took the time to plan the week ahead so that I will have enough for dinners and leftovers for lunch.  So what was the secret?  Staying on the ‘parameter’ of the grocery store allowed me to steer clear of overpriced processed foods that I just did not need!

Last nights dinner – BIG WIN.

After I got home from the grocery store, I spent a lot of time on my yoga mat stretching.  Sunday after my run, I used my Zensah compression sleeves to help aid my recovery and I swear they work wonders.  According to their website, here are the benefits that come with compression:

 

(Yes, my left foot is bigger than my right foot)

Enhanced blood circulation as a result of improved venous return.
The deoxygenated blood goes back to the heart faster, which in turn helps to improve blood flow of oxygen rich blood back to the body.

Faster recovery following strenuous exercise and improved performance by aiding in the removal of blood lactate.
Reducing blood lactate concentration during maximal exercise bouts, allows for an increased lactic threshold. Studies have shown that athletes with a high lactate threshold perform better.

Enhanced warm-up via increases in skin temperature.

Reduced muscle oscillation/vibration upon ground contact, providing stability to the muscle help prevent microtrauma to the muscles, making for a faster and easier recovery.

Reduced effects of delayed onset muscle soreness in the days following strenuous exercise through alleviating swelling and inflammation.

Increased muscle support, which increases performance through improved muscle efficiency.

Improved leg power and vertical jump through enhanced proprioception.

Although I do not use my compression sleeves after every workout, I do try and make a point to use them after or during my long runs – ESPECIALLY when I am increasing mileage gradually.  It may be a mental thing as well, but I just FEEL better when I slip them on after my shower – the same kind of comfort you get after taking an ice bath.  PLUS, they come in a variety of fun colors which I am a huge fan of.

Do you use compression garments? 

Of possible interest:

Lunch al Desko: Upgrade Your Midday Meal

Hilton Head Recap: Activities

Good morning, friends!

I’m back in Chicago from my week long vacation at Hilton Head Island.  It was an absolutely amazing trip and I can’t wait to share my recaps with you – Activities & Food.

There are different types of vacationers… those who like to take tours and have their days planned out for them hour-by-hour, those who just like to relax and see where the day takes them and those who are a mixture of both.  I tend to be the kind that takes the day as it comes, but one thing I do like to plan out are my weekly workouts/activities.  For me, vacation is not an excuse to skip the exercise, it is a chance to embrace it – especially when you are going somewhere with great weather!  Here was the breakdown of my week:

Sunday: Walking on the beach

Monday: 2 Mile run & strength

Tuesday: Vaca 5k (yes, this was an actual thing)

Wednesday: Yoga in the a.m. – Tennis with Dad in the p.m.

Thursday: 3.5 mile run

Friday: Tennis with Dad & Biking

As I mentioned in my last post, my family stayed at the Marriott Surf Watch resort on the island.  I am totally biased towards Marriott resorts/hotels.  The customer service is amazing, the amenities are great, the beds are to die for and they always have a ton of great activities scheduled for the week.

Each day, the staff at Surf Watch had a list of fitness related activities you could participate in as well as social activities.  The two fitness activities I participated in were the Vaca 5k with my dad and the Yoga with my mom.

Both were great and the staff that lead the events were so friendly and enthusiastic.  My mom was a big fan of all of the water aerobics and water strength classes – she took a class every morning – way to go, mom 😉

Some of the more social activities we went to were Brats, Brews and Bonfires – Craft Beer tastings and grilled brats and the daily happy hours at the Sea Salts Bar by the beach – obviously.

 

 

Besides the events Marriott had available to us, the island is full of all sorts of great activities.  There are tennis courts on every corner, lots and lots of bike and running paths, golf courses galore, paddle boarding and so much more.  Any of these activities are a great way to get in some daily exercise 🙂

For me, it is really essential that I plan these in advance so that I am more motivated to do them.  Also, if you are on vacation with family or friends, it is great to get them involved as well.  Workout buddies are the best!  Ta Ta for now!

 

My Health – Mind, Body & Spirit

When people generally proclaim they want to become healthier, most automatically think of fitness and nutrition.  There are so many factors that go into being ‘healthy’ that it is interesting to sit down and review day-by-day what you do to achieve this goal.  For me, nutrition and fitness are major factor in my healthiness, but so is my mental well being, my relationships and my spirit.  Now i’m not about to get all spiritual with you, but I would like to share some of the things that I do daily to try and improve my health as well as things I need to work on.

Things I already do… (sans fitness and nutrition)

Treat myself to massages

This can definitely become an expensive habit, but I only schedule them two or three times a year.  Some of the nicer gyms in my area have spa’s that are actually really affordable and have excellent service.  At my company, we try to schedule free 15 minute massages for our employees during stressful times of the year like our software regression testing.

Read

Books, blogs, magazine articles, you name it.  I love making a french press early on a Saturday morning, chilling with Bailey on the couch and reading.  Growing up, the t.v. was never on before noon on the weekends, not because it was forbidden, but because my parents really loved enjoying the mornings.

Turn off the lights and listen to music

I found this especially relaxing when I had roommates.  Just make sure to set an alarm or something because you may or may not fall asleep 🙂

Take long hot showers

I won’t post a picture of this one 😉

This is not necessarily good for the environment, but it is good for the soul from time to time.  I’m not really a bath person, but if you are I’m sure the same would work here.

Take Bailey for walks

This goes along the lines of exercise, but I LOVE LOVE LOVE the location of my apartment right next to the lake.  It’s something that would be really hard for me to give up.  Taking Bailey on walks on early summer mornings when the sun is just rising over the lake with light pink touches – love.  You will never find me living in the Wicker Park/Bucktown area for this sole reason.  What path would I run on?! 😉

Uncork a bottle of “whine” with my friends

Does this need an explanation?  Not only is wine delicious, but the feeling of venting to your closest friends is exhilarating.

Things I need to work on…

Disconnecting

I would guess about 99% of us are guilty of this.  Checking phones during dinner, WHILE watching t.v., or while we lay in bed.  I used to sleep with my phone in my bed.  Now I leave it in another room so I am not tempted to check it before I go to bed or right when I wake up.  I’m leaving for Hilton Head Island tomorrow and am going to try and ‘disconnect’ as much as possible – especially from work.  But you will still see a few blog posts from me!

Meditation

Sitting in a room for an extended period of time totally quiet and focused is really hard for me, but definitely something I want to get better at.

Focusing on one thing

I tend to have brain A.D.D. sometimes.  I’ll start cleaning the kitchen and then I’ll remember that I have to to a laundry and then I’ll remember that I need to email my mom.  The list can go on, but this would definitely become a lot easier if I could also master the whole meditation thing.

Getting up earlier so I don’t rush out the door for work

Waiting until the last minute to get into the shower is my forte.  Unless, I workout in the morning.  Which will become a lot easier when it is above 30 degrees outside and not so dark and scary!

Volunteering

Although I do participate in my BvB: Tackling Alzheimer’s Fundraiser each year, I really want to make a commitment to reach out to my community more in 2014.  Helping other people is a great sense of self-worth and self-esteem.

The point of this is a lot of us, especially women, forget to prioritize our ‘self care’ – whatever that may be.  We either put work, or our kids, or our busy schedules first and don’t take time to stop and enjoy ourselves.  It is so very important to do this not only to feel good on the inside, but to radiate a sense of confidence.  I encourage each and every one of your to make a list like mine and see what you can do to improve your mental, physical and spiritual health.

Happy Friday, everyone 🙂

Fads/Trends I Never Got Into…

Yesterday I was asked by someone I know how I lost all my weight, specifically what trends/fads I followed.  While we all know that there is no miracle to weight loss, there are some fads that come to mind that just never stuck with me.

Overnight Oats

When I first made the commitment to myself to start losing weight and getting back in shape, all of the food/fitness bloggers that I followed were making ‘overnight oats’.  Put some oats and milk in a mason jar or leftover peanut butter jar – add some delicious toppings – throw it in the fridge and pull it out the next morning!  Sounds great right?  Well… A. I’m not really an oats kind of girl.  Nope – not me.  Give me some eggs, turkey bacon, protein pancakes, Greek yogurt and I am set.  B.  When I get home from the gym or soccer or drinks with friends… really the last thing I want to do before I go to bed is prep some oats.  All in all, I think I tried it once and it just didn’t stick with me.

Diet Shakes/Bars/Cereal

I had roommates in college who LOVED the Special K cereal and cereal bars.  Those tangy little strawberries really freak me out so I’ve always passed.  Also… Diet Shakes.  Ugh.  Why would you want to skip a meal and replace it with a shake?!  I can have a full breakfast spread that has twice the amount of nutrients for the same calories as one of those shakes.  Don’t get me wrong, I love a good protein shake after an intense workout – but I don’t replace that shake with a full meal.  That’s not a lifestyle I want to live – I love food too much!

The Fast Diet

Speaking of loving food… I have a few relatives and family friends on the “Fast Diet” and they have lost weight on it which is great! … but really?  Why limit yourself to only 500 – 600 calories one day and then blow it on another day?  I know some things work differently for other people, but this is on trend that will NEVER work for me.  Can you imagine going to the gym when you only consumed that little the whole day?  Yikes.

So what was the “secret” to my weight loss success?  HARD WORK DAMNIT!  🙂

No one can convince you what will and will not work for you, but there is no magic pill, shake, diet or cereal trend that will keep your weight down consistently.  You have to want to make the lifestyle change and you have to want it bad.  Get your butt in the gym at least 4-5 times a week and make sure you are eating balanced – nutrient rich – protein packed meals! I know you can do it!

Phew.  Enough motivation for today.  Back to the grind.

Yesterday was a crash course back into the real world – it’s amazing how many emails can accumulate in my work inbox for being gone only two days.  By the end of the work day I was exhausted from catching up I went immediately back home to relax.  Actually, I got a pleasant surprise when one of my best friends, Katie, was locked out of her apartment and had to take refuge in my home 🙂  It was fun catching up with her and cooking!

We made chicken fajitas and boy did they hit the spot.  Brian grilled up the Carne Asada chicken breasts from Trader Joe’s while my Katie sauteed some peppers and I prepped all the toppings.  TEAMWORK!

After we ate, cleaned home and Katie got back into her apartment it was time for Soccer.  Man – oh – Man was it a chilly game.  It was around 35 degrees when we played at 8:30 p.m. and we were right next to the lake which meant a great breeze haha.

Nevertheless, it was a great game and a good workout!  Late night soccer games always leave me so energized before bed, so the night ended with a little wrestling match with Bailey.

Until tomorrow, friends!

“Beat the Heat”, My Friends

Holy Hell it’s hot outside.  As I mentioned earlier, I was able to squeeze in a 4 mile run bright and early and I’m real glad I did because running outside the rest of this week would be quite hard.

I have a love hate relationship with running outside in the summer. I love the scenery, the amount of active people out and about and the fact that it stays light out for so long.

I do not appreciate the humidity, sunscreen dripping into my eyes and that inevitable chafing problem.

Here are some HOT TIPS to help you get through summer running:

Hydrate. Hydrate. Hydrate.

I don’t need to tell you this as it should be engraved in your brain, but you should be hydrating continuously throughout the day.  Try to fit in at least 16 ounces two hours before your run to ensure better performance.  Also, look into hydration options as you are running.  We all know I’m a huge advocated for the women’s hydro packs, but i’ve seen other runners with the hydration belts, or hand-held water bottles.  While your running in heavy heat, you should try and hydrate every 15 -20 minutes.  Also, this may be ‘TMI’ for some of you, but your urine is a huge indicator of how hydrated you are throughout the day.  I won’t post on this blog, but you can find shade calculators that tell you if you are in good shape or not!

Run with a sweat wicking hat or visor… plus sunscreen!

You can find light weight hats or visors at most department stores.  I believe I got my dri-fit hat from Target and it works wonders!

Get your run in extra early to “beat the heat”

I know.  It’s awful waking up at 5:00 a.m. and gearing up for a run.  If your more of a night runner, wait until the sun has set to go on your run.  My general rule of thumb is not to run between 10:00 a.m. – 4:00 p.m. during the summer months.

Run with a friend to keep you motivated

My running buddy is awesome, mostly because she has the ability to talk the entire run and keep me distracted.  Running buddies are also awesome because they help keep you motivated in times when you don’t want to work out!  If you find someone who has the same workout interests and goals, get on that buddy train and form a running schedule.  You will be so happy you did!

Carry some fuel and chafing gel

Ugh chafing.  You know it happens in all kinds of places.  Mine always gets me in my inner thighs and I just recently went out and bought some individual packs that I am carrying with me.  Spread it wherever you need it and bring it along with you so you can reapply if needed!  Also, I’m a big fan of Clif Shot Blocks for energy purposes and the hot sun can definitely be energy draining, so bring some fuel with you to keep you going!  If it’s a long run, you should be eating 2 or 3 of those blocks every 45 – 50 minutes.

Although it’s hard to remember to do all of these, the majority of them have really helped me in these hot months.

Work yesterday was quite eventful.  I started my day off with a morning Starbucks run and ordered a tall iced coffee with a splash of soy milk to wake me up!

The work portion of the day flew by as I have been so busy playing catch up with my inbox and other projects.

In the evening was our first event of kOlympics. Oh yes, my work has an Olympic series that lasts two weeks and ends with a family picnic next Saturday. The first event was “kCura’s got Talent” and while some kCurians did have legitimate talents like playing guitar or solving a rubix cube in 1 minute… Most teams took a rather humerus route.

We have an employee who’s talent was folding shirts really fast, someone who could cut up a peach to look like a swan and my favorite… Ribbon dancing.

My running buddy knocked it out of the park with her rendition of Pocahontas “Colors of the Wind”.  It was hilarious and awkwardly weird all the the same time.

Kuddos to Lindsay for such an impressive and heart felt performance! Haha.

The talent show lasted until about 7:00 p.m., so I headed home immediately after it was over to go make dinner and hang out with Bailey.

When I got home I wasn’t too too hungry, but my stomach was a little weird because I had so much sugary items at the talent show that I really needed something to balance it out.  Also, Brian had gone to Diane’s for dinner so I was a table for 1.

I opened my fridge/pantry, took a good look around and came up with this delicious creation:

Toasted whole wheat sourdough bread with pesto, arugula, sautéed mushrooms, tomatoes and Parmesan cheese.  With a side of sliced cucumbers of course.

This dish was super easy.  I stared with a handful of sliced mushrooms and threw them in a sautée pan with a little olive oil, salt and pepper.  While those were cooking, I got out the pre-made pesto I had on hand from Trader Joe’s as well as some arugula, Parmesan cheese and leftovers from the night before. Once the mushrooms were cooked, I slid them into a bowl spread some Smart Balance on the bread and toasted it in the same pan.

Once that was nice and toasty I layered my ingredients! A thin layer of pesto followed by the arugula, then mushrooms, tomatoes from the leftover and finally the cheese!

This was SO GOOD. Totally hit the spot and aided in my carbo loading for the race :). I think the next time I make it I will add a fried egg on top!

Bon Appetit, my friends!

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Running Motivation

Hello Hello!

We are officially 12 days away from the Half-Marathon. Ahhhhh.  I stumbled across an article yesterday that detailed  what runners should be doing/thinking leading up tho their big event.

I found it extremely interesting especially because it emphasizes how much of a mental game it is.  I’ve been searching the web (mainly pinterest) for motivational pictures, words and saying and plan on printing them all out and hanging them somewhere to get me pumped up for the race.  Here are some of my favorites:

The article can be found here, and is a seriously good read for any of you who have a little time off on your lunch break.

Yesterday I perused through the pages while eating this delicious bad boy…

That’s right, I hit up the BOA salad bar because there were absolutely no groceries left in our fridge.  This salad contained mixed greens, shredded carrots, radishes, egg, tomatoes, artichoke hearts, bell peppers, a little tabbouleh, roasted beets and a sprinkle of blue cheese.  All topped with a simple oil and vinegar dressing. SO good.

After work I had a few errands to run.  First up, taking Bailey to the vet to get her yearly shots 😦 We went to a new Vet Clinic that is super close to us called McKillip Animal Hospital and were thrilled with how friendly they were to us and especially how well they took care of Bailey! Bailey did such a good job, she’s always scared of getting weighed just like all the other dogs in the room.  Why is that? She has put on a whopping 8 lbs since we rescued her from PAWS which is awesome because she was way too skinny.

McKillip is a walk-in clinic, so no appointment was necessary but we were in and out of there in 20 minutes. It was awesome! Bailey was thrilled it didn’t take long either…

“Get me outta here!” 🙂

After the vet, Brian and I parted ways and I went to Trader Joe’s to stock up for the week.  Trader Joes is always crazy busy on Mondays… And they were out of lemons! My favorite!

I got a bunch of other great goodies though, including what I had planned for dinner! Fresh wild caught salmon and vegetable kabobs.

I threw together a quick marinade that consisted of balsamic vinegar, Dijon mustard, honey, salt, pepper and red pepper flakes.

My parents got me an indoor grill top for my birthday so it was a perfect reason to bust that out!

Everything was so fresh and delicious which as you know is my favorite kind of meal 🙂

Brian and I have been talking a lot about signing up for a race to do together.  One that he is interested in is the Spartan Race up in Milwaukee which looks really awesome.  I did some research on it last night and found that registration is like $120! Even with the discount codes I stumbled across.  The race in Milwaukee is considered a “sprint” obstacle meaning the course is only just over 3 miles.  I feel like for that distance… is it worth the money?  Thoughts?  Have you ever ran an obstacle race?  How much did it cost?

Busy Adulthood Syndrome

Hello, World!

Yesterday was a bit of a weird day for me.  The morning and afternoon went fine – standard as always.  For lunch I threw together a kale salad with fresh mozzarella cheese, cucumbers, peppers, carrots, a Dr. Preager’s veggie burger and a balsamic vinaigrette.

At about 3:00 p.m. I distinctly remember my heart beating really fast and mentally counting how many cups of coffee I had that day.  Only two.  What was my deal?  I went straight home after work, sat on the couch and was still dumbfounded as to why I felt so weird.  Bailey tried to give me some advice on what it might be…

But she was no help. After 20 minutes of just sitting… with no t.v. on and no one home it dawned on me.  Yesterday was the first day in literally 3 weeks where I didn’t have somewhere to be after work or something planned.  No BvB practice, no soccer, no dinner with friends, no work event… I could decide how I wanted my day to go.  Weird.  Honestly, I sat for a while and wondered if I should go to a bar and grab a drink by myself to celebrate this monumental occasion, but then I looked at my calendar and realized… alas!  I needed to run 5 miles as a part of my training plan 🙂  I instantly felt better and thought about that commercial that references “busy adulthood”.  Well I have an extreme case of that and I’m totally addicted!

The temperature outside on my run was perfect!  It was partly cloudy and in the mid-70’s – exactly how I hope the half-marathon will be (a girl can dream right)!  The run went by really fast – there were so many people out and about to keep me company I loved it!  When I left my apartment, I didn’t really map out a route like I usually do.  After my run, I looked at my running app and noticed that the route was kind of strange, but effective!  I will have to use it again for another 5 miler.

The run helped clear my mind and made me feel a lot more balanced than I did throughout the day.

Win.

For dinner I sauteed some zucchini and tomatoes and cooked some quinoa.  Brian was in charge of grilling the chicken.

It was a delicious summer meal.

After our bellies were full and the kitchen was clean, I watched t.v. on the couch with Bailey – it was a great day.

Getting Back on Track

It’s no surprise that the summer months are just as hard to stay on a healthy track as the winter months are.  With events such as BBQ’s, summer concerts, beer garden dining and frequent vacations surrounding me I find myself having to reevaluate how to get back on track every once in a while.

This past weekend was not too bad in terms of food, but I did not get many runs in as I normally do.  On top of that, right when I came home I started the 3-day SHRM Conference which runs from sun up to sun down practically.  This has left very little room for workouts and myself becoming completely dependent on the food choices that are available to me through the conference.

On Monday, our breakfast options where pretty much Starbucks or McDonald’s so I opted for a grande soy cappuccino and a Kind Bar since my other option was not in my favor.  At the SHRM conference, their sponsors are kind enough to provide boxed lunches, however, the first box lunch was anything but a crowd pleaser.  Giant Turkey and Cheese sandwiches that consisted of over-sized buns instead of delicious slices of protein.  This sandwich was accompanied by a bag of greasy potato chips and cookies.

At this point I was extremely hungry, but did not like the options that were put in front of me.  I ate the sandwich and gave away the chips and cookies to another attendee.  All of that food would have made me feel very uncomfortable sitting through 3 more hours of sessions.

Yesterday’s lunch was much better.  I opted for the ‘vegetarian’ box instead and got a Mediterranean salad with hummus, goldfish and some M&M’s.

The salad was not bad at all, in fact it was quite delicious and I was in dire need of some green food in my life!

At conferences they are always giving out free stuff at the Expos including pens, notepads, frisbees, and of course the crowd pleasing FOOD.  Candy, Cotton Candy, Brownies, Cupcakes – anything to get you to come over and talk to them about their product.  Our brains become trained to just take whatever is FREE because… why the heck not, it’s FREE!  These little munchies may seem little, but they add up so it has been important for me to keep track of exactly what I take so I can remember what I’m putting into my body.

The conference itself has been fabulous!  My favorite speaker thus far has been Blake Mycoskie, the founder and CEO of TOMS shoes.  His story was inspiring and emotional – plus he wasn’t too bad on the eyes either 😉

Last night after all the sessions were over, my co-workers and I went out to dinner before the Kelly Clarkson concert that was part of the conference!  We ordered some delicious grub and a few drinks to settle our hungry stomachs.

The concert was AWESOME.  I felt like I was at high school prom reciting all of the old school Kelly Clarkson songs.

She has an amazing voice I was so impressed with how she sounded live, especially because McCormick Place isn’t really a typical concert venue.

After the concert was over, we all filed out of the building like a herd of cattle and tried to snag a cab.  After 10 minutes of walking around the south loop – we finally caught one and were on our way home.

Today is the last day of the conference and I am both happy and sad about it.  Happy that I won’t have to commute to McCormick Place anymore, but sad because I have really enjoyed meeting new HR people and listening to all of the great speakers.  Plus, I am dreading going back to work and tackling all of the emails that have been coming into my inbox.  Gulp.

What I do know, is that it is time to get back on track for summer.  I have slotted my favorite run route tomorrow morning and cannot wait to get to it!  Here are some helpful tips on how to get yourself back on track after an indulgent week or weekend:

1. Schedule your favorite workout accompanied with your favorite healthy meal.  It’s a great way to kick off your mindset.
2. Stop feeling guilty!  I love the saying “1 bad meal won’t make you fat, just like 1 good meal won’t make you thin”
3. Make a new list of goals
4. Try to get a full 8 hours of sleep so that you feel rejuvenated and can tackle your new goals
5. Love yourself for taking the time to think about how to take care of your body and mind

Have a great Wednesday!

A Dash of This, A Splash of That and a Great Morning Run

Hola! Did you know that there is less than two weeks until summer?  Crazy.  Hope everyone has been motivated to stay on track to reach your summer fit goals! There is still time to get into a routine 🙂 Here are some helpful tips to get on track:

• Map out your workouts for the week -Things pop up unexpectedly everyday, but if you have a plan in mind before you start the day you are more likely to want to achieve your goal.
• Track your food – This really helped me in the beginning of my weight loss/fitness journey.  When you hold yourself accountable for what you put in your body throughout the day, you are guaranteed to see results 🙂
• Buy less snacks/desserts at the grocery store – Out of sight, out of mind.  When I’m really craving a dessert I try to opt for a healthy alternative like yogurt, honey and cinnamon or fresh fruit with a drizzle of almond butter!
• Tell your friends and family about your goals – If they are true friends, they will encourage your positive and healthy lifestyle and help you resist fatty or sugary indulgences.  Plus, if they are looking to get fit too, it is always great to have a workout buddy!

This morning I completed 4.5 miles as a part of my half-marathon training plan.  It was a beautiful run and I was so happy to see so many other runners out hitting the pavement with me.

I decided to run my route through the neighborhood instead of the lakeshore path because I had just run it on Sunday and wanted some scenic variety.  Plus, all of the turns and different streets keep things interesting so I’m less inclined to look down at my watch and see how far I’ve gone.

Once I got home, I whipped up some Greek yogurt with a scoop of protein powder, 1 tbsp. of organic honey and 1/2 tbsp. of almond butter.  I stirred it all together and added some fresh sliced up strawberries.

So delicious.  A perfect recovery treat.

Yesterday started with a big bowl of strawberries at work as well.  The day flew by in part because we had so many new hires start recently that it is definitely keeping the HR department busy. Fine by me considering its a four day week!

After work, I headed home to meet Brian so we could go to BvB practice together.  Since our game is NEXT WEEKEND, we have been bringing some male players to practice so we can get some good scrimmaging in.

Our walk over was very interesting.  One minute it was a clear day and then the next thing we knew, thick fog clouds were rolling in.

Yah, no joke.  You could barely see the field.

Despite the crazy fog, we had a really great practice and stayed out on the field until 8:30 p.m.!

By that time my stomach was growling loudly and I didn’t want to make something that would take a long time to cook.  After a few minutes of brainstorming Brian decided that he would grill up some chicken and I would throw together a big ol’ salad.

Into the bowl went chopped romaine lettuce, cucumbers, tomatoes, carrots, sweet bell peppers, avocado and some shredded mozzarella cheese.  Plus the chopped chicken, of course!  We topped the salad with a balsamic Dijon dressing that complimented the grilled chicken so well!

I could have eaten 3 of these!

For dessert: 1 brown rice, rice cake – a spread of plain Greek yogurt, a drizzle of honey and almond butter, a dash of cinnamon and a sprinkle of dark chocolate chips.

Ohhhh yahhhhhh.

Well, there is lots to do these next 3 days to prep for work and our wedding road trip.  Until tomorrow, friends!

Training & Turkey Burgers

Good Morning!

It’s another beautiful day in Chicago and I can’t wait to be outside all evening after work.  If you are a ‘How I Met Your Mother’ fan like myself, you woke up in a FANTASTIC mood as last night we…

Met the mother!

I won’t say anything further as I know some of you might not be caught up yet.

Yesterday went by like most Mondays do, rolled out of bed… Fought with my alarm clock… Drank mass amounts of coffee to perk up from the weekend.

For lunch I packed a fresh and simple salad that consisted of romaine lettuce, cucumbers, red bell pepper, carrots and quinoa tabbouleh my mother gave to me.  The quinoa had a wonderful vinegar based dressing on it so I didn’t need to put anything additional on the salad.

After work, I stopped at Trader Joe’s to pick up the grocery items for the week.  I got a little carried away and ended up having 3 bags of groceries to carry a mile home… I. was. sweating, but managed to snatch up some really delicious goodies!

My favorite additions were the frozen pineapple chunks to incorporate in my protein smoothies and the Coconut Water Popsicle. The best!

On tap for my training plan was to strength train and stretch.  I counted carrying the groceries as part of my strengthening 🙂 — And paired it with the Tone It Up! Sunkissed Abs video x3!

As a side note: I need some advice from some fellow bloggers/runners.  I’ve been experiencing some cramping in my right foot lately when I run and even when I do some of the strength training videos.  I feel that I drink a significant amount of water throughout the day… What other causes could make this occur? Is there something after my runs that I should be doing specifically to my feet? Ice baths?  Any advice is appreciated!

On the menu for dinner was Turkey Burgers with a southwest yogurt and avocado! Plus, some sweet potato wedges on the side.

Southwest Turkey Burgers

Ingredients

• 1 lb lean ground white turkey
• 1 tbs. dried basil (or fresh if you have it!)
• 1 tbs. Worcester Sauce
• 2 tbs. panko bread crumbs
• 2 tbs. grated Parmesan cheese
• Salt & pepper to taste
• 1 teaspoon taco seasoning
• 1/2 lime
• 1 Avocado
• 1 Tomato
• Lettuce
• 3/4 cup Greek yogurt
• Sandwich thins or burger buns

Directions

1. In a large mixing bowl, add turkey, basil, Worcester, panko bread crumbs, Parmesan cheese, salt and pepper and mix until fully incorporated.
2. Divide the mixture into 5-6 patties and cook in a pan over medium-high heat (you may have to do more than 1 batch depending on the size of your pan)
3. While the burgers are cooking, slice the avocado, tomato and lettuce and set aside
4. In a small bowl, combine the Greek Yogurt, taco seasoning and lime juice
5. Once the burgers are finished cooking – about 3-4 minutes per side – place on bun and top with dollop of yogurt, piece of lettuce, sliced avocado and tomato!
6. Dig in!

These burgers really hit the spot! Brian and I cut the burgers in half horizontally and placed them next to each other on the bun so that it filled up the whole space.

Hope you all have a great Tuesday! Get out and enjoy the day 🙂

Woof woof!