Preparation

Sometimes I wonder what the heck I am going to do with myself when the wedding is over.  My weekends have pretty much consumed by planning, and we're still 63 days away!

 

I prepped all the materials for the hotel guest Welcome Bags today. We're having a 'working' bridal shower next weekend so I have to make sure I've got all the materials for the programs, favors, gift bags, etc.  It's kind of fun to see the theme really coming together....

 

But before all that, we went to Buffalo Wild Wings this afternoon.

That place is great for football-watching, but BAD for healthy eating.  I started things off with a Sam Adam's Winter Lager.

And Future Husband, his best man, and I split some potato wedges.... I had about 15 (arg!).  I just can't turn down potato wedges.

I tried to order a healthy entree, but it was virtually impossible.  I went with a VeggieBurger with a side salad.

The VeggieBurger was flavorless and gross.  The bun was white and wayyyy too large for the burger.  I ended up folding over the top piece of the bun and tossing the bottom half.

 

The side salad was even worse.... iceberg lettuce! Bletch!  I picked at 1/3 of the salad.

After watching the game (go CANES! It was an awesome game that went into OT), I ran some wedding-related errands.

 

First, I stopped off at M&Ms World to purchase bulk yellow M&Ms for the wedding favors.

I ended up buying $105 worth of M&Ms! That's 10 pounds.... or nearly 5,000 M&Ms!! It was a heavy, heavy bag!

 

I came home and prepped the Welcome Bags (picture coming tomorrow) and ate a snack.  I had a cracker, some cottage cheese, and a carrot.

And for dinner, I had rotisserie chicken drizzled with Anne's BBQ sauce, roasted  Brussel sprouts, and roasted yellow squash.

On the side, I had some WW toast.

The roasted veggies were great.... I didn't put any butter or EVOO on it and they were wonderful dry. 

It was a random dinner, but it was delish!

 

Tonight's plans include vegetating on the couch.  Sorry I'm so boring lately! :) Tomorrow AM, I'm meeting Meghann and Gina for a nice run, so I better get my beauty and exercise sleep in!

 

****REMINDER: Athleta Contest deadline is SUNDAY at 8 PM EST!  You could win $200 worth of workout gear!

Workout Playlist and Let's Go Canes!

So, those two beers really filled me up last night, and by the time I went to sleep (10:30.... I'm lame), I wasn't very hungry.  But when the boys (Future Husband, his best man, and his brother) came home at 2:00 AM drunk as skunks, I woke up and realized I was QUITE hungry.  So, I ate a slice of bread while laying in bed and then went back to sleep. :)

 

We're going to go watch the Hurricanes whoop Virginia at the bar today, so I knew I had to squeeze in a early morning workout.  Before I left, I had 1/2 cup of Grape Nuts, skim milk, and a sliced banana. 

Grape Nuts is one of the few dry cereals I portion out.  It's 200 calories for 1/2 cup, so it's really easy to accidentally inhale 500 calories if you aren't paying attention.

At the gym, I did 20 minutes on the elliptical and then another 10 on the indoor rowing machine.  I did resistance intervals while on the elliptical to make it more interesting (2 minutes at Level 6, 2 minutes at Level 8, 2 minutes at Level 10, and 2 minutes at Level 12).

 

I love the indoor rower because it's a cardio exercise that also works my arms.  It's nice to give my leggies a break!

 

I also did some arm strength exercises, like bicep curls and tricep dips.

 

Here are my statistics:

 

• Duration: 38 minutes
• Average Heart Rate: 139 bpm
• Maximum Heart Rate: 171 bpm
• Calories Burned: 254

 

Meghann and I were discussing workout playlists yesterday.  She loves to run to show tunes, and you guys know I LOVE pop music (especially Britney Spears!).  I wanted to share with you my See Bride Run playlist... these songs are ALL great running songs:

 

• "What Hurts the Most" by Cascada
• "Perfect Lover" by Britney Spears
• "World (Hold On)" by Bob Sinclair
• "Justify" by ATB
• "Dreamer" by Chris Brown
• "Love is Gone (Original Mix)" by David Guetta
• "The World is Mine" by David Guetta
• "Dreams" by The Game
• "Love is Dead" by Kerli
• "When I Grow Up" by The Pussycat Dolls
• "Disturbia" by Rihanna
• "Eye of the Tiger" by Survivor
• "Gonna Fly Now (Theme from Rocky)" by Bill Conti
• "I Kissed a Girl" by Katy Perry
• "Untouched" by the Veronicas
• "Wake Up Call" by Maroon 5
• "No Air" by Jordin Sparks
• "Gimme More" by Britney Spears
• "Womanizer" by Britney Spears
• "Chaotic" by Britney Spears
• "Closer" by Neyo
• .... and a million more Britney Spears songs. :)

 

Since we're going to Buffalo Wild Wings to eat lunch and watch the Canes game, I just had a small snack when I came home. 

 

I had a plum and a Z-Bar.

Off to watch the CANES!!! Let's go team!

What's your favorite workout song?  Have a nice Saturday and I'll see you later!

Trick or Treat!

Happy Halloween!

I love trick or treaters!  I remember what it was like to be young and trick or treating with my mom, so I just love being able to be on the "other side" of the door.  I even turned down TWO grown-up Halloween party invitations to stay home.... I've got my bowl of candy just waiting for eager hands:

The key with trick or treaters is that you can't put all your candy in 1 bowl and let them have a go at it.... otherwise the kids always take 10 pieces each.  So I use a tiny bowl and refill throughout the night. :)

 

So far, I've seen Hannah Montana, a Brat Doll, and a penguin.  I need some SCURRY costumes!

 

Fun Run

 

I had the most glorious fun run with Meghann this afternoon.  Whenever we go running together, we end up gossiping the entire time, so we run very slowly.... but that's OK with me because she's so great to hang with. :)

 

Before I left, I had a mini Luna bar (and my supplements).

And I had a WW pita with PB.

Meghann and I met up around 4 PM at the Cady Way Trail.  It's a pretty decent path.  My only compliant about running trails in Orlando is that they are ALL concrete paths.  It would be nice to see a few decomposed granite or packed dirt paths (that's the urban planner in me coming out!).

We did 7.0 miles and walked an additional 0.25 mile as a cool down.  I don't know if it was the talking-while-running or what, but my heart rate was through the roof and I blasted WAY more calories than usual.

 

Here are my statistics:

 

• Duration: 1 hour, 16 minutes (7.0 miles)
• Average Heart Rate: 175 bpm
• Maximum Heart Rate: 192 bpm
• Calories Burned: 745

 

After our run, we stopped at the mall to pick up new pants for Meghann.  None of her clothes really fit her anymore since she lost weight!  She looks FAB and deserves to dress up in things that show off all her hard work, in my opinion!   I was too sweaty to try clothes on, which was good because I am too broke to be purchasing anything!

 

By the time I got home, I was staaaaarving and wanted to make something quick and easy.  All the way home I kept thinking, "I want something that sticks to my ribs!"

I made 1/2 a box of Annie's Shells & Real Aged Cheddar Macaroni and Cheese (love that stuff.... and the ingredient list is SO short and natural!).  Last time, I used 1/4 cup plain yogurt and 1/4 cup milk for the whole box, but this time I just used milk.

The cheese ended up being really runny and it seeped onto my broc... which worked out PERFECTLY as I suddenly had cheesy broc! :)

 

I also had about 2/3 a breast of rotisserie chicken, which was juuuust about too much meat for me.  I gave a few big chunks to the puppies.

THE Beer Has ARRIVED!!!

 

When I was at the grocery store, I found THIS:

Yes! Sam Adam's Winter Lager is now available.  Now, I love me some pumpkin beer, but I think this may be my #1.  Well, Budweiser's micro-brew winter beer might also be one of my favorites (even though I can't remember the name right now!).

 

So, my plans for this Halloween include handing out candy and drinking 1 or 2 beers. :)  I will probably have to eat something else again soon.... maybe cereal.... due to the INSANE calorie deficit I create on my run!

 

HAVE A SAFE AND HAPPY HALLOWEEN!

Wrap it Up!

Yay! I'm ALMOST done with work for the day!  I did four hours of overtime this morning and wrapped up a document for print.  I was super sleepy from waking up at 6:00 AM to go vote, but now the baby is PDFed and ready to go.

 

Around 9:30, I had the obligatory Z-Bar.

And about 5 - 6 dried apricots.  I love to pull them apart with my teeth and eat the soft center out first. :)  I will probably take four bags of dried apricots with me on my honeymoon to make sure I have something healthy and natural to snack on.

While putting the finishing touches on my document, I had lunch.... which, let me tell you, was AMAZING!

I broiled a WW pita topped with 2 slices of deli chicken meat, veryyy thinly sliced Gala apple, and some extra sharp cheddar cheese.  The apple contrasted so nicely with the meat and cheese.

On the side I had two pickles (I'm addicted!) and the other half of my apple.

Unfortunately, this lunch was lacking in the vegetable department (I don't think pickles count?)... so I'll have to make it up at dinner!

 

Woof!

 

Poor Maggie and James seem SO bored lately.  I usually take them to the dog park once a week, but I've been slacking on my responsibilities.

 

After I finished up that document, I drove them to the park and let them run around while I talked to Future Husband on the telly.

 

Doesn't Margaret look like a fat cow grazing in the field?

James even played on the equipment a little. :) Well, only because I forced him to.

It's perfect outside.... a little warm, very windy, and not a cloud in the sky!  Everyone should live in Florida during the winter.

Spontaneous Long Run

 

Well, I've to go "back to work" for a conference call at 2:00, and then I'm officially FREEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEE for the weekend!

 

Meghann invited me to go on a long run this afternoon (7.0 miles max as part of the Modified Training Program) and I'm really looking forward to it!  I think the Modified Training Program has been great because my knees or my leg aren't bothering me AT ALL, and it appears that I just needed to take a break of sorts after my Half Marathon. 

 

I signed up for a 10K next SUNDAY so I've very excited to RACE again.  And hopefully, I can be back to 10 or 12 mile long-runs on the weekends within the next few weeks!

 

See you for dinner with a run recap!

 

****REMINDER:  Athleta Contest deadline is SUNDAY at 8 PM EST!  You could win $200 worth of workout gear!

Barack the Vote!

YAY! I voted!  I woke up verrrrrry early this AM, showered, and ate a quick bowl of oatmeal before leaving for the polling place at 6:45 AM.

 

I just had basic oatmeal with brown sugar and raisins.

Word on the streets is that people have been waiting to vote in Florida for up to 2 hours, so I wanted to get there before the polling place even opened.

 

I took my coffee to go.

By the time I got to the polling place, the line was already wrapping around the library!  Fortunately, I only waited in line for 40 minutes. In college, I waited for FOUR HOURS to vote for John Kerry, so this was a breeze.

 

I stood in front of two cool men: one motorcycle-riding 55 year old who told me he'd been voting since before I was even "a spark in my mother's eye" and a big mountain of a man originally from the Pacific Islands who told me it was his first time voting.

 

Voting always makes me a little teary-eyed.  This is going to be a historic election either way, and fortunately for me, I don't think I'm going to be disappointed this year! 

 

I literally spent Election Night 2000 and 2004 sobbing into my pillow (NOT an exaggeration) so hopefully I'll be able to be HAPPY on Tuesday for once!  :)  We're having an election "party" on Tuesday and I'm suppppper pumped to see the results come in! 

I love how they give out stickers saying "I Voted." I would put money on the fact that no other country does this! Haha!

 

Overtime

 

I'm going to get to work now... today is suppose to be my day off, but I have a massive document to get ready for print.  Hopefully it will only take a few hours!

 

I think I'm going to switch up my plans and do a LONG run later in the afternoon! I'm feeling motivated!

 

Have a great day!

5 More Friends

 

I vote because I believe in a better tomorrow.

BM Gifts and Loads of Good Munchies!

Poor planning resulted in me skipping yoga class.  I had my pre-yoga mini dinner and ran errands after work... but I finished errands at 7:00, an hour before class.  It was either sit in the parking lot and wait for class to begin (no sneakers so I couldn't go on the treadmill) or go home.

 

Yea, I chose home. :)

 

Bright spot: The Office was hysterical!  I talked to my BFF/Maid of Honor on the phone for 1 hour.  And I managed to do some online wedding shopping!

I bought the bridesmaid gifts!  When I was maid of honor at my friend's wedding last summer, she gave her maids jewelry sets to wear and it was SUCH a great gift!  It took so much stress off of me as a bridesmaid because I didn't have to worry about figuring out what jewelry to wear.

 

AND (Future Hus will be proud) I came in $89 UNDER budget!  Not only did I qualify for discounts for a bulk purchase, but I searched online for an "overstock.com coupon code" and found out the secret password for ANOTHER 10% off. 

 

Always, always search for a coupon code before making an online purchase.  I have never NOT saved extra money.

 

Gotta be thrifty, right?!

 

Dinner and Other Eats

 

I made a mini pizza on a WW pita for dinner.  I was craving roasted whole plum tomatoes, and it was so delicious!

I also had a cucumber + balsamic salad.

Before I left for the aborted gym mission and my errands, I had a Muscle Milk Light smoothie (1 scoop) and 1 cup milk.

A little free advertising for Pittsburgh Pro Bicycles - great store, check them out!

 

Around 4:30, I had a slice of WW bread and PB.

And around 2, I had two and a half crackers, some deli meat, and cheese.

Plans, Plans

 

TOMORROW I'm going to go VOTE!! :)  Yippppeeee.  And then I'm going to work a half day and maybe hit the gym or go for a run!

 

Have a great nice.... sleep tight!

She's Bringing Sexy Back

Don't you wish your abs looked like this:

Maggie needs to do more sit-ups. Seriously.

 

Sorry, I'm in a weird mood. Maybe work is slowly making me go crazy? Who knows! I am looking forward to unwinding at yoga tonight... hip-hip-hoooray!

 

Around 9:30, I had the usual.... a Z-Bar.  I caught Future Husband shoving TWO of my precious Z-Bars in his mouth for breakfast.

Underneath the Z-Bar is the looooooooooong list of wedding-related errands I need to run this weekend.  BLETCH!

 

I also had a pear around 11:00 because I was starvin' and I knew I couldn't wait until lunchtime to eat.

For lunch, I had whole wheat pasta with tomato-basil sauce and Morning Star Meal Starter faux crumbled meat. 

Morning Star Meal Starter is such a great meat sub.... it requires no prep time (you just have to heat it) and it tastes divine. 

And I had a side salad with cucumber and carrots....

And.... I'll admit it... a M&M funsize pack jumped into my mouth after lunch.  I can't wait to give these things away to trick or treat-ers.  They need to get OUT OF MY HOUSE!

 

And, around 1 PM, I had mid-morning snack #1.... yogurt and granola.  I had a smaller portion them usual, only because we are now out of granola. :(

If you had to live off one food for the rest of your life, what would it be? I could seriously eat yogurt + granola for every meal.  In fact, I'd guess I have eaten this delish combo 6.75 days out of the week on average for the last two years!

Sunny Side of Oatmeal

Good morning.... I'm sleepy.  I stayed up late to see the Phillies win and pick up my brother-in-law from the airport.  After yoga class is over tonight, I am going to go directly to bed.  :)

 

Thanks again for reading my Motivation, Part II post.  It's so nice to know my blog touches you, and rest assured -- your blogs and/or your comments on my blog touches and transforms me.  Thank you, from the bottom of my heart.   I LOVE the blogging community. 

 

My priority this AM was a warm cup of coffee.  I gulped down half before I felt clearheaded enough to eat my oatmeal.

I made basic oatmeal, topped with apricots and granola.  Dried apricots are a great addition to oatmeal -- they are like little chewy bursts of sweetness!

My oatmeal contained:

 

• 1/2 cup oats
• 1/2 cup water
• 1/2 cup milk
• 1 sliced banana
• Toppings: 2 dried apricots (chopped), granola, sprinkle of brown sugar

The Ultimate Race - 2,304 Miles

 

Katy sent me a link to this awesome website.  Tommy Neeson, who's child died of cancer (Randi), is running 2,304 miles in an effort to raise money for Ronald McDonald House.   He is running from Bangor, Maine to Miami, Florida, stopping at different Ronald McDonald Houses to  visit and support families affected by cancer and to coordinate runs with corresponding local running clubs in an effort to increase local involvement and support for The Ronald McDonald House.

 

Tommy is running for 75 straight days (well, he's needed 1 day off for an injury) and he averages 40 miles a day!! INSANE!

 

He's going to be in Orlando on November 15, so I sent his team an e-mail to see if I can join him for 10 miles or so of his journey.  I hope it works out -- I would LOVE to meet this guy. 

 

Have a great day! See you for lunch!

Motivation, Part II

I briefly touched on my motivation for healthy eating and exercise in last night's post, and several of you asked that I expand on my philosophy a little tonight. 

 

To summarize what I said last night, one of my turning points was when I realized I should work out for my health, not to look hot.  When I only cared about being skinny, I ended up sabotaging myself.   I was too focused on short-term benefits, and when they didn't instantly materialized, I would binge.  Now, I make food and exercise decisions based on long-term goals. 

 

I can't really tell you how my eating and exercise philosophy evolved without talking about my changing views on life.  Healthy eating and exercise doesn't happen in a bubble. 

 

For a long time, I struggled to "connect the dots" on my actions and my overall satisfaction with life.  I would complain I was overweight and then binge on ice cream.  I wrestled to button my jeans but refused to to the gym.  I was mean to (a few) people and wondered why there was so much drama in my life.

 

As I've gotten older, I've started to actively seek the answers to my questions instead of just stumbling through life.  And maybe it seems like the thoughts below don't relate to healthy eating and exercise, but to me--they do.

 

• Life is a Series of Choices:   Every choice we make has a consequence, good or bad.  Do you want to marry a nice man?  Choose to date nice people! Do you want to have a successful job?  Choose to stay in college!  Do you want to feel comfortable in your own skin?  Choose to go to the gym more often than not! Life doesn't happen to you.  Happiness isn't a fluke.  Health isn't handed to you on a silver platter.  Life is a series of choices, and you're responsible for putting all your ducks in a row.

 

• The Only Moment that Matters is Now:   The past has weight on your life only if you choose to give it importance.  The only moment that is truly pivotal is this single instant.  If you've made a bad decision about food or exercise, just let it go.... you can't change what happened, but you can do something RIGHT NOW.   If you just binged on Oreos, acknowledge the mistake and do a few push-ups.  And, because life is a series of choices, the decisions you make in this moment positively affect your future.  So look FORWARD with your chin up!

 

• One Day, I'll Die:  It's weird to even type that, but it's true.  I hope I don't die anytime soon, but I could!  I think when we are younger, we tend to believe we are invincible.   As I've grown older, I realized two things.  First, just because I'm 24 doesn't mean I'm immune to health issues.  Two of my friends in college got diagnosed with cancer when they were 21.  I want to do EVERYTHING I can to protect my health NOW.  Secondly, I could die in freak accident, with no warning.  I could get hit by a bus tomorrow--so why stress out about having a bag of fun size M&Ms if I'm generally healthy?  It's not worth beating myself up over it and ruining my self esteem.  Seriously... don't sweat the small stuff, it's just not worth it!

 

• I Can't Control Other People:  People are going think and do what they want.  Many women strive for physical perfection because they think it will make someone love them more, treat them nicer, pay attention to them.... Living your life for other people will get you nowhere fast. 

 

• Your Greatest Love Affair Should be with Yourself:  No one has the capacity to love you the way you can love yourself.   If you love yourself, you can't go wrong in your choices.  Staying true to your own desires will guide you through the toughest challenges and give you motivation to achieve any goal.

 

• Fake It Until You Make It:  Life is tough.  Happiness is elusive.  Motivation wanes.  When you're feeling down, the best thing you can do is "fake it until you make it!"  Putting on a smile and looking forward to the future  can do wonders.

 

I'd love to hear the lessons YOU'VE learned about life, health, and happiness!

 

Speedwork

 

I hit the gym up for a quickie speedwork session.  I intended to do a 11 X 400 sprint session (i.e. 11 sets of 400 meters at an 8-minute mile pace).  My heart rate was going through the roof! I felt terrible by the 6th sprint, so I only ended up doing 7 sprints.  I finished up on the elliptical.

 

Here's what I did

 

• 2 minute warm-up at 5.5 mph
• 2 minutes at 7.5 mph (400 meters)
• 1 minute cool-down at 6.5 mph
• Repeat sprint and cool-down 6 more times
• Remainder: elliptical

 

Here are my statistics:

 

• Duration: 32 minutes
• Average Heart Rate: 174 bpm
• Maximum Heart Rate: 198 bpm
• Calories Burned: 307

 

Today's Eats

 

For dinner, I had 2 oz. of chicken, some steamed peppers, steamed broc, and Kashi Pilaf.

When I came home from the gym, I shoved the butt of the French bread loaf into my mouth.   Ahhhhh. Bread = Perfection.

Before the gym, I had 1 slice of WW bread, some PB, and a banana.

Around 2 PM, I sneaked a M&M pack.  This Halloween candy needs to be passed out to the children ASAP!

And around 1, I had my usual yogurt + granola.

Side note: doesn't Maggie look pretty (and wrinkly) in the sunlight?

Off to do wedding chores! And.... thanks for listening to me wax philosophical earlier. :)

A Platter Lunch and the Worst's Most Awesome Wedding Dress

Good afternoon! 

 

As you may expect, I had a Z-Bar for my mid-morning snack.  I made James pose with it to make the picture slightly more interesting:

Doesn't he look cute/scared?

 

And for lunch, I had a platter lunch.... which is always more fun because it takes longer to eat.

Instead of eating a regular 6-inch sub, I made mini open-face sammies, topped them with chicken and cheddar cheese, and stuck them under the broiler for a few minutes.

 

Viola!

And a carrot barrier to prevent the pickle juice from getting everywhere....

I am developing a crazy obsession with pickles.  Maybe it's the tangy taste, maybe it's the crunchiness, maybe it's the fact that each slice is 5 calories.....

 

I went back for more (no, I'm not pregnant!).

World's Most Awesome Wedding Dress

 

Awwww shucks.  I'm totally regretting buying my "normal" wedding dress now.... I wanna wear THIS ONE!

Missy's dress, studded with Swarovski crystals, and with a 10ft wide train, was so heavy that it took ten guests to help her struggle out of the Rolls-Royce Phantom that brought her to the church. 

 

As Future Husband would say, "That is CHAV-tastic!" You MUST read the whole article.

"Which Came First?" Savory Oatmeal

Good morning! I've got to make this snappy, as I'm running late, late, late!

 

First off, I'm glad everyone found my quick thoughts on Motivation to be interesting!  I will definitely expand on this topic tonight, and I'll respond to your comments when I get a chance.

 

Secondly, don't forget about the Athleta contest! $200 worth of sweet workout gear could be yours!

 

I was craaaaaaaving more savory oats this morning.  My Green Eggs and Ham experiment went so well last week that I decided to give savory oatmeal another try!

This time, I halved the recipe because my previous bowl of oatmeal was way too large.

 

"Which Came First, the Chicken or the Egg?" Savory Oatmeal

 

Ingredients:

 

For base:

 

• 1/4 cup oatmeal
• 1/4 cup water
• 1/4 cup milk
• 1 tablespoons cottage cheese
• 1/8 cup chopped raw spinach
• Pepper to taste

 

Toppings:

 

• 1 slice deli meat BBQ Chicken
• 1/2 whole egg  egg
• 1 tablespoons shredded cheese (I used Cheddar)
• Pepper to taste

Preparation:

 

• Combined first three base ingredients in a pot on the stovetop.  Heat on Medium until liquid begins to boil and evaporate off.
• Add cottage cheese, pepper, and raw spinach to oatmeal, stirring thoroughly.  Turn off stovetop and let stand on burner until oatmeal is finished cooking.
• Meanwhile, spray skillet with cooking oil and fry egg and chicken.  Move  chicken around constantly so it doesn't burn or stick.
• Once egg is done cooking, scoop oatmeal into a bowl.  Add egg and chicken on top.
• Sprinkle oatmeal with pepper and shredded cheese.
• Enjoy!

 

I enjoyed my savory oatmeal with a warm cup of coffee.... of course!

I'm craaaaaaaaaaazy late! Have a wonderful day!

 

PS - My schedule calls for running (speedwork) tonight!! YAY YAY YAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAY!

Motivation

One of the turning points for me was when I realized I should work out for my health, not to look hot.  When I only cared about being skinny, I ended up sabotaging myself.   I was too focused on short-term benefits, and when they didn't instantly materialized, I would binge.  Very counterproductive.

 

Now, I make food and exercise decisions based on long-term goals.  When I'm tired, I usually think, "Going to the gym is good for my heart/will give me energy/makes me happy."  I think of my body as a vessel to move me places and run races and do fun things, just not something pretty to look at. 

 

But sometimes.... sometimes "health" just won't get me too lift weights.  :) Every now and then it IS helpful to think about the aesthetic benefits of working out!  Tonight at the gym, I really didn't feel up to doing arm strength training, but I just closed my eyes and thought about wearing my strapless wedding dress.... and that was enough to motivate me to do tricep dips, bicep curls, and dual pulley rows!

 

I also did 30 minutes on the elliptical machine. I was really chugging, and my heart rate was MUCH higher than normal!  Woo hoo!

 

Here are my statistics:

 

• Duration: 43 minutes
• Average Heart Rate: 141 bpm
• Maximum Heart Rate: 171 bpm
• Calories Burned: 300

 

Dinner and Other Eats

 

I was craaaaaaaaaving a warm slice of bread with dinner.

I tried to balance out the load of carbs with some grilled tilapia and stir-fried yellow and green peppers.

"One of these things is not like the ooooother...." :)

Around 3:00, I ate the M&Ms in the sample favor box I showed you earlier. :)

Around 2:30, I had two crackers and a wedge of Laughing Cow.

And around 1:00, I had yogurt + granola... of course. :)

So, what motivates YOU to work out?? Different things work for different people, so I'm curious to hear your thoughts!

 

PS - Does anyone else hate Heba on The Biggest Loser?  She is such a biatch!

Cheesey Lunch and Wedding Details (Favors!)

Good afternoon! How are you? I'm good... work is work.  I have a lot to do this week, so I'm totally buckling down and focusing.

 

A Fine Balance

 

I did take a brief break to look at the news (gotta stay up to date on the election!) and I saw this article on New York Times.  It's a very interesting profile of a gourmet chef who took up running and lost 45 pounds while training for the NY Marathon.   Because he loves food so much, he has a very balanced outlook on running and eating:

 

“If you have to get up at 7 a.m. and run a 20k, maybe you have a half a glass of wine instead of three, because three at Mile 4 — you start to feel every ounce of that wine,” he said. 

 

Love it!

 

It's Freezing in Here!

 

By the way, it's FREEZING in central Florida right now.... relatively speaking.  I cracked all the windows so I could turn off the AC, and now it's an ice box in my apartment.  Maggie is walking around in her winter coat to stay warm (James has enough fur as it is):

She could be a model, seriously.

 

Snacks and Lunch

 

Around 10, I had a Spooky Smores Z-Bar.  Do you think they'll come out with a Christmas flavor?!

And for lunch, I was positively craving a grilled cheese sammie.  I love to eat hot sandwiches when it's cold outside!

 

I added some spinach to make it a tad healthier...

And I sliced the sandwich into quarters to make it last a little longer.  Otherwise, I tend to just shove the whole half in my mouth at once!

On the side, I had a huge carrot and a Gala apple, sprinkled with cinnamon.

Wedding Details:  Favors!

 

I wanted to show you all our wedding favors.  We are doing tons of "DIY" projects for the wedding (favors, programs, candles, etc).  We decided to go with candy for the favors because we wanted something inexpensive and practical.  And who doesn't like candy?

I bought silver boxes from Beaucoup.com, and we're going to fill them up with yellow M&Ms (our wedding color).

I used MyWeddingLabels.com to create lovely scallop-shaped stickers that say our names and "Thank You."  The palm tree motif is part of our overall Florida theme.

 

I hope our guests will enjoy them!  I always like receiving candy at weddings. :)

 

Back to the grind! See you for a workout and dinner!

Coffee IV?

Sometimes I wish I could hook myself up to a coffee IV and just have the caffeine drip, drip, drip into my veins all day long.

 

Obviously, I am tired! :) I'm really looking forward to going to the gym after work because I know it will boost my energy level.  I always think it's ironic when people claim they are too exhausted with life to start exercising, because it really does increase your overall feeling of wellness. 

 

I made a double batch of coffee (that second cup will be inhaled shortly) and a fun bowl of oatmeal to get me going!

My oatmeal contained:

 

• 1/2 cup oatmeal
• 1/2 cup water
• 1/2 cup milk
• 1 Sliced Banana
• Toppings:  2 tbsp. coconut, 2 tbsp. granola, and a sprinkle of brown sugar

Work, Work

 

I thought you guys might be mildly interested to see my home office (I'm a technical writer).  Yes, it's a real office -- I don't sit on the couch all day eating bon bons and playing with my laptop (but a girl can dream!).  :)

On the left are the doggies' beds.  They are really good "interns."   I've got sweet dual monitors, which was pretty much the most awesome thing my company ever did for me.   On my bulletin board is my very cute dachshund calendar (I also have a daily dachshund calendar on my desk).  Also on my bulletin board (although you can't see it in this picture) are tons of photos of all my college girlfriends, thoughtful cards I've received from coworkers, and various work-related items.

 

This is pretty much the cleanest you will ever see my office.  I'm an organized yet messy worker.... I tend to just scatter documents around.  This habit always embarrassed me when I worked IN the office, because I didn't want my messiness to give my bosses and coworkers the false impression I was a disorganized or sloppy worker.... so now that I work from office, it's like I'm like a tornado sometimes. :)

 

Oh, and as you can see, I keep my supplements (ChondroCare and Calcium) on my desk. It's the only way I can remember to take them 3 x a day. 

 

What's your trick to remembering to take your medications or supplements?  I used to keep everything in the bathroom, but I would never remember it.  I have a friend who sets an alarm on her cell phone to remind her everyday to take her medicine on time. 

Failure to Squash

Good evening. Lookie at me, not at the gym!  I felt so overwhelmed with wedding, work, and holistic website stuff that I just wanted to stay home and drink vino.  Future Husband completely agreed with me.

 

I did a taste test between the two reds we have open at home to decide which I wanted:

On the left: a Sutter Home Zinfandel.  On the right: a Kendall Jackson Merlot.

 

I choose the Merlot... the Zinfandel was super spicy and just wasn't sitting on my palette very well.

 

We drank our wines on the balcony and discussed wedding stuff. 

 

Dinner - Failure to Squash

 

We are completely out of protein (except 2/3 a block of tofu).  No chicken, no turkey, no meat, hardly no beans... NOTHING.  I really wanted to do a meat stuffing for this squash, but I resorted to all veggies.

I would provide the recipe, but this dinner sucked royally.  The baked squash was stuffed with a roasted mix of sweet potatoes, mushrooms, broc, and some black beans.  I sprinkled with everything with cheddar cheese.

 

I only ate half... I offered my other half to Future Hus and he turned it down!  You know it's bad when he lets me throw food away.  I'll probably resort to a half a PB sammie or something later.

 

At least it looked pretty.

On the side, I had a Hodgson Mill's Whole Wheat InstaBake biscuit.

Other Eats of the Day

 

Around 1:00, I had yogurt + granola.

And then I broke into our Halloween candy stash. I asked Future Husband not to open the bags of Milky Ways and M&Ms until Halloween, but of course--he broke into the stash!! That makes it so much hard to resist.

 

I had two fun size M&M Peanuts.  Did you know a fun size only has 6 M&Ms in it? That's not very fun, in my opinion.

And then I had a peach.

In Lieu of Working Out....

 

We are watching TV.  We have so many shows on the DVR:

 

• Entourage (Done)
• Gossip Girl (In Progress)
• Little Britain
• Grey's Anatomy
• Eli Stone
• Heroes

 

I'm sleepie already!  :)

 

Don't forget the Athleta Contest! I love reading your entries and so does Future Hus! Keep them coming.... $200 worth of sweet Athleta swag can be yours!

Even I Can't Pretend Tofu Slices are French Fries

Good afternoon, bloggies!  I hope you put on your creative thinking caps after reading the Athleta Contest details -- I've received a one entry so far and I can't wait to see more!

 

Today has been uneventful yet busy. I'll have to pull overtime this week, which isn't exactly my favorite activity.  But at least I get paid for it!

 

You guys know how I work from home? Well, it's usually a good thing for my concentration, as I don't have live coworkers to distract me with office gossip or tons of silly meetings to attend.  But today, I'm watching my in-laws' dogs, so I have FOUR dogs in my 2-bedroom apartment.  They hate each other so I couldn't get them to all pose for a picture together! :)

Sally and Benny keep freaking out and barking their heads off, which sets Maggie and James off.   This is not helping me work!

 

Around 9:30, I had a Honey Graham Z-Bar from my giant stash... yay!

And I had a small plum and a few dried apricots.

And for lunch.... I tried to make tofu "French fries."

I rubbed pressed extra firm tofu with a marinade of mustard, red wine vinegar, and pepper, and I baked the tofu for 30 minutes at 400 degrees.  I was hoping it would taste like French fries when I dipped the tofu into ketchup... but no.  Obviously! :)

 

I also had a spinach salad with a plum tomato, cucumber slices, a chopped carrot, and spicy pumpkin seeds.

The salad was delicious!

 

Leg and Knee Update 

 

So, my knees felt GREAT this morning.  I was scared I'd feel super stiff after my 7.0  mile run, but I was only slightly stiff, and the sensation went away quickly.  This makes me really happy because I know modifying my training schedule to include more cross-training and less high-impact running is helping!

 

I've got a fun Water Run planned for tonight!

 

Have a great day! See you for dinner.

ATHLETA CONTEST - Win $200 Worth of Amazing Workout Clothes!

Good morning!!!!  Let's get breakfast out of the way really quickly so we can move onto the FUN stuff.... Athleta Contest Details!

 

This morning I had French toast and a banana.  I used two whole eggs because I was feeling eggy. :)

Of course, French toast require maple syrup.  And I drank a big cup of Monday-fighting coffee.  MMMM!

 

THE LAMEST WORKOUT OUTFIT CONTEST

 

Athleta has given me a $200 gift certificate to give to one VERY lucky See Bride Run reader! The winner can choose ANYTHING she wants from Athleta's extensive online store of hip, feminine workout gear.  Athleta has also kindly offered to cover all taxes and shipping fees, but the winner must be in the continental US or Canada.

 

Since Athleta has so many high-quality, stylish, and functional workout clothes, I figured the winner of the $200 prize should exhibit a funny, serious,or heartfelt need for cute exercise gear.

 

After all, no one should have to exercise in a LAME WORKOUT OUTFIT! :)

 

• Have you just started to exercise and still work out in your normal underwire bra? 
• Are you running in gym shorts from 1986?
• Have you lost tons of weight and no longer fit into your gym clothes? 
• Is your idea of "cold weather running clothes" your old wool peacoat and a cotton beanie?

 

To enter the LAMEST WORKOUT OUTFIT CONTEST, send me an e-mail at seebriderun@gmail.com with the following information:

 

• Name
• Location
• Age
• E-Mail Address
• Blog Address (if you have one)
• A Photograph of Your Lamest Workout Outfit
• Reason Why You Have the Lamest Workout Outfit and Deserve the $200 Athleta Prize

 

Our impartial judge will be Future Husband.  He will review all the entries next Sunday (November 2), and the winner will be announced on November 3.

 

*   *   *   *

 

For an example of what I'm looking for, here's my LAMEST WORKOUT OUTFIT Story:

This is a photograph of me after my first 10K run.  With the motivation of my best friend, I decided to trade my old lifestyle of sitting on the couch, inhaling $5 pizzas, and drinking crappy beer every night for a more active, healthy outlook.

 

One month after I first started to run, I decided to challenge myself by signing up for a 10K.  I followed a training schedule for 8 weeks, and I woke up on race day extremely excited and nervous.  I peeked out my window and realized THAT IT WAS SNOWING! I was DEVASTATED!  I considered staying home, but I had told everyone I knew about the race.  After scanning my closet, I pulled together the best "cold weather running outfit" I could.

 

I ran my first 6.2 miles in long underwear, hot pink track shorts, a cotton sports bra, a cotton long-sleeved t-shirt, and a North Face fleece jacket.  At the last moment, I threw cotton gloves and a cotton hat into my pocket.  By the time I got to the race, it had stopped snowing, but it was still about 36 degrees outside and windy! 

 

Unfortunately for me, I didn't realize that cotton isn't exactly a sweat-wicking material.  I finished my first 10K wet, cold, and shivering.  Plus, I looked like an insane woman, running to the finish line in long johns!  But it was still a GREAT experience that I wouldn't trade for anything! 

 

*   *   *   *

 

Remember, the winner gets $200 in Athleta swag of her choice.  The deadline to enter is next Sunday at 8 PM EST, and the winner will be announced next Monday.  By sending me an entry, you agree that I can post your story and picture!

 

GOOD LUCK! Can't WAIT to see your entries!

Tired Feet

Add another 7.0 miles of walking around the mall to my cardio for the day.  I am sooooo tired!  Unfortunately, we weren't too successful in our errands.  We didn't find centerpiece vases, but we did play around with silk flowers and decided on a general style for the tables.

Pretty, yes?

 

Before we left for our errands, I had a a few crackers, Laughing Cow cheese, and a peach.

Then, Future Husband, his stepfather, his mum, and I went to the Dandelion Communitea Cafe.  It's a really fun hippie all-vegan restaurant.... love it!

 

I munched on an app of hummus + blue corn chips.... delish!  Sorry, no picture.  Then, I had a cup of corn chowder soup.

And I had a cold rice veggie wrap.  It was stuffed with purple cabbage, carrots, and herbs.  It can with a lovely creamy coconut and peanut sauce.

I left feeling bloated.... it was just too much fiber.

 

And then we ran a bunch of errands, as I mentioned.  It was exhausting.  Some of this wedding stuff is really fun, but some of it is really lame.  I just wish it was all organized and it was January 3!

 

I munched on Ghiradelli Caramel chocolate while in line at the craft store.  It was a total impulse purchase.  I hate how stores cram all these yummy candies right at the register.

We came home and I made a quick and yummy dinner, since we're all discussing business (the holistic supplement store is launching in less than 2 weeks and there's so much to do!!!).

 

The easiest, cheesiest dinner I know?

Instead of just adding 1/2 cup skim milk to the pasta and cheese powder, I used 1/4 cup of plain yogurt and 1/4 cup milk.  It gave the cheese a nice tangy flavor.

This was so yummy and satisfying.  I love Annie's mac and cheese!  It doesn't taste fake AT ALL and the ingredient list is pleasantly short.

OK - I've got to go crunch numbers in an Excel spreadsheet for the business! URGGGGHHHHHHH! See you tomorrow!

 

And don't forget, Athleta Contest details will be posted TOMORROW!

Florida Fall and a 7.0-Mile Run

Every morning should look and feel like this:

I woke up to a crisp and clear day.  The temperature was perfect (about 70) and there was a slight breeze in the air.  James looked like he had died and gone to heaven during his morning walk:

Is that not a face of PURE PLEASURE?  I looked the exact same way, I'm sure!

 

I got ready to go on my run (side note: do you know how long it takes me to get dressed for a long run? I have to put on my running clothes, knee sleeves, Camel Bak, iPod, heart rate monitor, sweatband, and sneakers.  I look like a freak.)... and I promptly checked my enthusiasm for running double digits at the door.  I remembered that just one week ago I had promised not to run more than 7.0 miles for the next three weeks.  Just because I CAN and WANT TO run 10.0 miles doesn't mean I should... that's how I got an overuse injury in the first place!

 

Before I left, I had a Pre-Run Snack.  I ate a waffle with PB and maple syrup.  Of course, a coffee was necessary.

I ran 7.0 easy miles in what was arguably the nicest weather we've had since last March.  It felt so good to feel the cool wind on my face and jam to my Britney Spears playlist (side note: "Hit Me Baby One More Time" was released 10 years ago last week... do you feel old now?).

 

My knees felt a little twingey around mile 5.0, but I tried not to focus on it and/or freak out.  It went away after a few minutes, and now I feel fine.

 

Here are my statistics:

 

• Duration: 1 hr, 9 minutes (7.0 miles)
• Average Heart Rate: 165 bpm
• Maximum Heart Rate: 182 bpm
• Calories Burned: 593

 

I came home, stretched, and drank a Muscle Milk Light smoothie (1 scoop of protein powder + 1 cup of milk).  Does anyone else love the protein chunks like I do?

After a quickie shower, I had breakfast/lunch.  I kind of missed my normal breakfast time, just I decided a sammie would be more appropriate.

I made a Black Bean and Mushroom Veggie Burger, topped with some Italian cheese on a slice of WW toast.

And I had a load of veggies and fruit... including cucumber slices, a carrot, pineapple rings, and a plum.

Well, I'm off to go scrub the bathroom and kitchen. My parents in law will be here in T-Minus 2 Hours and the house looks like a pigsty.

 

See ya for dinner! Enjoy your Sunday!