Back on Track

It’s been almost a month since my last post! I can’t believe it!

I’ve been a little busy with my friend’s wedding

and planning my high school reunion,

which are both now over and were successes – hooray! In the time period of November 10 – December 2 there was also a race run by yours truly. It was a 5 mile turkey trot on Thanksgiving day.

Now it’s on to Christmas hustle and bustle. Before that, though, it’s time to get back on track. Last night I finally felt better after battling a disgusting cold and cough. I decided to lace up the sneaks and get moving. I did the ab exercises from Angela’s Whittle My Middle challenge. I did not get on board with this challenge right away, but I’m LOVING these moves. My abs are nice and sore this morning. Just how I like it.

I also hopped on the treadmill and did 5 minute alternating intervals of walking at 4.0 at a 12% incline (my treadmill’s max) and jogging at 6.0 at 2%. I did about 30 minutes…not wanting to over-do it since there’s still a trace of icky cough down in my lungs. It did feel GREAT to break a sweat and get moving though!

Here is how I am getting back on track with food:

Dinner: Meet Hugh (middle name Jass, last name salad). I mixed up some organic herb greens, baby spinach, a chopped carrot, baby heirloom tomatoes, crumbled goat cheese, sliced almonds, a sesame flatbread and some Annie’s balsamic. YUM!

I reunited with an old friend for breakfast:

There’s nothing like it…

• tons of organic baby spinach
• 1 cup almond milk
• 1 frozen banana
• 1 T Amazing Meal
• 1 T almond butter
• 1 T ground flax

My body is saying thank you. Then I packed my lunch for today:

Homemade lentil soup (organic pink lentils, carrot, onion, celery, garlic, diced tomatoes, organic chicken broth and water) – I made a Hugh Jass pot of this on Monday night when I felt like death. I also packed a stoneground whole wheat dinner roll and an apple. I also plan on snacking on some baby carrots and hummus in my fridge at work.

I shall throw in a CLIF Zbar for good measure as a morning snack as well.

Well that is it, ladies and gentlemen! I’m on my way back to my healthy self!

Off the Wagon

 

I am so off the wagon with exercise this week.  I can’t believe it!  This afternoon, I have to be back!  My running shoes are calling my name!  I think I just needed a break this week.  Oh well…life goes on…

Wednesday:

Snack/Lunch:

Snack was a mini CLIF bar (PB Crunch)

Lunch was leftover butternut squash soup and a whole wheat Arnold’s thin.

I also had an organic gala apple with peanut butter.  This actually came first in my lunch. 

 

I also made a lunch-time run to Trader Joe’s and, while waiting to check out, found a box of 100 calorie 70% dark chocolate bars.  How fantastic!  I had to bust into one in the car.

I skipped afternoon snack due to craziness at work.

Dinner: 

My favorite pizza (you’ve seen this many a time before) – thin crust with fresh mozzarella, tomatoes, basil and a drizzle of balsamic vinegar.

Some grapes for dessert

Thursday:

Breakfast:

A fantastical bowl of oats – in the mix:

• 1/2 cup Irish oats
• 1/2 cup almond milk, 1/2 cup water
• cinnamon
• mashed banana
• spoonful of pumpkin butter
• dollop of vanilla Chobani on top

Snack/Lunch:

Snack was a mini CLIF. 

I was still hungry for some reason, so I busted into a Balance bar – crack cookie dough flavor.

Lunch was an AB&SFS (almond butter and superfruit spread) on a whole wheat Arnold’s thin along with…

 

a tasty grapefruit.  I had also packed a yogurt, but wasn’t hungry due to my balance bar.

Snack:

I had my afterschool book-club with the kiddies yesterday.  I did something I hadn’t done since elementary school.  I brought a bowl of milk and dry cereal to snack on.  It was fantastic.  Let me just explain.  When I was a child (and still a little bit) I was the pickiest eater on Earth.  I, still after 28 years of life, have never eaten a sandwich with coldcuts.  I know.  Also, my first PB&J was in my twenties.  I had something against sandwiches.  My poor mother had to make me lunch every day, so I would bring milk in a bowl and dry cereal.  Sometimes I would even get a little crazy and buy a milk at school.  I was a weird kid.  I know.   Moving right along…

Dinner:

Tonight I was making spaghetti and turkey meatballs.  I figured since I was in the kitchen and banging around pots and pans anyway, that I’d make a big ole batch of soup to last me through the long weekend and then some.  I made pasta e fagioli (pasta and beans)

Basically, I sauteed some finely diced carrot, celery and onion in a little olive oil.  I added some garlic, salt and pepper, two cans-o-beans, a quart of chicken broth, a touch of tomato sauce and 2 cups of water.  When it came to a boil, I added 2 cups of ditalini pasta and let it cook in the broth.

Steamy goodness.  I may or may not have scorched my tongue while sampling this bowl of wonder.

While all this was going on, I made some turkey meatballs and Ronzoni Smart Taste spaghetti.

Mama Mia!  Talk about comfort food!

Friday (!!!)

Breakfast:

Since I was so low on the veggie count yesterday, I knew I needed some veggies for breakfast.  I also wanted cereal.  Enter “Green Monster Lite".  I made a green monster with just spinach, almond milk, 1/2 frozen banana and a few frozen peach slices.  It was more juicy than smoothie-ish.  Not nearly as filling as a regular green monster…which left room for my PB Puffins :)

Well, I’m off to see what Friday has in store for me.  Hubbers is going to visit a friend in Kentucky this weekend and is leaving today :(  I will miss him for sure, but have a busy weekend ahead of me!

Emotionally Drained

Yesterday was another emotionally draining day.  Without going into too much detail and for privacy reasons, I will tell you that we had grief counselors available at school yesterday…for the children.  I think you can probably figure out the tragedy that our school family has been dealing with the past two days. 

Without saying much more, I came home from work yesterday, later than usual and caught up with some friends on the phone while I was supposed to be running.  I just didn’t have the physical strength to lace up my running sneaks.  After a dinner out with my mom, I crashed on the couch around 8.  Hubbers woke me up at 8:30 and I went to bed.  This morning I woke up early in the hopes of getting my run in since my afternoon and evening are jam-packed, but I couldn’t get myself out of bed.  I think my body just needed rest.  I think I’ll survive a few days without exercise.

On to my eats for yesterday:

 

Snack:

  I busted into it in the car on the way to work.  Clearly those Puffins didn’t do it for me!

Lunch: 

I had a TJ’s vanilla Greek yogurt with pumpkin flax granola, two “Fig Newmans” and an organic gala apple.

Snack/Dinner:

PM snack was TJ’s “Tempting Trailmix.”

We went out for dinner to the ale house I’ve mentioned a few times.  I had a Harvest Moon Pumpkin Ale, the salad (3/4 eaten) above and 1/2 of the bowl of butternut squash soup below.  I saved the other half of the soup for lunch today.  I love having lunch figured out the night before!

Wednesday:

Breakfast:

I whipped up a green monster in the hopes it will give me the energy I need today!  In the mix:

• organic baby spinach
• 1 cup almond milk
• 1 T almond butter
• 1 T ground flax
• 1 T Amazing Meal
• frozen peach slices
• 1/2 frozen banana

Well here’s to a new day.  This afternoon I have to attend a service and have a doctor’s appointment at 6:00.  It’s going to be a late night!  

Cramping My Style

This post is going to be quite the mother-load. First off, I have to say that I totally identified with Hangry Heather’s post the other day. It’s always hard getting back into the swing of things for a new school year. Throw in hosting a party over the weekend and a long run and football on Sunday and I was toast Monday. So let’s catch up.

Since we chatted last, I had a long run Sunday, biked on Monday and a three-miler today.

Sunday:

Distance: 7.01 miles
Time: 1:31:42
Avg. Pace: 10:30/mile
(I’m too lazy to fetch my HR monitor and get you those stats…be honest, you don’t care)

Monday: 45 minute bike ride with Hubbers

Tuesday:

Distance: 2.86 miles
Time: 25:06
Avg. Pace: 8:44/mile

(My Nike+ was acting up again…I paced a 9:22 on it for some reason. So mad I didn’t get credit to make this month’s speed goal!)

I also had some MAJOR cramping in my stomach during this run. It was really painful and caused me to walk a few times. It was not a fun run.

Since my groin has been bothering me lately, I decided to ice, ice baby after my run:

Then Hubbers was a doll and stretched it out for me. I sat in that exact position and he sat next to me and just pulled my leg to make an L with the other leg. It felt reeeeeally good!

SUNDAY:

Breakfast:

Kashi H2H, Nature’s Path pumpkin flax granola, almond milk, strawberries

Lunch:

Leftover pasta salad from Saturday’s block party

Dinner:

was at our neighbor’s house for the Giants/Redskins game. Hubbers and I are Giants fans, they’re Redskins fans. We watch the games they play each other together and take turns hosting. I was so glad it wasn’t my turn. I was beat from Saturday and the 7 mile run!

MONDAY:

Breakfast:

Pumpkin oats…see what’s in the mix here.

Lunch/Snack:

A.M. snack was a mini CLIF bar.

Veggie/hummus wrap on lavash bread with spinach, tomato and carrots

and a kiwi

Dinner: was out – I was craving a burger and forgot to photograph. Sometimes a girl just needs a burger. It was awesome.

TUESDAY:

Breakfast:

Creamy Oatbran

In the mix:

• 1/3 cup oatbran
• 1/2 cup almond milk
• 1/2 cup water
• cinnamon
• vanilla
• 1 mashed banana

Topped with plain Chobani and strawberries…delightful!

My throat was feeling a little sore, so I slammed back some “EmergenC” on the way out the door.

Lunch/Snack:

Snack was a mini CLIF…I know, shocking.

Amy’s Light in Sodium Minestrone and a mini ciabatta roll with some…

grapes!

Snack: One of my former students came by with a birthday treat of a Carvel flying saucer. I don’t know what possessed me to do it, but I ate it. It was delish.

Dinner:

Wild Sockeye Salmon broiled with salt, pepper, fresh garlic, lemon juice, olive oil, red pepper flakes and oregano and spinach salad with carrots and tomatoes and balsamic vinaigrette. This piece of salmon was HUGE. I couldn’t finish it, but it was really good.

Then I put together some mini caprese paninis for tomorrow’s lunch. While the press was heating, I finished my bottle of Sauv. B. I’m still savoring this glass.

I know I said I’d take pics on Saturday, but honestly I was running around so much I completely forgot! Here are the appetizers and dessert. I showed you the pasta salad earlier. I also made teriyaki chicken, BBQ shrimp and chicken sausage – all which Hubbers grilled to perfection and served a green salad.

Beer bread with spinach dip (I got a million compliments on the dip…thanks, Joe ;) Trader Joe that is!)

Potato chips and fake pirate’s booty from TJ’s

Chips and salsa

Veggies and dip

Pina Colada cupcakes

The party was a success. I had one too many vodka and pink sparkling lemonades for the day. Running on Sunday was painful. Everyone had a great time, though!

In other news, I’m super excited that Antonio won HGTV’s Design Star!

I’m a big fan!

Also, as we speak, my DVR is recording…

I’m beyond excited! I LOOOOOOOOOOVE me some BL. Can’t wait to see what’s in store this season!

AND, if you thought all that was good…look what was on my doorstep when I arrived home…

The AMAZING folks at Amazing Grass sent me some products to test out and review for the blog. I’m super excited and can’t wait to start taste-testing! Thanks again, Teri! I smell an “amazing” giveaway in your future, readers! Time to come out of the woodwork and make yourselves known!

Have a great night!

One High-Maintenance Latte Please

 

Today was my last official weekday of the “Back to School Wake-up Warm-up Week".”  I forget if we’ve chatted about this or not.  Well, if not, let me bring you up to speed.  Each August/September, one week before school begins, I start going to bed early and waking up progressively earlier.  I do this so that on the first week of school, I don’t wind up looking like this:

That would be bad for business.  So today was 6:30 am and… great success!  I should be perfectly ready come next Tuesday. 

In keeping with National Yoga Month (thanks for the idea, Jenny), I did my daily yoga.  Today was Morning Flow 1 from Yoga Download, obvs.  Morning flow sounds a little like “Aunt Flow” to me, but I ignored it and back-bended my little heart-center out. 

And now for today’s eats.

Breakfast:

Kiwi-strawberry green monster (inspired by the Snapple I drank at least once weekly as a teenager)

In the mix:

• organic baby spinach
• 1 cup almond milk
• 2 small pieces of frozen naner
• 1/2 kiwi
• 5 strawberries
• 1 T almond butter
• 1 T Amazing Meal
• 1 T ground flax

Honestly, it wasn’t as wonderful as I imagined.  My camera was low on battery, by the way, hence the half-drank smoothie.

As I was returning my camera battery to the charger and about to flip the DVR back to play just in time to hear Tim Gunn say “Designers, now I’m giving you twenty minutes to caucus” (seriously, I LOVE when he says caucus…it seems ridiculously inappropriate and unnecessary), I knocked my little monster on the floor.

Slime central…(You Can’t Do that on Television anyone??)

It was really hard to clean.  I sopped up the wet stuff and doused my carpet and ottoman with wet paper towels.  It was soaked.  Then I remembered I had this:

Yeah, that’s a sham-wow.  And WOW, look at those green handprints.  Really soaked up that liquid.

Bailey was confused.

Anyhoo…after Morning Flow, I was hungry (I wonder why…didn’t I drink a monster?), so I had a mini CLIF

More Snacks:

 

Grapes and water to bring to the beach.  I also ate a pack of chocolate bunny grahams.

Lunch:

was a waffle sandwich with almond butter and TJ’s superfruit spread.  Delish!  (didn't snap it though)

Snack:

Dinner:

was at my favorite ale house I talked about a few weeks ago.  I had salad:

and some grilled veggie/chicken quesadilla.

I touched none of those fixins…what a waste of guac and sour cream.

And for dessert:

Read that high maintenance cup…that’s a decaf two pump soy no whip pumpkin spice latte.  boy do I love my PSL!  I also had a few bites of pumpkin muffin.  I was feeling pumpkin-y clearly.

Today could potentially have been my last beach day of the season.  I leave you with this picture of the insane and raging seagulls of Long Island…

Can you see those suckers?  It was like an Alfred Hitchcock movie out there…

Thank goodness they stayed on the other side of the beach!  That would not have been cute.