Awesome Potluck

Why does everything at the church potluck dinner taste better than anything you've ever eating before?! I had taco casserole (with noodles ... kind of like Hamburger Helper, except DELICIOUS) and some pink stuff and TWO brownies. It doesn't count towards calories, though, because God WANTS us to fellowship (yeah right!!). I did stop myself from getting a piece of the mint chocolate Jello pie. Who comes up with these (divine?? sinful??) concoctions?! 

I had kind of a crazy hectic day and didn't get to exercise, so I'm super hyper, but it's 9:00 at night. So tomorrow I'm going to do a long run and Insanity at the gym, then take a rest Friday (or maybe walk) and 5k race on Saturday. Sounds like a plan. Also, I'm out of clothes to run in (short/pants specifically) and I'm washing them now. 

I need to roast a chicken (probably tomorrow) and make applesauce before the apples turn to mush in the fridge, and basically catch up -- feels like we're still on Easter vacation. Time for regular routines to set in again! 

I have some cauliflower too, and instead of making the cauliflower pizza, I think I might use chicken, broccoli, maybe carrots, and maybe sausage to kind of make a casserole like in the Paleo book. It might be good, it might be weird, it will probably get eaten. The question is: to cheese or not to cheese? (Steve will say we don't need it)

Just so you have some kind of "recipe," I'll let you know what I had for lunch today:

A chicken apple Aidell's sausage, a warmed up sweet potato and 6 strawberries. This is my favorite lunch. It's awesome. You probably don't even need to butter and salt the potato, but I do! Tomorrow for breakfast I'll be having oatmeal with strawberries and bananas, because I'm out of chocolate chips for my favorite, the monkey bowl (banana, nuts or peanut butter, coconut, and chocolate chips or cacao).

Gym Class Flashbacks

So last night was Monday, and Monday is kickboxing, and halfway through the class every week, the instructor's iPod dies, and we have to scramble for music. It's just a fact of life. Or Monday exacting its revenge. Either way, while we were waiting for someone else to bring in a suitable beat, she had us run laps around the room. And it was AWESOME. So why did I hate it so much in gym class? Maybe because I was being graded on it, and I was slow. Maybe because it's not fun to be forced to exercise. But now I'm wishing I could go back and redo gym class. I would totally rock it! Presidential Fitness tests, badminton, gymnastics (actually, I don't think they let them do gymnastics any more). 

I did like racquetball. There was a partition in the gym, and it said "DO NOT LOOK BACK," which seemed like some kind of philosophical statement/life lesson, but was really just there to remind us that racquetballs hurt when they slam into the back of your head on the rebound.  

I'm not going to go all Michelle Obama on you and say that I have an answer to getting kids physically fit, although I do think the Girls on the Run program is pretty awesome, and I should probably volunteer to help at the race that's coming up in a few weeks, but I will say that I dreaded gym class and running, and basically having to prove exactly how uncoordinated and unsportsmanlike I was. I wish that someone had told me back then that walking IS good exercise and that I should try things that I'm good at and work my up to harder activities. I think instead of making kids run one mile really fast, we should have them log their miles or steps over a month, and show them that fitness isn't just passing a test; it's a way of life. 

After kickboxing yesterday, I ran 5 miles this morning (glad I didn't go longer, because I had to rush into work for a business card emergency) and I need to mow the lawn and I'm hoping to go to Zumba tonight. Don't worry; I've eaten enough calories lately to get me through it! I realized that I have another 5k THIS WEEKEND (oops. Helps to look at a calendar) so I'm wondering if I can PR (even by a few seconds!) or if I should find someone realllllly slow and buddy with them so I can run it "for fun." 

One more story: speaking of "for fun," there was a woman at the last 5k who was complaining to one of the workers about the food or something ridiculous (I mean, seriously, the spread they had was better than half marathons I've done! It was better than Old Country Buffet. It was crazy!). So the worker just shook her head, and said something like, "Well, she's not any fun." and I replied, "Why would you run if you don't think it's fun?!" 

Which just shows how my attitude has changed, because I remember seriously contemplating how I could sprain my ankle so I wouldn't have to run in gym class! 

Go! Run! Ask any toddler. It's fun! 

What's Different?

I've said a couple times that I wish I could go back to being fat for just a day (or maybe a few hours) because it's so hard sometimes to really tell a difference. You lose weight gradually, and you make healthy changes in your life that take a while to become habits, so by the time you've transformed into this new person, it's hard to remember what the old person was like.

I mean, I was really overweight and unhappy about it, but I really thought that if I could just lose 20 pounds, that would be enough. I really had no idea how to eat healthy though. I thought spaghetti WAS healthy. It was certainly better than ordering a pizza. Like most twenty-somethings, I pretty much ate whatever I wanted, but I didn't have the metabolism to support that kind of eating.

So I was trying to think what the differences are from then and now.

• Before, I would never wear tank tops or sleeveless dresses. I was embarrassed about my arms and I always had at least a shirt to cover up with. Now, I wear tank tops to exercise in and I have a closet full of cute dresses.
• Before, I would never attempt to run. I hated it, and I thought it was torture. Now, I can't imagine that feeling...sure, sometimes it's uncomfortable or hurts, but I know that by the end of the run, it will be worth it.
• Before, I was envious of other people. I would look at them and wish I had their will power or their body fat percentage or their size-smaller butt. Now, I still have areas of my body that I need to work on, but I've pushed my body beyond what I thought it was capable of, and I'm proud of it. Sure, I don't look like someone who was always a size 0 -- I look like someone who's lost a lot of weight -- but reality isn't airbrushed, and I'd rather be healthy and strong than fit Hollywood's distortion of beauty.
• Before, I cooked...tasty treats for myself. Now, I roast vegetables, and they're pretty good too!



Wearing my white tank top to run my six miles today

• Before, I had excuses. Now, I have goals.

Like I said, I don't really feel any different sometimes. Some days I still feel fat. Some days I make bad choices and eat what I shouldn't. But I don't have the cycle of feeling bad --> eating bad to feel better --> feeling bad about the bad thing I ate.

I think that having a lot of weight to lose, and doing it with diet and exercise, teaches you a lot -- not just about nutrition and exercise, but about yourself. Does the victory of finally reaching a healthy weight make you a better person? Maybe not better, but stronger. After all, if you've lost twenty, thirty, fifty, ninety pounds, what else is there that you can't accomplish?

PR by 29 Seconds

My Belleville Bicentennial Race Report

I didn't want to aim for a PR and not be able to do it, so I set some realistic goals. It was 73 degrees at race time, which is warmer than it has been. And the sun was very warm and in our eyes for the first half of the race. And Belleville has some rough hills!

The start of the race was uphill:

I started to run. The first mile was 9:42, and I thought, "That's pretty good. I should try to keep it up."  Then the second mile was 9:42, and I thought, "I could PR!" And the third mile,  I was pretty much thinking, "Run, run, run!"



 After I turned around at the halfway point (where there was a gnome or something but I wasn't coordinated to snap his picture and turn around at the same time), at least the sun was at my back. And all those uphills turned into downhills. And look! I was in front of all these people coming the other way! Of course, there's still a guy pushing a stroller in front of me!

 The best part is, there was a parade after the run, so the route was lined with spectators! Some of them were good spectators and clapped for us. Some of them just sat there. The whole parade route smelled like food--BBQ and popcorn and pizza! At the end, they had pizza and sandwiches and all kinds of goodies. Great job, Belleville! And look! We got a medal!

My final time was 31:29, which is faster than my last race, and also faster than my best race! And closer to my goal of a sub-30-minute 5k!

It's Not Corny; It's My Dinner!

 
Dinner tonight was fresh from the Farmer's Market -- and to make it a little bit healthy, I added a chicken breast. Here is the question that will reveal the meaning of the universe if we can figure it out: why does the first piece of corn on the cob always taste delicious and the second one isn't as good? (It was still good, just not AS good.)

 

I picked up my race packet for the Belleville Bicentennial Run tomorrow night at 6. The shirt is fluorescent yellow! I got there right at 4, when packet pickup started, and there were already people in front of me. And when I left, the line was forming and stretching around the building. It should be fun -- tomorrow's forecast is 80 and sunny (even though it's down-pouring torrentially now!)  I'm going back and forth about whether I can PR. The route is kind of hilly, and I was thinking it would be dark (it won't), and it's at the end of the day after I've eaten. So my #1 goal is to PR, my #2 goal is to beat my time from the NICK race a few weeks ago, and my #3 goal is to beat anyone I see pushing a stroller. (Have you ever pushed a stroller while running? It makes it 400x harder!)

I went to the gym for Piyo and Zumba tonight, and I'm hoping that I won't be sore from all the squats and lunges so I can run fast! I want to say to someone, "Let's have dinner after the race...that is, if you're not full from EATING MY DUST." (Just kidding, of course.) Also, there's a parade afterwards, and I'm pretending it's for me.

Back in the Swing of Things

Remember last week when I complained about mowing the lawn? Guess what I volunteered to do again today?! I think we might live in the rainforest, judging by the growth. I decided that I would like mowing if we didn't have so many obstacles to mow around. Nice straight lines would be more fun. At least Chico enjoys the result.

We got the website for the 6 Weeks to Summer Meltdown Challenge. I'm so excited! (Now that I got the link to work -- is it just me or does Windows 8 hate EVERYTHING?!)

I ran 5 miles today, and it was windy and rained just a little, which was enough to be refreshing. Some punk yelled at me out of his car window, which made me faster because I pretended I was chasing them down. Then I saw two cop cars with lights flashing. Ooh! Maybe they went after the punk! (Daydreams make the run go faster.)

This week's menu is all stuff I've made before: cauliflower pizza, chicken breasts and broccoli, and corn on the cob from the farmer's market! The worker assured me it would be delicious! I think it will be a good reward after the gym tomorrow!

Conquering the Mountain

Before we came home from our Easter vacation, we climbed Kennesaw Mountain in Georgia. One mile, straight up. Fun for the whole family! Including my mother and the dog!

There's a trail up the side of the mountain, or you can walk up the paved road. We hiked straight up the mountain and then came down the road. It was a beautiful day! At the top of the mountain (where we've been several times, but didn't know this tidbit), there's graffiti from the Civil War. One says, "Prepare to Meet Thy God" and the other is a name. Pretty cool! More info here in case you're ever in the area.

Chico hiked up the whole way and walked the whole way down. Good dog!

Afterward, we went to eat at Mountain Biscuits. They are delicious and totally worth checking out! I had a chicken biscuit (so I could share the chicken with the dog).  

We did pretty well eating clean this weekend...except the cupcakes...and Steve might have accidentally popped a brownie in his mouth...so I'm grilling chicken and sweet potatoes to make it through the week! Also on the menu tonight, peach strawberry vinaigrette.
 

Easter Feast

It's Easter. The birds were singing, the flowers were blooming, the church was packed, and we all ate well!

I made my famous sweet potato hash for brunch. But don't worry, for Easter dinner, we had ham! Trader Joe's spiral cut ham, to be precise, but instead of the glaze it came with, we coated it with honey, ground mustard, cinnamon, all-spice, and cloves and surrounded it with apples and peaches. Yum! Of course, even though it was spiral cut, it didn't come apart magically, but it still tasted good! We also had apple-pear sauce, corn on the cob, and roasted squash. My grandma said we were supposed to have baked beans, but they weren't on the menu!

I ran 5 miles this morning before church and we took Chico for a walk (about an hour so 3ish miles, where he may have gotten more exercise barking at other dogs and almost biting an old woman. Bad Chihuahua!). I don't know if that will cancel out the Easter candy, but I hit 20,000 steps.

I spent most of the day in the kitchen. I love cooking for other people, but unfortunately the prep time (cutting up butternut squash) was intense, even though my dad helped, and then Steve and I decided we like it mashed up just as well, and it's a whole lot less work, even if it looked prettier cubed and roasted. If you're interested in the recipe, you can find it here. Just promise you'll use REAL maple syrup. 

Cooking in Strange Kitchens

I didn't set off the fire alarm. That shouldn't really be the standard for cooking success but sometimes you have to take what you can get. It's so hard to cook in someone else's kitchen -- even if they have exactly the same roasting pan, that doesn't mean it's going to work like yours.

So far we've made chicken and sweet potatoes on the grill, the shrimp and broccoli stir fry and roasted carrots, pork tenderloin with jicama fries and more roasted carrots because there just weren't enough the first time, and tomorrow is my go-to breakfast hash. Tomorrow we're attempting a new ham recipe with peaches and apples, and about a million side dishes.

I might have burned the jicama fries because I tried to fit too many pans in the oven, and we might have overflowed the garbage disposal. Oh, and we ran out of gas in the grill, but we nuked the pork to avoid a side of salmonella.

We had mini cupcakes from Miss Mamie's for dessert. They were awesome. I recommend the strawberry. Happy Easter!

"This Should Burn More Calories"

Activities that should burn 10,000 calories:

• Mowing the lawn
• Trying on bathing suits or a new pair of shorts with those white, white legs after a long winter
• Vacuuming and other housework
• Shopping for things that aren't fun, like watch batteries, spark plugs, or toilet paper

The amount of energy expended mentally should count toward your calorie deficit, that's all I'm saying!

Here is The Harrowing Story of Mowing the Lawn, which is the reason for #1 on the list above. First, I hate mowing the lawn. I got married so I wouldn't ever have to mow again, but because my husband travels for his job, I end up doing it half the time. He says he LIKES to mow, and I say he needs to see a psychiatrist.

So last night, he was going to mow, and I was going to run. I went out and ran 5 miles with negative splits -- not as fast as the night before, but it was VERY windy and my legs were a little sore. I felt good afterward. I'm stepping in the shower, and he asks if I can go to Lowe's and buy a spark plug for the mower. I kind of hate Lowe's. All the cool stuff there is too expensive or beyond my renovating abilities, and I can ever find anything, but I went to Lowe's and managed to find a spark plug, the same one! without help!!

Came home, and it turns out the spark plug wasn't the problem. Our mower has been acting up for two seasons now, so we decided it's time for a new one. We bought a new one last night, but I couldn't mow until this morning, and I had to wait for the grass to dry first. Our front yard is smaller than the back, but harder to mow because it's got all these death traps from moles. I twist my ankle EVERY time in the same places! So our yard takes about an hour, and my Fit Bit gave me about 4,000 steps, but I feel like it should be worth some serious calorie burn.

I work out HARD but for some reason, mowing just seems really really hard! I guess I have all summer to get better at it. Any tips or should I just buy a goat?

Last night, Steve made quinoa using chicken stock, and then added broccoli and carrots that he steamed and a leftover chicken breast. It looked really good! You can mix up the veggies, and the meat--kind of like a customizable noodle bowl, only with quinoa. It would be good with soy sauce or BBQ sauce or something like that too, I think. He got the idea here. 

Delayed Gratification

We finally had the pork for dinner! You can se how good it is by the expression on Chico's face. PLEASE, DADDY!!! I wish I could give you the soundtrack -- obviously, from the pathetic sounds coming from his trembling frame, we NEVER feed him.

I ran GREAT today, with an average pace of 11 minutes. Plus, the alpacas were out! (This farm is for sale if you're interested. It's an awesome, huge house.) I want to pet the alpacas, but I'm afraid they'll spit on me--or that the owners will come out and yell at me. Plus I don't want to screw up my split times by stopping! It was around 50 degrees and just windy enough to cool you off. (Ok, my hands were a little cold when I started.)

There's a health challenge starting May 5 with the group I coach with, and this time anyone can play! You don't have to buy anything. I'm going to join, because I need some motivation. The great thing is that everyone who loses 6% of their body weight and anyone who earns the points (by doing the readings, posting, following the habits of health like drinking enough water) also wins! It's not just for that crazy man who is able to lose 50 pounds in 5 weeks as if by magic. I'm so excited! Get fit for summer! Bikinis for everyone!

Reminders

Once upon a time (this morning), I had a marinated pork shoulder using this recipe. I asked my husband to turn the crock pot on low when he leaves for work, so it wouldn't be drying out for 10 hours and defeating the purpose of the crock pot, but he ended up leaving before me this morning. So I didn't put the pork in the crock pot either. So it's cooking now, and we had our stand-by eggs, sausage, spinach, sweet potato scramble, which was actually really good with the bread and jelly from yesterday! (But still not as good as pulled pork with homemade BBQ sauce!) And oh how good that pork would have tasted after Zumba and kickboxing! I used my new gloves and they were awesome! Even when I'm tired, I push myself so I can compare myself to everyone else in the class and know at least I tried harder!

Here's a little before/after for you because I always love looking at those. It's kind of an after but not quite done yet/after after since the first picture is our first half marathon in Evansville, IN, and the second picture is our latest half (my fourth) in Nashville, TN.

Can you tell a difference?

Who Wears Short Shorts?

(Not me!) I went to Target and managed to find three pair of shorts that fit that don't make my legs look hideous when I sit down. How do people wear the short shorts they have there?! And not just because they make my thighs look bad...I don't want to stick to the stadium seats when it's 100 degrees in St Louis this summer! Ouch!

I ran five miles today. The first mile was terrible! Not only are my sinuses killing me, but I drank enough to take two pills before I left, and that was apparently enough to make my side cramp up in two places. I kept running through it, telling myself how tough I am and how in the old days I totally would've quit. I walked a block after the first mile and it got better, but the first mile was super duper slow and kind of torturous. Turtle crawling through peanut butter slow. I think it probably hurt to watch me! Every time I run a half marathon, I say I'm going to run at least 8 miles on the weekends, to keep up my fitness level, so I can get ready for the next one fairly easily...and every time I either get sick or injured, so I feel like I'm starting from square one. I think I could probably run 8 miles if I HAD to. What I need is some extra motivation.

I don't know if you know the epic story of The Day I Found $5 On My Run, but now every time I run, I look for money, just in case. I haven't found any more. I do wish the universe would pay me $1 per mile. I'd just spend it on running shoes and running gear...

I made this bread today and it turned out well: http://colorfuleatsnutrition.com/recipes/2013/9/22/grain-free-sandwich-bread. I don't know about using it for a sandwich, but it's good as bread (like as a side or a breakfast or dessert), and good with this jelly: http://naturesnurtureblog.com/2013/06/26/easy-raw-strawberry-chia-jam/ which I also made today (and doubled--you definitely need to add the honey! I thought the berries were really sweet on their own, but it needed sugar to taste right). I also made apple-pear sauce because I HAD to use the fruit we bought last week! And I'm marinating a pork shoulder for dinner tomorrow and leftovers this week. I love feeling like there are good things to eat in the fridge!

Steve grilled chicken and potatoes, as well, even though it was raining on and off all day! We rescued the grill cover before it blew away. They were delish, as always! We're talking about planting a garden this year. It would be awesome if we could grow our own potatoes, since we eat so many!

N.I.C.K. Race Report

Today was a great day for a run! It was in the fifties this morning, not that windy, and sunny! Which was great, especially since last year was freezing cold and miserable! Last year I wore long pants, a sweatshirt (maybe two), a hat and gloves, and this I wore shorts and last year's T-shirt!

The race started at 8:00. It's a small, local race, sponsored by the Baptist Church, which is good if you think you're a hard core runner and want to win...bad if you think the other racers shouldn't be pushing strollers or walking or racing four abreast even though it's a narrow park trail. All part of the fun, right?

Last year Steve was first, and this year he was second overall. He was also slower than our Thanksgiving 5k (so was I) so he was unhappy (I was happy with my 33:33 time. I know I'm slow! Still, I passed the two people that I wanted to pass and didn't see them again and thankfully I had enough stamina to beat the little kid who was racing, even if he was faster than me in spurts!)

After the race, we went to Forest Park. It was a beautiful day, with tons of joggers/runners. I wanted to tell them, "We already raced today!" We walked through the park to get to Clayton Ave. and a deli that has gluten free bread called Nora's. It was really good, and we'd totally go there again. Plus they have the cutest patio, and you know I love my Pirates (even if they weren't talking about the ones from Pittsburgh). We walked back past the zoo (but didn't go in), and then to Delmar Loop, where we got frozen yogurt, and then we took the train back home. Speaking of gluten free bread, I have a recipe to try that uses coconut flour and golden flax seeds. I'm going to make some jam to go with it with strawberries and chia seeds. I'll let you know how it turns out tomorrow!

Righteous Run

I got up this morning and ran at 6 am. Do you know what time 6 am? It's before the sun comes up! Proof? Here's the sunrise from the park.

 

I got a massage this afternoon, and that was awesome, so I guess that's my reward for exercising.

 

The thing about running in the morning is that it's just enough exercise to make you make good choices through the day. You can't run far enough that you want to go all out and eat a whole cheesecake (I ran 4 miles), but it's far enough that you don't want to undo your hard work with a candy bar so maybe you have an apple instead.

 

Also, because I was up before ANYONE else, including my husband and the dog, I get to feel superior all day long! Look at what I sacrifice for health. Also, I already exercised today, so it's not hanging over my head!

 

I saw three other people by the time I left the park, but I was already heading home and they were just getting started.

 

So Early Morning Run = I Am Awesome! 

When You See This Dinner, You'll Wish You Lived Here

I am so proud when I throw something together and it works out. And not only works out. It was AWESOME.

Presenting, shrimp and broccoli with roasted carrots (with pictures!). For maximum enjoyment, please read the following in a Julia Child voice.

First, we found these GIGANTIC carrots at the farmer's market. We used one in the soup the other day. I tried to figure out how I could show you how big they really are, so this is my butcher knife that I use for everything next to them.
 
So I chopped up the carrots (into rounds, because it's SO much easier). I coated them with coconut oil, sea salt and cinnamon. We love sea salt and cinnamon so much that we use it on everything. Roast at 400 degrees for 20 minutes.

The finished product:

Then I made the shrimp and broccoli. Add broccoli to a pan with olive oil. Cook until bright green. It absorbed all the oil so I added a little more, and then the shrimp, along with some of the Soulard spice mix we bought. I LOVE this stuff! So good. Then I cooked it on medium until the shrimp were done. So easy, and it was SO good!

It's also gone!


It was nice out today so I ran 3.1 in anticipation of the N.I.C.K. 5k this weekend. I finished in 34 minutes, and I stopped twice to cough, so I'm hoping to beat 34 minute on Saturday (achievable goals!).







 

A Little (Cardio) Party Never Killed Nobody

Exercise Today:
ran 2.75 miles -- so windy! Legs sore from kickboxing... 5k on Saturday! Goal: don't collapse halfway through, coughing
took a Zumba class (with weights -- toning Tuesday) We did sit-ups at the end. WOO FUN.
walked the dog
car danced (50 calories right there. BAM!)

Food today:
Cinnamon Chex
banana with chocolate chips, peanut butter, and coconut (new four-pack of unsweetened coconut flakes came in the mail today! Just in time)
Sweet Potato (tasted like onion. Must have been the container)
Chicken Soup (it was SO good!)
Tootsie pop I found in my desk

Tomorrow night we're making shrimp and broccoli (probably in olive oil with some of the Soulard spice blend) and roasting carrots in coconut oil with sea salt. Yum! If only my sous chef would cut the carrots into perfectly uniform pieces for me while I'm at work tomorrow.
I won't have time for Zumba at the gym since Wednesday is choir (and the Easter cantata is this week, and it's going to be a looooooong practice) so I will have every good intention to get up and run before work...and then I will run when I get home from work because I love my bed.

In other news, we have a frog out back in our pond and Chico made friends with him today (read: didn't eat him or try to claw at him but just smelled him nicely). I touched it and my hand still feels dirty. Can you get salmonella from a frog???

High Kicks & Turkey Subs

Here's what Zumba does to improve life: makes songs that you were so sick of hearing on the radio palatable again!  For example, Katie Perry's "Magic." I'm good. Don't really ever need to hear it again....but now there's a Zumba routine to it, and it includes high kicks and back kicks and now I love that song! (Or, at least, I don't change the channel when it comes on the radio.)
Here's a picture of my fuzzy dinner. It's a Club Lulu from Jimmy John's (the bacon was for Chico). I had to take a shower before I ate (because I STUNK from kickboxing) and the dog sat next to the table and whined because he knew dinner was coming!
I also tried a new flavor of Aidell's sausage today for lunch. Italian flavor with mozzarella cheese. (I'm not sure where the cheese is. I thought it would be a melty molten core. I was disappointed.) It would be really good in a marinara sauce over your pasta of choice, spaghetti squash, rice, quinoa, etc.
Oh, I also ran a mile on the gym treadmill, where I felt faster than on my treadmill at home (because I like to pretend the people in the gym are all watching me) AND the Cardinals game was on.
Maybe someone can help me out with gym etiquette...I don't mind sharing a punching bag, but I'd rather get there first and have someone ask ME to share. So after I ran my mile, I went and got my boxing gloves (I want my own for my birthday. PINK, please!) and then as soon as Zumba was over, I claimed my punching bag and stood next to it so everyone would know it was mine! I had to put way too much thought into it but I didn't have to stress when all the kickboxing people were coming in the door as we were still stretching!
After kickboxing, we partnered up and did sit ups with a medicine ball (which are WAY more fun than regular situps) and I met my new friend Katie who doesn't know she's my new friend, but she will be because I'm awesome. 
And then I went to Jimmy John's and I might have told the kid who made my sandwich that I loved him just a little because he made my dinner so I didn't have to.
By request, here's a picture of me with R2D2, who's dressed as Doctor Who:

 
 

Zumbathon and Cooking Marathon

The Zumbathon was everything I hoped for and more! A bunch of women going, "WOO!" because of exercise. I love it!

I don't know how much money they made, but I hoped they raised a lot for the Illinois Center for Autism.

I am FINALLY starting to feel better (except at night when I cough and can't sleep!). Thank you for your patience, all five readers of my blog. I love you! :)

Today we took the dog for a walk and I attempted a 2-mile run that wasn't great because a) I had to cough; b) we ate at Hick's BBQ for lunch and I could taste the "magic dust" from the chips (should've gotten sweet potato fries!); and c) I haven't run in a week! The third mile was probably the best, but I didn't want to keep going. I'll try again tomorrow.

We made a bunch of sweet potatoes so I had one for dinner. I also made soup and a breakfast dish for this week. So here are some new recipes!

No Noodle Chicken Soup
4 C chicken broth (we used the Swanson box, even though I like to make my own, because of time)
2 large carrots, chopped
1-2 chicken breasts, chopped
2 Aidell's sausages, sliced (we used chicken apple, but the Andouille would be good too!)
2 C spinach

Bring chicken broth to a boil. Add carrots and simmer until softened (you could also add onion, celery, and garlic at this point, but I didn't have any of those!). Add chicken, sausage, and spinach. Cook until the spinach wilts and the meat is warmed through.

Voila! So easy!

Steve requested Morning Glory Turkey from Live Better Forever. I made it as they instructed, except I used pecans instead of almonds.

Prep and Cook Time: 10-15 minServes: 4

Ingredients: 
1 lb ground turkey
1 apple
1tsp cinnamon
1/4 tsp nutmeg
1/4 tsp ginger
1/2 c raisins
1/4 c sliced almonds

Instructions: 
1. Dice apple and toast the almonds on medium heat for several minutes. Set aside.
2. Cook turkey and add in spices and apples. When the meat is done, add in raisins and almonds.
3. Serve hot and enjoy!

A delish option for breakfast! Or dinner!

Mexican Lasagna, Ole!

It felt like winter today, but I'm watching baseball on TV! (It looks cold there though!) I thought I'd go for a run outside, but it was so windy I could barely get in my car without the door hitting me! So I went to the grocery store instead and made an easy, but kind of time-intensive dinner.

I have no idea where we got this recipe (and this is my modified version), but it's great! Kind of a lot of work to grate the sweet potatoes, though...

Enchilada Sauce:
2 T olive oil
1 small onion, chopped
1 clove garlic, chopped (or 1/2 tea. minced garlic from the jar)
 
1 28 ounce can tomato sauce
2 C chicken stock
1 tea. chili powder (more if you like it hotter)
1 tea. cumin
1/4 tea. oregano

Saute the onion and garlic til translucent. Add the rest of the ingredients and simmer for 20 minutes.

Mexican Lasagna
1 pound ground turkey, browned
2-3 C Enchilada Sauce
2 sweet potatoes, grated (we use the larger setting, so it's more like flakes)
6 eggs

Combine sweet potatoes, turkey, and sauce in an 8 1/2 by 11 pan. Pour the eggs over the top. Bake at 450 for 30 minutes or until eggs are set. (The picture looks like cheese, but it's egg.) We pour some of the remaining sauce over the top. Delicious for breakfast or dinner!

Healthy

It is crazy what a difference it makes not being healthy. I only have a cold, and I'm so tired and with the gray weather, I just want to sleep! And eat. And then sleep some more.

Despite wanting a nap, I knew I'd get more energy from exercising. I did two classes today: Piyo and Turbofire today. Piyo went well despite having a stuffy nose...Turbofire I could tell that my stamina wasn't "on" today. How many more seconds of kicks and punches. Uuuuhn. Usually adrenalin fires me up more the longer the class goes on!

We cancelled our trip to Kansas City this weekend, which means I get to go to the Zumbathon. I can't wait! You're supposed to take breaks, but I want the dance the whole two hours!!! (If it's crowded, I'll probably take breaks!). I got my ticket today! Woo! Zumba is much more popular than Piyo or Turbofire, even though I feel like they burn more calories. There were only two people in the Piyo class! There's a new DVD coming out later this year, so I think it will gain popularity. I don't know about doing it at home, though. I need the mirrors at the gym to show me if I have good form!

We had leftover chicken and sweet potatoes for dinner since I went to the gym straight from work, and Steve went for a run in the break between storms! I hope hail doesn't damage my car -- I already had a hail claim so unless it breaks a window, insurance isn't going to pay me any more money! No hail!

Tomorrow we're making Mexican casserole because we had to use the ground turkey!

Hail and Chicken That Never Fails

It's spring in the Midwest, so you know what that means. Apocalypse skies, hail, and tornado warnings! It was just small, dime-sized hail, so I guess it sounds more impressive than it looks. Here's the view out my office window.

I coughed all day, came home and graded research papers, and ended up resting my eyes on the couch. This is what I woke up to, staring in my face. I love my dog, but why does he try to lick my eyeballs? It's gross!

 I wore my awesome new shoes today. I got them for $10. Yay!

All random thoughts, because after doing Zumba yesterday, I didn't exercise today. I've only hit my 10,000 steps on my Fit Bit once this week! It really bothers me not to hit my goal! Tomorrow I'm planning to do PIYO and Cardio, and hopefully I'll be feeling better and get back into my routine.

For dinner, I made a whole chicken in my Pampered Chef stoneware (check it out here). It is AWESOME. The chicken takes a while to cook, but it's a no-brainer. We coat the stoneware with olive oil, coat the chicken with olive oil, sprinkle the chicken with spices (we've been using the Soulard blend from the Soulard farmer's market spice shop), and bake 1 hour covered and 45 minutes uncovered. So yeah, it takes a while to bake, but it's SO easy, and it's SO much better than a rotisserie chicken that's shot full of chemicals and rib meat! I also made barbeque sauce for Steve. Delish! Even with a cold!
 

Spring Sickness: It's Not Just Allergies

We were in Florida for a week, and my computer died. New week, new computer...and somehow, between the weather change, the germs on the plane, and being around a certain someone with a cold--"it's just allergies"--I'm sick! I missed my long run on Sunday because I was taking a sinus headache nap and kickboxing on Monday, and I can't wait to feel better! It seems no matter how many times I say, "I'm not sick," I might be wrong.

Quick recap of Florida: we ate fish. It was delish. Grouper is awesome. Tilapia is awesome. Please don't tell me they're environmentally bad or full of toxins! Here are two pictures of Steve's salad and my fish tacos, and a T-shirt from the place where we had the best seafood, but we ate outside and it was to dark to get a picture. I have to figure out how make fish tacos at home!

So now we're home, and the daffodils are blooming! We didn't plant them, but they come back every year. With this cold, I hope exercise is like that...the work I already did will show results when I come out of my dormant hibernation and work out again!