January 2011
1 tag
Matchy Matchy
I’m definitely a matchy-matchy kind of girl. I match my bags to my shoes and go a little nuts if I inadvertently put on something I think clashes.
So when I saw that some bloggers have single bowls or plates that weren’t part of a set, I just did not comprehend it.
WHAT DO YOU MEAN? They don’t match? What? Who would do that? Well, lots of food bloggers who take pretty food...
2 tags
Can You Split Your Long Run?
I told Emily this weekend that I’d need to run an extra 4 miles yesterday since I was 4 miles short of my long run on Saturday.
“Can you do that??” she asked. I told her that my intuition was that if it’s not a new distance to you or not a new race length that you’re training for, that I thought it was probably not ideal, but still okay once in a while.
Why? Why...
2 tags
Jersey Style
So, it’s clear that my mom loves Emily more. I get it. She’s new to my mom, she laughs at all the stories that I’ve already heard hundreds of times and asks my mom all kinds of questions about herself. But does my mom really have to share her secret recipe with her, not me?
[Just kidding, I’ve made the sauce before…I don’t need another tutorial.]
...
2 tags
Spontaneity
At 21, it was driving to the West Virginia border from D.C. to see the “Wild, Wonderful West Virginia” sign, because we thought it was funny.
At 27, spontaneity is heading up to Woodbury Commons (NYC friends: it is worth the bus ride or Zipcar for the deals you’ll get. Also, THERE IS A LULULEMON OUTLET.) late on a Saturday afternoon with Emily and then heading to my...
5 tags
I Love the Internet
I know I say this a lot, but I never started a blog to meet people, but I have met the most amazing people through my blog. After work last night, I hustled down to the East Village to have a drink to celebrate a friend’s new job and then back up to Hell’s Kitchen and Five Napkin Burger to meet up with this fabulous group.
Liz, moi, Emily, Meghan, Ben and Pa. Good thing Pa was there...
2 tags
I Get By With a Little Help from My Friends...
…and this morning, my friend was totally Starbucks and its spinach feta wrap (MY LOVE), coffee and a banana.
I’ve been busy, stressed and over-committed (partially my own fault, partially just a lot going on) lately, but I’ll be damned if I don’t keep trying to stay healthy, even if it means spending more money than I should on takeout. I’m trying to enjoy the...
3 tags
Thursday Tempo...
Done! Thank god. I’ve been busy and awful at fitting in my three runs every week, but I turned down drinks with my coworker (as much as I DID NOT WANT TO DO THIS) to get to the gym and run.
I asked two smart runner friends, Liz and Jen what I should do. They both confirmed that the long run was most important. Jen said that while the speedwork should be my first choice, as long I was...
1 tag
Back to Normal
So, the New York Times quoted me yesterday, I got excited, and responded.
Before that, I was going to post about yesterday being a sad day. You see, when I was losing weight, I ate at Pump a lot. The way of eating my trainer was suggesting advocated for no bread and only eating grains as found in nature (i.e. brown rice, quinoa).
He said that the bread was extra energy our bodies don’t...
1 tag
How Much Gym is Enough?
A few weeks ago, a reporter from the New York Times interviewed me for a story about whether “full-service” gyms (i.e. a NYSC or Equinox that offers classes, training, etc.) were enough. She’d found me through a comment I left on a post Jess over at Fit Chick in the City did about “exercise ADD.”
Today’s consumers wonder why they should pay more for a so-called ...
1 tag
Today was...
A pseudo-business lunch with Alexis at L’Express. (This is eggs with salmon, creme fraiche and chives.)
A 30-minute elliptical workout after work
Easy being green. Broccoli + chicken pattie + pesto (bought for another recipe, but used in this) over whole wheat spaghetti. This really wasn’t very emotionally satisfying, but it was fast and physically satisfying.
Topped off by a...
1 tag
A Little Extra Time
Sunday night, I took a shower late after running, so I skipped a shower yesterday because I’m lazy I was still clean. I loved the extra time I had in the morning that wasn’t spent showering and doing my hair, so I showered last night and decided to let my hair do its own thing this morning.
I woke up only a little earlier than usual today and managed to do two 10-minute sections of...
1 tag
Back to School...
Back to school…
To prove to Dad I’m not a fool.. (Please tell me you caught that Billy Madison reference. Because, clearly, my dad knows I’m not a fool.)
I’ve alluded to this a few times on this blog and told a few people. I am taking classes through the Institute of Integrative Nutrition to become certified as a health coach.
As you know, I’m incredibly...
2 tags
Nine Frigid Miles
My training schedule called for nine miles this morning, but my brain was calling for more sleep. The only thing that got me out of bed was thinking of a banana sandwich. So despite not really feeling it, I headed up to Central Park to meet up with Caitlin. We’d planned on doing 8 together and then I’d run the mile-ish home. We ran one full loop (six miles) of the park, running it...
3 tags
Sweat With Friends
This morning I met Ashley and Ali (and Ashley’s friend Lauren) at the gym for classes with this hot man.
Before I went, I had a banana sandwich. I don’t know what it is, but I can’t stop eating these lately. Maybe I’m making up for lost time.
After going to sleep at 1:30 last night, the last thing I wanted to do was walk over a mile in the cold (UPHILL! BOTH WAYS!...
1 tag
Better Than I Was Before
Truth be told, I feel like I’m not as “good” at being healthy lately as I have been.
And I’m okay with that.
Being healthy is a marathon, not a sprint. It’s something I’m going to do for life. It’s not a diet, so it’s okay if I’m not perfect at it, because I’m not perfect at life. (Hard to believe, I know. HAHAHAHAHA.)
I’ve been...
1 tag
Keep It Simple, Stupid
After last night’s book club, I was down (as was the limited supply of food in my apartment) for making my meals as simple as possible.
Banana and almond butter on a whole wheat English muffin.
A chicken pattie made in the grill pan, kale sauteed with a little sesame oil, et la piece de resistance…last night’s toasted baguette with some brie melted over it in the...
2 tags
So You Want To Try a Tri?
I’ve been kinda sorta considering a triathlon in the not-so-distant future. But they sound expensive, and so I haven’t been sure if I’ve wanted to buy all kinds of equipment for something I might not be that into. After writing a guest post for Katy about Tumblr, I asked the fabulous triathlete if she could write a post for me on doing a triathlon on a budget.
Katy Widrick blogs...
2 tags
How to Host a Book Club After Work
1. Agree to host book club at your apartment because it means you get to hang with your dog AND your friends AND you don’t have to go anywhere.
2. Put date in your calendar, forget about it until day before. Briefly freak out, decide to not worry about it until next day.
3. Frantically Google “book club menu” in between meetings on day of, think of appetizers you’ve...
1 tag
Small Victories
Yesterday, I bought both breakfast and lunch. Since I was away all weekend, I didn’t get a chance to grocery shop yet. (Sometimes I get groceries delivered, but usually I like to see what’s on sale and what produce looks the best.)
I easily could have stopped somewhere for breakfast, but I have a giant thing of oatmeal in my pantry, so I poured out a portion and put some frozen fruit...
1 tag
Thank God for Leftovers
Otherwise, I’d be going to sleep a hungry girl tonight. (Or, um, ordering takeout.)
While, sure, I’d love to make most of my meals at home, I’m a single, busy New Yorker, and it’s just not possible sometimes.
Luckily, I had leftovers I could nip into for dinner after getting home late from a Junior League meeting tonight.
But my lunch was WAY more exciting. The work...
1 tag
Two Years Ago Today...
I had just come back from a beautiful wedding in San Diego and watched one of my favorite people marry the love of her life. A few weeks earlier, I had definitely been a “January Joiner” and vowed, just like every other year, that this would be the year I’d get my act together.
For the first few weeks of that year, I went to the gym almost every day, taking spin classes and...
1 tag
Back from Boston
Part of the reason I went up to Boston is because my best friend had a baby a month ago, and I was DYING to meet her. Well, my friend is trying to get back to pre-baby weight, so we went to the gym this morning before I left.
I had 9 miles on my training plan for the NYC and DC half-marathons I’m running in March, and I didn’t run it yesterday because the roads in MaryBeth’s...
1 tag
When in Boston
Twenty-four hours was maybe a little too much time in the ‘burbs for me (just kidding…sort of), so I hopped onto a train and headed into Boston this afternoon.
Newbury Street.
Junior League! (Right next to Kate Spade. +1 for Junior League of Boston.)
I had plans to have lunch with these fabulous ladies. From left to right: Sarah, Lizzy and Beck. It was my first time meeting...
1 tag
When in Boston
Twenty-four hours was maybe a little too much time in the ‘burbs for me (just kidding…sort of), so I hopped onto a train and headed into Boston this afternoon.
Newbury Street.
Junior League! (Right next to Kate Spade. +1 for Junior League of Boston.)
I had plans to have lunch with these fabulous ladies. From left to right: Sarah, Lizzy and Beck. It was my first time meeting...
2 tags
Boston!
Yesterday morning, I woke up at 4:30 and hopped on a plane to visit my best friend and her family in the Boston ‘burbs. (She’s the one whose Aruba wedding I lost weight for!)
We went to a cute little place called Stars on Hingham Harbor for brunch, and I got an egg wrap with sweet potato, a little cheddar cheese and pepper and sweet potato home fries!
For dinner, we stayed in.
...
On Privacy
I got the below question in my ask box, and I thought it was an interesting one to answer:
Hi, I want to ask something I haven’t really seen any blogger address. When you first started blogging were you shy about it? Did you hide it from your friends? Or were you enthusiastic for them to know about it? How did you make the decision to make the blog not just about your weight loss, but to...
2 tags
Sick Dog
:(
I woke up this morning to a sick little pup, so I’m currently working from home and keeping an eye on him. While the circumstances aren’t ideal, I’d be lying if I said I wasn’t happy to be sitting on the couch next to him right now.
I was going to have a sunflower butter sandwich, but my sunflower butter is currently in my desk drawer, so I pulled out a jar of almond...
1 tag
There Better Be Leftovers...
I had a drink after work with a coworker, and we chatted for so long that it was nearly 9pm when I got home. With a fridge full of vegetables, I was determined not to order in.
I have had after-work plans of some sort every single day this week. I love being social, but man, am I tired. And sore. These boot camp for marathoners classes are no joke, either. After my workout tonight (before the...
1 tag
Snow No!
(Don’t worry, I’m out of snowy puns after this.)
Unfortunately, I didn’t get my work from home day. My coworkers, who live further than me, were going to work, so I had no good excuse to work from home.
Trekking to work in the snow…
I did have a good excuse to get a bagel, or so I thought. In the cafeteria at work, there were tons of other people getting bagels, so...
2 tags
SnOMG
I stepped out of my Junior League meeting at nearly 10pm tonight and discovered it was snowing. When I got home, I ordered sushi.
I usually hate snow. Somehow, the past few years when it’s snowed, I’ve been out in NJ for various reasons, and thus, totally snowbound. Growing up, it almost always snowed on my birthday, canceling my birthday party.
But tomorrow (should it continue), I...
1 tag
You Can't Win All of Them...
Today…
I read an e-mail too quickly, thought I was free tonight, and had to then cancel on Ashley to see Billy Elliot. I was really excited to see it and am bummed I had to let Ashley down.
I lugged a bag of gym clothes to work and forgot my shorts, so I couldn’t work out at lunch, and now I have a meeting tonight.
I couldn’t find a pair of jeans in the right size AND wash....
1 tag
Work Out More, Eat More?
You don’t *need* to work out at all to lose weight.
Losing weight is mostly about eating right—though exercise does help you lose weight faster. That, and it makes you a happier person, decreases your risk of disease, gives you more energy, etc.
After getting home from the boot camp for marathoners, I was beyond ravished. After torching quite a few calories, I certainly needed to...
Snack Time!
I wanted to share my new fave snack with you.
Banana chips from Trader Joe’s with sunflower butter. The banana + sunflower butter is a combo I just can’t quit. I don’t always post snacks, but I loved this one. (It was my after-work, pre-workout snack. I also had a between-breakfast-and-lunch Larabar.)
Snack Time!
I wanted to share my new fave snack with you.
Banana chips from Trader Joe’s with sunflower butter. The banana + sunflower butter is a combo I just can’t quit. I don’t always post snacks, but I loved this one. (It was my after-work, pre-workout snack. I also had a between-breakfast-and-lunch Larabar.)
3 tags
I Get To Sign Up for the NYC Marathon Today!!!
I am counting down the seconds until noon. When, after a year of sacrificed beer hard work, early weekend wake-up calls and races in the extreme heat, extreme cold, and everywhere in between, I get to sign up for the NYC Marathon! I’m trying not to jump up and down at my desk!
Last night, I wasn’t sure if I was going to have more to eat. Obviously, I did.
I had some Trader...
1 tag
A Cold, Cold Day
After grocery shopping yesterday, I had no choice but to make dinner, right? I no longer had an excuse.
So I sauteed some broccoli, mushrooms and chicken sausage with a little garlic and olive oil and served them (to myself) over whole wheat spaghetti before heading to Liz’s birthday. The bar was PACKED, but the company was amazing—especially meeting a certain fabulous pregnant...
1 tag
A Cold, Cold Day
After grocery shopping yesterday, I had no choice but to make dinner, right? I no longer had an excuse.
So I sauteed some broccoli, mushrooms and chicken sausage with a little garlic and olive oil and served them (to myself) over whole wheat spaghetti before heading to Liz’s birthday. The bar was PACKED, but the company was amazing—especially meeting a certain fabulous pregnant...
2 tags
Little Cheese Pub!
This afternoon, I met Taurra for lunch. We’ve been following each other on Tumblr for quite a while, and when I saw the other day that she’d be in NYC this weekend, I told her we had to meet up! Taurra’s getting her masters at American, where I went to undergrad, and she hopes to one day move to NYC, so between Tumblr, AU, DC and NYC, we had a ton to talk about.
I wanted to take...
3 tags
Operation Shed Spare Tire
This morning, I went to Jess from Fit Chick in the City’s boot camp class. As we did lunges (approximately one million of them), I looked at myself in the mirror and did not like what I saw.
My abs, which were so toned in the fall, were covered by a huge spare tire. Maybe it’s the extra alcohol I’ve had this week and the extra treats I had over the holidays, maybe it’s...
3 tags
Operation Shed Spare Tire
This morning, I went to Jess from Fit Chick in the City’s boot camp class. As we did lunges (approximately one million of them), I looked at myself in the mirror and did not like what I saw.
My abs, which were so toned in the fall, were covered by a huge spare tire. Maybe it’s the extra alcohol I’ve had this week and the extra treats I had over the holidays, maybe it’s...
Flashback Friday: My First Half-Marathon!
This time last year, I was freaking out about my first half-marathon, the Disney half.
I made a list of how I was going to prep for the week before.
I made a packing list for traveling to a half-marathon.
I remembered my sneakers.
Confronted a ridiculously crappy weather report…
Went to the expo…
And then ran the damn thing!
Good luck to my friend and co-chair Shannon,...
2 tags
Thirsty Thursday?
(Did you celebrate that in college? I certainly did and it was usually far better than a Friday or Saturday night out.)
Lunch today was a Kashi meal (lemongrass coconut chicken). I feel like this falls somewhere near “meh,” or yellow, on the healthy threat level. Its nutritional stats are fine, but…it’s frozen.
But moving on to a more interesting part of my day, we...
2 tags
Thirsty Thursday?
(Did you celebrate that in college? I certainly did and it was usually far better than a Friday or Saturday night out.)
Lunch today was a Kashi meal (lemongrass coconut chicken). I feel like this falls somewhere near “meh,” or yellow, on the healthy threat level. Its nutritional stats are fine, but…it’s frozen.
But moving on to a more interesting part of my day, we...
1 tag
Dry Heat
After I posted last night about being headache-y, someone suggested that it could be from the heat in my apartment. Since I moved, my humidifier’s been under my bed in a box, which isn’t very helpful. So this morning, I cracked my window, turned off the heat for a bit, turned on the humidifier, used my Neti pot and took a looooong shower. Maybe it’s the placebo effect, but I feel...
1 tag
Turning Off
I just said on Twitter that I’d turn my computer off at 8pm. I had to take Bailey out, so I’m giving myself a 15-minute extension.
I had another headache this afternoon, so I had to miss my Junior League meeting tonight. I’ve had a lot of headaches lately, and I’m not sure why, so I’m trying to just rest and take care of myself before they get any worse. And drink...
3 tags
Holy DOMS!
(DOMS=Delayed Onset Muscle Soreness)
After Monday’s boot camp and a speedy tempo run yesterday (3.5 miles in 30 min!), my quads are SCREAMING at me. Walking to work this morning felt like I was lugging huge weights on each leg.
This morning, since I have another Junior League meeting tonight and plans at lunch, I hopped on the bike for an easy half hour to hopefully work out some of the...
1 tag
Good Enough
I always try to get a nutritionally balanced meal (unless I’m just HUNGRY or the fried food looks too damn good to resist), but sometimes you get home from a Junior League meeting late, and some whole wheat pasta with sauce, no extra veggies, no meat, is better than ordering in or going to sleep without dinner.
I’ve just been posting my dinners lately, partly because of time, partly...
2 tags
Boot Camp for Marathoners
When Katie told me about a boot camp for marathoners class, I was intrigued. Like most runners*, I don’t strength train often enough.
(Back when I worked out with my trainer, strength training obviously wasn’t a problem. But, obviously trainers are not cheap, and now that I’m not trying to reach a specific weight-loss goal, I don’t feel like I need one right now. As...
3 tags
Butternut Squash and Scallop Garlic Whole Wheat...
Motivated by the Eat In [More] Month challenge, I made a tasty dinner tonight. I spent awhile this afternoon looking at recipes, and was going to try Liz’s Butternut Squash Risotto since I had both chicken sausage and butternut squash on hand, until I realized I didn’t have a few of the ingredients and I should probably cook what I had first.
My mom sent me back with some scallops...