Hump Day

Body:

Run! I was intending to do 4 miles but I ended up going to 7 because I will be golfing this weekend and just might be too tired for a good run- wanted to take advantage while I could ya know!?

Stats:
Max HR: 184
Min HR: 160
Distance: 7.08 miles
Time: 58 minutes 32 sec
Kcal: 698

Mind:
Oh goodness, Again!
The professor is allowing me to take the exam on Tuesday instead of TOMORROW! Thank goodness because I am STILL not registered for the course, despite having gone through the registration process three times for it. I finally went in and just made the lady register me right there. I went over to the accounting office, and apparently they do not have anything indicating I took out that loan that was dealt with on monday.
ay yae yae.

Aside from that, I managed another long lecture and studying for my exam.

I also got through my to do lists of shopping, prepping for this weekend, emails etc.

Soul:
Shawn Johnson won DWTS! Good for her.

I now have all the ingredients for my cooking tomorrow and this weekend! I will be making “French Toast Casserole” and “Biscuit Sausage Pie” for two breakfasts. Today,  I made my own version of Mini Chocolate Banana Cupcakes to take this weekend! I used the recent BSI Winner recipe but used my own chocolate fudgy sauce on top.

Last Night Snack:
I had about 1 serving ( 120 kcal) , it wasn’t really flavorful so I would have definitely preferred air popped but don’t have the seeds.

Breakfast:

Okay, I know this looks gross but I didn’t intend it to look a certain way! I have to get up earlier than ever for this class so I had to get these oats ready last night!

I added:
1/4 cup of Steel Cut Oats  (TJ Quick Cook)
1/2 cup bluberries
2/3 cup Soy Milk
1/4 cup water
Cinnamon
1/4 cup organic raisins

I let that sit in the fridge overnight and mixed in a 3/4 scoop of protein after heating this morning. So this was all just a little bit more or extra than yesterday’s bowl, and it held me over a little better! It was great running fuel and tasted AMAZING despite the “Count Chocula” look

Refreshing Lunch:

Scrambled Egg Whites, A Navel Orange, and a salad of organic baby greens, organic locally grown sprouts, zuchinni circles, and brie.

I was still hungry right after finishing so I had a handful of these new things I picked up at Trader Joes:

Snapea Crisps

I actually had 1 entire serving at least because they were so darn delicious! They are light and puffy like popcorn but they are salty and have a little chew to them ( no harsh kernel parts). Super cool snack but unfortunately, I doubt they count towards a veggie serving! They taste more fried than baked seriously, a little “potato chip greasey”, but not in an awful way. I really enjoyed them and I am going to snag some more for this weekend! Ingredients: Snap Peas, Corn Oil, Rice, Salt, and I believe Vitamin C as an anti-oxidizer. Corn Oil actually has a decent breakdown of polyunsaturated and monounsaturated fats- so not too shabby.

Dinner:

Pasta Alla  Carbonara

Ingredients for Sauce:
 

1 Tb flour ( I used whole wheat)

1 TB butter ( I used Smart Balance)

1/3 cup reserved HOT pasta water

1/2  cup  egg substitute

2/3 cup 1% milk

2  teaspoons  olive oil

1/2  cup  grated fresh Parmesan cheese

1 oz  brie or cheddar whatever you like 

1/4  teaspoon  salt

1/2  teaspoon  freshly ground black pepper

4  bacon slices, cooked and chopped

Directions

1. Combine egg substitute and milk with whisk. Whisk in slowly HOT pasta water.

2.  In a medium heat skillet, whisk in flour and butter to form a roux.

3. Whisk in liquid mixture from step 1 slowly so that it incorporates the roux from step 2.

4. Continue whisking for approx. 3 minutes until it thickens. Whisk in Olive Oil

5. Add remainder of ingredients, stirring frequently

I add my drained Whole Wheat Penne to the sauce, added sliced Baby Roma Tomatoes and Fat Free Feta

On the side, broccoli spears ( I nibbled on 2 Full servings of the broccoli while waiting for Jeff to finish cutting grass!)

What is your favorite Wednesday night show?

I haven’t found one yet that I really like- but mostly because I never really watch!

Back to School.. Back to School…

Body:
Cross Training : 45 min Elliptical, 1 mile walk to stretch out my muscles for a run tomorrow!

Mind:

Oh goodness yall. So I went to class and was overwhelmed with how much I need to catch up of course, but I know it is possible. I also found out that the Prof will not allow me to take the lab portion this summer because I’ve missed too much and there is “no time or materials left” for me to start bacteria cultures. So… I will have to take the lab portion (1 credit) next spring. Not too bad- I will get the really tough part out of the way so that is good.

I had to call my  mom and ask her to write down my “to do” list because I feel so scatter brained lately and keep forgetting things like toliet paper. I also didn’t really forget my prescriptions, I went to get them filled and my doctor hasn’t called them back yet AND the other one they filled they didn’t have enough pills! So they “owe me” 5 more… what a pain in the arse! I went back yet again and good thing, I got a 3 month supply thanks to the doctor telling them to fill it as written! They would never let me get just 1 month so this is good news!

Soul:

Who do you think will win Dancing With The Stars????
I kind of hope that Melissa does, only because Shawn has already won an olympic gold medal for her athletic talent, and Gille kinda irks me but he has such great acting “suave” type personality that it would be easy for him to get that dancing attitude. Melissa had such unfortunate happenings that it would be nice to see her win!

Breakfast:
Chocolate Protein Oats
 
I had let the following sit overnight:
1/2 cup non-quick oats
1/2 cup Soy Light Silk Plain Milk
1/2 cup water
1/2 scoop Pure Protein Chocolate
Cinnamon
Pinch of Lite Salt
On top: Wild Organic Blueberries and All Natural Peanut Butter

I heated up the soaked oats super quickly before class this morning. It was fast and easy and held me until about 11. That means I will need more fuel to keep me going until lunch time! Nice Try though.

Provides Approx.
340 kcal
17 g Protein
1 serving of Fruit, 1 serving of Whole Grains

Lunch:

Salad with NOO Balsamic and Olive Oil

A  Turkey Sandwich

Pineapple and some banana slices, 

Approx.
1 serving of fruit, 2 servings whole grain, 3 servings of Veggies
330 kcal
19 g protein  ( The turkey meat was lean Dean & Watson brand, which is higher in protein than other lunch meats and better in taste I feel. I never get it because .. 1. Lunch meat usually has too much sodium and mostly…  2. Its a super expensive source of lean protein! It was on sale this week for BOGO Free)

Snack:
An oikos plain. ( they were on sale 10/$10 !!!! I snagged as many as they had!)

80 kcal and 15 g protein
1 serving of lowfat Dairy

Dinner:

Mushroom Blue Cheese “Burger”…

I had a Boca Original Vegan Burger with zuchinni shreds, mushrooms, Organic Ketchup and a little full fat blue cheese dressing. The good stuff goes a long way! This was seriously DELICIOUS! I had a salad of organic baby greens, zuchinni, locally grown sprouts, mushrooms and some frozen veggies steamed up ( broc., asparagus, peppers, onions, Brussel sprouts). I actually wanted another burger after I was done it was so delicious.
Instead I had more salad and split that Organic Fuji &$ PB with Jeff

Provides Approx.
5 servings of Veggies, 1 serving of fruit, 1 serving of Whole Grains
320-380 kcal ( I estimated the dressing amount, pb, etc.)
22 g protein

I will probably have some sort of snack or dessert as well in a few hours!

Hope everyone has a wonderful day!

Monday!

Body:

I had my first official Golf Lesson!
Jeff got me 3 golf lessons with a PGA Pro as a present quite a bit ago, but I had been running, or rehabing my knee , working, in classes, etc.  So I finally got to attend my first lesson and man, are my arms and back tired! I started playing for real with Jeff the first year, shortly after we met. It turns out, I am pretty good but not consistent nor have I played the game enough to really understand why!

Today I learned some great tips and things to work on at home but overall the Pro was impressed with the power and speed of my swing and that I had such good form right away. I am so pumped up for going golfing this friday, saturday and sunday with Jeff’s Aunt and Uncle !!  I have my second lesson this thursday and am saving a lesson for the future!

Yoga: I also did a lovely 30 minute yoga session with my DVD and some moves from the Detox Flow on yogadownloads.com.  Stretching was exactly what my muscles needed!
 
Mind:
Fixed my situation for summer class! I met with the financial aid people and got the $$ package set for taking Microbiology this summer for the first six week session! I missed classes so I will have to work my butt off to catch up but it will be better now than while doing my thesis!

I emailed the professor about catching up but he hasn’t yet got back to me.

I also emailed a classmate about any work her boss-lady Dietician may have or know of. Keep your fingers crossed!

I have been slowly catching up with commenting and all the blogs I love to read- so thanks for keepin up with me! I really wanted to say Thank You to my new friend Sarah and Moran of The Running Addict, Lara of Thinspired, and Erica of Itzy’s Kitchen–  You have all been incredibly helpful to me and I can’t thank you enough for being such wonderful people!

Soul:
I am so happy about the summer class and getting financial aid for it! Phew!  Big weight off my chest there!

I finally got to take golf lessons I had been meaning to and I am proud of myself for staying positive with this whole job thing.

Oh and its the finale of Dancing with The Stars AND The series premier of The Bachelorette. I am addicted to nonsense TV shows but I think after all the studying and all the exercise I do, it helps me zone out which I need sometimes!!!

Eats:

 
Cinnamon Raisin Oatmeal
I made it with ground flax, steel cut quick oats, water, organic raisins and a little protein powder for staying power. Also of course, a Tb of peanut butter. PB is just such a delicious contrast to the oats. 

Pineapple on the side- did you know that it is supposed to help with joints? I have been trying to eat more of it lately for that purpose ( and its easy because its delicious!).

Lunch:

Chobani Strawberry, Half a banana with pb, the last of my ricotta mixed with grape jelly.

Snack
 
Orange and a mini turkey sandwich on whole wheat.

Dinner:

Jeff grilled steaks that were on special this week at Harris Teeter. I baked two locally grown sweet potatoes and threw together a quick white sauce with a little horseradish, melted brie, and baby bella mushrooms for on top of the steak. We threw together salads of organic baby greens, shreds of zuchinni, locally grown sprouts, and some more shrooms.

Sunday

Body:

REST! My hip flexor issue is still a little sore but overall, my body handled the 12 miles fantastically! ( I don’t think that is a word but I liked it). My legs do feel tired enough in a “i could use some rest” sort of way but no soreness or aches!

Mind:
Job applications
Corporate Sponsor finding for volunteering
Recipe finding for the upcoming trip to PA for the Golf Outing!
Directions, planning with my sister to potentially come back to visit with us for a bit.

Soul:
Oh it was a rainy, tired, recover from the party fun kinda day. Jeff and I had a lovely time just getting some random things done and laying on the couch together for some good movies.

Eats:

Lots of Cereal!

Bowl #1

Chocolate Frosted Mini Wheats with Skim Milk

Bowl #2 with coffee

Basic 4 with skim

“Clean” Lunch #1

It’s funny because even if I have just one day without several servings of veggies, I notice and “crave” more clean foods and smaller meals the next day! I knew exactly what I wanted: Steamed veggies (broccoli, artichokes, pepper, onion, carrots, snow peas) , Warmed fruit ( blueberries, mango, pineapple), Egg whites

Snack

Apple

Dinner:

I made a pizza! Trader Joes Whole Wheat Dough with some leftover pasta sauce, ricotta cheese (fat free) and lowfat mozzarella. It tasted like a lasagna pizza, from the ricotta especially!

and then there was a pig

Before we got the party started, I managed to… 

Body:
Run 12 miles!  I got ready to run outside but then rain started down-pouring! I quickly decided to head to the gym and knew I really wanted to run far today.

It took me 1 hour 34 minutes! I felt fantastic the whole time and the rest of the day too! I was worried about my glycogen stores depleting completely but they were great!

I have been so excited using my heart rate monitor to help me train! I realized that I can last for a much longer distance when I keep my heart rate closer to 180- which is still very difficult but I now have a good feeling when my heart is pushing too hard for longer mileage. I also like it because it helps push me when I’m doing cross training, i.e on the elliptical! I had no idea my HR was so low when doing the elliptical! I was only burning about 50% of the kcal I thought I was and my HR only gets to around 120! So it has helped me step it up a notch in cross training AND it also helps me with kcal! I was not eating enough on longer runs but then sometimes I would eat too much on cross training days etc. I wasn’t much concerned with weight loss or with gain but I was concerned with how I was feeling. For awhile (esp. in October/November) I would run in the morning then by class in the afternoon , I could literally feel my blood glucose drop and I would get nauseated, dizzy, sleepy etc. ! It has definitely been a great tool all around for my training!

Mind:
Pig Pickin’ Celebration- no thinking, just enjoying and catching up with many great people!

Soul:
Great Friends, Great Family, Great Food and Great Drinks!

I started out my day with a gorgeous bowl of Steel Cut Oats with Ground Flax, Blueberries and All Natural Peanut Butter AND leftover whip-cream frosting from the pig pickin cake !!!!
 

Approx.
1.5 servings of Whole Grains, 1 serving of fruit
385-400 kcal

Run Fuel:

I forgot the shot blocks but I did have newly purchased bags of Kids’ Sharkies Sport Chews that did the trick- 1/2 the pack at mile 6 and 7 then the other 1/2 immediately after finishing 12!

Lunch:

Big bowl of Kashi Go Lean cereal, it was high in fiber, protein and whole grains so it was replacing AND helping fuel me for the rest of the day!  I also had  a banana and extra soy milk aside from what was in the bowl.

Pig Pick 2009
 

Pickers on a mission…. Watch out, Pregnant Lady with Beer!

Our friends The Tefts brought over extra beer because we ran out- There was approximately 40 of our closest friends and family! There was a brief game of flip cup, lots of talking and beer drinking, a washer game, and many rounds of horseshoes. ( That is our friend Nate and my future-brother-in-laws new girlfriend Chanda! She is awesome and a creative writer- Here is her blog. Hi Chanda!)

Here’s the line up of the FABULOUS SIDES:

 
Start of the “Buffet” if you will:
 
From the top left (Left to Right):
Brownie Bites, Chocolate Chip Cookies, Timmy Smith’s Cornbread, Momma Mo’s Potato Salad
Next Row: My cake! , Under Cake: Andrea’s Deviled Eggs, Next to Cake: Dave’s Hummus, To the right: Caroline’s Mac and Cheese ( divine!), Pasta Salad

Middle of Buffet:

Top Left to Top Right: Momma Mo’s potato salad, Timmy Smith’s Potato Salad, Nick O’s Creamsicle Salad
Bottom Row Left: Momma Mo’s Coleslaw, Momma Mo’s Cornbread Pudding, Green Bean Casserole

End of Buffet:

Top Left: Donna & Stewarts Hush Puppies, Cheesecake Variety, Watermelon
Momma Mo’s Baked Beans ( homemade!) and more Green Bean Casserole
and our nephew’s Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtle to wish all happy eating apparently. 

My dinner included a tasting of almost everything~

I didn’t quite finish this plate but I did manage most of it! I really had a bite size portion of everything except a larger amount of beans and meat! I like to look at everything having something to offer that is “worthwhile”- the mac n cheese, the cornbread and hushpuppies were all delicious treats as in -I don’t usually eat all of those with one meal because they all offer the same thing- refined carbs and saturated fat. Don’t get me wrong, they are delicious but I prefer balancing the unhealthy with healthy and getting the most out of what I consume. There were healthy aspects to everything such as the veggies …. tomatoes in the pasta salad, cabbage in the coleslaw, corn in the cornbread pudding, and bell peppers in the beans. Fiber in the beans, lean protein…You get the idea!  I think it is funny when people see me eating things like this and ask me or joke about how “bad” it all is. Sometimes no one can believe that I eat it or eat that much! I usually just say that this is a once in awhile kinda meal. I taste and enjoy a bit of everything I really want and I stop when I’m full! For example, I didn’t get any green bean casserole because I don’t really like it other than at thanksgiving! I eat healthy all the time which makes a meal like this a really enjoyable experience!

Dessert:

A tasting of my cake ( it was actually a small sliver), I only had a piece of that cookie (unfortunately because I couldn’t fit anymore in me!) Everyone LOVED the cake so I was extremely happy with how it came out!

I also tasted some of “Creamsicle Pudding” our friend Nick O made.

As far as my drinking, I had one glass of miller lite ( Jeff bought a keg) but since I’m not a huge fan, I used it for my round in flip cup! After that, I sipped on a vodka water.  Much later into the evening, I had some wine.  This was an all day event, so three drinks across the span of the day left me hangover-free and feeling awesome the entire time!

( those flowers were for Momma Mo from our friend Tuddy, such a sweetheart!)
 
For those that are interested, my estimate for intake today was 2,440 kcal – my output from the run was 1,186 kcal!

*Vegans and/or those sensitive to seeing meat being cooked- I would not read any further so I inserted this post break!

Carnivores full speed ahead!

How to Make a Pig Pickin Cake

Yesterday was the annual Pig Pickin at my future in-laws and it was absolutely a celebration of every sort! We celebrated Jeff’s stepdads’ retirement, my future- brother-in-laws graduation from college, Jeff’s birthday and our engagement! I made the traditional cake to serve at a Pig Pickin, “The Pig Pickin Cake”
 
My 1st Pig Pickin experience:
Hopefully as I continue my blogging adventures, you will get a look into the “Southern Pig Pickin” summer traditions. Pre-blog summer, Jeff and I had gone to over 5 Pig Pickins  ( in 3 months!) but had to miss a few on top of that! It’s huge down here. It was really the first thing Jeff and I did together after meeting too! He asked me to go to a pig pickin ( I had no idea what it was) but said yes because I had a crush on him & thought he was adorable.  Little did I know, I was going to his parent’s house, meeting his sisters, brothers, neice and nephew, aunts and uncles,  and all his family friends the first time we did anything! We didn’t even know if we were “dating”! A family friend jokingly instigated something like ” You two should be dating if you aren’t already (?) ” and we both looked at each other in that super awkward “we don’t know” sorta way. I think we both said at first, “oh no we are just friends”. We kissed at the end of the night, in the rain, outside, (NOT knowing his whole family was spying on us! Yes ( Momma Mo, Preston, Butta Bean & PJ)  I said SPYING! ) Thus, it began.

Anyway, usually every year Momma Mo and Preston ( Mo is Jeff) have a pig pickin.  For those that don’t know what a Pig Pickin is…. Here is a little history
from about.com :
” A Pig Pickin is a ritual in the South — particularly in the Carolinas and Georgia– whereby a whole pig is roasted over wood coals for hours until done. When the meat falls off the bones, folks just gather round and “pick off the meat”, thus it is called a “pig pickin” , which is in “northern talk” a pig roast. We take our barbeque as seriously as Texans — knowing everything about a “pig pickin” is almost a religion to us, and this cake became synonmous with the event because it was the perfect ending to “a mess” of barbeque, hush puppies, corn sticks, coleslaw and all the fixins. Banana Pudding is also acceptable as the grand finale…” But the true dessert hit, is the Pig Pickin cake originating in the 70’s !

Ingredients

1 (18.25 ounce) package butter cake mix

1 (11 ounce) can mandarin oranges, juice reserved

4 eggs

1/4 cup vegetable oil

1 (16 ounce) package frozen whipped topping, thawed

1 (15 ounce) can crushed pineapple, drained

1 (3.5 ounce) package instant vanilla pudding mix

In the past I used the Splenda version of the fruit ( canned pineapple and canned mandarins with splenda) and the sugar free fat free pudding.
This year, I just did the SFFF pudding because I felt like it wouldn’t impact flavor that much but balance a little bit of the sugar ( from the fruit and cake and whip topping etc.). I searched recipes online and basically just gathered what to do from several recipes! Allrecipes.com has the closest version to mine!
 

Directions:
1. Grease & Flour three, 8 inch cake pans. ( I only have 2 9 inch cake pans and 1 9 inch springform pan. I had to keep in mind when pouring the batter because I wanted to make three thin layers instead of two thick layers (It’s easier frosting 3 thin layers!).

2. Mix together Cake Mix, Oranges, Eggs, and Oil with electric beater on medium speed for about 3 minutes. Pour batter into three pans evenly.

3. Bake at 350 * F  for approx. 30 minutes.  Cool completely on wire racks ( or something that can allow air to cool underneath the cake evenly)

Frosting:

Mix whipped topping, crushed pineapple and pudding mix with beaters on med-low. Set in refrigerator until cake has completely cooled!

4. Frost layers when cakes have completely cooled.

 

 

Let there be cake!

Fireworks Friday!

Body

  Rest! Leg not feeling awesome but really I notice because your hip flexor is involved in any movement you make so blech .

Mind

Oh goodness.
Fiasco, literally. I found out that the summer course started this past monday NOT the coming monday as I thought it did. ALSO , financial aid never put a package together for me because for some reason I was not registered for the course- DESPITE getting a bill and showing up as registered for it prior to ending spring classes. I have no idea what is next.

I did get an application for GNC, which sells supplements and all kinds of nutrition products. I think it would be alright except that my degree is all about how WHOLE foods really give you what you need. I feel like the dark child of the American Dietetic Assoc. sometimes because I like functional foods and supplements in certain cases. Take for example, Omega 3 supplements. DHA and EPA are crucial at helping reduce inflammation, build up cell membranes and can act as antioxidant barriers. If you can’t afford that nice wild salmon or say fresh mahi mahi, what is a gal to do? What if you are allergic to certain fish like me? I think supplements are great additions to diets in general but not necessarily the best or only way we should consume nutrients.
Anyhow, I am hoping to still hear back from one great position working with Local Foods on a state level but not sure. Keep your fingers crossed!

Soul

I MADE CAKE! A Pig Pickin Cake. For tomorrow’s annual Pig Pickin at my future-in-laws! Recipe to follow this post!

and…I had coffee this morning with my brother at Starbucks but a funny story goes with why I didn’t pay for it!

You see, I walk in to the Starbucks and see three barista’s (1,2,3) behind the counter chatting.I stood at the register, no one came, I moved to the side, they looked at me but said nothing. Then two other customers walk in behind me and I hear “what can I get for you today?”. Assuming the man is talking to me because I had waited for several minutes at that point, I say “A grande of the drip coffee please” at the SAME time as the customer that had just walked in ordered something. I realize as I turned to the barista #1 that he wasn’t talking to me but #1 acknowledges me and says ” Oh you can get that from him, gesturing to #2″. I repeat my order to Barista #2. He does not say anything. The customers that had walked in behind me pay for there order as Barista #3 steps out and assists them. Barista #3 asks my brother what he ordered so he can pay her. She looks at me and says Would you like anything?

You might have had to be there to understand that not only did none of them pay attention to me while I was waiting to order initially, but then they didn’t even bother to ask me my order instead asked the customers that walked in after I did! On top of that, I placed my order to #1 and then again to #2 – both of whom started making drinks for the customers who walked in after me.  In most situations, I just let things go because I tend to not really care in the overall scheme of things.  I just said back to her, “I told both him(#1) and him (#2) what I ordered and neither of them got it so I really don’t even want it anymore”.

Honestly I didn’t care because I didn’t feel like giving them business at that point. My brother and I found a table outside and shortly after, #2 comes up with a grande drip and apologized saying “Even if you really don’t want it any longer, I need to do this for my sake”.

So at least I could help him feel better about himself. And I got my coffee for free. But, the best part was having a really great conversation with my brother that helped me de-stressify and catch up with him.

Breakfast:

Steel Cut Oats, Blueberries, PB

Provides:
150 kcal Oatmeal with Water
70 kcal 1 cup blueberries
80 kcal 1 Tb Peanut Butter
300 kcal total
12 g protein
1 servings of fruit, 1 whole grain

A really great Lunch: 

Peanut Butter and Jelly French Toast

Oh yea. I wanted a peanut butter and jelly sammy again but I also wanted french toast b/c I haven’t made it in awhile. Hence, pb&j french toast is born.

I made the pb&j on whole wheat (stuck it together) and made a batter of soy milk and egg whites with cinnamon.

Dipped in the sammy and put into a hot skillet. DELICIOUS!

I amaze myself sometimes.

I had it with a chobani plain

that I mixed in some of the jelly since it was out to add sweetness, 1/2 organic fuji apple, and also a serving of steamed veggies.

Provides:
285 kcal
22 g protein ( 5 g from egg whites, 6 g from bread, 3 g peanut butter, 8g 1/2 chobani )
1 serving of veggies, 2 Whole grains, 1/2 serving of fruit

Dinner Was Out at The Durham Bulls’ Game!

We had Terrace Box seating with a waiter and little table area ! A vendor at Jeff’s work was in town wheeling and dealing,so they took out a few employees to the game. I was excited because it was a few of the people I actually know quite well after attending many of his work parties and functions.

I ordered the grilled chicken sammy…. It wasn’t anything spectacular but it was the best out of the choices we had and it was free!
I ordered Merlot but they were out. lnstead I had a glass of Pinot Grigio

 
I would not recommend Barefoot for pinot grigio but it fit the bill.

Fireworks, a  perfect ending!

The Canes vs. The Penguins!

Body

Thanks to all that wished my leg better! I decided to try out walking/running on the treadmill and as soon as I hopped on, the pain went away! I did a very hard, very sweat-filled 7 mile run with no leg pain!
Unfortunately, it started bothering me again as soon as I stopped. In case you just tuned in, my hip flexor has been sore and annoying but not “painful” really until the other day. So I will be resting every other day to see if it helps!

Stats:
Max HR 193
Min HR 157
Kcal 596
Time 1:01 minute
Distance: 7.13 miles

Mind

I worked on two more applications and on some issues for summer courses! I was hoping to take microbiology but I’m not quite sure that will work now!

Soul
We went with a few friends to watch the Hurricanes vs. Bruins in Game 7 of the semi-semi-final round at a local sports pub. Hurricanes won 3-2 in Overtime!!! Which means as I predicted, The Hurricanes will now play the Penguins (my hometown team) in the Semi-Finals! The winner of that series will play for the Stanley Cup! Weeee! This is so exciting!

Breakfast:

Steel Cut Oats and Smucker’s All Natural PB and Pineapple

Lunch: 

No Photo ( I had to recharge my battery)
Peanut Butter and Jelly Sandwich on WW, Soy Milk, and Spinach & Artichokes heated up with ricotta and parm cheese.

Dinner 1:
Vegan Boca Burger with Mustard and Ketchup in a Whole Wheat Tortilla

 

Dinner 2:
Kashi Go Lean with Soy Milk and an Organic Medjool Date with Smucker’s All Natural PB!

Over the Hump

Body

Rest!  I hate to admit that I have been having some (right) leg pain. Oddly enough it is not much my knee ( per usual) but deep inside the top of my leg joint ( hip flexor). Unfortunately it has been really annoying until yesterday it was just hard to walk around! I think its because the hip flexor is always in use! Driving, sitting and rising, stairs, doing anything!

Mind

Cleaning and organizing is always so helpful at clearing my mind! I had piles of mail built up from the semester ( all those stupid things that get sent to you that aren’t urgent). Now that we have more furniture in the house (thanks to my sis) we need to get rid of some stuff that we don’t need in order to fit it all! So I washed the walls and dusted etc.

I also looked into two reception/ceremony sites and emailed a few more places as far as the WEDDING goes! I can’t wait to see the photos from Erica but I really like this one place

Soul

Jeff and I went on DATE NIGHT! We went shopping together because he had to get a new phone ( he got a Blackberry with MP3 and Internet capabilities!).  I am so happy because his ipod got stollen (his old truck was broken into) and Jeff is such a music guy I can’t believe he has gone this long without it.

He was in a spending mood so we continued the fun with dinner at a new restaurant! We laughed a lot which is just what I needed, Check out the eats below!

Breakfast:

Blueberries with  Steel Cut Oats covered in Ground Flaxseed and Smucker’s All Natural PB
Provides:
290 kcal
12 g protein
1 servings of fruit, 1 whole grain

Lunch: 

Leftover  boneless skinless chicken with Veggies (steamed with black pepper) and Kashi Whole Grain Pilaf

Provides:
270 kcal
22 g protein
2 servings of veggies

Snack:

Ricotta (Fat Free) mixed with Grape Jelly, Pineapple and Cherries

Provides:
140 kcal
10 g protein
2 servings of fruit

Dinner:

Cameron Bar and Grill
We have tried their sister restaurant further north from us and liked their menu. I was excited when I remembered I had wanted to try out this branch in Cameron Village ( close to downtown Raleigh). They had dark mahogany furniture and accents on the wall. Also on the wall, they had enlarged black & white photographs from Raleigh many years ago! Their menu offers “good” bar food, they offer lots of sandwiches, soups, entrees and entree salads that many people would enjoy!

I really liked that they offered a “fish of the day” in varieties: you could order it with normal sides, or on top of their house, spinach, caesar salad, as a sandwich, etc. I ordered the Fish of the day ( Salmon) blackened and on top of a spinach salad.

The salad offered fresh spinach, tomato, onion, mushrooms, bacon and hard boiled egg with a warmed mushroom vinegarette on the side.

Approx.:
360 kcal +
28 g protein  
2 servings of veggies

Drink: Martinis were on special on Wednesday so I “made my own” with Stoli Blueberry and Grape Schnapps.

It was so strong! I haven’t had a martini in years I think so I struggled with finishing it!

Approx.
210 Kcal ( Calorie King estimates a Vodka Martini at 210 kcal so I am using that)

Jeff ordered his go-to option: The Buffalo Chicken Sandwich and a local Beer. He actually did a review for me but I was going to post it interview-style with him later!

Dessert:
 
Oh my goodness!
We ordered the chocolate reese’s pie ( which was more like cheesecake) and shared it.

It had delicious peanut butter cheesecake layer, a chocolate cheesecake (pie) layer and chocolate graham cracker crust. It was topped with caramel, a few bits of peanut butter cups and had some kind of white frosting drizzle! Our slice was set on a plate of drizzled chocolate sauce and powdered sugar. It was fantastic!

I estimate this was about 700 kcal based on what The Cheesecake Factory slices report, this was definitely smaller but just as jam packed with delicious. Since we split it in half- my intake would have been 350 kcal

Monday Tuesday Its’ Okay

Monday

Body
Evening gym session of the Elliptical and ab work. I really just needed some light exercise to get my blood flowing as I had been doing such mind-full work all day!

Mind
I spent most of the morning working on volunteer tasks for the fundraising event I am helping to plan for IFFS !  We have narrowed our ideas down to contacting “big name” Corporate Sponsors and hopefully they will help us recruit local business support as well. We are going to have maybe a weekend long event at local Restaurants where a portion of their proceeds from customers that weekend will go towards the IFFS Farms and Garden’s program.

We also will hand out organizational information regarding “How-To” info on how to host a dinner for this fundraiser, maybe “How-to grow your own garden” and how to donate to IFFS !

If any of my readers would like to be involved or have ideas from their own experiences- feel free to send me and email at bhealthier@gmail.com

I spent the afternoon applying to several positions ( 4 total) and re-doing my resume for said positions ( and searching wedding venues). Unfortunately, I heard back from 2 that the positions have been filled. Still keeping my fingers crossed but at least all my ducks are in a row.

Soul
My best friend from college called me to tell me she is ENGAGED! I am so thrilled for her and excited that we can share in the joy of wedding planning together! Congratulations Nikki B!

Jeff and I watched the Pens vs Caps game ( my hometown team, and isn’t that funny pens vs. caps, as in the writing utensils? I know I’m hilarious) and then we watched Dancing with The Stars! I should clarify that he does not “watch” the show rather he knows I enjoy it (despite that he guessed the judges scores after each dance! haha)

Monday
Breakfast: 

This is the first time I tried Chobani with Honey. It was the ONLY flavor and actually the ONLY yogurt the store had left. It was alright but I prefer plain! Wheat toast, banana and fresh strawberries with peanut butter!

Lunch:
Lots of Veggies with tomato sauce I had made last week and some cheese

Dinner: Chicken Breast (hot sauce) with Steamed Veggies and Cous Cous ( whole wheat roasted garlic)
Jeff and I also snacked on yogurt with the rest of our fresh strawberries for dessert. I am so excited fresh Strawberries are back in season!
                                                                                                                    

Tuesday, today, hooray!

Body

Run 5 miles, I had 1 shot block on mile 4 but it made my tummy hurt for some reason. I think I was just not in the mood to push for longer today.

Mind

Dentist Appointment, argh!
One of the closest friends I will ever have is going through a really awful time right now, so my mind can’t help but be on her.

Soul

Tickets to yes, ANOTHER, Hurricanes game! We have been so fortunate to have a great network of friends and family that somehow have tickets to these games! We are more than happy to go for the (6th ?) playoff game this season because if they win tonight, they clenched their spot in the semi-finals for the Stanley Cup!
We have sat in all different levels of seating which has been so great to experience! Section 312, then in a Deluxe Corporate Box with leather seats, then in Section 334, then in Section 323, and tonight’s  game will be in Section 108!

Breakfast:
2.5 servings of Fruit, 2 servings of Whole Grains, Lean Protein Egg Whites, Healthy Unsaturated Fats in the Peanut Butter and Coffee! 420 kcal

Lunch:
Egg Whites Scrambled with Salsa and a Whole Wheat Tortilla ( 1 serving Whole Grains, more lean protein, 1 serving of veggies, 1 serving of fruit: 280 kcal)
 
and raisins ( organic, no photo)

Dinner: A Vegan Boca Original Burger with an Organic Ketchup Smiley Face, Mustard Hair, No HCFS Pickles, Brie Wedge Ears and Whole Grain Kashi Pilaf

And a bowl of frozen mixed veggies steamed. ( 3 servings of veggies, 1 serving Whole Grains, approx. 410 kcal) and I’m planning on a lovely snack or dessert at the game!

Go CANES!