So here we are in CT! It has been nice to relax and settle in a bit for these 10 days. The weather is so beautiful and cool here that running has been an absolute joy. I feel young and fast! We did a 5 mile roadrace in Cape May Point, NJ last weekend. You guys know that I am no speed demon; I was shooting for a finish time of 50 minutes. Well, hooray for me, I felt great and finished in 46:50!
It is always difficult to be out of your element when traveling and staying at other people's homes. My eating has remained pretty clean nonetheless. I am a creature of habit so I have been sticking to the same basic meals that I mentioned in my last post. Although we did order pizza the other night. (New England pizza is like nothing you've ever tasted!) I ordered one without cheese. I had read that if the pizza is good enough you will never miss the cheese and honestly it was wonderful! I did have one bite of the real thing just to see ;o) but it tasted salty and greasy to me~not as good as I remembered. I am thankful that we brought our bucket of protein powder with us since that is one of my meals everyday. My parents are pretty healthy eaters so there isn't a whole lot of junk here to tempt me.
I've been to the gym once or twice this week and did some combo weight circuits which were tough but fun. Really I have been sticking to regular runs, lots of stretching and good, clean food. There are lots of roadside farm stands around here with awesome produce. I swear I think I am o.d.-ing on fruits and veggies! Their blueberries are .99/pint right now and the corn on the cob is just to die for. I am heading up to New Hampshire to see my grandmother next week which will be difficult. Italians just don't understand what "no, I'm full" means. Mangia! Mangia!
Jun 28, 2008
Jun 19, 2008
Trip Journal #1
So we have arrived in MD after 3 days of driving and visiting with old friends. Driving and eating have been a cinch, surprisingly. All 3 mornings I started out with my scrambled egg whites and oatmeal: eggs from IHOP (they actually do prepare egg whites, although a bit greasier than usual!), oatmeal in our hotel room or from my girlfriend of the day. For meal #2 I have been munching on Soy Crisps while driving; also added some grapes/banana. Lunch has been nasty fast food places, although every one seems to offer a grilled chicken wrap of some sort. I ordered it dry and without cheese. The lettuce and tomatoes give it plenty of juiciness to make it go down nicey-nice. Meal #3, again time to munch in the car: almonds (thanks, Jen!), Nature Valley granola bar, Orbit gum or sugar free wintergreen lifesavers. Dinners: day one, IHOP scrambled egg whites and almonds; day two: meatball grinder with half of the bread, 3 chocolate chip cookies and 4 martinis(!!)~hadn't seen this particular girlfriend in 4 years; day three: grilled chicken, orzo and lots of veggies.
Ran on Day Two, also my birthday! I like to start out each birthday and January 1st with a nice run. I've been doing knee crunches in the car while driving to fight boredom and to keep awake: while holding the wheel and with cruise control engaged, I just lifted both knees at the same time about four inches high and held them there for a specified amount of miles. Started with just one mile but I worked my way up to 7 miles by Day Three. Abs were a bit sore~nice! Did walking lunges as I walked the dogs on Day One. Those push ups and planks have been nonexistent, but once we get to Cape May Point tomorrow and then CT on Monday I will have some more free time to do something other than load/unload the car.
Be sure that I'll keep you posted!
Ran on Day Two, also my birthday! I like to start out each birthday and January 1st with a nice run. I've been doing knee crunches in the car while driving to fight boredom and to keep awake: while holding the wheel and with cruise control engaged, I just lifted both knees at the same time about four inches high and held them there for a specified amount of miles. Started with just one mile but I worked my way up to 7 miles by Day Three. Abs were a bit sore~nice! Did walking lunges as I walked the dogs on Day One. Those push ups and planks have been nonexistent, but once we get to Cape May Point tomorrow and then CT on Monday I will have some more free time to do something other than load/unload the car.
Be sure that I'll keep you posted!
Jun 11, 2008
A Healthy Lifestyle on the Go
So you guys know that I am in the beginning stages of a move. I intend on keeping you up to date as we travel up the East Coast. I hope to stay on track as much as possible with clean eating and regular activity~a challenge indeed!
Already, this last week has been quite different from my normal workout weeks. I thought I would enjoy sleeping late and strolling into the gym at "Mommy Hour" to get my workout. Ha! The packers/movers need attention as do all of my last minute errands. I have decided that this is a good time to change gears and shake things up with my standard workout regime. I still have been up and going pretty early (not 4:30, but definitely by 5:30) spinning, running, or lifting weights for my shoulders or legs. I am doing push ups at home to cover my chest and arms. Sure it may not sound as tough as my chest/arm workouts can be, but do enough push ups and believe me, your upper body won't let you forget it anytime soon. I have enjoyed living sort of haphazardly like this, squeeking things in when I can. For right now, I actually like not having a schedule, but I can see how exercise could easily be forgotten in an unstructured life like this.
Eating is also a bit tricky now since we don't have much to cook with and the things we do have just aren't in their proper places. I am a creature of habit and I function worlds better when I have order around me! Surrounded by all of these boxes and using disposable utensils mentally puts me in a not-so-clean-eating frame of mind.
Breakfast is oatmeal and eggs~we did keep our favorite little frying pan away from the packers! Meal #2 is my protein shake. Easy.
Lunch right now is whatever I have left in my freezer; there are a few options:
2 Morningstar Farms veggie burgers with one slice of whole wheat bread and ketchup, or
1 can of chicken with Uncle Ben's microwave brown rice, edamame and a touch of Paul Newman's Balsamic Vinagerette dressing (for moisture), or
1 box (2 pieces) of Gorton's frozen grilled fish with Uncle Ben's microwave brown rice and cucumbers. All of these meals are quick and easy to make~all I need is a microwave!
Meal #3 is seriously lacking right now. I have been grabbing a Nature Valley granola bar and some cherries/blueberries/strawberries or some nuts and a glass of juice, but basically it is non-existent. That is okay though, because we are going out to dinner pretty early these days~like 5:00!
At Beef's, I ordered the Black & Bleu salad with chicken instead of steak, dressing on the side. At Lenny's, I got the Philly chicken salad with banana peppers, tomatoes and pickles, no cheese and dressing on the side~comes with sunflower seeds too! Tonight I was in FWB for gymnastics' carpool. I ate a Myoplex Lite protein bar while I strolled through their nasty Wal-Mart. I am definitely going to have some more cherries before bed tonight.
So things are far from normal around here but still they are pretty healthy. We will see what next week on the road brings...
Already, this last week has been quite different from my normal workout weeks. I thought I would enjoy sleeping late and strolling into the gym at "Mommy Hour" to get my workout. Ha! The packers/movers need attention as do all of my last minute errands. I have decided that this is a good time to change gears and shake things up with my standard workout regime. I still have been up and going pretty early (not 4:30, but definitely by 5:30) spinning, running, or lifting weights for my shoulders or legs. I am doing push ups at home to cover my chest and arms. Sure it may not sound as tough as my chest/arm workouts can be, but do enough push ups and believe me, your upper body won't let you forget it anytime soon. I have enjoyed living sort of haphazardly like this, squeeking things in when I can. For right now, I actually like not having a schedule, but I can see how exercise could easily be forgotten in an unstructured life like this.
Eating is also a bit tricky now since we don't have much to cook with and the things we do have just aren't in their proper places. I am a creature of habit and I function worlds better when I have order around me! Surrounded by all of these boxes and using disposable utensils mentally puts me in a not-so-clean-eating frame of mind.
Breakfast is oatmeal and eggs~we did keep our favorite little frying pan away from the packers! Meal #2 is my protein shake. Easy.
Lunch right now is whatever I have left in my freezer; there are a few options:
2 Morningstar Farms veggie burgers with one slice of whole wheat bread and ketchup, or
1 can of chicken with Uncle Ben's microwave brown rice, edamame and a touch of Paul Newman's Balsamic Vinagerette dressing (for moisture), or
1 box (2 pieces) of Gorton's frozen grilled fish with Uncle Ben's microwave brown rice and cucumbers. All of these meals are quick and easy to make~all I need is a microwave!
Meal #3 is seriously lacking right now. I have been grabbing a Nature Valley granola bar and some cherries/blueberries/strawberries or some nuts and a glass of juice, but basically it is non-existent. That is okay though, because we are going out to dinner pretty early these days~like 5:00!
At Beef's, I ordered the Black & Bleu salad with chicken instead of steak, dressing on the side. At Lenny's, I got the Philly chicken salad with banana peppers, tomatoes and pickles, no cheese and dressing on the side~comes with sunflower seeds too! Tonight I was in FWB for gymnastics' carpool. I ate a Myoplex Lite protein bar while I strolled through their nasty Wal-Mart. I am definitely going to have some more cherries before bed tonight.
So things are far from normal around here but still they are pretty healthy. We will see what next week on the road brings...
Jun 3, 2008
Set a Goal and Eat for It
Now that my ever-daunting half -marathon is behind me for the year (ahhhh!), I was out on a recovery run this morning trying to come up with a new goal. I like to switch gears when choosing each one between a cardio goal and a strength goal. But with our move right around the corner, my goal of 10 pull-ups will have to be tabled until I have regular access to a gym again. So I thought and thought about it, but I kept getting side-tracked with the idea of writing to you guys about goal-setting! Before I knew it, my run/brain-storming session was over. No new goal for me quite yet, but I do have a new blog post!
Here's your assignment: choose yourself a goal. This goal cannot have anything to do with your shape or size; it has to be a feat for your body to accomplish. Whether it is going a certain distance at a certain speed, adding more push-ups to your regime, or finally doing a pull-up, this goal will take you to new places in your quest for better health. Think long and hard about this. Make it challenging and make it something that you've always wanted to accomplish. Commit yourself to your goal; write it down, tell your friends, stick it on the fridge. Make it tangible by including a realistic date as to when you will reach this goal. Get started today. If you need some direction and help in tweaking your training plan to make it more goal-specific, leave me a comment here or send me an email. I would love to be a part of this! I'm excited just thinking about it!
Now let's think about your fuel. You're going to have to be aware of what you are putting in your mouth
. What you eat directly affects how your body performs. Think of your food as the drug that will either boost or inhibit your performance. For example, swimming is an extremely challenging activity for me. Yes, I have worked on it and I have come pretty far with it, but it is still pretty damn tough for this girl. I have accepted the fact that I am completely maxed-out and just not a natural in the pool. If I want to be a "swimmer", it all boils down to my eating...hhmmm. During triathlon training, I noticed a huge correlation between the amount of sugary foods that I ate and the ease of my breath while swimming laps. I would gasp for air and never fall into my groove if I had eaten sugary, crappy foods for a few days before a swim. Then, when I was diligent with my eating and fueled up with clean foods, my swimming was incredibly smoother. It was my magic pill.
Yes, I do eat realatively clean on a consistent basis, but since I was so completely pushed to the limit during my swims, I had to completely push myself to the limit in the kitchen as well and make my eating super-tight. The difference is, though, that I was eating to fuel my swim, not to lose weight. I hated having a bad swim; I never wanted another bad swim. This was how I prevented that. And since I did end up with a leaner, lighter body, it was easier to move myself through the bike and run as well. I made my body more efficient and my mind felt more accomplished. See how intertwined this all is?
If your goal is challenging enough, this simple, mental tweak will change the way you view your food. Food shouldn't be a way for you to get pleasure out of life. It should be a way to sustain you, plain and simple. Sure, it should taste good, but think of your food as the substance that will fuel your success. Your new approach will be to eat right for fitness sake. Keep your focus on your goal; make it the priority. Your eating is a means to its end.
Here's your assignment: choose yourself a goal. This goal cannot have anything to do with your shape or size; it has to be a feat for your body to accomplish. Whether it is going a certain distance at a certain speed, adding more push-ups to your regime, or finally doing a pull-up, this goal will take you to new places in your quest for better health. Think long and hard about this. Make it challenging and make it something that you've always wanted to accomplish. Commit yourself to your goal; write it down, tell your friends, stick it on the fridge. Make it tangible by including a realistic date as to when you will reach this goal. Get started today. If you need some direction and help in tweaking your training plan to make it more goal-specific, leave me a comment here or send me an email. I would love to be a part of this! I'm excited just thinking about it!
Now let's think about your fuel. You're going to have to be aware of what you are putting in your mouth
. What you eat directly affects how your body performs. Think of your food as the drug that will either boost or inhibit your performance. For example, swimming is an extremely challenging activity for me. Yes, I have worked on it and I have come pretty far with it, but it is still pretty damn tough for this girl. I have accepted the fact that I am completely maxed-out and just not a natural in the pool. If I want to be a "swimmer", it all boils down to my eating...hhmmm. During triathlon training, I noticed a huge correlation between the amount of sugary foods that I ate and the ease of my breath while swimming laps. I would gasp for air and never fall into my groove if I had eaten sugary, crappy foods for a few days before a swim. Then, when I was diligent with my eating and fueled up with clean foods, my swimming was incredibly smoother. It was my magic pill.Yes, I do eat realatively clean on a consistent basis, but since I was so completely pushed to the limit during my swims, I had to completely push myself to the limit in the kitchen as well and make my eating super-tight. The difference is, though, that I was eating to fuel my swim, not to lose weight. I hated having a bad swim; I never wanted another bad swim. This was how I prevented that. And since I did end up with a leaner, lighter body, it was easier to move myself through the bike and run as well. I made my body more efficient and my mind felt more accomplished. See how intertwined this all is?
If your goal is challenging enough, this simple, mental tweak will change the way you view your food. Food shouldn't be a way for you to get pleasure out of life. It should be a way to sustain you, plain and simple. Sure, it should taste good, but think of your food as the substance that will fuel your success. Your new approach will be to eat right for fitness sake. Keep your focus on your goal; make it the priority. Your eating is a means to its end.
Jun 1, 2008
Fresh and Easy Summer Recipes
Feta and Sweet Potato Slices
My friend Andrea made these and then I promptly forgot how she made them. I just sort of improvised and they actually turned out great. I guess you could call this Dee's Version of Andrea's Feta and Sweet Potato Slices!Peel potatoes and cut into 1/2 inch slices.
Spread out on greased baking sheet and bake at 350 for 20 minutes.
With a spoon, carve out a circle indention in the center of each slice. Be careful not to go all the way through to make a hole.
Fill the indention with crumbled feta cheese.
Sprinkle with basil and bake again at 350 for 10 minutes.
Blueberry Mush
This is a Dee Kelly Original. I started making this about ten years ago everytime I hosted playgroup at my house...memories! This tastes great at breakfast, brunch or dessert. It is best with fresh blueberries but their prices are a bit on the high side lately; I recently used frozen and it was fine. Also, I like it on the mushier side so I make it a day in advance and leave it in the fridge to soften.1 bag of defrosted bluberries
32 oz. tub of Dannon Light N' Fit Vanilla Yogurt
3/4 box of Kellogg's Low Fat Granola Cereal without raisins
Combine all three ingredients in a big bowl! So easy and so delish!
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