Easy & Healthy Weeknight Meals with the Man Stamp of Approval!

Thanks for the Garmin advice from yesterday's post! I used to lock my bezel (I have the 405) during the winter months when I had long sleeves on, but haven't been doing that lately. That's probably the problem! Also...my TNT total went over $1,400 yesterday!
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Since some of you have asked how I eat up all the veggies I stock my fridge with, I figured this week I would spotlight some of my favorite veggie centric meals that help fuel my training and at the same time don't gag my boyfriend.

As many of you ladies know, it's hard to cook for two when your significant other is the McDonald's and Coke type and you're the spinach and squash type. But it can be done!

Before I get into what we ate last night, I wanted to share my recent loot from heaven on Earth, Whole Foods.

I have been trying to stay away from this food mecca until pay day, but yesterday I just couldn't resist any longer. Plus I desperately needed some GREENS! Whole Foods, Earth Fare, other natural food stores as well as seasonal farmers markets are the best place to buy your produce. If you look hard enough, the fruit and produce is generally competitively priced.

Whole Foods loot!

1 bag of organic lemons for juicing as well as for the hummus I was about to make (this bag was a better deal than the same amount of non-organic lemons!), one 5 pound bag of organic carrots for juicing, 2 avocados, 1 box of Annie's Mac N Cheese (I have been craving mac n cheese for months...so when I saw it for $1.99 I had to get it.)

1 bunch of organic kale for Green Smoothies, organic quinoa for tonight's dinner, lentils from the bulk bin, 2 cans no salt added black beans (not organic, b/c they didn't have organic with no salt added), and 2 cans of no salt added garbanzo beans for my hummus appetizer! (All of this ran me about $23, not too bad for mostly organic.)

I quickly mixed up the hummus when I got home from the store in my food processor because we were both starving and I knew dinner would take a little while to prepare. I hated it as you can see.

In my hummus I used 2 cans garbanzo beans, some tahini, some olive oil, juice from two lemons, a bit of water, 1 garlic clove, some sea salt. YUMZA! Matt and I shared the above portion. He actually didn't hate it (his words), but I ended up eating most of this.

One of my favorite dinners to make for Matt and I is simple, easily adaptable to on-hand ingredients and packed with nutrition. Stuffed peppers! Since we bought a bag of six red and green peppers a few weeks ago, I needed to do something with the remaining peppers and I immediately thought of this weeknight favorite.

This time I was going to be using:

• 1 cup dry quinoa, cooked (you can also use brown rice or any other small grain but I love the taste and texture of quinoa, plus it is a protein power house, perfect for athletes)
• 1 diced onion
• 1 zucchini (we eat zucchini & summer squash at least 2 times a week, such versatile veggies!)
  
• 1 yellow tomato
• A little bit of Italian blend cheese for Matt's portion
  
• 4 small slices off a Muenster cheese block for me
• herbs & spices
  

On the side I was going to make pan fried tilapia (from frozen and thawed tilapia).

I started out by dicing up some veggies.


I bought four yellow tomatoes the other day at Harris Teeter for ridiculously cheap because they were going bad. All I had to do was cut off the bad spots and I had 4 yummy tomatoes for less than a dollar! This is a great way to get good quality produce for cheap. I also got 4 organic apples for less than a dollar --they were perfect for juicing!


Then I sauteed up the hard veggies in a little olive oil. I was planning on mixing the tomatoes in last minute and then baking the whole stuffed pepper, so I didn't want to saute them first because they would cook down too much.


I then prepped the peppers by cutting off the lids and scraping out the seeds and insides. I put it in a "greased" (with Pam) glass casserole dish in the oven to soften up a bit at 350 before adding the stuffings.
Then I started to dip the fish in one egg, and then a whole wheat flour/herb mixture to prep them for the pan...

...when I started to smell smoke & opened the oven to find that the drippings in the bottom of it had caught fire!! Of course I screamed for Matt and he came to my rescue with some baking powder...after I hastily removed my peppers.


Lesson learned: Clean out the oven from time to time so it doesn't catch fire...

Once that was handled I got back to the fish.


In the meantime I was cooking up some quinoa on the stove: 2 cups liquid for 1 cup dry quinoa. I usually cook my quinoa in stock but I was all out of bouillon so I went plain.


Once I knew everything was about finished, I sprayed the skillet with Pam and added the fish to "fry". I cooked them for about 7 minutes on each side. The key to pan frying fish is to let them cook thoroughly on one side before flipping them.

Since I was no longer "baking" the stuffed peppers like I usually do (wth a bum oven and all) I needed to heat up the tomato, so I popped it in the microwave for two minutes. Then I poured the heated tomato & the veggie mixture all together into a bowl with the quinoa. I added some herbs (this time I used herbs de provence, red pepper flakes & a bit of sea salt) and stirred it up.

And popped the peppers in the microwave for three minutes with some water in the bottom of the dish to steam them (since I wasn't baking them anymore...)

Once the fish was done, I stuffed up the peppers and added some cheese...


I used some muenster cheese on top of mine, I mixed some Italian blend cheese into Matts. There is usually some quinoa & veggie mixture leftover that we add to our plates. But I still have one serving left for lunch today.

And if you're wondering, Matt loves loves loves this meal! He even requests it on occasion.

So there you have it, delicious stuffed peppers that can be adapted for even the pickiest eater. If your oven doesn't catch on fire, what I usually do is bake the peppers on their own for about 15 to 20 minutes while I am preparing the stuffing, then bring them out and stuff them and pop them back in the oven until the top of the stuffing is a nice golden brown. But if you're short on time, microwaving the peppers in a shallow dish with a bit of water works in a pinch as well.

This looks complicated, but it really is simple. You can easily add some ground meat of your choice if you would like to the stuffing, or add in more vegetables. You can change it up with different herb and spice combos. You could stuff it with rice, cous cous or any other whole grain or even maybe a pasta if you're feeling daring!

I love this dish because its healthy, tasty and most importantly - it's man approved!

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I didn't workout last night, although I felt like I could have! I surprisingly wasn't sore at all from Sunday's 12 miler but I wanted to cook dinner and get some things wrapped up at home.

Since I'm going all healthy on y'all this week, get ready for some posts on:

• binge eating & how to avoid it
• at least one "raw" recipe that will get the man stamp of approval
• ...and of course more ways to sneak veggies into dinner without the men in our lives running for the nearest phone to dial Pizza Hut!

Anything else I should add to the list?

Simple & Clean

This morning when I opened my reader and discovered Bobbi's May Challenge to lead the Simple Life, I was excited because not only have I already been doing most of these things, but because for the past month I have been slowly transitioning myself into eating very simply and cleanly.

And I must say, I have been doing a fabulous job!

For me, my figure and weight loss are always looming in the front of my mind as I would still like to drop 5 to 10 pounds. However, leading a simple life in the way of what food I eat doesn't really have any bearing on the fact that I want to lose some weight. I know the only way I am going to lose any weight is by adding another component to my exercise regime because I already eat pretty healthy.

So, the way I see this Simple Life Challenge is just a way to further my own agenda of not only putting pure/simple/clean ingredients into my body but by also adapting this idea to other areas of my life.

I have posted before about my thoughts on healthy eating and I sometimes mention what I eat throughout the day, or I may post occasional recipes of meals I particularly like. You probably remember my posts on eating healthy on a budget. But this blog wasn't started to be a food journal and I don't intend to make it that.

But I do intend to further explore the things I love which is of course running and exercise, but also healthy eating, fresh ingredients, organic foods, sustainability, and easy ways that normal people can achieve a healthy balance.

After my first marathon is over on Saturday (!) I can quit thinking about my training for a minute and really start looking at whats next for me, whether that be another race in the fall, a new exercise activity to help me reach my goal weight, or simply a fresh outlook on my life. I think it's definitely due time! I have been stuck in a rut for a while and it's high time I do something about it.

So! Here are a few things I have been chomping down on this week in order to prepare myself (the best way I know how) to be nutritionally sound come Saturday morning.

First off, I have been eating Green Smoothies almost every day since last week! I honestly love them, and I really love all of the nutrients I am eating with my greens. I usually eat them for breakfast with some sort of whole grain for me to "chew" on. I think I am up to using almost 2 to 4 cups of greens, 1 cup of milk (soy or whatever else), 1 T ground flax, 1 spoonful of chunky natural PB, 1 banana and some ice. I haven't strayed too much from this, and have been primarily using kale.


I also made a big batch of dried lima and black beans Sunday night that I have been sitting in our cupboard for a while (probably too long) and have been incorporating them into my lunches and dinners this week. (Which is a very cheap and easy way to add some protein to any meal.)


I have also been eating veggie & protein packed salads and wraps for lunches.



Drinking tons of water as well as coconut water (as I can afford it) after my workouts and during the day.



And the number one thing I have been working on, is not to eat anything after dinner! This has grown increasingly more difficult for me lately and last night I finally said enough is enough! And I feel much better today :)

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That's all I have for now, but here is a bit more about Bobbi's Simple Life Challenge and please head to her site for more information and to sign up!

The Simple Life Challenge from Bobbi at NHerShoes

"How about a SIMPLE LIFE challenge that will get you to save money and eat healthier?? I don’t know about you, but I need to save some money and get back to the more simple pleasures of life.

The challenge comes in three parts!

First part give up eating out for the entire month of MAY!!! I know a lot of you wanted a challenge to get that bikini body, well this is a great way to get there.

Second part, Health Commute Challenge!! Ride your bike at least three times a week(or more) to work or to the store, or taking public transportation, walking, shoot even running!

Third part, Being Simple & Green. Here is a list of ways that you can get simple, and I would love to hear more of your ideas as well.

• Having a date night out at the park
• Inviting friends over for dinner instead of going out, have everyone bring something.
• Do your own pedicure and manicure
• Instead of buying that cup of coffee every day, make your own at home, or shoot give up coffee all together.
• Make all your own breads instead of buying them
• Have a garage sale and make some extra money!
• Read the news online instead of buying the newspaper.
• Do a cloths swap with your BFF’s
• Making a gift for someone instead of buying them something, which is always better anyway.

This May challenge is keeping life in it's RAWIST and SIMPLEST form. I understand that some of you can not bike to work or take public transportation, but what about carpooling or riding your bike to the grocery store??Do you need to simplify your life and get clean inside and out, then this challenge is for you"

Monday's Eats + More Tips to Stretch Your Budget

Ok back to your regular programming! In keeping with the theme of this week, how to eat healthy on a budget, I promised to post about some of the things I eat throughout the week with the groceries that I buy on Sunday. Just so you guys can get a feel for how I shop/combine ingredients to make healthy meals on the cheap. I don't normally post about everything I eat (I try to keep this mostly about my training) but I do occasionally share some meals with y'all because as we all know, running and nutrition go hand in hand.

Since yesterday's post was so well received, I have also decided to spotlight a few more tips each day this week to help your budget without sacrificing your health. Tips start today at the end of this post!

Monday's Dinner on the Cheap
Last night, I made a simple chicken stir fry using two chicken breasts that I had marinated in a mixture of low sodium soy sauce, ground ginger, garlic powder, and red chili pepper flakes. I always cook stir frys in peanut oil becuase I like the flavor it adds to the dish.

So basically, I heated up some oil in a large skillet, added in one sliced onion and some minced garlic and let that cook until fragrant, then added in my diced chicken breasts as well as the rest of the marinade in the bag (I only pour in enough sauce to cover the chicken, so not too much). After the chicken was cooked through, I added in two extra chopped carrots, a bag of frozen Broccoli Stir Fry veggies and I also added some more frozen corn and okra that I had been saving from when I made gnocchi soup. I also poured on a bit more soy sauce and added some more of the same spices. I did not add any salt.

I served this along side brown rice for Matt, and a plate of baby spinach for me that I let wilt with the heat of the dish.

Very simple, and extremely affordable. This dish is also easily customizable to include your favorite ingredients or even freash seasonal veggies versus the frozen kind.

The chicken and stir fry veggies cooking up.

Use a large skillet, and cook on Medium High to High heat. Just watch the oil in the pan when you're heating it up...I definitely once started a fire in my college dorm by letting the oil get too hot unwatched while I chopped veggies.

My plate! This was fantastic over spinach, and less filling than it would have been with the rice.

This also made more than enough for the two of us, and I brought 1/2 of the leftovers to work for lunch today along with some raw carrots and grapes. That is the good thing about cooking dinner regularly, there are most usually leftovers that can double as your lunch the next day!

This morning I enjoyed my first ever breakast cookie, which I must say was extremely delicious. I could really taste the peanut butter and the strawberries...Matt even tried it and he liked it! So I think I have solved the mystery of what Matt can eat for breakfast. Tonight I will be making two of these babies for us in the morning.

After I took this pic, I smothered this baby with some 0% vanilla Chobani, some ground flax seeds (that I forgot to add to the mix) and all natural honey. Inside the cookie is quick cooking oats, 3 sliced strawberries, 1/2 mashed banana, 1/2 scoop vanilla soy protein powder, 1 large spoonfull Publix All Natural Chunky PB, and some pumpkin pie spice. I mixed all that up with a few pours of 8th Continent Light Soymilk + water until it was doughy enough to spread out on a plate. I popped it in the fridge and it was ready to enjoy this morning!

Tuesday's Tips for Healthy Eating on a Budget

• Check out the "bargain bins" usually located near the front of the store. Sometimes you can find great deals on discontinued items, or things that are expiring within a day or two. I must confess I don't look here often, but I did pick up a box of Truvia Stevia packets for $2 at Publix last week in their bargain section.
• Make your own dressings & marinades! It is so much easier to do this than purchasing dozens of bottles of dressings and marinades that clutter up your fridge. I usually dress my salads with extra virgin olive oil and some sort of vinegar (balsamic or apple cider) plus some spices and sometimes simply lemon juice and sea salt.
  
• Can't pry the bottle of Ranch away from your man? Try mixing his full fat Ranch with some apple cider vineagar for a salad dressing that has 1/2 the calories and fat than the bottled version. Matt is picky, but he still really likes Ranch this way on his salads (probably not the best for dipping). Not only are you cutting calories while still allowing ranch in your diet, but you're also stretching the bottle to last twice as long!
  

Ok, be on the lookout for more tips and easy, cheap meals from me on this subject throughout the week! In running news, I will be dooing a speed workout tonight either at the track or on the roads. Last week before TAPER TIME!

Hope everyone has a great Tuesday and of course, GO HEELS!

Grocery Shopping on a Budget, Part II

A few months back I posted about how our household was starting to really pay attention to our grocery shopping habits, and mentioned a few tips that I was using to do so. I was first inspired by Bobbi's post about the subject, and took her advice to heart. When we first started going to the store with a calculator in hand, adding up every single thing we put into our buggy, I was skeptical.

But that first trip when we managed to get a week's worth of groceries for $68.54, I knew I was hooked! It felt great to plan out everything for the week and then shop for the exact items that we needed to make those meals. It was even better to only spend $30 something for my half of the weekly groceries! A few people have mentioned to me that they need more help in this area, so I figured I would update you all on our process of trying to eat healthier than ever, on a STRICT budget.

Yesterday after my mom and brother left (thanks for all of the congratulations on Saturday's PR at the 10k btw!) I went on my 12 miler and then Matt and I headed to Publix for our weekly fix. We love Publix because it is clean, well organized, has great branded items, and is way cheaper than Harris Teeter (my true love).

Here is what we brought home (sorry for the blurry pics, am borrowing my moms camera (yay no more iPhone pics!) and I still don't know all the settings):

• 1 bag of Publix yellow onions (these are only $3 a bag, versus buying three loose onions for the same price. They're smaller onions but still a better deal)
• 1 can Publix brand tomato sauce (I like to make my own, but this whole jar is less than $2 so we can't pass up that deal! We still usually add veggies to the sauce)
• 1 cantaloupe (was on sale for $2.50)
• 1 large vanilla 0% Chobani Greek yogurt
• 1 container Publix brand whipped butter (Unsalted whipped butter has half the fat and calories as the real thing, plus you can read all the ingredients as opposed to the Smart Balance Light I have been using. Read up more here at Healthy Eats about the real butter vs. margarine debate. But I do still like SBL as a margarine or butter substitute. The whipped was considerably cheaper.)
  
• 1 box Publix brand whole wheat waffles
• 1 bag Publix whole carrots
• 1 carton of 8th Continent Light Soymilk (was on sale for 2 for $5, plus they had coupons for $1 off so this was only $1.50!)
• 1 bag of oranges (only $2 for the whole bag!)
• About 5 yellow squash (they were out of zucchini, usually we buy a mix of both)
• 1 Simply Apple Juice (expensive, but oh so good)
• 1 loaf Publix bakery Italian 9 Grain Bread (I don't like this bread, it's like white bread with grains! I use wraps for most of my sandwiches)
  

• 1 bunch green bananas
• 2 green apples for Matt
• 3 pink apples for me (already had some more at home, usually buy at least 5)
• 3 mangoes (these were on sale for $1 each so we bought 3!)
• 1 package Athenos Red Pepper Hummus (wanted to see how this stood up to my home made version)
• 1 avocado (ugh, $2.99 each!)
• 1 package of Publix Mexi Shredded Cheese for Matt (I usually try to get 2% or fat free, but this is cheaper and I don't eat it so I don't mind too much)
  
• 1 package of Publix American Cheese for Matt (same goes for this one)
  
• 1 head of broccoli (I think I inadvertantly got the more expensive kind)
  
• 1 large eggplant
• 1 bag of red grapes
• 1 bag of Publix frozen boneless skinless chicken breasts (this will usually last us 2 weeks)
  
• 1 bags of Birds Eye frozen mixed veggies (thought they were on sale, they weren't but were still only $1.89 a bag. Much better than SteamFresh!)
  

Our grand total was $69.45!! That was pretty good considering our past few weeks have been more expensive.

But to be fair, we also had the following things at home already: 1/2 pint strawberries, a few apples and a plum, some bananas, potatoes (sweet and regular), brown rice, Matt had some yogurt, a few cheese sticks, tortilla chips and 1/2 jar salsa, Publix brand dried plums AKA prunes for my work snacks, salad lettuce and spinach, cereal and oatmeal, 1/2 jar Publix All Natural PB, 1/2 acorn squash, leftover roasted chicken and about 3 Flat Out wraps. We were pretty stocked because we made two trips last week in preparation for company. But we do usually keep most of these items on hand, and there are a few things that last us for two weeks or more (like my prunes, cheese sticks, Matt's yogurt, frozen meats).

What we forgot to buy: frozen Tilapia or some other fish, portobellos, and a few tomatoes.

Although we made a list this week, we didn't plan out each meal, which may hurt us in the long run. But we did have a few meals in our head that we were preparing for, such as:

• My version of healthy eggplant parm (will show up here soon! so good!)
• Marinated chicken (usually portobellos for me, which last for two meals) and veggies with brown rice or potatoes
• Pasta with grilled chicken and veggies
• Chicken stir fry

That's a lot of chicken! We usually mix it up with some stuffed peppers using ground turkey breast or some baked fish but like I said, we forgot a few things so it looks like it will be chicken and veggies this week!

Some healthy staples that I keep stocked:

• Brown rice (quick or regular, I use regular b/c it's cheaper)
• Canned No Salt Added Diced Tomatoes (you can easily throw these in any meal)
  
• Canned No Salt Added Tomato Sauce
• No Salt Added Tomato Paste (if you can find it)
• Whole wheat pasta (we usually have angel hair and rotini)
• Onions
• Garlic (I used the minced kind b/c I get annoyed having to chop it up, but fresh is always better!)
• Fresh home grown herbs (My balcony herb garden should pop up here soon!)
• Quick Cooking Oats
• Low Sodium Bouillion Cubes (chicken, veggie or beef are usual suspects. Hard to find veggie low sodium)
• Whole wheat or spinach wraps
• Frozen whole wheat or All Natural waffles
• Natural honey or agave nectar (I can't afford agave w/o a TJ's)
  
• Extra Virgin Olive Oil
• Balsamic and Apple Cider Vinegar
• Low Fat or Multi-Grain Saltines (these make a quick and healthy snack, or addition to salads)
  
• All Natural or Homemade PB for me, cheapest regular PB for Matt
• Whole Wheat Breadcrumbs (you can easily make these yourself as well)
  

Some tips that I use for shopping smart:

• Always buy store brand if the ingredients are comparable (usually are) and not full of fillers and chemicals. Sometimes you have to opt for the more expensive brand to get what you want (i.e. we are watching our sodium intake, and sometimes store brand items don't offer No Salt Added or Low Sodium). I love Publix because most of their branded items are all natural or have a simple list of ingredients! But if you don't have a Publix, skip down to number three...
  
• Buy in bulk if possible: We don't shop at Costco or Sams Club, but we do try to buy things in bulk like grains and some bagged produce. I don't usually buy the bagged apples because I don't think the quality is as good as picking your own.
• Shop at Trader Joe's!! Unfortunately, we do not have on here in Chas so I have to make the smartest decisions with what I have. I sometimes pick up things at Whole Foods that are cheaper (like 365 brand quinoa which is $2 versus $5 at Publix, bulk bin items, Greek Yogurt, and Tofu and other similar items) but I tend to limit my trips there because I know I will spend too much! (There is rumor that that may be trying to get a TJ's here!)
  
• Be flexible with your list, and shop for what is on sale when possible. For example, I had plums on my list for this week but when I saw the cantaloupe on sale I picked one of those up instead. I do the same with most of my produce as well as frozen items.
• Spend more time on the outer edges of the store, rather than in the aisles. This will force you to put more healthy, fresh items (such as dairy, produce and lean meats) versus packaged processed food items into your cart. I usually do fruits and veggies first, that way I know how much more I have to spend on other items. That way I put priority on the produce!
• Take a calculator and task the boy with adding up items as you throw into cart! Seems silly, but REALLY works! We actually surprised ourselves yesterday and came in a little cheaper than what we had calculated.
• Don't buy things that you don't need just because they are on sale. Also, if something is marked 2 for $5, you don't have to buy 2 to get that price. A lot of people get confused with this, but usually most stores will give you the discount price on each unit, no matter how many you buy.
• Plan out your weekly meals and snacks, look at what you already have, and buy accordingly. Try to stick to your list and avoid impulse buys.
• DO NOT go to the grocery store hungry. This always results in a higher bill.
  
• Shop at your local Farmer's Market if in season. I try to buy local as much as possible, and usually Farmer's Market food is much more affordable and boosts the local economy! I am pumped that ours is about to open.
  

Another long post! I think that about sums it up for me and how we shop healthy and frugal. This week I will make sure to highlight a few of the meals that we made with these ingredients so you guys can get a better idea of the full process.

Do you guys have any tips that I missed? I would love to learn how to tailor this process even more! We are not always perfect at grocery shopping, and sometimes I do make a trip to buy some ice cream, or something expensive I like that Matt won't let me buy...but I try to seriously limit those! What is your grocery store weakness??? Mine is definitely too much fruit! (But can you really ever have too much???)

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I have today off running to rest & recover, and will likely be doing some yoga/stretching tonight. My legs are so sore from this weekend! Tomorrow I will most likely be heading to the track for a nice speed workout, then Wednesday I will run an easy 8-10, then my 6 mile hill workout on Thursday. I will be off Friday to rest up for my LAST long run of my training schedule of 20+ miles.

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WHO WILL BE WATCHING THE NCAA CHAMPIONSHIP TONIGHT?? I'll give you one guess who I am rooting for! Go HEELS baby! Unfortunately, Matt has a lot of school work to do tonight so I think we will be watching at home! I wish we could be watching it on Franklin Street like we did back when we won in 2005, but as long as I can see the game I'm happy. Maybe I can convince him to go out...

Here is the sunset from our balcony last night. Love, love, LOVE it here in the Lowcountry :)

Happy Monday!

**Edited to add that, yes, I know the Heels last won in 2005, my sophomore year there, not 2003 the year I graduated high school. I am not a bad fan, just a simple typo. Don't start throwing 'maters just yet.

My thoughts on healthy eating (for what they're worth)

Since I started this space in January to track my training progress for my first marathon, I have also been reading a ton of blogs out there about running and fitness. In the process of reading and discovering more running blogs, I naturally came across a few really great health and nutrition blogs. Running and eating basically go hand in hand, so it's natural that most running bloggers also talk about the food they eat at some point. I have learned so much about how other runners eat, new health foods I might not have discovered on my own, natural and alternative food sources, but most importantly I realized that my crazy way of eating was shared by thousands of other women (and men) out there.

Lil Bit of Background
Before I immersed myself in this blogosphere I wasn't really surrounded by like-minded eaters. My family never ate particularly healthy growing up (not particularly unhealthy either), my boyfriend enjoys healthy food but doesn't naturally crave foods inherently healthy on a regular basis (he used to have an aversion to anything labeled organic because he thought it was "made of beans or somthing" Men!), my co-workers in the past have never generally eaten the way I do. So for me to stumble across an entire network of people just like me has been pretty enlightening.

Someday soon I will share more about me and my background. I think that will explain a bit more about my eating and exercise habits and patterns. But in light of yesterday's post, I wanted to comment briefly about how I qualify the foods I eat.

I used to count calories and log all of my food on MyFoodDiary.com. Before I started using this site and logging my food and exercises, I thought I was a supremely healthy eater, and I was partly right. But I wasn't paying enough attention to some things that were adding a ton of extra and unnecessary calories to my day (like dressings, sauces, methods of cooking).

This site is a fantastic resource and it truly helped me refine my eating habits. It taught me the right ways to eat healthy. It also helped me to examine everything that I ate, in turn revealing some of the uglier facets of my diet. I would say that going through this process (about 2.5 years ago) changed my life, changed my outlook on food, and helped me to become a smarter eater.

How I Eat Today
Now I don't count calories. Partly because of the fact that I run so much but mostly because MFD ingrained in me the correct way to eat/correct portion size/how much I can comfortably consume in a day.

In the past few years, I have been desperately trying to add more fresh fruit and veggies to my diet. I read somewhere that an easy way to do this is when you are at the grocery store, spend the majority of your time in the outer edges of the store rather than in the aisles where all the paakged and processed foods are. This seems counter-intuitive but I had never thought of it that way, and now I cannot shop without considering that. Try it! It really, really helps you think about what you're putting in your cart.

Generally, I pick up a lot of fresh fruit and vegetables and I incorporate these into all of my daily meals. For breakfast I usually eat oatmeal or cereal with fresh fruit and coffee. For lunch I usually have a veggie-packed salad, wrap or sandwich with a side of fruit or veggies. If I only pack a salad I try to add in some healthy carbs like whole wheat bread, brown rice or quinoa. For dinner, I try to cook something that we both will enjoy, that is also healthy and packed with fresh vegetables and a healthy meat. We rarely eat red meat or pork, we try to stick to ground turkey breast or ground chicken, or boneless skinless chicken breasts. For snacks during the day, I always have fresh fruit. I think I eat an apple every day, plus bananas, plums or whatever else is in season.

I also am getting more thorough about reading food labels and choosing items that I can actually read and understand the ingredient list. Although I am severely limited by budget these days, I spend a lot of time in the stores trying to find items that are as all natural and organic as possible and are also low in sodium. I cannot always afford organic, which is okay for me right now. I cannot get all of my gorceries at Whole Foods, so I shop smart at a few different stores and do what I can. I would like to be able to afford to eat organic produce and food exclusively, but right now that is not an option. So I focus on buying tons of fresh produce and purchasing organic when it is possible. The most important thing for me is to make sure that what I am consuming is made up of things that I don't find offensive and damaging to my body.

I do not diet, and I try not to limit myself too much. I actually think that diets in general are crap. My general rule is to be able to eat what I want one day a week. So if I want to share some french fries at happy hour on Friday, I will! Or if I want a cupcake or some greasy pizza, I can enjoy these things in moderation. I have gotten better at stopping myself from going overboard with junk foods, and the healthier I eat, the less I crave these things.

I think the number one mistake those who are trying to lose weight make is denying themselves the food that their bodies are craving. You have to learn to be an intuitive eater, but this does take time, so initially you're going to have to make some sacrifices. This doesn't mean when you're on a "diet" you're limited to 1000 calories a day and you can't touch sweets. If you love sweets and you're craving them, you're just going to eat more and more food until you satisfy that craving, which was probably worse than eating the sweets in the first place! Also, if you're working out alot, limiting your body the calories it needs will actually be counter-effective and will cause your metabolism to slow down rather than speed up.

The bottome line is that if you want to get healthier and lose weight, start exercising and eating more fresh fruits and vegetables! Crazy right? But it is literally that simple.

Americans tend to want someone to give them the answer, they want the easy way out, and they don't want to do any work to see results. So they turn to whatever fad diet is out there and might lose a few pounds, but end up gaining it right back. Eat fresh and natural foods rather than packaged processed ones, get active, and you WILL see results.

Challenges to Eating Healthy:
Living with my boyfriend has created some eating challenges for me. I went through a phase last year where I was doing a lot of baking for him (and for me because I love to bake) which meant that we had a ton of sweets around all the time. It is also challenging because when we're together I am more likely to cave in for the junk food, like pizza, chips or bar food. It's also sometimes hard to make a dinner that is healthy but one that he will also willingly eat (I think I have done pretty well with this, although I know he won't be sharing in my tofu dishes any time soon).

The people you're around can create huge nutrition barriers for you. My co-workers used to always tease me about the salads I brought for lunch, or the fact that I wouldn't go eat certain foods when we went out. My dad gives me speeches when I don't want any pork chops he's cooked when I come to visit. I have learned to just get over this because I know that the way I eat is the best (and healthiest) way for me. People are just different and everyone does things differently. If you let yourself succomb to the pressures of eating like everyone else, you will never reach your nutrition goals.

This brings me back to this blogosphere. The fact that I have not always been surrounded by healthy eaters has created a challenge for me. But connecting with all of you through this forum has made me realize that I am not a weirdo for eating the way I do. It's not crazy to crave health food stores and be super excited about Farmer's Market season. It's not insane to want to try out meat substitutes or soy milk or not wanting to eat a big hunk of meat at a barbeque (although I do love me some hamburgers and hot dogs). It's not weird to order a salad for lunch that GASP doesn't have any meat on it, or heaven forbid, I eat without dressing. It's not completely insane to want to buy organic even though sometimes it means shelling out a few more dollars. It's normal to care about how I fuel my body.

So thank you all for opening my eyes to this healthy network of those who are teaching me more every day about how to be a healthier and stronger woman. I have realized now that this is the one thing I truly love and am passionate about. Who knows where this will take me?

Negative Splits! FINALLY!

Don't have too much time to post, but wanted to brag about my 6 miler last night. I think it was the first time ever that I actually had negative splits! I wasn't feeling all that great (kept getting side stitches again, what's up with that?) but I decided around mile 1 that I felt good enough to run 3 miles out and then turn around to make a quick 6 miler (I was only planning on doing 4.5 to 5).

Here are my totals and split times:

Time:	00:56:17
Distance:	6.06 mi
Elevation Gain:	563 ft
Total Calories:	677 C

Avg Pace: 09:17 min/mi

Best Pace: 07:23 min/mi

Split	Time	Dist.	Elevation Gain	Elevation Loss	Avg. Speed	Max Speed
1	0:09:38	1	77	82	9:38	7:57
2	0:09:26	1	54	47	9:26	8:42
3	0:09:34	1	205	229	9:34	8:04
4	0:09:33	1	68	62	9:33	8:54
5	0:09:03	1	43	73	9:03	8:21
6	0:08:31	1	117	65	8:31	7:23
7	0:00:29	0.06	0	0	7:50	7:35
Summary	0:56:17	6.06	563	557	9:17	7:23

Woo! That took too long to get all that up here, Garmin Connect decided to change up their format...but look at those beautiful split times?? I was sooo proud of myself when I got home! I know that isn't the speediest time ever, but for me, it was just what I needed. I have been running so much slower lately in these long runs that I missed a little bit of speed!

Anyways, yesterday was fairly slow at work. I did manage to have a different breakfast (other than oatmeal or cereal) as I knew I would be eating grains at lunch (leftovers from Monday's shrimp stir fry...even better than last time!).

Vanilla light and fit yogurt, 1/2 a banana, some strawberries, and a scoop of natural PB. It was heaven!

I also had to sip on a double dose of green tea yesterday afternoon, I was so run down, and even left work early with a headache. My run made me feel better though!


Also we made home made pizzas last night for dinner! (We can't do his and hers pizza, we have to make HIS pizza and her pizza...the bf was hungry! Plus then we have leftovers.) His turned out great! I burnt mine....boo. But it was still decent, I ate it. It had spinach, tofu, goat cheese, banana peppers, mushrooms and a few black olives...next time I will A) Not burn it, and B) Use frozen spinach and more cheese! (Sorry no pics of burnt pizza) :)

I also didn't have enough time to plan out what I wanted on it (was planning on making baked Tilapia but the boo had a hard day at school and wanted pizza) and ALSO my tomato that I specifically bought for my pizza somehow dissappeared between Publix and out apt...strange indeed.

Gotta get on to work so hopefully will have more updates later on tonight's run! I think I am going to run the bridge (6 miles). Although I need to do some sprints, so I might go to the track...can't decide.

Also...I am finally listed on the Lowcountry Bloggers Blogroll! Really looking forward to meeting some of the other local running bloggers at the iFivek in April!

Hope everyone has a fantastic hump day!

March Goals & A Saturday 5k

Ahh, another day off running, and I don't even mind it.

I had decided yesterday that I would take today off as well from training, as much for my sanity as for my body. My long run on Saturday was so depressing, plus it did leave me a little sore Sunday and today, I just needed some time off to chill. Plus I am spending tonight studying for my life, accident and health insurance exam (that my bosses are on me to schedule to take any day now...).

But, I needed a break from studying so here I am.

I have a few goals in mind for March, so I thought I would share.

1. I have decided that I need to kick start some weight loss. I have been at the same weight for over a year now, and I need to do something to lose about 5-10 pounds. So officially, my goal for March is to lose at least 6 pounds. For me, the only way to lose weight is to just cut back on my portions, and replace a few lunches with salads. I already eat pretty healthy, but sometimes I just eat too much knowing that I will just burn it off on a run.
2. Another goal for the month (as well as a way to help achieve #1) is to to join a gym and start weight training. My boyfriend and I have been planning on doing this for a while now, and we both realized that March is our month. So once our tests are over (he has three tomorrow...ugh) we will make a final decision as to which one. I hope to weight train twice a week.
   
3. Stretch a lot more, i.e. do more yoga! I do take the time to stretch after each run (we have these great bars outside our building that are perfect stretch companions) but I know I don't do it long enough, and if I add some yoga to my routine not only it will make me feel better but will also help to prevent against injury. This will be especially useful in the coming months as I round the corner to the (gasp) marathon.

Since I am starting this weight loss thing today, I went home for lunch to make a big salad filled with veggies. This is also part of my plan to eat healthy on a budget, where I don't spend $ on going out to lunch or grabbing a $6 salad from WF or somewhere.

I started off with mixed greens, black olives, feta cheese, chopped onion, and chopped celery.


Then I finished it off with one shaved carrot, some alfalfa sprouts, Tribe roasted garlic hummus, pepper and olive oil and balsamic vinegar.



It not only tasted great, but it was a good way to get rid of some things in the fridge (half of an onion, cut celery stalks, black olives, remnants of feta and hummus...) so all in all fulfilled two goals: 1) eating healthy! 2) sticking to my budget and NOT wasting any more food!

Oooo almost forgot! I am now registered for the Lifepoint Gift of Life 5k this Saturday! This will be my first race since last November! Unfortunately, I will be running it alone, but I think the bf might get up early to cheer me on. :) I went back and forth about doing it at all since I would be by myself, but since I don't have any real running friends around here yet, I figured I might as well! Plus reading everyone's race reports have made me miss having a race of my own to brag about! After the 5k on Saturday, I hope to be in good shape for my long run Sunday morning. (Anything would be better than last weeks long run!)

Now I must get back to studying (and to my green tea) but thank you ALL for your lovely comments on our new look here, and again thanks for everyone's help on my training. I hope this week in running will be fab.

Big, Fat, Dissapointing 15 Miler

Saturday's Long Run:
When I set out to run my 17 miles yesterday morning (thank you for all the suggestions by the way, I agreed that 17 was probably the way to go!) I was feeling a bit nervous. I didn't sleep well, and my stomach was churning. I was worried that this would be my first bad long run of training season. Why? Well my legs were still kind of sore, I've been having problems with my shins, and I think I ate too much pasta Friday night :)

So I set out to run my 15 mile out and back, with an addition of 2 miles at the beginning. It was just horrible from start to finish. Up until about mile 10, I was okay, but not great. I had to keep taking walk breaks, which is something I rarely do.

Around mile 13 I had a mini meltdown when I started to doubt myself and my ability to actually complete this marathon. I started thinking about all of the people who know I'm training, and how stupid I would feel if at the last minute I wasn't able to do it. Or even worse, if I got to race day and had a run just like this one, where everything was just off. But what made me most upset, was how much I wanted this run (and this training in general) to go well, and how much I actually want to accomplish this marathon. I would be absolutely devastated if something happens and after all this training I still don't make it.

I kept going back and forth over whether I could continue on my route and finish up 17, walking where I had to, or if I should just cut it short and head home to make 15.

I decided that cutting it short was what I needed to do, and finally around the 14 mile mark, I had a little inspiration come my way.

Carolina Liar's "Show Me What I'm Looking For" came on my iPod, and the lyrics could not have been more perfect for what I needed to hear at that moment:

Save me, I’m lost
Oh lord, I’ve been waiting for you
I’ll pay any cost
Save me from being confused
Show me what I’m looking for

Don’t let go
I’ve wanted this far too long
Mistakes become regrets
I’ve learned to love abuse
Please show me what I’m looking for...

I love Carolina Liar, and this song is one of my faves. It definitely gave me that extra push that I needed to finish up my run and made me realize that not every run will be perfect. For your viewing pleasure:

Carolina Liar - New Music - More Music Videos

After my craptastic run, I took an ice bath and then made some really great oatmeal! I used oats, 1/2 scoop soy vanilla protein powder, cinnamon, honey,milk & water, strawberries and a scoop of natural PB. This is my new favorite breakfast, I also had some this morning.


Today is my day off from running, and I have some serious studying to do tonight. I have been working on my weekend's to-do list, and got a lot accomplished on cleaning the apartment. We also went to the grocery store for this week's groceries, and spent a little bit more than last week, $84.77. But still not too bad considering we bought a few more things that were needed this week. Hopefully next week we can be back in the $60 range.

Thanks for everyone's support and input on my training, I need all the help I can get! It's getting closer and I hope that I can continue to improve and will feel 100% on race day. :) Hope everyone had a great weekend!

TGIF (and happy off day to me)

Well folks, it's been a tough running week. Monday I had a rough run over the bridge (shins are feeling much better today, thank you), Tuesday I was entirely too lazy to run (yet still managed to cook a fab dinner for the boo and I), and Wednesday evening I had a good run through the almost-dark almost-ghetto area of Chas, but managed to lose my left contact rendering me almost-blind for the runs entirety.

I was worried on Monday about my running this week because I had been out of town last Thursday-Sunday and had not done ANY exercising and had eaten way too much food (especially food that was not good for me). But now that it's Friday, I'm feeling pretty solid about my long run this weekend.

I did a short and sweet 4.5 miler last night on flat ground, and felt pretty good about it. Although lately I have been doing a great job of listening to my body and not starting out too fast, I was over-confident last night and started out thinking I could run the whole 4.5 at a 8:30 to 9 min pace--this was not to be.

After 1.5 miles I was like WHOA! slow down...which I did, and the rest of the run went smoothly. I don't have exact split times as my Garmin failed me yet again...or rather, I failed it by starting and then STOPPING it without realizing until about a mile in. But I'm going to assume I ran between 9:30 and 10:15 pace, not too bad.

On other fronts, the weekly budget of groceries has been going well! I only needed to stop by the Teet once to grab a few personal items, and I also picked up a cucumber (for Wednesday's night's salad, more below) and a package of fresh strawberries that were on sale (to add to my morning oatmeal). I also snagged a bunch of green bananas since I haven't been able to find an entire bunch of green ones in months! So all in all I would say that yes, we could survive on around $70 a week.

I haven't even eaten lunch out at all this week! It's amazing what you can do if you only prepare.

So although I am not going to post about everything I eat/make (it's just not my style, plus I am way to lazy to keep up with all that) I will share with you all a few things that I either managed to grab a pic of, or was particularly proud of.

Wednesday night was salad night (marinated portobello for me, marinated chicken breast for the BF) which I had prepared the night before, by prepare I mean I had started the toppers marinating in a balsamic/olive oil/garlic marinade. Boy was that worth it! They were delish.

I didn't get any pics of my salad but I did make enough portobello to use yesterday for a sandwich.

It was very good! I used:

• 2 slices of regular wheat bread, toasted
• 1 slice of provolone cheese
• A few slices of cucumber
• A few slices of tomato
• 2 marinated portobello mushroom caps, small ones
• Tribe roasted garlic hummus
• A small bit of low fat mayo
• A dash of sea salt

All in all a definite winner, I want to make these tasty fungi more often. :)

This weekend's running schedule:
I think I might switch it up and start running my long runs on Saturday's for a few reasons. 1) The actuaal marathon I am training for is on a Saturday, 2) This would make it much easier to go out Saurday night and not worry about drinking/coming in early and most importanly, 3) To get it OVER with!

So I am conflicted over what mileage I should run this weekend. My training schedule says 16 (my last long run was 15, two weekends ago), joyRuN's schedule that she so graciously shared for me says to do 11 this weekend and 17 next weekend, and I am thinking maybe I should try for at least 17? Input welcome! So I will be doing one of those distances, hopefully tomorrow morning.

Otherwise, I have a relatively simple weekend planned. Lots of running, lots of cleaning the apartment, and possibly a fun Charleston day with my boyfriend, complete with picinic! I have a few things on my list to (finally!) get done this weekend, now that we aren't traveling/hosting anyone from out of town:

1. Organize the area underneath our bathroom sink so more stuff stays there rather than on the counter.
   
2. Purchase and install two ceiling bike hooks so mine and the BF's bikes aren't taking up precious floor space anymore.
   
3. Finally buy some litter box liners. That thing smells rank.
4. Mop the kitchen floor!
5. Do laundry--wash all of my work pants. They seriously need it.
   
6. Buy som WIN! detergent for my stinky running clothes. I think everyone would appreciate that.
   

Hope you all have a fabulous weekend!

Tuesday Night's Dinner + My Laziness

Short and sweet tonight, didn't go on a run after work cause...well I just didn't feel like it! So I cleaned up a bit and cooked some dinner instead. Here is Tuesday's meal from this week's eating healthy on a budget.

Quinoa and Ground Turkey Stuffed Acorn Squash with Goat Cheese

Yum! This was very simple, tasty and healthy. Here's the run down:

Preheat oven to 350. Ground some turkey in a skillet. Add some herbs (I used herbs de provence, some dill, some basil and s & p). While you're doing this, cook one cup of quinoa according to directions.
Cut your acorn squash in half and scrape out seeds, place in a baking dish with 1 inch of water, cut side down. Bake at 350 for 30 minutes.


When quinoa is done, mix with turkey. Add in one can of no salt added diced tomatoes (liquid removed).


Let this warm through, and after squash has cooked for about 30 minutes, take it out and (scoop out a bit more of the pulp if necessary to fit in stuffing, you also might need to cut the point ip off so it will stand up straight) add in as much stuffing as will fit. There will be leftover stuffing...perfect for snacking while this is cooking :)

Return stuffed squash into baking dish (drain out water first) and bake for another 20-30 minutes. You may want to cover with aluminum foil so stuffing doesn't burn.

When it looks done (squash will be pulling away from the green outer skin) add on some goat cheese to the top, turn oven to BROIL and let the cheese get melty.


Then...enjoy!! Back tomorrow with hopefully a run report.

Weekend Wrap-Up + Monday's Run + Groceries for a Week!

Whew! long title. Well it was a great weekend away, although there was a lot of driving involved (20 hours total) there was also a lot of fun had. We spent all day Friday getting the reception hall ready for Saturday (did I mention we were in town for my boyfriend's sister's wedding in which I was a bridesmaid and he was a groomsman?), then getting ready ourselves for rehearsal and rehearsal dinner, then going to said events, then...in my case...passing out.

Saturday was a lot of fun that involved; 1) Me sleeping in and thus not running at 7 am like I had planned, 2) Indulging in a breakfast cooked by the boy's grandparents and thinking I would run afterwards, 3) Obviously eating too much anyways 4) Leaving breakfast to learn that it was raining, which leads to 5) not running on the only day I would have had time and/or somewhere to run while we were away.

After breakfast Saturday, we showered and left for the church to get ready there, curling my hair alone took about 2 hours! As soon as we were all ready and looking purdy, we reported to the chapel for pictures.
The bride and groom decided to do these first, which apparently is the new thing to do, so that they wouldn't have to worry about them afterwards. (I.E. we all get to boozin' quicker...solid plan.)

KB waiting around for pictures to be over...nervously awaiting the wedding!

Meet the BF!

My boo also waiting for pics to be done...

Then there was the reception, lots of wine, dancing...it starts to get fuzzy there. Basically, we had a great time and were sad to leave on Sunday. Of course his family loaded us down with a cooler full of leftovers that we then ate-continuously-throughout the 10 hour drive home.

I am glad I did not step on that scale this morning.

...and back to the present:

Today was a very productive day at work after a good night's sleep last night, and I was feeling pretty good when I set out for my run. I had decided to shoot for 6 miles (over the bridge and back) but knew that I might be sluggish since I hadn't run since last Wednesday...yikes.

The first mile I felt pretty good, I was moving at a solid pace and reached the top of the bridge pretty quickly. I started to notice that my left shin was kind of bothering me, but at first just chalked this up to a few days off running and my muscles easing back into it.

But as I started descending down the bridge, it started to throb, and I stopped a few times to stretch thinking this would help, but it didn't. Finally at about the 2 mile mark, I decided to turn around hoping that I could get back without making it worse.

So....I ended up walking quite a bit of the 3rd mile, and not only was my left shin killing, but my right arch was also bothering me (as it has since I got my new shoes). I am about to ice my shins before bed and stretch really well, hopefully that will help. I really don't want this to set me back!

I am also going to either ditch my new shoes and go back to my trusty Asics, or attempt to return them...not sure if that will work.

In Other News....
I was very inspired by Bobbi's recent post, Healthy Eating on the Cheap to start planning our weekly meals out on Sunday and then grocery shopping according to (ONLY) what you need to make these meals (+ snacks, etc).

So I did that today, and here is our line-up for this week's dinners:

Monday: Shrimp Stir-Fry with Brown Rice
Tuesday: Quinoa and Turkey Stuffed Acorn Squash
Wednesday: Salad night: KB to have marinated and grilled portobello mushrooms on hers, BF to have marinated and grilled chicken on his.
Thursday: Tilapia Puttanesca with Whole Wheat Angel Hair
Friday: Either more shrimp stir fry, or a risotto dish with sauteed shrimp

(**We have over 3 pounds of shrimp that we brought back from the wedding, we usually never buy shrimp)

We also used her tip to take along a calculator to add up our items as we added them to the cart. I thought the BF would think this was unecessary, but he really got into adding everything up and deciding what we really needed to throw in the buggy.

<--Sorry couldn't resist this one :) See the blushing bride in the background? So beautiful!

Some of the ingredients for our meals we already have on hand and didn't have to buy, like the pasta, Tilapia and all ingredients for that dish, shrimp, 2 bags of stir fry veggies, brown rice and risotto. We had to also buy some other things for snacks, breakfasts and lunch.

My breakfasts are usually either oatmeal or cereal, so I decided to go with oatmeal this week and bought some Quick Cooking Oats, as well as bananas that I can add in with cinnamon and Splenda. His breakfast is currenly nothing, but I am trying to move him in the direction of eating breakfast vs. not eating late night. He has a bag of Wal Mart brand Cheerio's he will eat for that.

My snacks are apples, hummus and celery, light popcorn and string cheese (which he also will eat). His snacks are Publix brand Oats and Honey granola bars and 100 Calorie Packs of Cheetos. He also sometimes eats apples and light yogurt (which we have some of those left from last week as well).

My lunches are kind of all over the place. I sometimes eat leftovers, bring a salad or some soup, or grab a salad from somewhere. I bought salad stuff for me this week, one Lean Cuisine (Butternut Squash Ravioli) and will probably end up making a natural PB and banana sandwich a few days. I was going to make a big pot of Lentil Soup like Bobbi suggested, but Publix only had this 15 bean soup that I have made before and it was nasty...so maybe next time once I have a recipe. His lunches will be PB and jelly sandwiches, turkey sandwiches, leftovers, or salads (he actually eats a lot of big salads).

So, we managed to get enough groceries for one week (hopefully) for a grand total of:

$68.54!!!

I couldn't believe that is all we spent. I think what helped, was planning by using things we already had. I know that sounds counterintuitive, but we usually just go buy a bunch of things regardless of (or without looking at) what we have at home. Which most of the time, ends up in wasted food, and nobody likes to waste food. :)

So hopefully, by this weekend we will still have food left and can say that we planned sufficiently. It was pretty fun to plan out all the dinners I will cook! This will also force me to actually cook them instead of being lazy after a hard run.

I'm going to try to run again after work tomorrow, for as long as I can, in hopes that I will feel back to my normal self. Fingers crossed!

And for your viewing pleasure, more pics from the wedding :)

<---The bridesmaids, pre-wedding

Me and the boy :)