a day of food.. and chocolate.

Morning! How are you all doing? I am having just the most excellent Wednesday. Yesterday afternoon, right as I was finishing up my HIIT session, my dearest, beloved Mom walked into the gym, to my complete surprise! Yay! So my next few days will be full of love and fun! I am a total mama’s girl//my mom is my best friend… if you couldn’t tell.

So without further ado (I’m actually off to walk with mom herself as I finish up this post), here’s a recap of my eats in a day (Tuesday as it happens.)

check out Jenn’s website for some more WIAW inspiration!

Tuesday: My morning started off with a little sip of coffee before I headed out for a 50 minute walk. It was misting the whole time but luckily the rain held off until a little after I arrived back home.

I started my morning off with my “hydration station”. 1/2 the coffee was drank before my morning walk. After the walk I had the rest of my coffee, a little apple cider vinegar + water, and a giant glass of water with lemon.

Breakfast followed: sauerkraut, 2 scrambled eggs,with broccoli, peppers, and cauliflower.

Thirty minute later, I realized breakfast wasn’t going to last me all morning, so I sliced up an organic gala apple and enjoyed it with some almond butter.

Breakfast held me through my classes (even if the classes made me sleepy…) and I finally arrived at lunch for a satisfying meal.

A jumbo salad with 2 grilled chicken strips hidden underneath, and topped with some red wine vinegar.

Afternoon snack (to fuel the studying!): 86% dark chocolate. snap, crackle, give me that chocolate! I think I’m an addict. I might be ok with it 😉

My workout for the day was a 30 minute HIIT workout on the treadmill. 30 seconds sprint, 1 minute walk. Repeat. Feel like a (sweaty) beast.

After my workout I still had over an hour until dinner and I needed a little refuel: chocolate chips (Enjoy Life dairy + soy free) with some raw almonds. More chocolate.. what can I say!

Dinner enjoyed with my mom and a club meeting: salad with all the veggies, topped with salmon that I brought from home (because I am a nutrition nerd.)

And there you have it– my eats for a typical day! Sometimes more, sometimes less, but always chocolate. It’s the best.

Questions of the day:

What is one food you eat (almost) every day?

Chocolate: dark, milk, or white?

Do I talk about chocolate too much? 😉

snow day eats: bacon and chocolate.

Monday night into Tuesday, we had a sleet/ice/rain storm. the streets were sheets of ice, all the cars were covered, and woo classes were cancelled!

My Tuesday started off a little tumultuously. Long story short, the boyfriend came down (quickly) with a nasty stomach bug//food poisoning of some sort. He started to get really dehydrated in a scary way (fingers/legs cramping up), and despite the icy roads, another friend and I decided to head to the ER with him. I am so glad that we did, and he is doing okay now, but it was  scary/long night. We didn’t arrive back until 3 am, and the driving was extremely slow to stay safe (no complaints here).

^^a snow covered campus yesterday morning. well, more sheet-of-ice covered than snow.^^

Despite getting back so late, I woke up around 8 and could not get back to sleep. {It might have had to do with sleeping on the floor in a sleeping bag to make sure the boy didn’t need to go back to the hospital}.

I watched the highlights of the Bachelor, did some reading, and mostly relaxed because my brain was not fully functioning. I finally got around to eating breakfast around 10:40, which is unheard of for me!

^^canned wild salmon, roasted brussels and kale, + a paleo banana muffin with Kerrygold butter.^^

^^not pictured: the almond butter + dates I snacked on after this^^

Mid-morning to mid-afternoon was spent getting intermittent work done but mostly caring for my sick boy. When the roads seemed clear enough, we ventured out to get the usual stomach bug supplies and the prescriptions that we received at the hospital last night. It was slow going, but no problem to drive the ~1.5 miles to the store and back.

^^before my workout I cooked up my last two pieces of bacon for a treat//to calm my grumbling tummy.^^

^^a little later, I headed to the gym. I was tired of being inside all day. the 1 mile walk to the gym + a HIIT workout on the treadmill + arc trainer certainly did the trick.^^

^^scenes from Furman yesterday. this is not common for my little Southern school.^^

Another hour of trying to get work done… it was a struggle! Between the snow day mentality and the tired brain, it just wasn’t going.

^^a sweet potato snack, picture taken after most of it had already been eaten. delicious, simple real food.^^

^^dinner in two parts: apple salad. this was basically eaten for the sole purpose of getting that delicious Honeycrisp into my dinner! apple, cucumber, lettuce, and a drizzle of Apple Cider Vinegar.^^

^^dinner part two: salmon, butternut squash, onions, spaghetti squash, and tomato sauce + herbs.^^

after dinner I also enjoyed a square of 85% dark chocolate, it hit the spot! It’s amazing how 85% chocolate used to be way too bitter for me, but now it has the perfect amount of sweetness!

Question of the day:

What type//percent chocolate do you enjoy the most?

a valentine’s day full of joy.

Valentine’s Day. It can be such a cliché, but I don’t care! It’s such a fun day, whether you’re celebrating with your girls or your significant other– live it up 🙂

My valentine’s day started early with a walk around campus, having some ‘me’ time.

 

After the boy finally woke up and meandered over, I threw together a quick breakfast from random stuff I had in the fridge. Eggs + bacon for him. Bacon, chicken + salad for her.

The morning/afternoon were spent doing homework, getting a workout in, and running to the grocery store for Valentine’s Day supplies!

After some failed appetizers– apparently I do not know how to hard boil eggs– we headed out around campus to snap some photos. We have had this activity on our bucket list for a while, and considering we’re seniors, it was about time! We stopped by the lake, the chapel, the library, and the bell tower, and had a blast!

^^I really do go to a beautiful school^^

Then it was time for the main course! First up: the boy came up with this delicious idea: some frozen berries pureed + champagne = bubbly heaven.

For our main course: chicken and vegetable red curry. We actually took on the challenge and made the sauce ourselves (well we used a paste, but it’s still more steps than buying the sauce in a bottle) with coconut milk, and it was yum. I’m lucky my best friend is willing to try new recipes for me! He’s clearly the more domestic one 😉

^^chicken, curry sauce, peppers, zucchini. delicious.^^

After dinner, we took a break from eating and built a fort. We used sheets, blankets, candles, and sleeping bags for the full fort effect 🙂

Next up: dessert time! Another recipe my boyfriend was willing to try for his weird ‘healthy’ girlfriend. Paleo molten lava cakes for two from Taylor Made it Paleo. Topped with a little salted caramel ice cream, this was divine.

 

^^chocolate, will you be my Valentine?^^

Hope y’all had a great Valentine’s/Galentine’s/Bro-entine’s day too!

Question of the day:

Chocolate or caramel?

Favorites Lately.

The great things I am loving this week!

Long walks in the sunshine

 

After finishing his DAT this past week, my boyfriend had a little more free time. We were able to go on 2 morning walks together, which was much more fun than taking my morning walks alone. The beautiful scenery doesn’t hurt.

Dinner parties

Last week we had a little gathering of our random group who’s here for the summer. Veggies, olives, salsa, guacamole, salami, (gluten free) chocolate cake.. all the good stuff.

Good Health Natural Foods Avocado Oil Chips

I picked these chips up at Whole Foods this past week, and they are so good. It’s so rare to find chips that aren’t fried in harmful seed oils. I am seriously in awe that I haven’t eaten them all yet. Find some here. You won’t regret it.

Plantain Chips

These Trader Joe’s chips are so crispy and perfect with salsa or guacamole. I love making my own plantain chips, but for a quick snack, or a side these are easy & can be stored longer than my homemade ones.

Trail Mix..in bulk.

Trail mix has always had a special place in my heart. Probably because I always went for the ones with m&ms and//or plenty of chocolate. Now, though I love simple, whole trail mixes without all the unnecessary sugar & weird ingredients.

Purely Elizabeth Granola

This granola was on sale at Whole Foods this weekend. And it just happened to be the same day I was testing “non-gluten grains” for my Whole30 reintroduction. How could I resist? This granola is gluten-free, vegan and has no refined sugar. You seriously need to try it ASAP!

Nikki’s Coconut Butter

If you couldn’t tell just from looking, every flavor of Nikki’s Coconut Butter is simply amazing. This one, however, has a special place in my heart. I mean.. dark chocolate fudge without a bunch of low quality processed ingredients. Need I say more?

Theo Chocolate

Theo chocolate. It’s organic//fair-trade//non-GMO and also happen to taste ridiculously good. This salted almond is my first bar of Theo’s but I know I will be back for more. My favorite part is that Theo chocolate doesn’t have any soy lecithin. This is an ’emulsifier’ put in chocolate bars to keep the cocoa and cocoa butter together. It contains herbicides, pesticides, GMOs, and phytoestrogens from the soy. I say..if they don’t have to be in there, I’ll take my chocolate without please & thanks. 

Question of the day:

What are some of your favorites lately?

Thinking Out Loud…in pictures.

Thursdays are for Thinking Out Loud. Unfiltered thoughts, here they come.

1. Morning walks. Seriously, one of my favorite times of the day. I walked ~4 miles today while listening to a sermon by Timothy Keller and talking to my mom (on the phone). I am lucky to have the Swamp Rabbit Trail running right behind my school, so it’s easy to hop on for a morning walk/run. I used this trail all the time during my half marathon training but it’s a little hot for long outdoor runs these days.

2. Coffee. Even though I drink the same amount almost every day (~1/2 a cup before my walk and the rest after), there’s something I just enjoy infinitely more about drinking out of this extra large cup. I think it just makes it more fun & fancy.

3. Failed chia seed pudding. I made two of these last night as a meal planning attempt. Apparently I didn’t mix them well enough because this morning I ended up with clumped chia pudding at the bottom topped with some vanilla cinnamon-y almond milk. I’m sure it will be delicious, but not the pudding I was looking for!

4. I bought this candle last week (because it was on clearance at TJMaxx and I mean.. you can’t beat that!) but it’s just been sitting in the candle holder. My matches and lighter are tucked away in my storage unit and I haven’t taken the time to find them yet. All for the best though, considering we’re not technically  allowed to have candles in our apartments. Sigh.

5. These little 5 lb weights are the best. I keep them under my bed and they’re perfect for a quick circuit, or just 5 minutes of exercise to get my blood flowing between working at my computer for hours. I’ll share some of my mini workouts with y’all soon!

6. In addition to my extra-large coffee mug obsession, I have a straw habit. Drinking from straws is my favorite, and I notice I drink much more water when I have a straw– it makes grabbing a sip so easy and convenient!

7. The best for last. I’ve enjoyed a few pieces of this chocolate over the past few days. Honestly, I’m surprised it has lasted so long. If you are anywhere near a TJ’s you must pick this bar (and/or one of their other amazing flavors) up ASAP. The combination of dark, amazing chocolate, creamy sweet caramel, and the chunks of sea salt is so on point. I’ll definitely be picking up another bar on my next TJ’s trip.

  

Questions of the day:

What’s your favorite treat lately?

What do you do every day to make yourself smile?

friday five {18}

it’s back! After a week hiatus from Friday Five (sorry y’all!) here’s edition #18 of my Friday Five1

to eat:

Thanksgiving is coming up….oh the sugar, the sweets, the indulgence…. it can all get out of control, and spiral all the way through Christmas and New Year’s. So with that in mind.. here are some treats that indulge your taste buds without bulging your waste line!

^Gluten Free, High Protein Molten Lava Cake {uhm…heck yes}. via^

^Chocolate Chip Cookie Dough…that’s egg free and actually beneficial to you. via^

^Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Brownies. via^

^Gluten Free Peanut Butter Cookies. via^

to do:

^An awesome strength building yoga workout via yoga aficionado Tara Stiles.^

^A workout for those stubborn lower abs via Bikini Body Mommy.^

to wear:

Today I wanted to highlight one of my favorite bloggers for fashion inspiration. These fall looks are all courtesy of Atlantic Pacific— a classy quirky style blog you should definitely check out!

^my favorite… so cozy and yet so pulled together!^

to read:

In honor of the new Hunger Games: Catching Fire movie (out this week!): 27 Times Jennifer Lawrence & Josh Hutcherson Proved They Have The Best Offscreen Relationship Ever

The 35 Most Touching Photos Ever Taken {perhaps an exaggeration but still just as awesome}

to think about:

weekend recap and some exciting news!

this weekend was go go go, which is just the way I like it. My mom and I got up every morning (at 6! >.<) to walk together, which was really nice. I’m only home for ~1 more month so I have to soak up as much family time as possible! Even if it means 6 am mornings on the weekend…

^Saturday morning also included a scrumptious brunch with one of my best friends KP, her cousin, and my sister. We went to Maureen’s Kitchen– an amazing breakfast place right down the road from us! They’re pretty famous for their specialty pancakes (like Lemon Poppy Seed, Pumpkin Walnut, Pistachio…mmmm!) but I wasn’t in the mood for something too heavy, so I went for some baked oatmeal instead. It was mm mm good! With dried fruit and nuts mixed in, plus some milk on the side (which worked out well because it was definitely a little dry^

The rest of Saturday/Sunday’s eats didn’t get too well documented….I’m currently in my 3rd week of organic chemistry at Stony Brook University, so both days were pretty consumed with studying for that. The grade isn’t make or break, but it will definitely be a factor in my applications to med school, so I want to do as well as possible! Unfortunately that means my life right now is about 95% studying/going to class, with a mix of workouts, food, and family time filling the rest. It’s not terrible but let me tell you, it’s not how I envisioned my last month of summer!

 

^here are the only 2 meals I apparently captured- dinner from Saturday and lunch from Sunday! Simple easy plates with some veggies, protein, and fats. Hummus is one of my true loves.^

Anyway! On Sunday I decided to bake up some things to have them ready in the fridge for the week. It makes my life so much easier when I’m packing lunch for the day, or grabbing a quick snack. I find that having lots of healthy (and tasty!) choices on hand prevents me from a going for the unhealthy snacks (yes I mean you- giant bag of chocolate chips!) you know what they say:

here are some of the products:

   

^steamed asparagus^

^baked spaghetti squash^

^and something everyone needs to make RIGHT NOW- rosemary and olive oil baked sweet potato wedges. yum! Just drizzle ~2 T Olive Oil on them, and sprinkle as much rosemary as you like^

and now……

exciting news in my fitness life! I’ve decided to run the Disney Princess Half Marathon.

The race takes place on February 23 {2014} in the Disney Park in Orlando, FL.

For me this will be a pretty big deal! I’ve never run more than 3 miles! (before this weekend). I’ve been training for about 3 weeks already, but I didn’t want to share until I was sure about the race. It’s definite now- registered and officiallllllllll 🙂

Right now I’m following the 10-mile novice plan from Hal Higdon. At this rate I’ll be running 10 miles by September…what?! So I may look into doing another half in October (by my school) or maybe some other races like a duathlon or triathlon.

This weekend I had my first 4 miler, and I did it! It’s funny how I always think of running as soooooo hard, meanwhile I can get on the elliptical/bike/arc and go for an hour…. so why shouldn’t I be able to just run for an hour? As I was running my 4 miles this weekend I kept telling myself that… ‘hey! You workout for 40+ minutes ALL. THE. TIME. you’ve got this in the bag!’ and I did!

Happy Running!

surveyin’

I’ve seen this survey floating around and since I love questions/lists I thought I would join in!

1. What did you eat for breakfast?

yum smoothie! Smoothies are the best- a base of almond milk and protein powder + any frozen fruit- a new creation every day!

2. How much water do you drink a day?

I try to drink 80+ oz per day- I love my Contigo water bottle! It has a top that is double secure so I can throw it in my bag on the go and not worry about spills. Keeps me drinking and hydrated all day.

3. What is your current favorite workout?

I’m loving at-home workouts right now! Getting things done on my time. The best is cardio in the morning and then I do weights/toning at night while watching tv! Makes it fly by.

4. How many calories do you eat a day?

Good question! I don’t really know but if I had to guess I would say 1500-1700 a day is probably the average. Instead of focusing on calories, I focus on eating clean- whole, unprocessed, real foods. That doesn’t mean I don’t have some treats- but I try to make that the exception and healthy eating the rule.

5. What are your favorite healthy snacks?

So many! How to choose?

guac! plain simple and yummy!

yogurt with nut butter

hummus and veggies

6. What do you usually eat for lunch?

Lunch is usually a big salad that I can throw together easily- lots of veggies, some hummus or avocado, and some sort of protein like a veggie burger.

this is a typical salad!

7. What is your favorite body part to strength train?

probably…my abs! I love to crunch it out!

8. What is your least favorite body part to strength train?

hm… mostly I enjoy everything but I’ll say arms for the sheer fact that they’re my weakest link.

9. What are your “bad” food cravings?

chocolate chocolate chocolate!!! It’s my weakness (but I don’t really mind!)

10. Do you take vitamins or supplements?

I take a probiotic supplement!

11. How often do you eat out?

Hard to say…pretty infrequently! Mostly due to $$ consciousness and business. Probably once every 2 weeks.

12. Do you eat fast food?

Nope! Makes me feel gross, I don’t see any need for it!

13. Who is your biggest supporter?

My wonderful family!

14. Do you have a gym membership?

Yes! I have a membership at our local university for the summer. It’s so close, which is great, because I can bike there as a convenient warmup/cool down!

15. How many hours of sleep do you get a night?

Too few…. probably 6 per night. I like to get 8 when I can, it makes me feel so awesome all day long!

16. Do you have a “cheat” day?

Not really. I have a moderation mentality. If I have the chance to have a delicious piece of cake or a special ice cream…I’m definitely not going to pass that up! By eating healthy most of the time I am able to balance with a few treats once in a while.

17. Do you have a workout buddy?

Yes! My amazing boyfriend Nathan is a fitness lover like me and we always have fun working out together. Hiking is especially great with him.

18. What is the best thing that has changed about your life since committing to a healthy lifestyle?

The best thing is…feeling great.. I love my healthy lifestyle because I’m happy, energized, and feel like I focus more on the moments of life rather than poor eating or what people think of me.

19. What was the last healthy thing you did?

Worked out this morning! I love to get up and get my sweat on – after a little coffee of course!

What are your favorite healthy habits?