lately: meals + workouts.

hey all! I wanted to drop in for a quick recap of some meals, and what I’ve been doing for workouts lately! I’ll be back after the weekend with a recap of the most amazing wedding for my best friend!

meals lately:

^^a little snack pre-brunch last weekend. I don’t know about you guys, but I certainly can’t make it till an 11/11:30 brunch without a little snack beforehand^^

^^egg scrambles are my favorite. I think it might have something to do with how easy they are to make ;)^^

^^salads for lunch are my favorite, especially in this summer heat. canned salmon or some chicken (prepped over the weekend) are perfect to throw on top, and I usually go for either salsa + avocado or balsamic vinegar + EVOO for dressing^^

 

^^similar to my egg scrambles? throwing some veggies + ground beef in a pan and calling it a day. doesn’t get better than that^^

^^an afternoon espresso? don’t mind if I do^^

^^chocolate + brazil nuts: a favorite snack lately^^

fitness lately:

Unfortunately, I found out last week that I have a bad foot injury (I kind of figured from all the pain, but the doctor confirmed it!) so I am out of commission for most fitness-related activities right now. I am walking/running as little as possible (except when I waitress).

For workouts, I have been doing a little bit of lifting (mostly upper body), but for the most part I will just be sticking to the bike for the next few weeks. Not too excited about it, but I would rather speed up the healing time!

^side note: the week before the foot injury, I scratched my eye. yes, the doctors at Urgent Care remembered me…^

Hope y’all enjoy and get some healthy eating inspiration! I can’t wait to share all about my best friend’s wedding this weekend. The first event was last night and it has already been an incredible celebration!

Question of the day: 

What are you snacking on lately?

where am I, and looking ahead.

Nearly two months of a blogging break. I had no idea that 1 week would turn into one month, which turned into two. But honestly, it was a much needed break. I have had a long few months since I last blogged, and I needed time to deal with my life, without constantly trying to share it on here.

What all has been going on? Well without getting into too much personal detail (this is available for the world wide web after all) a truly difficult breakup, the stress of finishing up my senior year, the process of making post-grad plans (hello, big decisions!), and the whirlwind weeks of crying, smiling, hugging, and reminiscing before I graduated from college this past Saturday.

I don’t know if you all can tell from that list but… I have been processing a lot. I am so thankful for family (my mom is my rock), friends (seriously, girl friends are the best) and all the others who have supported and loved me these past months. Most of all, I am so thankful to have my faith. This time has been so crucial for me, and without God to trust in, I honestly don’t know how I would have waded through all of this.

At the beginning of this past school year, I chose a word to focus on. My word was trust. As a type A, organizer, planner, and all around high stress person, trusting in the God’s plan and ways has always been a considerable challenge for me.

well that word has come into clear focus the past few months. my journey this year brought me to somewhere entirely different than my “plan” had me headed. If you had asked me 3, 2, or 1 month ago where I would be headed after graduation– you would have received a different answer every time. I’m sure you all know this, but I just need to say– it is incredibly difficult to keep steadfast trust in the Lord when it feels like His plan is changing every 5 days, or throwing you out into situations you have no idea what to do with.

but through all this tumult and change (and growth) that I have been experiencing, something really special has been happening in my life. God has been so present to me in my anxiety, my worries, my fearful moments wondering what the future holds. I have felt His tangible comfort in these moments, and I have felt Him walking with my through days.

this has all really helped me to start rethinking how I can trust in God as I move forward. yes, I will continue to trust that He has a truly amazing plan for me, and that someday I will understand it. But more importantly, I am truly trusting His presence and love in my life. God is here for me, and I am appreciating that in a way that I never have before. And if I have His love and comfort, what more do I need?

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if you’re still reading you might be wondering– so what does all of this mean health-wise, and for the future of the blog?

health wise I went through an iffy place for a while. the combination of stress and starting a new waitressing job I wasn’t working out very much and lost a good amount of weight (especially considering I wasn’t trying to lose any). But after a few weeks, I was able to get back to the basics– I packed my diet full of nutrient dense foods (avocado + ground beef? yes please) and starting lifting more weights again (cardio is just ew right now. no need to burn extra calories when you’re waitressing 30 hours a week).

For the blog– I am going to continue from here with posts on fitness, food, and maybe some more faith, seeing as that is such an essential part of my journey.  I feel like this blog is such a special opportunity, and if my faith/fitness/food story can help even one person, it’s worth sharing! I may even have a new site soon, to help me move to the next phase of my story, so keep your ears open. And of course, let me know if there is anything you’d life to hear more of on here!

If you’re still reading, thanks for sticking around, I hope you’ll stay as I continue my journey!

lately.

This weekend was the perfect mix of homework, work, and fun time with friends. After finishing a big test this morning, I am back to focusing on ‘long term’ projects for the semester, and my applications. First, though, I wanted to stop by and share some recents eats & my new workout schedule with you guys!

Eats:

^I made some more paleo pumpkin bread, and it’s delicious. with 1 fried egg and some spaghetti squash. And coffee. Always coffee.^

^my simplest breakfast. 2(+) ingredient pancake. Banana, egg and the optional additions of cinnamon, vanilla, maybe nuts? I usually keep it simple and just top this with almond butter.^

^lunches during a busy week mean trying to pack a lot of nutrition + energy into one quick meal. this salad was a mountain of veggies, topped with harbored eggs, blue cheese, craisins, and some chips + salsa to finish it off.^

^leftovers for the weekend. crunchy chopped salad  with some apple cider vinegar and cheddar cheese.^

^a girl’s dinner date at Everyday Organic. chips and salsa + turkey pesto sandwich (on gf bread) for me.^

^my roommates and I went on a date to Coffee to a Tea, a local coffee shop that focuses on all natural ingredients. I’ve been there twice now and besides having delicious coffee, their baked goods are spectacular– not to mention the extensive gluten free options they have– basically, heaven. Above^^ is the gluten free pumpkin spice cake that we split. Not only was the cake amazing, but they magically made the icing take so pumpkin-y. If you are local, you HAVE to go there!^

Workout Updates:

In the past ~3 weeks, the boy and I have began semi-training for a half marathon. I say ‘semi’ because we haven’t actually signed up for a race- we are doing about 2 months of building up mileage first before we commit to all the travel/race fees etc. It’s been fun so far, and I can’t wait to see how it goes.

 

^5 mile run this weekend, the second ‘long’ run of the weekend^

I’ll share my training plan on here if you guys would like!

Questions of the day:

What’s your most delicious eat as of late?!

What does your training plan look like right now?

Wednesday, Workday.

Yesterday was a pretty insane day for me. I woke up around 6:45 to get things started. My morning included some reading, getting ready, plenty of coffee {my true love}, driving the boy to his class, and then eating breakfast before heading to my first class of the day.

It was colder yesterday morning than it’s been since I got back to Greenville. 28 degrees when I was walking to class. And even colder this morning… I have become such a baby… but when I’m home in NY I’m more mentally prepared for the cold. Here in Greenville, I walk out of my apartment expecting at least 45 every morning… and when it’s colder than that, it’s just a total shock to my system.

I bundled up to the best of my Southern abilities. I also had about 40 pounds of ish weighing me down. I wasn’t going back to my apartment until ~930 pm {12 hours later} and I needed workout clothes, lots of books, sneakers, etc…

Despite the cold, the walk was still beautiful. I am so lucky to go to a gorgeous school, and I need to take more time to appreciate it.

^I met a friend for lunch in the dining hall. Salad bar with a side of veggies, salsa, and hummus. I pretty much get a salad every time I’m in the dining hall. What can I say- I’m a veggie girl.^

Workout:

For a simple workout, I did 30 minutes on the Arc followed by 15 minutes incline walking on the treadmill. My little legs were still pretty sore from my runs this week, and I didn’t want to push it too hard.

 

^Still freezing out!^

For dinner, I met a friend at The Paddock, our on-campus restaurant. It just opened this year, and is surprisingly good. Not exactly restaurant quality, but still a step up from the Dining Hall. I had a southwestern style black bean burger– which meant salsa and guacamole. Yum! I got fries on the side…so bad, but so good! I wanted to make sure I ate a big enough dinner, because after this meal, we had to head off to a 3 hour MCAT prep class. It was the first one, and I’ll be going to these every Monday and Wednesday night. It’s going to be rough, but I need rough to make sure I’m prepared for the MCAT exam in May.

After the class, I was mentally drained and not in the mood to do more homework. I met up with my boy and some friends, and we all went out to get frozen yogurt together. I had pancakes and syrup with some cake batter. Topped with maple nut clusters, cookie dough bites, and some chocolate chips/pieces. It was so so good. I got a little else yogurt than I normally do because I was really feeling the toppings!

Questions of the day:

What is your favorite cold treat?

Do you prefer the dessert or the toppings?

Weekend Warrior.

So I’m not entirely sure, but I think at college people use the term ‘weekend warrior’ for people who study hard during the week, but go hard on the weekends. I enjoy hanging out with friends on the weekends…but I’m definitely not someone who ‘goes hard‘. My version of weekend warrior is… working out, getting food prep done for the week, and cleaning the mess I’ve made during the week. Some may call me crazy ;). I do also enjoy using the weekends to catch up with friends who I don’t see during the week.

Saturday

On Saturday morning, I woke up super early- like 6 am early. I don’t know why but.. I felt really well rested, so I just rolled with it. No one else in my apartment was awake yet, so I chilled on the couch for a while, {ok I was on pinterest} before moving our table out of the way and doing a quick 10 minute circuit. It felt good to get in some movement first thing in the morning. And even better to not have to go outside to do it! I watched some Kardashians while doing my workout/chilling. Guilty pleasure TV.

^A little bit later, I sipped on some Trader Joe’s Roasted Red Pepper Tomato Soup. Kind of weird breakfast choice..but it was a nice way to get some vegetables in first thing!^

After the soup, I roasted some spaghetti squash and some sweet potatoes, before whipping up some Gluten Free Banana Bread {recipe to come!}. I obviously proceeded to snack on some of that before putting it in the fridge {so I didn’t inevitably finish off the entire thing}.

After organizing my room and doing some laundry, I ran out to grab groceries for the week + grab some decorations from TJ Maxx. I spent more than planned, but it is so fun to add cute items to our apartment! After the errands, I headed over to the gym for a little workout. I didn’t want to do anything crazy because I knew I had a long run on Sunday, and my legs were still a little sore from my circuit workout Friday. I did 50 minutes on the Arc Trainer. Have to keep that endurance up for my long runs! #halfmarathonhereIcome

After the workout, I showered, changed, and threw together a quick dinner. Spaghetti squash, green pepper, hummus, tomato sauce, and tilapia. Quick + easy. I threw an apple in my bag and ran out to go babysit.

Babysitting was so much fun. Most people at school are busy with Greek Recruitment this weekend, but I was free! My roommates are all independents as well, so we were still able to have some fun. Anyway, babysitting was great. This little nugget was too cute, and we played kitchen, matching games, and danced for a couple of hours. I put her to bed around 9 and had an hour to chill by myself before her parents came home. I don’t really love being alone in someone else’s house {hello– creepy?!} but Pinterest and Netflix kept me happy and distracted :).

After babysitting, I spent the rest of the night hanging out with my boy. We just chatted and he tried to roll a knot out of my leg! So painful but awesome- definitely helped for my run! We also snacked on some Brie and hummus. I love me some cheese.

Sunday:

Sunday morning, the boy and I headed off to church together. Church wasn’t until 11, so I had planned on getting some work done beforehand. Instead, I slept in until 9:30 and then got ready for church. Between getting ready and leaving early to get there {and pick up the boy} I didn’t have time for much breakfast, so I just grabbed a slice of my GF banana bread, and headed out the door.

By the time we got out of church at 12:30, I was pretty hungry and NMK was getting super hungry. It was real. {I kid.} We tried to go to Everyday Organic, my favorite local restaurant but they were all full, and we were not in the mood to wait. Since it was 1 pm by this time, we decided lunch fare would be acceptable. Thai food it was! I got some Red Curry with rice, which turned out to be awesome fuel for my long run!

After digesting and cleaning for about an hour, I headed over to the gym for my run. I try to run outside as often as possible, but I just wasn’t prepared for it yesterday. I don’t know.. I have to be in the right mental place- you know? I did my 9.5 miles, without stopping, and in a 9:40+ pace. I know– I’m not fast! But it felt great to get through, and I was speedy for me! I aim to finish my long runs under 10 min/mile. Nothing too crazy or ambitious for my first half! The run felt awesome, and I was so so happy! The middle miles were definitely a little boring, but I never felt like I needed to die. That’s a win!

After the run, I showered and cleaned up our apartment some. I also CHUGGED water. I filled three bottles and told myself to finish them before doing anything else. I wanted to make sure I hydrated. It makes such a difference in how I feel the next day, and I am definitely thankful for that today. I also had some greek yogurt mixed with protein powder. My muscles need that protein!

After resting for a while, my friend Sarah came over to join my roommates and I for a fun Girls’ Night! We had hummus, brie, goat cheese, guacamole, chips, crackers, and salsa. Tapas, delicious style. After chatting, painting our nails, and chowing down, we flipped on Revenge. I love love love Revenge. It is taking some crazy twists and turns this season- y’all should check it out! I am so sad it won’t be back on till March. At least I’ll have the Olympics to distract me.

A little later, we split some Half Baked ice cream from Ben & Jerry’s. It was amazing. Perfect treat after that long run!

Questions of the day:

Do you ever struggle with running outside? Do you prefer road or treadmill?

What is your favorite treat/trashy TV indulgence?

Thanksgivukkah– A once in a lifetime experience!

Thanksgiving morning started off bright and early…and cold! My dad, my friend, and I ran in a 5K Turkey Trot together.

 

^this is my cold weather face.. and gear. I needed a LOT of gear to keep warm. It was 30 out BUT the “real feel” was 16 degrees.^

^we snapped some pictures together while we waited around for the race. I think I had about 5 layers on top plus the jacket? it was cold guys! My toes didn’t thaw out until the last mile of the race…oh well. We all stuck together, so we weren’t going for a fast time or anything– just for the fun of it. And it was awesome! My dad and I started this tradition last year, and I am hoping it stays around for a long time.^

Following the run, I went home and took a looooong shower. Usually I’m all about the short showers- efficient, environmentally friendly, and I just don’t like to waste my time. But it took me a while to thaw out from the cold, and then a bit longer to convince myself to get out into the cold air again.

After my shower, I grabbed some quinoa granola {gluten free} and some greek yogurt, before heading over to my friend’s house to watch the Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade. The Macy’s parade is one of my absolute favorite holiday traditions! Unfortunately the race was at 9 {the same time the run started!} so Krista recorded it, and we watched it afterwards {with the added bonus of fast forwarding through the commercials!}.

Later, we headed over to our family friend’s house for a celebration of “Thanksgivukkah”. My family is Christian, but it was still fun for us to be a part of this cultural tradition and learn some about the meaning!

    

^We each got to light our own menorahs– I chose the slide and swings one… I’m a child.^

Dinner was delicious, and the company was better. I love being with my parents, and any other friends who are there are just a bonus. The only regret is that my sibling couldn’t make it home. My brother is a marine, and only had Thursday off {too far to travel for 24 hours}, and my sister is studying in Dublin {for her Masters woo!}. Dinner was all the classics– mashed potatoes, turkey, green bean casserole, apple sauce, roasted butternut squash, and a Chanukah twist– potato latkes. My meal was something like: lots of squash, potato pancakes, apple sauce, and some stuffing. Dessert- a little whipped cream, some fruit, and a taste of apple crisp. YUM. That was plenty of food!

And…. as a bonus: some pictures of my favorite siblings– I can’t wait to see them in December!

        

I know…we used to be so cute sigh…. what happened?! 😉

How was your Thanksgiving?

Did you get to celebrate with your whole family? 

workouts and eats- highlights from this week.

workouts:

Sunday: Arc– 25 minutes + walking with friends

Monday: Arc 30 minutes + some biking outside

Tuesday: Walking ~90 min; Arc 20 min.

Wednesday: 50 minutes on the elliptical + Upper Body Workout

Thursday: Babysitting {I swear– it’s intense guys!}; Arc 20 min; Elliptical 25 min

Friday: Arc 60 min

Saturday: Arc 25 min; Elliptical 30 min

Sunday: Arc 20 min; Elliptical 15 min; Arm workout

Monday: 45 min Arc + sprints

Overall it was a really busy week, and I stuck to mostly cardio {aka stress relief}. Hopefully I’ll do more weights this week!

 

eats:

 

^a lunchtime ‘dessert’ last week. Golden grahams, mango, greek yogurt, and chocolate chips^

  ^dinner at home: mahi mahi burger, grilled asparagus, and grilled onions^

^dining hall salad- topped with hummus and pita chips^

^another salad mess at the DH^

I didn’t get many other pictures of my food… like I said – it was a crazy week!

and as a bonus:

the cutest kids EVER!

^look at that sass face!^     

Hope you all are having a great week!

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?

staying fit on vacation

As I mentioned, I was just traveling for the past 3 weeks. For many people, vacation can mean 5, even 10 pounds gained- ah! Of course, you don’t want to forego the relaxation and delicious treats of wherever you may be traveling to! So how do you make it all work and not come back with regrets on either end? These are some tips I try to employ on vacation to stay healthy and feeling great!

Tips:

1. Your hotel has a fitness center- get there!

• Just going to the fitness center will encourage you to do something. Even if you can’t fit in a full body workout, 15-30 minutes at the beginning or end of the day can make a difference!

2. Get up 30 minutes before everyone else and get moving!

• Take this extra time to run, walk, anything! Get your body moving, and you’ll start the day out on the right foot. Plus, I always find that working out first thing puts me in a healthier mood all day, and makes me want to eat better to fuel my health.

3. Walk to your sights!

• When visiting a new city, most of the places you visit won’t be more than 1-1.5 miles away from each other. That’s a 20-30 minute walk that will not only be good for you, but it also allows you to see the city you’re in!

4. Indulge- a little.

• Traveling is a time to try new things, experience the local people, culture and of course FOOD! Don’t miss out on local specialties to save calories. Instead, save your indulgences for things you can’t try other places, and if possible, try to split heavier dishes with your friends/family. That way everyone is getting a taste, without weighing yourself down!

Overall- try not to fret too much! You don’t want to look back on your vacation and have regrets because you spent the whole time worrying about weight! If you workout a bit and eat mostly healthy, you’ll return no worse for wear, and with happy memories of a carefree adventure!