A Loss

On Saturday, my wonderful and amazing grandpa passed away. He had been battling for awhile, and while this doesn't make it any easier, I am so glad he is at peace and resting now.

Here is my grandparent's wedding photo - a handsome guy, I tell you!!!!!

And the photo above was just taken in February as my grandparents celebrated their sixtieth wedding anniversary.

It all doesn't feel very real right now as they live a few hours away and I won't be able to make it up there until the calling and funeral (tomorrow and Wednesday). I'm anxious to see and spend time with my family...deaths always remind us of how precious life is and how silly I feel spending my time worrying about eating/weight/exercise.

I hope you're all enjoying your Memorial Day weekend with loved ones. :-)

ELC Challenge: Day 3

Food Blogging is kind of a lot of work - phew! (And I don't even take good pictures...I am just lazy).

I forgot to take a picture of my b-fast yesterday morning, but refer to days 1 and 2 and copy that picture of oats + PB + banana. :-)

For lunch, I had leftover tofu. I am seriously starting to CRAVE this stuff! + a Laughing Cow Wedge. Yeah, might be a weird combo, but I won't apologize...mmmm kay?
For my p.m. snack I had more honey greek yogurt. Sorry for the messiness - it got jumbled around in my car this morning.

I drive too fast, and I can't be trusted.

For dinner I had another crack wrap (serrrrriously addicting) + an orange.
For dessert I had more greek yogurt (I'm almost done with the container!) + strawberries. I also added some Kashi/Nasty cereal....I'm not a fan of it, but I just needed some *crunch*. I know it's not dairy or a fruit/veggie, but it helped my crunchy craving.

Usually when I get cravings, it's not for certain types of foods exactly (except chocolate!) - it's for textures/temperatures. Like, I'll crave something crunchy (so I'll have cereal or nuts), something warm (oats or a "baked apple"), something cold (two words - ICE CREAM!) or something soft (yogurt or a smoothie). Do you have cravings like this? I have to crunch on something every night...I guess it doesn't feel like "real" food otherwise (to me).

I also had an unphotographed bowl of cottage cheese + cinnamon after this. SO GOOD! Again, lazy blogger.

TGIS! Hope you're all having a wonderful Saturday....I'm off to mulch and mow. I know, you're impressed. But I'm calling it my workout for the day. ;-)

ELC Challenge: Day 2

*Warning: I told you I'm a creature of habit. ;-)

For brekkie yesterday morning I had my trusty oats + nanner + PB/Cinnamon.

They were out of the "Creamy Smart Balance" PB at my grocery store, so I snagged the chunky stuff.

MMMMmmm! One you go chunky, you never go back. (Or something like that). Love!

For lunch I had a Morningstar Chik Patty on an Arnold's Sandwich Thin. Now, I have been doing SO well at eating homecooked meals lately (and leftovers). But Morningstar burgers are my go-to meal when I am short on time. A-freakin'-mazing! Even my roommate loves them - and that says a lot. I also brought a Blueberry Chobani and an orange for a snack.

Dinner has been a little hard this week since I've not been home, but I made an attempt at a crack wrap - an Italian Herb Flat Out Wrap + Roasted Red Pepper Hummus + cheese. OH MY GOODNESS. I need to go by myself some wraps so I can do this at home! I also had some cottage cheese....and some grapes + almonds. (And a handful of almonds that didn't want to be photographed). ;-)

Coming home from swimming I am usually SO HUNGRY. This is weird for me because running usually (temporarily) curbs my hunger. I found this new stuff at the grocery store because I've been craving Greek Yogurt like MAD. It's honey flavored, and OH my goodness! It is so good! I'm glad I found this stuff. I paired it with a nice apple and had a few more almonds for some crunchiness.

*Knee Update: I was all geared up for my doctor's appointment yesterday afternoon, and they told me I went to the wrong office! Grrrr! So disappointing. But I'm still continuing to stretch, ice (3 x's a day now), take ibuprofen and foam roll the heck out of that thing. I rescheduled my appointment so we'll keep our fingers crossed I go to the right office this time. Am I the only one who does stuff like that all the time??!! Anywho, my plan is to not run until I'm 100% pain free...I think that will only do me more harm than good. The good news is that my arms are crazy sore from lifting this week, so maybe there is hope for me yet to get some trace of muscle on these weak arms. ;-)

It's Friday!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Wishin', and Hopin'...

...that THIS were my kitchen. Seriously.

I'm house sitting this week and I REALLY am going to have an extremely difficult time going back to my kitchen. It reminds me of when I was a freshman in college and dreaded going back to my crappy old dorm room after staying at my parent's house for a weekend. BUT you somehow miss the crappy old dorm room...because it's yours. Even though it smelled funny and old (my current kitchen at home does not). ;-_

And the best part (or some might say...worst part?) My parent's house is right next door! So I don't have to worry about becoming a part in some Lifetime Movie drama here.

View from the back window.....ahhhhhh.

I am SO EXCITED for this weekend! I always go with my family to the Indianapolis 500, so I'll do that Sunday. I know it looks crazy boring on TV, but trust me - it is SO MUCH fun! Well, at least the beginning and the end are. Hopefully I'll get some sun (with sunscreen!) this weekend and get to hang with the fam and friends. Are you doing anything fun this weekend? Memorial Day weekend is my favorite weekend of the year - it means a *certain* birthday is not too far away!


Check out Missy's Rudy's Organic Bakery Giveaway!

ELC Challenge: Day 1

ELC = Eat Less Crap. :-)

This morning I had my standard oats + nanner + PB/cinnamon for brekkie. I went back in for anotha dip of the PB. I really think I would have a serious issue eating oats without nut butter now. I am RUINED!


This is my lunch and snacks for the day – leftover quiche for lunch + strawberries (sooooo good right now!!), and an orange for a p.m. snackie.

Although…my DINNER sounded good to me at lunchtime. So I switched ‘em. For lunch I had:

Caitlin’s Perfect Baked Tofu!!! (Minus the Sesame Seeds) :-(

This was SO, SO, SO good. I seriously might make tofu once a week now. I love it because it’s EASY, CHEAP, and it fills me up.

I eat my lunch and p.m. snack over the course of a couple hours, usually. I don't know why...I think it's because I eat at my desk (so bad) and it gives me something to look forward to (so sad).

For DINNER I had my quiche + some grapes, cottage cheese, and a flat out wrap + cheese. I'm house sitting the rest of the week (more on THAT later) and they have QUITE the selection of produce. Yay! If I were a millionaire, I would get weekly mani/pedis AND a ridiculous amount of fresh produce.

After swimming tonight, I had to tear into some more berries, some yogurt, and raw almond slices. I could seriously eat almonds all. day. Long.

So I did pretty well, and I’m proud of myself for not binging tonight. The knee feels a little better and I thought about canceling my appointment that is scheduled for tomorrow, but I think I will feel so much better after going (mentally). Plus, I’m hoping the money I get house sitting will foot the bill. ;-)

Have a great evening!

Preventative or Paranoid?

So I made an appointment to see the doctor on Thursday for my knee….it might be a bit premature and I know it’s going to cost me and arm and a knee (hahaha), but it’s just really, REALLY getting me down in the dumps. I just want to be sure I find the root of the problem and don’t end up with a chronic injury.

One thing about when I get injured is that my eating can go out of control. I either restrict or I binge…and I wish I knew how to change that. With my ED history, I really want to get back to exercising so that I am able to control my eating. I WISH my eating weren’t so dependent on being able to workout – especially run. However, it seems to work best for me. One day (because I probably won’t be able to run forever!) hopefully I will get there and be in control without having to run 20-25 miles a week.

During my running break, I’m challenging myself on Wednesday, Thursday and Friday to eat only fruits, veggies and dairy as my snacks (what can I say...I get cranky without yogurt, lol). I eat lots of fruits and veggies during the day, but at night I often turn to processed snacks.

I’m doing this NOT to be restrictive, but I remember during my “Crap-Free Week” I didn’t binge because I was so FULL on fruits and veggies. Who wants cereal or a bar when they got a big ole’ belly bloated from veggies, right? I’m going to take pictures of my eats to hold myself accountable, too. I wish I were a more exciting eater so I could take pictures of all of my food all the time, but alas I am a creature of habit. So just be prepared to see the SAME pictures over and over and over…. ;-)

What about you? Do eating healthy and exercise go hand in hand for you? Or have you learned to find one without the other? If so - tell me your secrets!!

These Shoes Weren't Made For Biking...

Yesterday marked the first official training day for my triathlon on August 8th! I am a triathlon virgin, and it's something I've always wanted to do. I pretty much suck at swimming and I'm not the best biker, so it's definitely going to be a challenge.

I've based my training program off of this program that I found. Yesterday called for a 45 minute bike ride, so I blew off the dust of ole' Red and headed on out.

Little Red next to Big Red

It had been a loooong time since I went for a nice, long ride (that's what she said), and here are the things that quickly came to mind as I headed out yesterday morning.

1. Biking is COLD!!! It was about 55 degrees when I started out, which would be perfect for running. I'm just a wuss in the cold, what can I say?

2. Biking hurts your bum! I do have padded biking shorts, but c'mon...I need a little more cushion for my pushin', I guess.

3. Biking is....a little boring! I only say this because I'm used to running with music. And I love my music. Spending 45 straight minutes with just my thoughts is a little scary. lol

4. Biking is hard! I think runners in general (or maybe it is just me) tend to be biased that running is the best or the only way to get your heart rate up and get a good sweat on. Sometimes I will see bikers on the road and think, Pssshhh! How easy! Um....NO. This is not 1988 and this ain't no pink Huffy I'm on.

I've been having knee pain this week, which has made me feel a little bummed and, to be honest, a little depressed. I did my normal hours of research to try and diagnose myself (doctors LOVE it when you do this!) and I think it has something to do with my IT Band. It is sore, too, and I'm off to purchase a foam roller today. I've wanted one for awhile and know they can work wonders.

I am taking the next week off of running, and I'm hoping it will help. It's just so frustrating because running makes me so happy. I just have to keep telling myself that it's not worth it to push myself too hard right now. My knee pain isn't constant, but it's definitely achy - even when sitting all day. I want to make sure I nip this right now before it gets worse.

I'm also going to take a yoga class once a week - I wish I could afford to go more! I think yoga is so key in preventing injuries....plus, it really calms my mind. And who doesn't need that?

Hope you all had a lovely weekend!

Welcome to 2009, Holly!

So some VERY exciting news to report - but make sure you are sitting down so you don't pass out as a result of shock, horror, or pity.

I moved into my house in October, and I have been living without the internet. I have it at work (well, except personal e-mail and Facebook), and of course I'm always annoying my friends/family when I go to their houses.

Of course with all of the expenses that come along with being a homeowner (new furnace, whaaaat?), I wanted to wait and buy a laptop in the Spring. I gladly present to you....

my new laptop!



I am SO excited. Hopefully this means I'll be posting more recipes, workouts, all that jazz. I think I might switch to Wordpress, too. Any suggestions from any techies out there/people who have Wordpress? Seriously, I so technologically challenged.

So welcome to 2009, Holly. I now look forward to devoting most of my time to blog reading, Facebook, and reading trashy celebrity sites.

Reason No. 376 I Would Like a Garmin

May I present to you, my running route one day last week.

I think I might use some of my tax money to get a Garmin Forerunner 305. I've never had a heart rate monitor and, while I love GMaps Pedometer, I'm getting a little tired of mapping out routes to run. Especially when my lists (like the above) get all smeared with water and then become incredibly difficult to read. Looking like a lost tourist while running in place and wearing a water belt is just something I'm not trying to do.

Do you have a heart rate monitor? Do you love it? Hate it?

To THAI For

So I am obsessed with peanut butter. I also love chicken, therefore it was only a matter of time before I married the two and set them off to enjoy their little newlywedded bliss in my tummy.

One day while hard at work ( read: combing through recipes on allrecipes.com), I found this recipe for Thai Peanut Chicken.

Oh. My. Goodnessgracious.

I did omit the cayenne pepper because, well, I didn't have any and don't really know if I want any. This is such a dumb question that I'm ALMOST embarrassed to ask, but does adding cayenne pepper to things make it really, really spicy?

This was amazing!!! It didn't even need the rice, it was so tasty. HIGHLY recommend if you love PB!

I was tagged by (hilarious) Nicole to list 5 guilty pleasures...only 5? lol. I have many, but here are the top fave (that are appropriate enough to type out while I am at work):

1. Diet Coke (as the blog world shudders, you should know that I am MUCH better than I used to be - only 1 a day! and sometimes 0)

2. Gossip Girl, Grey's Anatomy, House, Desperate Housewives, The Office

3. ICE CREAM! I don't keep it in my house because I have ZERO self control around this stuff. But my favorite without a doubt is Cake Batter with Cookie Dough from Coldstone Creamery. :-)

4. Blog reading, internet surfing, looking up useless knowledge on Wikipedia, and surfing allrecipes.com

5. Extra Sugar Free Gum (Polar Ice) - again, trying to cut back on this stuff, too. But what can I say? I had a lot of teachers in junior high with HORRID breath and who wants to be *that lady*?

Happy Seis De Mayo! :D

Mini-Marathon and Port-a-Potty Parable

I finished!

The weather turned out to be PERFECT running weather on Saturday - about 50 degrees and cloudy at the start. I woke up, had my go-to long run breakfast (banana + PB + SF Red Bull) and was off.


(Me pre-race. Like the ladder in my bedroom?)

I didn't allow myself enough time and ended up parking about a mile away from the start line. I had to go to the bathroom (of course), but as I was waiting in line for the port-a-potty, I was worried I wouldn't make it to my corral in time. So I decided I would either stop along the way at a port-a-potty, or try and suffer through it.

The race began and I felt great the first few miles. Maybe I can make it the whole way without going to the bathroom, I thought. I was just mad at myself because I made it through one of my full marathons without stopping to use the restroom, and here I had to go at mile 2!

I kept a lookout for the port-a-potties. The first few had long lines, so when I finally found one at mile 5 without a line, I made a mad dash. I went into the 2nd or 3rd one and quickly ran inside (and, of course, tried not to breathe). Of course the door wouldn't latch shut! I wanted to get in and out as quickly as possible because we all know races are won and lost in the pits. lol.

Sorry if this is TMI, but I had to share as this is SO something that would happen to me. I decided to hold the door with my hand and PRAY that no one try to open it. I'm going, and towards the end I think, hmmm, my sock feels kind of wet. WTF? Um, I look down and the lid was closed! So, yes, it was overflowing and landing on my sock. Ew ew ew! Well, I wrapped it up and as I pull up my pants, a guy opens the door on me JUST in time. Phew! But I hightail it out of there because I wanted to die of embarrassment. :-)

Moral of the story? Yes, I was in and out of there in 50 seconds, but next time? Make sure the lid is open!!

I did feel MUCH better after stopping. I was averaging about an 8:15/8:20 pace and felt really great. I really tried not to think about what my projected time would be until around mile 10, when I knew I could come close to matching my PR.

At Mile 11, my watch time said 1:30:xx. I knew this meant I had to bust it out in the last two miles if I wanted to beat my PR. I had a lot of energy left - I was really surprised! Must have been the fact that I wanted to get out of my socks immediately.

At Mile 12, I knew I'd have to get under an 8 minute mile. I didn't want to push myself too hard - I'm scared of speed because of all of my hip trouble. But I sprinted it out, and ended up finishing in 1:46:15! A new PR!

Tears welled up in my eyes as I crossed the finish line - not only because of my new PR, but mainly because I was so thankful to be able to run again. I know I've said that many times before and sound like a broken record, but the year without running for me was so incredibly difficult emotionally. Now I finally feel like myself again when I lace up my shoes and head out to pound the pavement.

I ended up heading down to Louisville for a Kentucky Derby party later that day and whew, I was tired! I wish I had pics, but let's just say I did my part in stimulating the economy through alcohol sales.

Of course yesterday I had to treat myself to one of these bad boys from Dairy Queen.

Be still my heart.

I hope you all had a wonderful weekend!

Check out these contests:

The Fitnessista's Sweet Giveaway!
Missy's Kay's Naturals Giveaway!
Ashley's Smoothie King Giveaway!