Unplugging

I wrote before about how I've been trying to unplug before bed and not spend half an hour on my Instagram or twitter.  Honestly all the bombardment of social media, aka a place for people to share but also show off has been causing a lot of anxiety for me. 

 I've decided for the next month to limit my social media time to 30 minutes approximately a day. I'll check out some of the blogs I like, do a quick Facebook check since I keep in touch with people that way, and limit my time online in general.  Seeing everybody who has 5 social media sites and instagrams their abs or oatmeal everyday causing a lot of comparisons and makes me feel down about myself about how much more I should be working out, eating less, and burning more calories.

The beginning of this week I felt so good and happy and strong and want to keep that going.  I'll try to blog probably about once or twice a week.  The interwebs and the strange world it is will go on whether I'm on it for a half an hour or 4 hours.  I'm going to get back into reading more books with my free time instead of just flipping through magazines on the bus to work or spending my lunch break on my phone. Hopefully as the weather warms up I'll spend some more time outside.

I've been thinking about my priorities and what I want in my life these past few months (residual New Year thoughts, perhaps?).  I have been working on removing negativity from my life and therefore stress.  I want to spend my time doing things that me happy and are productive while also giving myself enough time to recharge everyday.  This past week I've been working out because I want to, not because I feel like it is a chore I need to day. Monday there was a strength training circuit for Best Body Bootcamp that was on the schedule, but I was upset and just needed to run 4 miles, so I did.

If you are caught up in the craziness of life, which is how I usually feel around Wednesdays in the middle of the week, take a moment and breathe. 

Do something that makes you happy :)

Laissez les bon temps rouler!

Happy Mardi Gras! Laissez les bon temps rouler= let the good times roll (I was a French minor in college after all!)

A day of indulgence will be less than that for me-I'm saving it all for Valentine's Day with a delicious dinner out and some chocolate. Lately I've been trying to work on little ways to change my routine to make things easier and less stressful for myself. I have some other things to hopefully add into the  mix too. 

Things I've Been Doing: 

1. Food prep

Everybody has been talking about this, but it really makes a huge difference in your day! I've been planning meals out or at least having ingredients/recipes on hand. Sometimes plans change and we eat out or something but it's okay.  I have the Tone It Up Hearty Mushroom Soup in the crockpot today for dinner and can't wait.  

I also prepped a bunch of snacks last night for pre/post workout, after dinner, or those ravenous after work snack attacks.  I made some mini banana muffins, banana chocolate protein bars, and peanut butter raw oats balls (there are a million different recipes floating around the internet).  

2. Unplugging Before Bed

I'm making a rule where I don't check Instagram/Twitter/FB on my phone or computer for at least an hour before bed. I haven't stopped TV, but those blue screens and lights stimulate your brain which makes it harder to go to sleep because it stops your body from producing the hormone melatonin.  Melatonin tablets are a great supplement to take if you have sleep problems, FYI! I'm also thinking of only having 15 minutes a day of social media for a month, but that's for the next post. 

3. Nighttime Ritual

This week I've been better at washing my face, putting lotion on my hands,flossing, and doing all those grooming/bathroom things that sometimes I skip because it takes too long.   My face was breaking out from stress last week but probably also due to a lack of my usual skincare regime.  To keep that ritual/routine is calming to me (OCD tendency, much?) but also becomes part of my schedule so that I'm taking care of myself, especially in these harsher winter months.  

Things to Work On: 

1. AM workouts

I love getting workouts done in the morning. It wakes me up and let's me have time after work to run errands, relax, and subsequently not go to bed past midnight.  This must become a habit!

2. Breathing

When I get stressed lately or overcome with emotions I need to breathe and make some tea.  I usually reach for some candy or freak out instead of taking a moment to try to calm down before it escalates, at which point it's so much harder to calm down.  

3. Making my snacks actual mini meals with nutritional value!

Instead of reaching for that bar that will not fill me up, I want to try eating some chicken or protein filled. I also can try to take the time to make an actual snack and sit down.  This makes it a conscious choice to eat and not just grabbing 4 different "little snacks" over the course of two hours.  

What are things you are trying to add into your daily schedule or routine?

Things I Love Thursday

 Hello all! I haven't been blogging as much due to being extremely busy and tired.  Work and volunteering and cooking dinner and exercising and watching Netflix's House of Cards is pretty much all I've been doing. Ravens won the super bowl Sunday (WOOHOOOO BALTIMOREEEEEEEEEEEE) so I spent Monday morning sleeping in instead of at work after a few too many  beers and not enough sleep Sunday evening.

Chobani Bites

1. Caramel with Pineapple Chunks Chobani Bites (100 calories!)

 I had finally found a couple other flavors of the new Chobani bites that I love so much. My boyfriend thought the pineapple caramel was amazing and decided to use our new ice cream maker to make a healthy treat (we christened it with a full flavor ice cream that used heavy cream!) on my afternoon off from work.  We mixed nonfat Greek yogurt, frozen pineapple bits, a little stevia, and a little almondmilk in the ice cream maker.  He also is a master at making homemade caramel (so bad for you but so delicious on anything!) so he made a small batch and swirled that in.  Thank god he only made enough for two servings because it was SO delicious and not too unhealthy, besides the caramel.

2. This song: I Love It by Icona Pop.
I heard it first on Girls on HBO (which is the best and funniest and most awkward show and you should watch it) and then again on a TV commercial. You can run so many miles listening to this song or have a dance party with it on loop, both of which I have done in the past week.  It will be stuck in your head all day, I promise.

3.  My Crockpot
I think I could cook with the crockpot everyday.  I made a turkey, corn , and black bean chili this week which was awesome. I loosely based it on this Skinnytaste recipe but only used one can of beans, added a can of corn, and some ground turkey.  Chili is the best because it's awesome to eat the next day for lunch!

I also made some crockpot applesauce from this recipe, and it might be something I make every week. I love it as a snack with some greek yogurt or on top of oatmeal for breakfast. It was so easy and so delicious.  Next week the dinner menu is definitely going to include this paleo bbq chicken crockpot recipe.  I'll keep you posted and hopefully take some photos before it gets devoured!


4.  Bootcamp Workouts!
I'm still following Tina's Best Body Bootcamp and loving the quicker circuits and strength training that has been on the plan.  I also have been trying to switch up my routine because I'm bored so I checked out a couple of bootcamp classes at my gym. Definitely broke a sweat and pushed myself during the tabata intervals.  One exercise that still has me sore were these ab rollouts using a scooter (similar to the Ab Roller concept).

You can see it here:

You can do this will a rounded dumbbell too so it's definitely something I'll be adding to my ab exercises!

5. This. Just Kidding. 

Lots of people hate on Valentine's Day, which is a week away, but I think it's nice to do something fun with the person you love because sometimes life gets so busy we don't take time to just hang out or show our appreciation as much as we can.  The expectations can be left at the door, but the chocolate can stay :)

Honestly, I'm just excited to eat out and bake something really indulgent for my man which may or may not have red and pink sprinkles on it.

Note to self: Relax!

Since this blog is not just about health, fitness, my random musings, but also learning how to reduce stress and anxiety.

This past week I decided to finally take a formal yoga class. I've been on a yoga hiatus for 6 months? maybe longer. With moving from the studio I usually went to, along with a tighter budget not being able to afford a yoga studio and gym membership, I stopped practicing.  Then, perhaps as a sign, I received an email with a coupon for a free class at my old yoga studio since it was my anniversary from first going there.  I went to a power vinyasa class which focuses on vigorous flows of movements in a hot room.  

It always is hard coming back after a hiatus because it takes me longer to get into my happy space when I'm anxious about how much yoga strength I've lost and poses that are more challenging than they used to be.  Still could get into a crows pose and full wheel so booyah :) Those last minutes of savasana are worth the whole class. I'm so zoned out in the pose and finally have quieted my mind just laying there.  

By the end of class I was more relaxed and at peace than I'd been in a while.  So much so that I was startled when the instructor came to press my shoulders down.  I'm glad I attended the class and will try to make a yoga once a week now, especially as I up my running miles in the next few months :)

Something else relaxing is a bit more indulgent and less healthy, but totally necessary after a day like today. Stayed late at work, didn't really get to eat lunch, and had to walk home in the pouring rain to boot.  So I pulled out a Justin's Nut Butter Dark Chocolate Peanut Butter Cup pack I impulsively picked up at Target last week. Yes it's candy, but at least it's organic and GMO free.

It's ingredients, from the website are below:

Ingredients: Organic Dark Chocolate (Organic Evaporated Cane Sugar, Organic Chocolate Liquor*, Organic Cocoa Butter*, Organic Soy Lecithin, Organic Vanilla), Organic Peanut Butter (Organic Dry Roasted Peanuts, Organic Palm Fruit Oil), Organic Evaporated Cane Sugar, Organic Cocoa Butter, Organic Vanilla Flavor, Sea Salt. 

Not bad for a treat in my book. And it really hit the spot. Chocolate keeps me sane, especially after a pretty clean eats day and nice run this morning.  I'm trying to be less hard on myself and practice some deep breathing.  Remember breathe deeply, smile, everything is okay :)

Delicious Recipes including Pan-Seared Salmon

This is week two of actual meal planning in 2013, since planning actually does help out a lot during the week.   I can go to the grocery store on Sundays with meals already planned out and then when I'm tired after work, I already have something prepared or ready to go.  It's also great because I make more than two servings for my boyfriend and I and then we both have leftovers for lunches!

Tonight I tried a recipe out of the January 2013 issue of Fitness Magazine.  It was SO DELICIOUS that I had to share it with you all (or whoever reads this thing!). I had bought a red cabbage for another recipe so all I had to pick up was some salmon at Whole Foods.  It was a super easy and quick dish that I whipped up after work.  The cabbage mixed with the maple syrup and balsamic vinegar takes on a sweet and tangy flavor and the salmon came out really moist.  

I just copied the recipe from the magazine below.  Let me know how you like it if you try it out!

Pan-Seared Salmon with Warm Winter Slaw

Makes: 4 servings Hands-on time: 30 minutesTotal time: 35 minutes

2 1/2 tsp olive oil 1/2 medium red onion, chopped1 tbsp minced rosemary3 cups thinly sliced red cabbage2 tbsp balsamic vinegar 1 tbsp pure maple syrup1/4 tsp salt1/4 tsp black pepper1 1lb center-cut salmon fillet, pin bones removed2 tbsp chopped walnuts, toasted2 oz feta, crumbled (about 1/2 cup)

1. Heat 2 tsp oil in a large nonstick skillet over medium heat. Add onion and rosemary; sauté 6 minutes or until onion is browned. Add cabbage and cook until softened, about 10 minutes. Stir in vinegar, maple syrup, salt and pepper. Remove from heat and cover.2. Heat a medium nonstick skillet over medium heat. Rub top of salmon with remaining oil and place in skillet, skin side down. Cook 6 minutes; flip and cook 2 more minutes or until just opaque. Remove from heat and let cool slightly. Pull off skin and cut into four pieces. Serve slaw topped with walnuts, feta and salmon.

Nutrition Facts per serving:289 calories26g protein11g carbohydrates15g fat (3.9g saturated)2g fiber371mg sodium

(courtesy of Fitness Magazine, January 2013 issue)

On Sunday, it was a day of football to watch my current hometown team, the Baltimore Ravens (who are going to the Superbowl, by the way!!!!) play in the AFC championship game against the Patriots.  I was hosting some people at my apartment for dinner and snacks so I decided to make a coconut curry and brown rice dish as the main course.  I also made a kale salad and baked buffalo wings.  

Since I wasn't trying to eat a lot of wings, I tried out a recipe I'd seen floating around on Pinterest for Buffalo "Chicken" Vegetarian Style.  They are breaded in flour (I used half almond meal, half flour since I was running low on whole wheat flour!) which makes them taste more like breaded wings after being baked. The wings ended up being so yummy that even the guests eating real chicken wings liked them!

(Photo source)

I had also received the Practical Paleo cookbook for Christmas since I dabbled in paleo eats prior to the holidays and discovered that it helped with my stomach problems.  I love many of the recipes in it and all of the gorgeous photos of food. 

To make a clean(er) dessert for the game to go with the homemade berry ice cream my boyfriend made in our new ice cream maker (also a Christmas gift!), I decided to try out these bacon mocha maple brownies. I mean c'mon, who doesn't like bacon and chocolate.  The brownies are flourless so they came out really moist, but they were so fabulous that I didn't have any leftovers to nibble on the next day! You can purchase the book at any major book retailer or see it here on Amazon.

Let me know if you try any of these recipes out or have any that you are loving lately!

What I'm Loving Wednesday featuring Chobani Bites

Still been crazy busy this month after the holidays and haven't kept up with Friday Favorites so you're getting a "What I Love Wednesday" post instead :)

1. OBSESSED with finalizing the majority of my race calendar. Kinda want to do another half before the NWM Half in DC at the end of April. Full marathon is ON for the fall even though I'm super scared.

2. I'm a lady, and I'm shoe obsessed. Not just pretty heels anymore, but it extends to running shoes.  I've only run in Brooks but am looking at trying a pair of Mizunos and am in love with the colors of these Wave Rider 16s.  Maybe I'll wait for a sale. Maybe.

(Image from Zappos.com)

3. FINALLY on my last Target excursion I found new Chobani Yogurt Bites. They only had a couple packages of this flavor left!  Chobani Bites have 100 calories and make the perfect quick snack.  I love the coffee flavor and can't wait to try the other flavors. Keep an eye out for these guys!

4. Lately I've also been craving anything coconut. I roast vegetables in coconut oil and the other night made some honey coconut shrimp which were delish! I think when I get home today I'm going to whip up a batch of these protein bites and try not to eat the whole batch! 

(Chocolate Coconut Protein Bites)

What are you loving lately?

Quest Bars Are All the Rage!

Disclosure: I received a sampler pack for review purposes from Quest Nutrition. As always, all opinions and thoughts are my own. 

If you follow healthy living/fitness twitter accounts, blogs, or Instagram accounts I'm sure you've heard about Questbars.  They are all the rage because they are protein bars that have simple ingredients, actually taste good, and are not loaded with sugar!

Quest Bar Nutrition  was nice enough to send me a sampler box to test out these bars and spread the word. 

Quest bars are gluten-free and have 20 g of protein, 4 g of active carbs and no sugar added.The original line uses sucralose while the natural line uses stevia as a sweetener  They have no soy protein, no glycerine, no added junk in them.  While eating something clean such as a piece of fruit is maybe a more ideal snack, sometimes you need something that you keep with you when you're on the go and still satisfies a snack craving!

So far I've tried the chocolate brownie, strawberry cheesecake, cinnamon roll, chocolate peanut butter, and coconut cashew flavors.  I love having a bar in my bag for a late afternoon snack or when I'm on the go.  I found that Quest Bars do have that nougat texture to them.  It's recommended to microwave them for 30 seconds, and I've found that makes them a lot more delicious and appealing to me. The first time I tried the chocolate brownie flavor without microwaving it I thought it was kind of tough and chewy.  

My favorite flavor was the cinnamon roll, especially when I heated it up in the microwave.  It would be delicious crumble on top of some froyo or greek yogurt! I also love when I look at the nutrition label that it's concise and understandable.  Since I've been trying to eat clean, I look for the least amount of ingredients possible if buying non-fresh foods.

(from http://www.questproteinbar.com/) 

 I definitely recommend trying these bars! The taste is pretty great for the amount of ingredients they have.  They are a little pricey, so it's probably cheaper to buy a box online or get them when GNC is having a buy 2, get 1 free protein bar sale. I know you can purchase them at GNC stores, iHerb.com, and from the Quest Protein website.  

Let me know what your favorite protein bars are!

Random Tuesday Musings

Whew. Last week I was still in a funk after the holidays. My sleep is off, and I'm trying to set a new routine for the gym where I go mostly in the mornings so I can take a class in the evenings if I want, but there is no pressure. Right now I leave work, take the bus home, eat a snack, workout, cook dinner with the boyfriend, and then sit down to relax and watch some Netflix and it's practically 10 PM (aka when I should be going to bed soon). It's stressful so I'm ready to try to change that-tomorrow (today was a sleepy morning!).

Last night for dinner I was tired so I remembered something I found on Pinterest and it turned out to be so fabulous.  Coconut Oil Roasted brussel sprouts with cashews and raisins. You MUST try this recipe.  I had mine with sauteed balsamic tempeh and the boyfriend had his with some beef.  I ate the leftovers for lunch and it was just as delicious.  I want to add dried cranberries instead of raisins the next time I make it. It was a nice way to switch up my usual roasted brussel sprouts with just EVOO and salt and pepper!

I'm also loving right now the book It Starts with Food. It's been all over the interwebs and healthy living blogs, twitters, etc. so I picked it up.

(image from Whole 9 Life site)

I tried (did not finish!) a Whole30 a month ago and it taught me that my IBS problems are linked to gluten/wheat in some sense, so I've cut back on them but am not truly paleo since I still enjoy some red wine and greek yogurt! I don't think full paleo is right for me but it's nice to read the book and learn some science behind food and diet (yes, I'm a science nerd).  It's really easy to read and understand so far -I'll let you know how the rest is when I finish it!

I also am stoked because the gorgeous but pricey Target Neiman Marcus Holiday Collection is 70% off right now! My boyfriend surprised me with the gorgeous Alice + Olivia luggage

(photo from Target.com)

I love how the luggage is super funky and would be so easy to spot at luggage claim! After he told me about the sale we went back and got him the men's sweater, the thermos, the serving tray, hipster cookie cutters, and then Proenza Schouler sweatshirt I've been sporting.

What I'm most excited about using is also the Diane von Furstenberg yoga mat. It's pretty thick foam and has a super cute matching carrying case.  A new stylish mat is just the thing to get me started doing yoga regularly again I think!

Check out the sale before it's all gone!

Lastly, after doing Round 3 of Tina's Best Body Bootcamp I decided to sign up for Round 4. It'll be a great way to start the new year before I get into a heavy running routine prior to spring races! I'll let you know how it goes soon.

What are you loving lately?