To Detox or Not To Detox

Happy Tuesday!

I hope everyone is having a great day.  I'm loving the humidity break we've had the past two days.  It certainly is still crazy hot in NJ, but the humidity isn't where it has been which is luverly.

Today's post is kind of an all over post.

When I was on the cruise, I attended a healthy living seminar on metabolism and how to speed it up.  The trainer giving the talk was talking about detoxing to expel excessive gunk in your intestines.  Obviously, he was trying to sell a product and a body analysis service to us, but it got me thinking.  I didn't buy the "Magic Pills" he was selling because I'm not named Jack and I don't have a cow to sell, but I started thinking, okay, maybe I can do a version of a detox and make it work for me.

I've never been one to buy into the gimmicky magic pill, magic juice, magic diet trend.  I believe that while they do make you lose weight, you eventually put it all on plus some.  Plus, these are not healthy and very often contain some really scare ingredients.  I decided to do some of my own research and I enlisted my trainer to help me.  Together we found that the best detoxes are ones that involve turning around your eating habits and focusing on whole foods.  The body is a very impressive machine and can usually fix itself in terms of digestion and detoxing/cleansing.

Here's my plan:

Week 1:  Give up alcohol

Week 2:  Give up dairy

Week 3:  Give up processed/refined sugar

Week 4:  Give up wheat/breads

Every week I give up one thing that is not a whole food.  When I try to give up "all junk" it's hard for me because A) It's not specific B) It's too drastic.  I have to wean myself off or I'll binge, feel guilty, and get discouraged.

This week I gave up alcohol and it hasn't been bad at all.  After last week's cruise, I can fully say that I feel better with less sugar and processed junk clogging up my body.

I decided to start this now because I have 4 races as of now in the next few months and need to get race ready.  I think cleaning up my eats will be the perfect way to help me PR.

Have you ever detoxed before?  What do you like to do?


Today is going to be another busy one.  I'm going into my classroom to *hopefully* make more headway in organizing and setting up for the year.  Yesterday I did 4.5 hours and pretty much have nothing to show for it.  I have a bunch of half completed projects and border up.  That's all.  Returning to work is kind of like returning to college.  The whole first day you pretty much do nothing but catch up with colleagues and chat.  I love talking to everyone so I'm never too sad when someone comes in while I'm working because I welcome the distraction.  Productivity level=Michael Scott.

Tonight after the gym, I'm taking my friend Aly to try my beloved Maple Shade Custard Stand!  She's never been and I keep raving about it.  Hopefully she'll love it!  Have you ever hyped something so much that when the person has it, they are like, 'well, it's good, but...it's not as good as you make it seem.'  Womp.  Womp.  **But I think she'll LOVE it like me!**

I hope everyone has a great Tuesday!  I'm working on the cruise recap and hopefully it will be up tomorrow!

-e

Friday Favorites

Happy Happy FriYAY!

How has everyone's week been going?  Mine has been a crazy one, with the end of vacation and trying to get everything ready for back to school, plus some fun end of summer activities.  More on those things later :)  Also, happy Women's Equality Day!  Shout out to all of the women who have made this world a more equal and wonderful place for all of us!  Another shout out to all the women who continue to fight the good fight everyday to ensure equality, safety, and health for each and every one of us.

To keep with tradition, let's discuss some Friday Favorites!

1.)  The return of Dallas Cowboys Cheerleaders Making The Team 11 

Who else is pumped about the return of this show??  It is one of my favorite shows and I fully cop to binge watching old episodes all zee time!  (I may or may not have the DVR set to record ANY & ALL episodes)  Since Amanda lives 3 states away, we have virtual wine dates with each other and will FaceTime or text through the episode.  Since I'm trying to detox from vacation, I had a scrumptious green juice and Amanda had some Barefoot.  The show was awesome!  I'm cheering for Kyndell, Jenna, Amy, and Tasha.

2.)  First Women by Kate Andersen Brower

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This book is fabulous!  Where was it when I was writing my thesis 3 years ago?  **Oh God, did I really graduate from college THREE YEARS AGO?**  I have a not so secret fascination with the first ladies and I can't put this book down.  It's non-fiction, but it reads like a novel.  Brower spoke with lots of past and current White House workers, East Wing staffers, friends, and family members of past and current first ladies.  I'm hooked!  I read it on the cruise and it was an amazing read.  I'm about 1/3 done and I can't wait to finish it!

3.) Strawberry Daiquiris!

Ok, confession time.  I haven't had a daiquiri in years.  Usually when I go out for a drink I order something low-cal like a tequila and seltzer with lime, but on the cruise I basically said screw it!  I got a daiquiri for the last 3 nights of the cruise and it reminded me of all of the good times in college.  They taste like you are 22 and have zero cares in the world!

4.)  MASSAGES!

On the cruise I decided to treat myself to a massage.  I got a scalp, foot, and full body massage.  It was heaven.  My masseuse deserves a special place heaven for working the knots out of my calves and back.  I think I left my body and went to heaven in those 75 minutes.

5.)  Horseshoe Bay!

This beach is all that it's cracked up to be.  The pink sand feels like snow it's so soft.  The crystal clear aquamarine water is perfect and you can stand up to your neck and still see the bottom.  There are rocks and caverns in the water that you can explore and play on and in.  I loved this beach and could have stayed there forever.

How gorgeous is this view?

6.)  Nutty Monkey Smoothies

Cruises are not known for their healthy food options, so when we were in Hamilton Bermuda, I found a bakery that made protein smoothies.  I will be recreating this meal this week!  Here's the recipe if ya wanna give it a whirl!

1 banana
1 cup vanilla (Unsweetened) almond mlik
1/2 cup oats
2 T peanut butter
1/2 scoop chocolate protein powder
handful of ice

*sprinkle with cinnamon and vanilla if you're feeling it*

7.)  New Orleans!  My trip is booked!  I can't wait to see Zach again!  Hello November in NOLA!  I'm looking forward to not sweating my butt off this time.  I also can't wait to take a ghost tour of the Garden District!


Happy FriYAY!  I wish everyone a great weekend full of fun!  I have a concert and a baseball game coming up this weekend.  I'm teaching Zumba in addition to my usual Total Body Blast class.  What are you all up to this weekend?

XOXO,

e

Friday Favorites

It's the freaking weekend baby, let's go have some fun!

As expected today is looney bin day over in our house. We're running final errands and getting everything ready for vacation. Deb and I have nail appointments today in a futile attempt to relax and recharge before the hectic day of vacation departure is upon us. I'm thinking a hot pink or coral color in honor of Bermuda's pink sand beaches. 

In today's Typical Friday Fashion, I have found some new things that I'm loving. If there's anything you're loving please feel free to play along in the comments. 

1) Reader's Requests!  I love hearing from y'all and answering your questions or writing posts that you want to hear about. This week I got a lot of questions about what I eat and food/diet secrets while I don't believe in diets, I do believe in healthy swaps and healthy secrets. 

2) Dan + Shay's CD Obsessed. Last Saturday night Cait and I went to the Darius Rucker concert and they were one of his openers. I've seen them before and they were just meh. Very vanilla. This new CD, while a little pastel and predictable for them, has some cute new songs on it. I'm loving How Not To and Around The Clock. The first song has an amazing music video. It reminds me of Ed Sheeran's Thinking Out Loud in a sense because it has a beautifully choreographed lyrical routine, but with the complete opposite message. Think of this as the breakup sister song to Thinking Out Loud. Around The Clock, on the other hand is a fun summery song about those first few weeks of dating where everything is fun and new. When you still find their quirks...endearing instead of OMG FOR THE LOVE OF GOD STOP TAPPING YOUR PEN!  

3) Chris Lane's For Her. Such a sweet song. I think we all have the dream of being in the kind of relationship described in this song. I have to say these new country singers are KILLING IT!  I can't wait to hear what else he has in store. 

4)  Caulirice Sushi!  Low carb fans raise your hands! I love my sushi! It's light, but filling, but has a ton of rice in it. I try to get my carbs from fruits and veggies only, so the rice was always kind of a bummer. Now I can eat my sushi sans rice! Wegman's has created some caulirice sushi! Instead of the traditional brown or white rice, they are using riced cauliflower. The sushi still tastes the same, but has a surprising crunch to it. It's also saves you about 150 calories for a 10 piece portion. It saves you carbs and gives you valuable nutrients from mega food cauliflower. I get the kale-lujiah roll which features marinated kale, cauliflower, and a seaweed wrap. It clocks in at only 120 calories!  I add a plumcot and I'm good to go with sustained energy for a few hours. Also I've been munching this as part of my Meatless Monday routine!  

5) STARBUCKS IS GETTING ALMOND MILK! I repeat STARBUCKS IS GETTING ALMOND MILK!  This is not a drill!  I'm not a huge coffee girl, but I've never met a frozen hot cocoa I didn't like!  Game changer! 

I'm off to get my nails done and start this vacation party right!  While I'm away I'm going to work on a healthy living while cruising post. Even typing that I'm smiling because it sounds like an oxymoron doesn't it?  I'll have to show you all pictures of the gym aboard the Anthem of the Seas!  Swoonworthy for sure. 

Have a happy weekend! 

E

What I Ate Wednesday

Happy Hump Day!

How is the mid week treating everyone?  Things are bueno over here, just getting some last minute things ready before vacay.  In 3 days I'll be laying on a lounge chair on RCL Anthem of the Seas.

Thank God the heat wave has broken...I was melting and sweltering all last week.

So today's post is coming as a request!  Love them and keep them coming!  The question I get asked a lot is what do I eat?  Every day I keep it pretty simple.  I mostly live by the motto if I can't pronounce it, I can't eat it.  For example, if I can't pronounce the ingredients (and I teach syllabication for a living lol) I won't eat it.  This falls into my #1 and #2 food shopping rules:

1.)  Shop the outside of the supermarket and avoid the aisles.  All of the good-for-you-foods are on the exterior of the supermarket.  The protein, veggies, fruit, and nut milks are on the outside of the supermarket.  The only things I buy from the inside aisles are: chocolate chips (I'm only human lol), vanilla, cinnamon, and apple sauce (organic and unsweetened).

2.)  Read Your Labels!  There should be no added sugar in anything you buy!  Sugar has lots of secret names such as fructose, sucrose, glucose, corn syrup, syrup, etc.  If you're buying tomato sauce it should have tomatoes as the ingredients.  If there are a bunch of other ingredients put it back and walk away!  Glen Muir makes a great tomato sauce with no added junk.

Ok so back to what I eat every day.

I also follow the food rule of breakfast like a king, lunch like a prince, and dinner like a pauper.  That means have your biggest meal when you wake up, a moderate meal (calorie-wise) for lunch and your smallest meal for dinner.  I eat every 3 hours and have about 5-6 small meals a day.  I'm not a dietitian, but I'll share what has worked for me.

Breakfast-

If I'm running (Sunday/Tuesday/Thursday/Friday) I'll have a baked breakfast cookie as a pre-workout.  Then when I return I'll have 1 cup unsweetened organic almond milk, 1/2 cup old fashioned oats (not packets...those have wayyyyyy too much sugar), a tsp of vanilla, and a tbsp of cinnamon.  I'll add in 1.5 cups of blueberries.  Then I'll add in a spoonful of organic natural peanut butter (make sure the only ingredient is peanuts!).

I'll also drink 32 ounces of water every day to help me feel full.

Mid-morning snack-

14 baby carrots and a tbsp of harissa.

Lunch-

Grilled chicken with veggies (peppers, broccoli, cucumber, tomato) and then I'll add in a cup of low sugar fruit like blackberries or raspberries.  I'm also loving plumcots.

Afternoon Snack-

Homemade green juice.  Nature's Red Bull!  I juice super greens, a green apple, 3 sticks of celery, 2 big carrots, a thumb sized piece of ginger, 2 lemons, and half a cucumber.  So so so good!

Dinner-

Stir Fry is my favorite dinner!  I'll sauté shrimp, zucchini, cauli-rice, and yellow squash in coconut oil.  I'll then make some quinoa and add it all together.  I'll also add a little red pepper flakes, garlic, and Italian seasoning.  Once I've drained the excess oil from the finished product I'll mix in a tbsp of harissa.  Delish!

If I don't stir fry, I'll do steamed veggies and chicken or salmon.  I usually grill all the meat on Sunday nights and then freeze it so I can easily access it during the week.

Greek Salad is another fave in my dinner rotation.  I add in cuke, Jersey tomatoes, kalamata olives, goat cheese, and a red onion over romaine and spinach mixture.  I drizzle a little tzatziki over top and it's done!  Easy peasy!

Zuke boats are another favorite!  Halve a zucchini and scrape out the middle.  Add the middle mixture to a bowl of cooked ground chicken or turkey, chopped spinach, goat cheese, chopped onion, chopped tomato, and then stuff the zuke with the mixture.  Drizzle a little balsamic on top and boom you're done!

Cheats and Desserts-


Cheat meals or as I like to call them rewards meals are usually enjoyed after one of my exercise heavy days such as Sunday (long runs) or Tuesdays/Thursdays when I've done a run, lifted weights, Pilates, and Barre.  More calories exerted=More calories needed!  Ice cream has a lot of calories so I think that makes logical sense right?  Maybe?  ;)


Ok, I'm a huge believer that you get a cheat day (or 2...a week)!  Once a week I let myself have an ice-cream.  I get the large swirl custard with cookie dough pieces in it.  I regret nothing because I've worked hard the whole week.  This also keeps me accountable and makes it easier to turn down the donuts or M&Ms in the office at work.

Also, a lot of recipes can be made healthier by substituting coconut oil for butter, maple syrup or honey for sugar, whole grain flour or almond meal for white flour.  Substituting dark chocolate for milk chocolate also helps a wee bit, but hey, every little bit counts!

Alcohol-

My signature drink when out is a shot of tequila with seltzer and a slice or lime.  So good and at 90 cals it won't mess up your whole clean eating week.

Another drink I love is to order a shot of vodka, seltzer, and then bring your own Crystal Light lemonade/pink lemonade packet.  100 calories and it tastes just like the vodka lemonades that can easily clock in at 200+ cals and an insane amount of sugar.

I hope you enjoyed this post!  Remember, what we eat is a personal choice and fuel your body with nutritious foods that make you feel good.  If fries make you feel good, have a few not the whole thing!  This is the hardest thing for me.  If a bowl of M&Ms are in front of me, you can bet that I'm going to eat that whole bowl.  I never buy M&Ms because I know they'll be gone.  I'm not good at moderation, so I need to just not have them in the house!

Enjoy the rest of the day!  What are some of the things you are loving to eat now?  I'm loving healthy fresh produce!  Grilled peaches are my new fave!  They're sweet and full of nutrients.  Plus they're only around for a few months so they're like a little treat that won't ruin your hard work.

xoxo,

e

Friday Favorites Olympics Edition

Happy FriYAY!

How is everyone doing?!  Sorry I've been MIA, I've been trying to get back into the swing of normalcy over here after 3 weeks of weddingstravaganzas!  Raise a wedding cake covered fork if you're ready to have a weekend free of weddings?!

Not that I don't love weddings, but I'm ready to breathe and have a peaceful low key weekend.  However, I can't wait to show you the pictures from Kate's shower and her bachelorette party!

Is everyone watching the Olympics?  I'm not a huge Olympics fan **put down the pitchforks lol** but I've watched a few of the competitions.  Gymnastics...obviously!   A little bit of swimming (Ryan Lochte's blue hair doesn't impact how cute he is) and some beach volleyball.

In traditional Friday Fashion here are my favorites from the week!  Feel free to play along in the comments section.

Botched By Nature- Wednesdays at 9 on E!  I'm obsessed with Botched anyway and when I found out the doctors were going to do another show my plastic surgery obsessed self started to dance!  When I was 2.5 I fell at my swim club and broke open my forehead.  My parents opted to have plastic surgery done to fix my forehead.  I'm so glad they did.  I know that if I didn't have that surgery, I wouldn't be as comfortable with myself as I am now.

This Michael  Phelps picture.

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What a great quote!  I think everyone has gotten caught up in jealousy or envy or self doubt and this picture is a great way to visually understand that it's all BS.  How many times have you played the comparison game?  She's faster than me, she's prettier than me, she's stronger than me.  The list goes on and on, but do those comparisons make you better or improve your skills?  Nope!  They don't help you improve at all.  I think all of that negative self-talk actually makes your performance worse.  So next time you want to compare yourself to someone else, think about this picture.  Phelps is focused on the wall and winning, and Chad Le Clos is focusing on Phelps.  Focus on winning.


Aly Raisman's Parents!

These two crack me up!  How do they not make her even more nervous?  If those were my parents I would ask them not to come because they would make me wayyyyy too nervous :)  They're so funny and it's so obvious that they love their daughter and want her to be successful, but they are hilarious!


Phillies Wall of Fame and Alumni Weekend!

Every August, the Phillies welcome another player to their Wall of Fame.  This year the honor is going to my favorite Philly *drum roll please* Jim Thome!

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Thome was a first basemen for the Phillies who was the #1 home run hitter in the NL in 2003.  He has 612 career home runs, the 7th most in MLB.  

For Christmas in 2003, my dad got me a Thome jersey (in a size Men's XL none the less) and I can't wait to resurrect that jersey for today's game.


First Comes Love by Emily Giffin.  This book is so so so good!  I have read all of her books and love how the different characters from her different books are intertwined.  This book focuses on the relationship between two very different sisters.  The book alternates chapter by chapter between one sister's point of view and the other.  It's a cool way to understand the various points of view while keeping the book fast paced.  I am almost done and I am doing what I always do when I get close to the end of a good book...I put it off.  I try to avoid the book at all costs.  When I lay out I read a few pages then I fall asleep because I don't want to finish the book.  I don't want it to be over because I know I'll miss the book.

Plumcots!  They're baaaaaack!  Plumcots are an apricot/plum hybrid and they're delicious!  They're sweet, but not so much so that they cause the sugar shakes.  I had green plumcots this year, too!  A little bit more tart than the red ones.

Tory Burch Jolie Fleur Bleue Parfum Rollerball

This week I picked up this new perfume for my upcoming cruise.  I wanted something different than my usual Calvin Klein Eternity and since Tory is my fave shoe designer and Philly girl, I decided to try hers.  It was love at first smell.  At a $28 price point, my purse was happy, too!  I love how convenient it is to just roll on and throw it in my clutch and I'm good to go out for the night.  I know it's also strange, but the cap screws on really tight and that makes me smile because I'm confident that the perfume won't get all over my purse.


So those are my favorite things from the week.  What are you all loving?


xoxo,

e

Free Baseball

Hey Friends!

How are all of you doing today?  I'm doing pretty well.  Still working on staying on the wagon (just a little coconut milk ice cream with a drizzle of chocolate sauce), but everything else has been bueno.

Today started with sleeping in until 8 (YUSSSS!) then tutoring for an hour.  A quick grocery store run rounded off the morning.  I'm off to get bonds put on my teeth because I apparently brushed too hard. It's supposed to be a quick appointment...fingers crossed.  I'm such a dental work baby.

Last night was super fun.  My dad and I went to the Phillies game last night.  They Phils played the Giants and the game went into extra innings.  Extra Innings=FREE BASEBALL!

The game went into the 12th inning and the Phils pulled out a win thanks to Maikel Franco!  I saw one of my students on the Phanovision which was so exciting!  I think this was his first baseball game so that makes it extra fun!

Our seats this time were right next to the bullpen in center field.

We've never sat here before and it was fun to watch the pitchers warm up.

Covert Ops Pictures

Also, where there are pitchers...there is CAMERON RUPP!  My fave player and the only person who could ever be runner up to Phillies beloved Chooch!

Cam warming up

Cameron's fan club is known as Ruppies Puppies!  We're considering this for our audition.  It should work, no?

To stay healthy at baseball games I tend to eat before I go.  Last night I sliced up an eggplant (from JERSEY BABY!  THANK YOU FARMER'S MARKETS), Jersey tomatoes, Jersey zucchini's, and some fire roasted tomatoes.  I mixed a little EVOO, garlic, Italian spices, garlic, and rosemary and brushed it on the eggplant before I put it all in a baking dish and baked at 450 for 45 minutes.  It was delicious!  So easy and super healthy.  Definitely a keeper!  

At the game I bought a giant water (for $6...not too happy that I could buy an entire case of Disani Liters for $4...but such is life) and sip it throughout the game.  It keeps me busy (I'm a notorious boredom grazer) and hydrated.  With a race a little more than 5 weeks away, I'm trying to keep myself hydrated and away from the junk.  

Tonight I'm off to Zumba, Pilates, Barre, and weight lifting.  

I hope you all are having a great day and I can't wait to share with you a little Weekend Warrior Workout that I'll be doing with my HIIT class on Saturday morning :)

Does anyone have any fun weekend plans?  We're doing a beach birthday bash for my cousin, a bridal shower, and a dinner with Ra in Princeton.

xoxo,

e

Getting Back on the Wagon

Happy Hump Day!

How are you all today?  Thanks for all the love on Amanda and Tony's wedding post!  It was such a beautiful wedding and I was so happy to celebrate with them!

Ahhhh, celebrating.  After 2 solid weeks of non-stop fun (starting with a fabulous beach trip, Deb's birthday, Miami trip, and then Amanda's wedding week!) I am feeling the effects.  I haven't been eating as well, letting the sugar monster rage, sleeping less, and enjoying some cocktails and champagne.

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So now it's time to put the ice cream down and head back to my usual healthy lifestyle.  While the prospect of skipping my favorite treat for a few weeks is making my heart hurt, I'm excited to have my energy back!

It's crazy how much food effects my mood, speed, and overall well-being.  After the junk food coma I've been living in for the past weeks, I've noticed that I'm a lot sleepier, slower with my running speed, and just feeling kind of blah.  

To get back on the wagon, I decided to hit the ground running even though I'm exhausted and still adjusting to life after the parties!  So when my friend Lindsay asked if I wanted to go to rooftop yoga in Philly, I jumped on the chance!  I knew that the day after the wedding I wouldn't feel like running 12 miles, but yoga would feel amazing!  

Look at that view!

We headed into the city for the Katie Gould led class.  The class was awesome!  It takes place on the roof of the now closed Bok Technical School in South Philly.  The school has been restored and still features classrooms that still resemble the school in its prime.  They still have the original signs that say Boys' Gymnasium and Girls' Gymnasium.  They have blown up yearbook pictures as decor and the whole thing just screams city cool.

The class was the perfect combination of challenging, relaxing, and restorative.  The Bok School has also become part of the Philly pop up bar scene so after the class, we headed across the hall to the bar.  Still detoxing from the wedding fun, I opted for a coconut and jackfruit popsicle (their popsicle guy wasn't there yet so I settled for a water) and Linds had a mimosa.  We hung out on the rooftop, caught up on girl talk, and took in the view. It was just what I needed.  For more information the link is here!

Monday was Bachelorette Finale!!  Who was happy with her choice?  I didn't think JoJo got the best crop of guys, but I do agree with her choice.  I think Jordan was best suited for her.  

We hosted our usual finale party with some of the ladies that participated in the Bachelorette Bracket. We decided to make it an ice cream party, so everyone brought either an ice cream or a topping to share.  

Our ladies!

Nom Nom Nom

I had a coconut milk cookie dough ice cream base with marshmallow fluff, whipped cream, hot fudge, a gummy worm, a few gummy bears, peanut M&Ms, regular M&Ms, brownies, and mini Twix Bars.  Baby steps getting on that wagon ;)

Tuesday was a full on wagon day!  Starting with this salad beauty!  I picked up a kale, carrots, sunflower seed, and cabbage salad that I mixed with pear Jersey tomatoes, and baked chicken.  Twas delicious!  Also, PLUMCOTS ARE BACK!  So.Excited!

I'm trying to get my self back on the wagon because I have a race in 5.5 weeks and I want my usual energy and mood back to where it is supposed to be!  It's healthy and normal to enjoy life, but then we have to reel it in and get back to normal.  I'm trying to allow myself the ability to find balance in living a fun life full of friends, outings, and delicious food, but also keeping my workouts and majority of eating healthy.  I'm also trying to find balance in not making myself feel guilty and beating myself up for falling off the wagon.  Does anyone else struggle with this?  That feeling of guilt if you don't eat perfectly healthy?

Have a Happy Hump Day!  I'll see you all later :)

Health Nuts

Happy FriYAY!!

I'm baaaaack and so excited to be with you all again :)  The end of the school year really took total control of my life, but after a week off I'm ready to play again.

So what have you all been up to?  I've been super busy with all of the upcoming vacations/weddings/tutoring/training/subbing Total Body Blast as of late...but that's for another post!

THIS ONE is about being a health nut!  I came across Nuts.com and was challenged to give some tips to go along with the 5 tips for leading a healthier life campaign.  As you all know, I'm a HUGE peanut butter lover, so I jumped on this chance.

A healthy lifestyle is something that I continually strive for.  Healthy is different for everyone and therefore a healthy lifestyle is not the same for everyone.  I try to live by 5 rules:

1.)  MOVE!  Every day I try to hit my 12,000 Fitbit steps.  I'll cop to wandering the house or putting on Zumba Youtube videos on before bed if I'm short some steps.  Our bodies were made to MOVE!  I know I always feel better after a day full of activity.  Running, dancing, biking, walking, spinning, Pilates-ing (is that a word?  Did we just invent this a la Shakespeare?) and lifting weights all keep me sane and healthy.  I always like to invite my friends to join me on workout adventures because it adds to the fun and keeps me accountable.  Would I miss this chance to Zumba with my girls every Monday night?  HECK NO!  

My friend and I a year apart...matching!
This happens once a year for some unknown reason...and only once a year

2.)  Sleep!  Ahhh, my biggest health fail.  I try and fight the good fight and every week I tell myself tonight I will sleep 8 hours, tonight I will sleep 8 hours, but then I end up getting about 6...maybe 7 if I'm lucky.  I always feel rejuvenated after a solid 8 hours of sleep.  

3.)  Hydrate!  I just bought a 48 oz Nalgene water bottle (in pink of course) and I LOVE it!  I try to fill it up twice a day.  I also start my day with 32 oz of hot hot hot water.  I find that it helps to keep me full and then even if I start slacking on my hydration throughout the day I know that I have atlas had 32 oz of water.

4.)  Me time!  Everyone always says to be present.  I think we need to be recluses every day.  I am a healthier person when I take 5-15 minutes to do nothing but hide out in my room with a book or a blog post.  We need to hide out and get some alone time to recoup and be the best person we can be.  I think being selfish is A-OK in this situation.  

5.)  Fuel!  We all need to eat good, healthy, nutritious food to keep our bodies moving to their best abilities.  Last night I had a cheat day and enjoyed The Melting Pot's 4 course meal...did I love it?  YES!  Did I feel it today when I was working out?  ABSOLUTELY!  Healthy foods fuel our lives and let us perform to our best abilities.  As a runner it is super important for me to pay attention to what I put into my body.  One of my favorite things?  Nuts!  I start the day with a dollop of peanut butter in my oatmeal.  (And I mean the REAL thang...the only ingredients in your peanut butter should be drum roll please...PEANUTS!)  I also love adding nuts like almonds or pecans to my salads.  Pine nuts add an amazing crunch to my favorite salad (pear+greens+goat cheese if you're wondering).  And I love adding walnuts to chocolate chip cookies.  I also love melting some dark chocolate (70% Cacao) and mixing it with pistachios.  Next, I fridge them for a few hours and voila!  My sweet tooth craving has been met along with getting some healthy fats, antioxidants, and protein.  

Sometimes I find it hard to find a healthy snack to meet my nutritional needs and that's when I always turn to nuts.  I can't remember a road trip in which I did not have a baggie of almonds or a self-made trail mix.  They are filling, healthy, and so versatile!  They give me that crunch that I love, plus whatever else I'm craving that day.  

If you're looking for some yummy treats head over to this site for some ideas!  The RD at Nuts.com has some great ideas for you!  https://nuts.com/healthy-snacks and https://nuts.com/healthy-snacks/high-protein

Looking forward to seeing you all soon with a little recap of what I've been up to lately!

xoxo,

e

Abstainers/Moderators

Happy Thursday!



What is everyone up to today?  Today is a pretty hodgepodge kinda day over here.  Last night my beloved spin class was cancelled so I decided to call it a night and curl up with a glass of wine and some DVRed Dallas Cowboys Cheerleaders.  Guess who I found?!

Haley and Emily!  

Ben's TWINS!  How crazy?! Also, fun fact, Melissa Rycroft also started her reality tv fame on this show!

Also, Sean Lowe appeared on this show because he was Brooke Sorenson's boyfriend in season 2.  ALSO, Brooke went on to marry Laynce Nix a Philadelphia Philly for 2.5 seasons.  Cacacacrazy!

The title of the post is something that I found inspiration on Julie's blog.  The post is based on the Happiness podcast and it deals with 2 kinds of people:  moderators and abstainers.  Moderators can have one little nibble of a treat and be fine.  Abstainers have to have it all or nothing.  

I'm definitely an abstainer.  I can't have just one piece of chocolate.  I want it all.  I can't have candy, cookies, or cake in the house because I know that in 24 hours it will be gone.  I'm the same way with grapes.  I could live on grapes.  I've always been this way.  I could NEVER be one of those girls who can just *share* dessert.  No thanks!  I need my own piece.  For example, when I prep for races, I cut all refined sugar out of the house.  I can't have any of it or I'll eat all of it.  For short races, I cut refined sugar out for a week.  For longer races, it takes a solid month.  I just find this interesting.  Everyone has different vices and it's interesting how people engage and tackle their vices.  

Yesterday I ended up running around trying to accomplish some top secret errands.  I'll post them in a few weeks when the secret is no longer under wraps.  But until then, my lips are sealed.  

I went (unsuccessfully) shoe shopping for the upcoming weddings.  I didn't find any shoes, but I did find Jaclyn's birthday presents!  

Last night I was exhausted so I called it a night at 9:30.  I did not set an alarm since the only thing on the agenda was Pilates, Barred, lifting, and a run.  I woke up at 9 today!  9!  I never sleep that late!  I kinda enjoyed it ;)

 I went on a quick 5 mile run this morning.  It was a speedy, schweaty run...just the way I like them :) I usually like running at 5 am, but when the opportunity to sleep in presents itself, THIS GIRL will take it.  There's a few differences between running at 5 am and running at 9 am.  

• PEOPLE will see you rundance.  Rundancing is something that I invented to keep me motivated to run at 5 am.  Rundancing is kind of a mix or dancing, running, and sign language. I kinda sign the lyrics while I dance a little bit and obviously run.  It's also great for the endurance!  It's totally dorky, but it's really really really fun! The cars I pass while rundancing at 5 am, I feel like we have a special bond  (who really wants to be up at 5 am?) so they don't care about what I do.  The 9 am-ers have all been up and had their coffee and they know that you are crazy.  
• It's freaking bright!  I don't wear sunglasses when I run because I usually run before the sun comes up.  Plus I hate when they slip down your face.  I ended up with a squinty face.  Mix that with the rundancing and you've got one sexayyy runner...jk.

While I was running today I was thinking, wow, it would be great finances wise to get a babysitting job this weekend.  Well, when I came home and got out of the shower I got a text asking if I could babysit this afternoon.  I then immediately said wow, it would be great if Chris Evans showed up in my life!   Still waiting on that one ;)

Tonight is going to be a great workout, then some Scandal!  So excited!  This season is really picking up and I can't wait to see where all of the story lines go.  Also, it's my last day for wine for a whole month...gotta kick it into high gear for Broad Street! 

I hope everyone has a great Thursday!  

xoxo,

E

Friendaversary

Happy Thursday :)

I hope everyone is enjoying their day so far.

This am I went for a quick 5 mile run and guess what?  Fall's a coming!  It was only about 65 degrees this am!  I walked out in a tank and shorts and almost turned right around to put on a long sleeved tee.

I'm secretly so excited for fall.  I have so many fun things on my fall bucket list and I can't wait to attack it!

Fall tea at Wegman's!

Yesterday was an awesome day!  My classroom is slowly but surely coming together.

The Hot Mess that is setting up your room

Getting There

Pre-construction Writing Island

Finished product…kinda

Yesterday was also awesome because it was Ra and my 6 year Friendaversary!  We met during Welcome Week at TCNJ and have been best friends since.

Freshmen babies!
Friday Exploring

I thought I was super cool in my Aeropostale fur hooded vest, BTW.

Ra and I lived together for 2/4 years at college and the other 2 years we practically lived together because we were always together.  She introduced me to The Office and I introduced her to the wonderful world of reality television--fair trade, no?  

Some of my best college memories involve our talks until 2 am, midnight drives to WaWa because we craved it, and playing pranks on our neighbors.  College definitely would not have been half as much fun without her.  

Last night we decided to meet up and celebrate our Friendaversary!  

Any guesses where we celebrated?

Beach sunsets are like no other

 We also saw ginormous seagulls and their babies aka the cutest things ever

Jersey Girls love our beach!

Perfect photo lighting

What doesn't scream 6 Year Friendaversary quite like a sunset beach picnic of vegetarian food followed by a sunset stroll at the shoreline?

We ended up going to Living on the Veg in Beach Haven.  I had never been before, but I'm always down for a good vegetarian meal.  I was not disappointed!  It was quite possibly one of the top 10 things I've ever eaten.  

Hooray for veggie food!

Ra's Mexicali salad and my corn and bean salad.

Chickenless salad sandwich with Vegan Mayo

Vegan brownie

I woke up dreaming about this meal.


Happy 6 Year Friendaversary, Ra!  Here's to a bajillion more!

Tonight is going to be a fab night because not only is it Pilates and barre, but it's a Thursday Girls' Day!  

XOXO,

E

Healthy Eating at Restaurants

Happy Thursday!

It's GOING TO NOLA DAY!

Raise your hand if you feel like this girl!

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How did they find a gif of me doing my Vacation Dance!?

I wanted to write this post about healthy eating in restaurants.  I'm not a dietitian, but I do have some helpful tips that I've come to follow that have really helped me keep healthy and focused when dining out.

1.)  Preview the menu

I cannot tell you how much this has helped me.  I look up all of my options and then research which options are the healthiest.  Sometimes if I'm torn between a few options I need the days to think about the decisions.  Previewing the menu allows you to decided what you want in a no pressure zone.  Also, it let's you make the decision on your own without the influences of other friends.

Also, if you're trying to *start* eating healthier, you might need a few days to psych yourself up about your new healthy options.  Trust me, it gets easier.  You're talking to a bread+chicken parm+dessert +coke with no ice convert.

MAJOR SNAPS to Zach for sending me the NOLA email with all of the restaurants earmarked and linked in an Excel doc so I can easily peruse and pick through them!


2.)  Pick the restaurant

If your friend group is anything like mine you are always having this conversation:

"Do you wanna grab dinner?"
"Yeah!"
"Where do you want to go?"
"I don't care.  Where do you want to go?"
"I don't care.  Where do you want to go?"

This endless circle usually lasts about 10 minutes before deciding on an old standby-thank you Seasons 52 for always making life easier!  I usually try to find great new to us restaurant either in Philly or locally.

If you're trying to eat healthier, it's best to pick the restaurant so you have control over the menu and other additives.

3.) Look up healthy places around you online

Yelp and Google are always your best bets.  I like to read the reviews, see the pictures, and then make my decision.


3.)  Check to see if desserts are house made or brought in.

One of the sugar rules I follow is, If it's made with love you can eat it.  I don't want to waste my calories on Chips Ahoy, BUT I do want to eat a homemade cupcake.  Those are worth the calorie splurge.  Find out if the desserts are made in house or if they're frozen/reheated/brought in junk.

4.)  Ask for half the meal to be wrapped up prior to arriving at the table

I do this all the time.  Restaurant portions are huge and often times are double or even triple the portion size of a usual meal.  If the restaurant won't do it for you because it will mess with presentation, ask that a wrap up box be brought to your table immediately.

5.)  Split dessert

Whenever my friends or family go out to dinner we always ask for 1 dessert and 4 forks.  Usually restaurant desserts are about 2,000 calories and split between 4 people that's a much more manageable (for a cheat dessert) than 2,000.

6.)  Ask for half the dessert to be wrapped up

If you are at a place where dessert runs rampant and you need that slice of cake all for yourself (we've all been there…trust me!) just ask for half to be wrapped up.  I do this at The Cheesecake Factory ALL.THE.TIME!  Sometimes they give you the side eye, but usually they understand.


7.)  Order first

It has been proven that whoever orders first sets the tone for the rest of the table.  I always order first when we go out.

8.)  Input your meal before you go to the restaurant

A lot of times I will input my meal into the Myfitnesspal app on my phone before I even head out for the day so I can keep my self in check.  This helps me keep on track once I'm at the restaurant and scanning that menu.

9.)  Ask them to keep the bread away

It saves you a bunch of calories and keeps the mindless munchies away.  If I end up eating bread out it's usually because I'm bored, not because I really want it.

10.)  Pick either a drink/bread/dessert

I usually try to pick 2 out of 3 treats at a dinner MAX.  Only if it's at a specialty place--not like Panera or some place I frequent.  I pick the big 3:  Bread, Alcohol, Dessert.

I will pick 2/3 of those treats at the most.  I'm not a huge bread girl, so usually I'll pick dessert and maybe a drink.

Giving yourself options is a great way to not feel limited when eating out.

12.)  Don't be afraid to ask for your own "meal"

I create my own meals all the time.  Usually at Maggiano's I'll create my own meal--a piece of grilled chicken, marinara on the side and grilled asparagus with no butter.

Delicious and easy and not too difficult for the chef.  Usually I preface this kind of request with, "I know I'm weird, but can I have……….."

What are your tricks/tips for eating out but staying healthy?

Enjoy your day,

E

What I Ate Wednesday

Happy Hump Day!

I hope you are all having a happy mid-week.  Life has been crazy today because I leave for NOLA tomorrow and I still haven't packed a thing…does it count that I mentally packed?  I know what I'm wearing and I have most things washed and ready, but nothing is physically in the pink suitcase.  Let the packstravaganza begin!

I haven't been cooking as much lately because it's a short week at home for me.  Eats have been pretty typical this week:

Monday:

Breakfast-fave oats

Lunch: salmon, brown rice, and steamed broccoli

Dinner:  Fitnessista's Mexican Pizza.  Holy foodgasm!  It was super delicious, cheesy, and the perfect variety of textures.  AAAAAAAMAZING!

I made it for the whole family and for Bachelor Monday (#mexicanfoodmonday is now a regular thing in the casa) and it was a huge hit!  Even the unhealthy eaters in the family loved it.

Hulllloooooo Pizza!

Tuesday:

Breakfast was a two-parter because Tuesday is a run day so I started it with a breakfast cookie, then it was fave oats after the run.

Lunch:

The pizza is so big and full of deliciousness that I had to cut it like a wimp

Dinner was a bowl of Panera's Lemon Chicken Orzo soup with a sprouted grain roll.  I'm going to miss LCO soup when summer comes to an end.  We also ended up splitting a bottle of Barefoot Summer Red garnished with blueberries.  

Gym Girls' Day was held last night because I will be in NOLA on our usual hang day.  I love, crave, need these girls' days because they renew you.  It's always nice to be with a group of girls who don't judge you, but simply listen and bring you up.  They are just great people and I'm lucky to have them in my life.  I always leave these parties feeling better and smiling.  We all love and support each other, listen to each other's problems, and tell funny stories.  

Wednesday:

Breakfast-breakfast cookie pre-weights and run.  Next, was fave oats

Lunch-Last of the Mexican pizza

Dinner-Seasons 52 BBQ Chicken Salad

On a side note, this week I began making these anchor charts for school.  I'm really excited for work to start in 2 weeks.  

Ain't No Party Like An Anchor Chart Party, Cuz An Anchor Chart Party Don't Stop!

I'm off to tutor, babysit, and then go to a Phillies game to see Ben Revere play for the Blue Jays :(  I'm going to make  sign because our seats are within player view!  I want Ben back!  I love him--he had the most hits in the NL last year and was batting a steady .300 this season before they traded him,  yet we keep guys flirting with the Mendoza line???  I'll never get it.

Have a wonderful day!

E

What I Ate Wednesday

Happy Hump Day!


How is everyone's morning going?  Mine is crazy, full of running around, and working--just the way I like it!

Today's post is going to be a brief one--I'm a wordy girl so this should be a welcomed break for you all :)


Today I'm going to Philly Restaurant Week with my friend from work.  We're going to Amada and I'm super excited.  I've never been before, but it looks great!  Restaurant Week is one of my favorite celebrations in the city because it lets you try different restaurants and their specialities for $35/person for 3 courses.  Most places offer more than 3 courses or give you little bites but let you select 2-3 per course.  As a huge food nerd, you can bet that I'm pumped.

Lately, I've been trying to mix it up in the food department.  I'm trying to suck every last bit out of fresh summer fruits and veggies that I can.  That means weekly trips to the Farmer's Markets to see what's fresh and new.  This past weekend, Deb and I went to a Farmer's Market in Philly and we bought Fairy Tale Eggplants.  Their name caught our eye and we decided they needed to come home with us.

I made eggplant boats after the farmer gave me the idea.

Soooo good and easy!

Here's the recipe:

1 Fairy Tale eggplant 

as many cherry tomatoes as your little heart desires (I think I used 6)

2 TBS crumbled goat cheese

1 TBS whole grain bread crumbs

pinch of gahhhhhlick

drizzle of balsamic 

Grease skillet with coconut oil (use medium heat setting)

Shell the eggplant and put all the "meat" aside into a small skillet

Bake the eggplant shells at 350 while you finish prepping

Slice tomatoes in quarters and place in skillet 

Add goat cheese, garlic, and bread crumbs

Mix thoroughly

Continue to combine until the cheese starts to get melty and gooey and the eggplant begins to brown.

Take off heat

Take eggplant shells out of the oven

Stuff eggplant shells with the mixture.

Try not to foodgasm

Lately, I've been sticking to the old faithfuls:

Greek salads

grilled chicken

orange glazed salmon

eggplant boats

oats for breakfast

Tonight I'm excited to spice it up at Amada. I'll give you a full recap tomorrow along with the tricks I use to keep a healthy lifestyle while dining out.  

I hope you enjoy your Wednesday!

XOXO,

E

Debbie Daughter Day

Happy Tuesday!

Sorry this is a little late today, but last night was a late one with The Bachelor in Paradise Party.  Wasn't it good?  I'm so sad Tenley didn't pick Michael!  I'm also not a fan of the whole no rose ceremony at the end of the episode.  Also, not a fan of Jenny Mollen.

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I'm bored with her because she's mean.  She's not funny, she's just mean.  I liked Ashely S.'s response to one of Jenny's comments:  "I don't even know you."  Only Ashely S. can call someone out and still be sweet about it and not come off as mean.  Love her!

BIP Dinner:

How good does this look?

Cait hosted this week and made delicious taco seasoned chicken with corn and beans.  We wrapped them in lettuce and it added a perfect little crunch.  Amazing!  I brought Srircha, Tamari, and lime juice caulirice.  It was good, but holymoly SPYYYYYCYYYYY!  

Today was my day off and therefore Deb and I headed to Princeton for a little secret mission.  

This little guy stayed on the car the entire 45 minute trip to Princeton and about 30 minutes home.  He flew off during a heavy rain storm.  Crazy!  We were pretending it was a math problem:  If the car is moving at 65 MPH N, how fast is the bug going?  How fast was the bug going when he/she flew off?  We couldn't solve these problems :)

Look at that Cicada!  Hang on little buddy

After the Cicada keeping us very occupied and entertained, we accomplished our secret mission.  We finished the day with cupcakes 

Vegan Chocolate For Me

and a pupcake for Cody at House of Cupcakes!  

Cody's Pupcake :)

Apparently, we're those people now.  Those people who buy their dog cupcakes.  He kinda liked it.  He was nervous about it at the beginning, but then gobbled it all up rapidly.  I wonder where he gets that from.

 On the way home we heard this jam:

Oh yeah!

When my dad would take Dylan and me out for the day when we were little, we would jam to country and this was always one of our favorites.  My dad always made us swear we wouldn't tell Deb that we sang the "real version" of I told you once you son of a ______, I'm the best there's ever been.  

What happened in the Volvo stayed in the Volvo!

What I Ate Wednesday

Hi All!!

Happy Wednesday!

I'm finally back on the blogging train after a super awesome weekend and busy Monday. (Maybe I'll post my Bachelor in Paradise recap tomorrow?  Why not? Who says you should blog about life when it happens?) 

I'm really loving these WIAW posts. I love reading what everyone is eating. Does anyone else love that or am I the only weirdo?

Lately I've been all about the Farmer's Market finds. I usually start my Mondaylenong off with a quick trip to the local farm (reason #14434 why NJ is the best-we have real farms about 4 mins from your house!) and I picked up some cucumbers for juicing, peaches for grilling, and blueberries for oatmeal/eating every time I open the fridge. All were tres delicious! 

Pre-run fuel is the oatmeal cookie. This cookie is life changing because it gives me all the nutrients I need for my run without bogging me down or giving me any sort of tummy ache while I run my 5 amers. 

Post run b-fast is the usual oatmeal foodgasm. 

Lunch has been delightful!   

Salmon with an Orange vinegarette drizzle over a Greek salad.   Yummmmm

Dinner was leftover Bachelor in Paradise dinner!

Crock pot chicken salsa with avocado on top over brown rice. Daddy was also kind enough to grill some fruit for us to enjoy. 

Grilled fruit is one of my favorite summer treats!  The grilling really brings out the flavor and sweetness of the produce. I highly recommend giving it a whirl. 

I've also been snacking on the last remaining piece of Fudge Kitchen's chocolate fudge. This is reason 174737 why NJ is the best state-we have fudge and farms and beaches and blueberries all within 40 miles of each other. Winner winner fresh food dinner. 

I've also been taking some spoon dips into Phillies Graham Slam ice cream. I'm actually allergic to milk, but 1 little spoonful a day doesn't hurt. 

That's what I've been eating lately. 

Today was a fun day:

5 am 5 mylah 

6 am b-fast while watching RHONY and a DVR'd Dallas Cowboys Cheerleaders Making The Team 8. 

8 am weights session 

9:30 am barre 

10 am Pilates

11 am shower and get ready to babysit 

12 pm lunch of chicken salsa

1-4 babysit

Capping off this fun night with a Phillies game!  We're excited because we can see J-Roll play!  Unfortunately, Jimmy was traded to the Dodgers and we don't get to see him light up short stop anymore. I'm excited to see him back. I'll give him a cheer when he makes a good play. I'm a nice fan like that 😜

Anyway, I hope you are all enjoying your hump day!

Eat up buttercup,

E