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14.4 miles DONE!

14.4 miles done!!!

We’re heading back into the city to meet friends for drinks and dinner but I wanted to share some pictures I took during my long run today. I took a page from Ashley’s book and enjoyed the run by taking pictures throughout the run. It was a blast and really helped me focus on my surrounding even more! After the 14.4 mile run (which was definitely a personal distance record for me) I also took my first ice bath. Cold but AMAZING! A full recap will come later! Huge shout out to fellow runners today Kath (Charlotte Race Fest Half), Ashley, Caitlin, and others who ran the 15k! (pics are in reverse order! oops) 14.3 MILES DONE!!! Also, don’t forget to enter my Pearly Whites giveaway here.

Gorgeous tulips in the Greenwich Village

How cool is that TREE growing up this Greenwich home?
The view of Frank Gehry’s building from the West Side Highway

Leaving the park just North of the Harlem Hills via 110 street

I always wonder where all the little paths in Central Park lead?
Going down the Harlem Hills is a lot more fun than trudging up them!
Waiting for the subway on our way into the city!

All smiles before the run!


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A Pret Surprise and Workout Happy Hour

*Don’t forget to enter my Pearly Whites giveaway here!**
Yesterday our office was a ghost town due to multiple all day meetings taking place. This was the perfect environment for a productive Friday. In addition, yesterday’s cloudy skies made me happy that it was Friday intsead of Saturday. My ideal week is when it’s overcast Monday through Friday morning and then gorgeous Friday evening through Sunday evening. I know, that’s demanding a lot but a girl can dream can’t she.
Lauren suggested we try somewhere new for lunch since we both normally have a big salad every day. We’ve tried almost everywhere within a block or two of our office but I realized I’d never journeyed into Pret. She was craving one of their baguette sandwiches so we headed that way. The place was packed! I was immediately impressed with their salad and sandwich assortment. Pret is the perfect lunch spot for people who want quick combination options to go. For example, their sandwiches are all offered in full or half portions and they have both large and small salad options. I quickly chose the beautiful tuna nicoise salad as I was craving something a little different.
It was even more gorgeous when I opened it back at the office. My lovingly handmade salad was absolutely divine and the fresh cucumber and olive flavors blended with the egg and tuna perfectly. I loved that the lettuce base was arugula which provided a peppery flavor combination. This hearty salad packed a whopping 30 grams of protein, 5 grams of fiber, and 310 calories. The lemon shallot dressing I chose to top the salad had a great rich flavor that highlighted the freshness of the salad. I only needed 1/4 of the container since the salad’s flavors and freshness stood wonderfully alone.
Unfortunately, my soup choice was not quite as delicious. I was intrigued by their miso soup and decided to try it instead of their chicken soup. However, my medium miso soup included ONE measley piece of tofu and maybe four pieces of kale. It was an utter failuer and left me immediately regretting my choice.
I only had three sips before pouring the rest down the drain. Luckily I had a bag of Baked Lays in my desk drawer that were able to jump in as a perfect backup.
Bo and I decided to meet at Equinox after work since we’d set the alarm clock for PM versus AM that morning. We thought it’d be fun to take their Body Conditioning class together before staying for half of a spin class to ensure we had a great Friday workout before our date night. We both rushed from work to make it in time for the class only to find a room packed to the gills! I forgot how much room step platforms and weight equipment takes up in a studio. I’ve become accustomed to group yoga classes which only have a mat and block as tools. I have mentioned on Twitter and the blog lately how much i’ve been missing Body Pump. Since I thought this would be very similar to Body Pump I fought the urge to leave and made myself a spot. The class was described as:
Informed by the latest findings in exercise science and functional exercises, instructors focus on strengthening and fine-tuning major muscle groups. This cutting-edge workout makes use of various equipment.

Carl was a hilarious instructor who kept the class interesting and the music flowing. His attitude was light hearted and he wanted to make sure everyone was enjoying themselves since after all it was a Friday night. The class was not Body Pump but it was cutting edge and focused the majority of the time on my “trouble areas” of arms and thighs. I enjoyed the class and will most likely make it a weekly addition. His spin class directly following was VERY intense filled with climbs and sprint intervals. At the thirty minute mark my thighs were screaming and I was more than elated to head out since Bo and I had to shower before our dinner reservations. Overall, we both LOVED working out together on a Friday night. It was a great way to start the evening, refresh our energy which is often drained after a long Friday, and feel relaxed and happy before going out!

Our surprise date night post will come later this afternoon, after our spur of the moment long run is completed. We just found out that the leasing office will be showing OUR apartment ALL day today since we’re the only apartment available with a May 1 lease that offers a balcony. Lovely. Glad we cleaned this morning. Hmmph! The bears ARE NOT HAPPY with this sudden change of plans. Oh well, long run here I come!


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A London Morning, Readers Questions Answered, and a Pearly White Giveaway

This morning I woke up to a gray London like morning. The rain had just stopped but the moisture and clouds were still filling the sky. So much for yesterday’s gorgeous Spring weather. I’m hoping that this passes and doesn’t ruin my long run weekend plans. I don’t think I can handle doing 10 on the treadmill again now that Spring is here and the snow and ice are gone.      Blog Pictures 2010 111Hello Brooklyn and Long Island City!

Blog Pictures 2010 108Hello Midtown NYC and East River!Blog Pictures 2010 109  Clearly our herbs were stronger than we thought. These poor guys survived winter, wind, ice and now Spring’s sun has brought them back. Our rosemary and thyme were the only ones to make it through the winter.

Breakfast was very difficult to photograph this morning as it really just isn’t pretty. But, it was delicious! I forgot to bring breakfast ingredients from home since my alarm was set for 5:30 PM instead of 5:30AM. But, I was able to use the Dannon Light n Fit Banana yogurt I had in the office fridge, 1/2 c of my desk drawer Quaker Oats, and my last banana to make a delicious banana bowl. I knew I needed a little extra bulk to my breakfast so I stirred in some vanilla Jay Robb protein powder. Yum!

Blog Pictures 2010 112

Kristi, the wonderful lady over at Healthy Living sent me a question regarding her pearly whites. Due to my previous role on P&G Oral Care I’ve had the opportunity to learn a great deal about oral health and the importance of brushing, swishing, and flossing. I’ve shared some of our products with Caitlin and Meghann previously when they’ve asked readers for suggestions on whitening their teeth. Last week, Kristi sent me the following question:

Glide Floss Whitening Plus Scope FlavorGlide Whitening Plus Scope Floss

Crest Pro Health Fluoride Whitening Toothpaste Fresh Clean MintCrest Sensitivity Toothpaste Extra WhiteningCrest Sensitivity Extra Whitening Toothpaste and Crest pro Health Whitening (I use the sensitivity when I’m using white strips)

Oral-B Pulsar Toothbrush Soft RegularOral B Pulsar Soft Toothbrush

Crest 3D White Whitestrips With Advanced Seal Professional Effects Enamel Safe Dental Whitening Crest 3D White Advanced Seal Whitestrips These are absolutely amazing! I now swear by them and used them before my wedding at least every other day. You can drink water, eat an apple, and talk while wearing them. This is a huge improvement from the goopy nasty whitestrips of yesterday! In addition, they don’t require molding a mouth try or any work. Literally, pull off, stick on, and smile!

I realize all of these products are either Crest or Oral B but at the end of the day I refuse to suggest a product that I haven’t tried and loved. Due to my previous role on P&G Oral Care I happen to have only these brands in my house. Colgate, Reach, Aquafresh, Toms, and others are all great brands but I personally haven’t tried them recently. At the end of the day you should use whichever flavor, brush size, and type that is most comfortable and tasty because this means you’ll be more willing to keep up your hygiene routine!

Blog Pictures 2010 107

Starting a new regimen and investing in new products can be expensive. Therefore, I wanted to make you aware that many brands have coupons on their sites. For example, by clicking here you can get coupons for many P&G oral care products and others. In addition, these type of “drug store” products go on sale weekly at either CVS, Rite Aid, or Walgreens. They all compete against each other on products like this.  But, since Bo and I are preparing for our big move, I’d rather giveaway some of the extra product I have versus moving it. I have over a year’s worth of product under our sink! Therefore, i’m going to giveaway the above items (Floss pics, 3D White paste, 3D White mouthwash, and toothbrush) to one lucky reader. To enter:

1) Tweet about the giveaway “@healthyhappier wants everyone to have a healthy, happier smile and is giving away the tools for healthy smile” Please leave a comment letting me know you tweeted.

2) Leave a comment with a question you’d like me to answer on the blog.

3) Link back to the giveaway on your blog and leave a comment letting me know you did.

4) If you don’t have a blog you can follow me on Facebook!

I will pick a winner Monday night!

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