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Thursday Musings

I have a lot on my mind tonight but unfortunately this cough, which I thought was finally gone, is driving me insane. So instead of fighting it any longer, I’m going to put these random musings into one post, curl up with some warm herbal tea and go to sleep early again tonight! Hopefully tomorrow I’ll finally have up another Friday Face Time, if my cough and sexy hoarse voice allows it.

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  1. Other than walking 20 blocks last night and tonight, I haven’t worked out since Sunday. While walking does allow for some beautiful New York moments such as the above, it just isn’t cutting it for me right now. For some, this lack of sweat may be nothing new but for me this is the longest I can remember going without a sweat session. Part of the break has been therapeutic. When I’m truly feeling sick I know my body is screaming for rest, nourishment and a break. But, now that I’ve been doing the whole 9-10 hours of sleep, soup for two of my three meals, and no workouts for more than 3 days I’m going a bit stir crazy. This leads me to my next point.
  2. I’m ready for a plan again! By the time I finished my second half marathon in March I was ready for a bit of a breather before I started training for Reach the Beach and the New York City Marathon. I never realized it would be this long of a training break due to my Papa’s funeral down in Savannah, a crazy work week, Hawaii, and now this dang annoying cold and cough. But, distance makes the heart grow fond and that is true for my legs and body. I’m looking forward to opening Gia’s training plan for Reach the Beach and dive in starting Monday. Until then, my goal for the weekend is to run 3-5 mile runs on Saturday and Sunday along with some plank and ab work.
  3. I miss weights. In three short weeks I’ve felt a lot of my headway slip away in the muscle definition department. I know some of this is a gross exaggeration but I’m ready to get back in the gym with Lauren and start amping the workouts back up. One change you’ll see is that one day a week I’m going to be with Lauren, my personal trainer, and the other day each week will be a boot camp workout that Bo and I will do together at Equinox, with Theodora tagging along if we can convince her! Bo loves boot camp style workouts and actually does a great job designing and leading them when we’re on vacation together.  While the twice a week workouts with our personal trainers were a great way to kick start our health and get us on track. we feel that we’re at the point now where we are ready to hold ourselves accountable for at least 50% of the work. Luckily our trainers are supportive of this plan and have even offered to help give us some workout ideas!

4.    Soup is great but sometimes you just have to change it up! After 6 meals of soup, I was more than ready to spice it up a bit today and lunch. I’ve been bringing Progresso soups which I bought on sale at the grocery store to save money and keep the sodium and calories in check. On the side of my soup this afternoon I enjoyed one of the most delicious and inexpensive sandwiches ever! A new little café has opened in my office building and they offer made to order sandwiches ranging from turkey and ham to delicious warm Caprese sandwiches. This sandwich, albeit only a half, felt like such an afternoon indulgence! This sandwich two basil leaves, three tomato slices, a roasted pepper quarter, and two slices of Buffalo mozzarella melted between nine grain bread.

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5. If I make it through my May and June travel schedule, I am treating myself to one hell of a cocktail and a spa day. Tonight one of my friends asked me why I’ve overscheduled myself for May and June. Walking home tonight, I laughed to myself as I realized that, for once, this schedule is in no part due to my doing. Only one of the trips, which was committed to months in advance, is related to anything having to do with something other than weddings, graduations, and work.  Our friends mean a great deal to us and we do everything in our power to make their weddings; which means that during May and June we’ll travel to Philadelphia, Chapel Hill, and Macon to toast their big day. In addition, it just so happens that my company needs me to travel heavily during May/June and September due to seasonal planning and market tours. It just so happens that all these events occur at the same time this year! So, if I seem to be traveling every week the next 7 weeks, it’s not an illusion and nor is it me exaggerating. But, what I can promise you’ll find here is someone who is going to fit in each of her damn workouts because feeling out of shape in July, the start of marathon training and peak of skimpy cute summer dress season, is worse than wearing white to someone else’s wedding.

Curious where my crazy travels are taking me? Houston, Cincinnati, Atlanta, Athens Georgia, Boston, Atlanta, Seattle, Portland, San Francisco, Chapel Hill, and Philadelphia.

Have a great night and catch you tomorrow!

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ashleyd /

Green Giant Vegetable Challenge Recap

So, remember earlier this month when I told you about a little challenge I was participating in with Green Giant? Well that challenge has come and gone so now it’s time for me to share my thoughts and reflections.

1. Vegetables additions don’t have to be hard! I already eat a lot of vegetables on a daily basis so adding even more took some creativity. During the challenge, I did my best to mix up my salads to include more vegetables versus proteins, cheeses, and dried fruits. Don’t get me wrong, I didn’t part ways with my beloved grilled chicken, hard boiled egg, or cheese, I just switched things up. It had been ages since I put broccoli, red peppers, or green beans in my salad! I really believe that bulking up my salad with more fibrous vegetables helped make it stay longer too! Keep in mind that raw veggies can add crunch to a salad just as much as that fun crispy noodle or crouton!

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2. Get your soup spoons ready! These days, soups come in all shapes and sizes. You can find low sodium, low fat, high fiber, canned, fresh, and boxed soup in your local grocery store. In addition, you can find soups that have more than a serving of vegetables in each portion! I remembered this fun fact this week while fighting a nasty cold. Next time you pick up a can of soup, check the label to see if it offers a full serving of vegetables!

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3. On the side…When we were traveling in Hawaii, it was easy to get in vacation mode in terms of eating. Words like, “while on vacation…or while in Hawaii” crept into our vocabulary very easily but luckily, within a day or two I caught myself and used vegetables to help control my eating. Plate meals are common in Hawaii, normally consisting of a protein and then coleslaw and beans or rice on the side. Many days, I asked for a salad on the side instead which was often free or only an extra dollar. While in New York, I often start meals with a salad to help ensure I get some delicious vegetables incorporated into the meal. If you’re dining out, check out the side options on the menu to see if there is a vegetable that you haven’t tried like sautéed spinach in garlic or grilled artichoke before going with the same old potatoes. Restaurants often feature delicious vegetable side dishes that are fancier than your average week night option.

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4. Just chill As you guys know, my schedule fluctuates on a daily basis. Stocking any produce other than my morning banana and mid-day fruit is difficult as it often rots before I can use it. Therefore, I stock our tiny fridge full of frozen vegetable options. Sometimes I buy things as simple as spinach, broccoli, or peas to have on hand for recipes or just to eat plain. But, when I’m craving something more interesting or fresh & spicy I’ll try new things like Green Giant’s Teriyaki Vegetables or Broccoli in Butter sauce which tastes very rich and indulgent but it far healthier than it’s name eludes.

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To be candid, I didn’t have the opportunity to try eating more vegetables at the office during the challenge since I was on vacation for over half the challenge and sick for part of it. But, I’m continuing the challenge on my own terms for the next few weeks. During this time I hope to try your awesome suggestions for making veggie bean “hummus”, bringing raw vegetable snacks, and frozen edamame for afternoon snacks!

Do you eat more fruit or vegetables? I’ve craved fruit like no one’s business since my trip to Hawaii. Just this evening I downed a handful of grapes, half a banana, and a mango!

*Disclaimer:  I am receiving a small stipend for my participation in the program and a few coupons for Green Giant products. Since my blog equity is my #1 priority, my thoughts and opinions will be open and honest. If I try a product I don’t like, you’ll be sure to know!

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Down and Out

Well, wouldn’t you know that the day I get back from Maui I am hit with a full on cold!

The travel time between Maui and New York City was 14 hours including a 2 hour layover in Los Angeles. During that time I caught some airborne virus or bug that has me feeling miserable. It definitely isn’t the way I want to return after vacation when I’m trying to catch up on work and running. Oh well, there is nothing I can do, is there?

Since the onset, yesterday morning, my symptoms have ranged from a low grade fever to coughing, sneezing, runny nose, and sore throat. I think it’s your typical cold that just needs to be forced away with some healthy food, lots of sleep, and a little DayQuil!

After realizing that all I ate yesterday was a banana, bowl of oatmeal, and a can of chicken soup I knew I needed to figure out the sick nutrition thing quickly. My friend Google helped me find these two interesting articles which discuss foods that help your body heal when it’s sick.

Starve a fever?

One food you definitely should consider adding to your flu diet is chicken soup. In a study published in 2000, University of Nebraska Medical Center physician Dr. Stephen Rennard reported that his wife’s grandmother’s favorite recipe had anti-inflammatory properties that helped stop the movement of neutrophils, the white blood cells that stimulate the release of mucus. That, in turn, can reduce the coughing, sneezing and stuffed-up feeling that accompanies upper respiratory-tract viral infections. It’s good for colds, too.

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Based on their advice, I have enjoyed three servings of chicken soup so far!

What to Eat When You’ve Got the Flu

Second to chicken soup, citrus fruits are heavily recommended by almost every article I read. Therefore, I indulged on packaged grapefruit this morning since my fruit man didn’t have any! Two of these made the perfect morning and afternoon snack. Luckily they were on sale at Duane Reade which made them a bit more reasonable!

Due to the way I feel, I’ve listened to my body and held off on workouts yesterday and today. Originally, my plan was to jump back into my running and weight training since I have Reach the Beach next month but I bet this will just make me even more eager for this weekend’s long run!

Before I head off to bed, I want to share two things:

  1. As promised, I’m hosting another blogger/reader workout event in May with my lovely running coach, Gia! See below for details and please email me or comment if you’re interested in joining!

Gia and I are thrilled to partner with Pure Yoga East and Hot Figure 4 during the month of May. Each of you is cordially invited to enjoy a complimentary hot Figure Four class, May 4th from 6:45-7:45pm  in addition to enjoying a Tanya B trunk show and some sips of wine and small tastes. In order to attend, we need you to RSVP by Friday, April 27th!

2.   The winner of last week’s giveaway is #138: Kristina!

Kristina April 22, 2012 at 8:38 pm [edit]

Moroccan oil!

I would like to hear more about specific weight/strength training

Please email me your mailing information so I can get these things shipped to you! Congratulations!

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