My Favorite Protein Powder

Happy Sunday evening gang! I hope you all had a good weekend. We had a packed weekend that began as soon as my flight landed Friday evening and didn’t end until just now. But, it was one of those wonderful weekends that make me so thankful when I go to bed on Sunday night as we both feel so blessed. We were able to spend time with Bo’s parents this weekend who flew up from Savannah to squeeze in a visit before our move to Geneva. It was wonderful to spend time with them! In addition, the weekend included a new 10K PR, a great workout and brunch this morning, lots of sunshine, dinner at River Park which is quickly becoming on of our favorite NYC restaurants, and a house warming party with friends!

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In between all the weekends events I ended up talking at length with two different friends about maintaining a healthy weight while working in an office environment or during marathon training. One of the biggest lessons I learned during both experiences was the importance of PROTEIN to help keep you fueled even after long 20 milers or marathon meetings. If I grab protein before I opt for a carbohydrate my body thanks me. It was a tough lesson to learn that resulted in 10 unwanted pounds during work stress and marathon training but now that I know it makes choices so much easier. I always opt for yogurt, cheese, or protein smoothies before granola bars and other crunchy options. Since so many people are kicking off marathon training or just graduating and starting new paths, I thought this product post would benefit lots of y’all!

When Fitfluential asked me if I’d like to partner with Designer Whey for a campaign I was thrilled as I’ve used the brand previously. In fact, it was the first brand Bo and I bought four years ago when we started making smoothies together out in Long Island City!

When the Designer Whey package showed up a few weeks ago I was ecstatic to dive in and try some new to me flavors and products! The package included two types of protein powder, an assortment of bars, packaged shakes, and the protein 2 go powder which comes in portable packets.

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Over the course of the next few weeks I was able to enjoy the bars and Protein2Go on my many business trips since they are easy to throw in my purse or suitcase and enjoy on the road! My favorite Protein2Go flavor was the mixed berry! Naturally flavored, each pack has just 50 calories and a surprising 10 grams of protein! While I definitely prefer my protein in meat, cheese, and legume form this is a great standby when I’m hungry during a meeting or to enjoy right after a workout! IMG_8553

While my parents were in town my mom discovered my Designer Whey bars and enjoyed them so much she ordered two boxes! They taste like adult Chewy bars filled with peanut butter or chocolate flavors but have 10 grams of protein and are lower sugar than many other bar options. I found them to be a great afternoon snack when I was hungry and craving something sweet. Since originally trying these I have ordered a box to keep in my office desk drawer for busy days.  My flavor choices are Peanut Butter Crunch, Chocolate Caramel Crunch, then Triple Chocolate crunch in that order since I don’t like things that are too chocolate flavored. IMG_8505

On the protein powder front, I’ve loved experimenting with different smoothie recipes since the white chocolate is a new flavor and their vanilla blends so well! A serving is a heaping scoop and has 100 calories, 18 grams of protein and just 2 grams of sugar! In fact, in just a few weeks time I’ve used almost the entire white chocolate container! It’s a perfect flavor to pair with frozen cherries or with banana and nuts for a decadent post long run smoothie in the hot, summer months! This weekend I combined Fage 0%, Designer Whey White Chocolate, 1 pouch Delta peanuts, a banana, and spinach in the blender for a delicious frosty treat.

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Unfortunately, the only product I didn’t like and wouldn’t purchase with my own money were their shakes. The flavor just didn’t sit well with me though I was pleased with the nutritional stats since once 10.5 ounce shake has 18 grams of protein and a great dose of calcium and vitamins.

*This is a sponsored post. I received samples of the Designer Whey products as part of a Fitfluential campaign. All opinions, recipes and images are my own.

What’s your favorite way to use protein powder? I’m definitely a smoothie girl!

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Morning Run in San Francisco

Greetings from another new city – San Francisco! After a day filled with meetings and a very interesting flight down via Alaska Air.The below picture of my oh so lovely dinner is a perfect example of just how luxurious business travel is – not. Our terminal had only two dinner options: Burger King or a small bagel cafe.

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I crashed in bed at 9:30pm and didn’t budge until 6:30am. Needless to say I was beyond exhausted. When I woke up this morning I definitely felt like I was on West Coast time but wasn’t fully rested. In fact, even though I had the morning to go through emails and complete multiple conference calls, all I wanted to do was go back to bed. Luckily, Theodora was my accountability buddy and convinced me that a quick run outside would make me feel better. I ended up running 4 miles along the Embarcadero at a faster than normal pace. I may or may not have seen a 7 in front of one of the miles. Okay, yes that mile was downhill for half of it but still. I’m not sure where the energy came from but I hope I can bottle it for Saturday. These pictures are also proof that I’m getting better at running and taking pictures simultaneously because the only one that was taken standing still is the one of my feet.

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Now I’m spending the rest of my day in business lunches, meetings and a dinner with the customer. Am I rested? Nope. Do I feel 100 times better after this run and fresh air? You bet!

I hope you guys have a great Thursday and if you’re in the Southeast United States I hope you’re staying safe from the first tropical storm of the season.

What’s your favorite running city?

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My Running Evolution

This morning, while enjoying a quick 5k run along the Seattle waterfront I thought about why I run. Maybe it was all the Facebook and Instagram updates related to National Running Day that spurred the thought but it definitely made the run more enjoyable.

Running has evolved for me over the past seven years. In the beginning, I ran for weight loss. Then, in Philadelphia I ran because I was depressed and lonely. In New York City, running became a social activity and something I did to build friendships and develop a new passion with Bo. But, now, running more than anything is the way that I experience and see new cities and places. As Bo and I embark on this new adventure running will be one of the only stable things in my life. So while I may not qualify for Boston anytime soon and I may not achieve every goal that was on my list at the beginning of this year, I will continue to run everywhere I travel whether alone or with friends and loved ones by my side.

These Legs Run

So now, in addition, I wanted to share my running story with you guys especially for those who are newer readers.  This hasn’t been updated in a while so the current section has evolved a bit more but what I said in March of 2011 still holds true.

“Have I always been a runner?”

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Hell no! In fact, my passion and love of running only began 7 years ago. My relationship with running has evolved quite a bit from when it began.

The Beginning

On July 2nd, 2005 I walked into a Philadelphia Weight Watchers center desperate for a change. My size 14 shorts no longer fit, I had outgrown my favorite clothing store J.Crew, and I was perpetually the girl with the “great personality.” I was depressed, tired,  and finished with settling for being a “big girl.” Per my mom’s suggestion, I gave Weight Watchers a try. She insisted that it would be a safe, friendly area without the normal intimidation associated with idea of weight loss. I loved it! Within two weeks, I had lost my first 5 pounds and was learning about portion control and incorporating more fiber and protein into my diet. I was reading everything I could get my hands on ranging from books to health magazines.  But, then I hit a plateau and found that even two straight weeks of eating well weren’t helping the weight loss. My “coach” suggested I try running. I laughed at her and explained that I was the girl who avoided the mile run during elementary and middle school. I even avoided team sports in high school for fear that I wouldn’t be able to keep up with the other girls even though I loved volleyball and soccer in middle school. She challenged me to start walking and take it from there. That night, in an old Villanova dorm fitness center, I stepped on the treadmill for the first time. I started out slowly, setting the speed to 3.5 just trying to find my balance. After 20 minutes, sweat dripping down my face and body, I increased the speed. I remember bartering with myself. “If I can do 1 minute at 5.0, then I can stop.”

Success!  That night, I jogged for 1 minute and felt invincible. I had taken my first true steps towards finding an exercise that I would come to enjoy and love.

In the days that followed, I added one minute every evening. I kept track of my mileage and time in my Weight Watcher points diary each day until I realized that I was half way towards a 5k. Every summer, during college, my sorority sisters celebrated the end of the season with a lake weekend in Macon. Each year, I stood and cheered by the sidelines of the Macon Labor Day Road Race while they ran past. This year would be different. I kept my new found activity a surprise from everyone. By the last day of my summer internship and my final Philadelphia weigh in, I had lost 11 pounds and was able to jog, albeit at a 11:45 pace, a 5k on the treadmill. My friends and family couldn’t compliment me enough when I returned to Georgia. This positive energy, along with the fact that I was finally under 190 pounds, kept me yearning for more. By Labor Day weekend, I was able to finish the Macon Labor Day Road Race in 33:12!

Throughout the rest of my senior year, I lost 30 more pounds through careful eating and exercise. I ran three days a week throughout campus, normally logging 3-4 miles. I spent this time thinking, releasing stress, and thinking. Sometimes, I was able to convince another sorority sister, who was willing to jog at my pace, to join me for an evening run. It quickly became my favorite time of the week.

Middle

When I moved to Philadelphia on May 14th, 2006 I was excited for the future, but very aware that I was leaving a great deal behind. I left my friends, boyfriend (now husband Bo), family, and past in Georgia in order to start the next chapter in my life. I was pursuing my dream job, but I was miserable. I spent my time immersed in working out and cooking when I wasn’t working. Each morning, I woke up at 6am and logged 4 miles on the treadmill. Each night, I would return to the gym and bike or spend time on the elliptical. I wanted to be anywhere except in the loneliness of my apartment. During this same period of time, my best friend Amy, who had also started with P&G, convinced me that I could run further than 4 miles. She thought that training for races, virtually, would help me. It gave me something new to focus on and something fun to think about. We planned her visits around our Philadelphia races, often making a weekend out of the hour or two hour race. We were second class citizens at our first race, The 2006 Philadelphia Marathon’s 8k. Trust me, on a marathon weekend, the event planners do not think twice about those folks running their smallest race. But, for me, on that day I ran my first race with Amy and my furthest distance. I was immediately hooked on the endorphins I felt after a race and the energy I gained running a new distance. This confidence spread into my everyday work as well as my social life. Bo and my friends saw a new, happier and more confident Ashley while my co-workers quickly termed me “The Running Gal.”  Over the next few years, we conquered multiple mileage marks together including 5k, 8k, 5 miler, 10k, 10 miler, and eventually half marathons together. We planned for each race in the same way. We used Runner’s World to build a training schedule and would each train religiously, never missing a day and recapping our runs and training on email and phone. By the time I left Philadelphia, we had logged 10 races together spanning from Philadelphia to Charlotte, North Carolina.

Current

Since arriving in New York City, my relationship with running has evolved into a ritual. It is something that completes my day, providing me time to think, challenge myself, and spend time alone with treadmill or pavement. It has also taken me to places I never imagined. The New York Road Runners has allowed me to run a marathon, a feat I never thought possible. Moreover, I have been able to challenge myself by running multiple races across the city and multiple boroughs.

The 38 races I’ve run since moving to New York City have been run in a different mindset though. For the past few years, I’ve been trying to get better. I’ve been reaching for lower splits and longer distances, while dealing with more daily stress than ever before. I grew aggravated with my body’; upset that my long legs couldn’t outpace the shorter female runners. It wasn’t until after I missed my New York Marathon goal by 4 minutes did I start to truly evaluate my running routine. I spent an hour reviewing posts, searching through Athlinks for all my old race times, and studying my routine eventually, I started working with Gia, my lovely friend and running coach.

I realized that I had not varied my training during my four years of running. Sure, I had added miles to one run a week in order to reach my marathon distance. Why did I think I would see a change in my body, results, or endurance if I didn’t alter my training. In essence, I had been bringing all the stagnant results upon myself. I spent my Christmas break researching speed training, listening to podcasts about endurance training and fueling, and testing my body. I tried varying my normal runs to see how my legs, lungs, and body felt afterwards. I found that this change reignited my passion for running. Finally, after years of the same movements, I felt something different. I felt the feeling of true breathlessness for the first time, I felt my hip flexors as I completed strides, and I found solace in running alone again. No longer did I need the companionship to finish a long run. I could lace up my shoes, throw on my Garmin, and head towards the park knowing that my legs would take me somewhere I’d never been before because every run, should be different than the last.

If you’re a reader who needs help getting started, please always feel free to reach out to me. As you can tell from this post, I was there once too. It can be intimidating to start, especially at a gym, but once you start you’ll never stop!

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