213 days and counting…

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I almost started crying when I received this last night. I was actually laying sideways on the floor foam rolling the knots out of my legs. If you follow me on twitter you may have seen my comment about last nights Lululemon Run Club workout. This was our second week and I couldn’t be happier that we have made the commitment to stick with it weekly. Every Wednesday it forces me to leave the office at a decent time, 6pm, and spend an hour pushing my legs in ways that I have never done before. Last night’s workout was the first TRUE speed workout I think i’ve ever done. After meeting at the Lululemon on East 66th and 3rd Avenue we jogged over to the 72nd transverse in Central Park (~1 mile). Then we met the Lincoln Center Lululemon group and reviewed the workout. The coach last night told us she wanted us to push ourselves but respect our bodies since it was a steamy 86 degrees outside! The workout was a mile warm up jog up to the reservoir loop, then a speed workout which consisted of two loops around the reservoir (1.68 miles each loop). The goal was to do a time trial to see how fast we could do the first loop and then hopefully do the second even faster. The reservoir path is perfect for time trials as it is packed dirt, perfectly flat, and has gorgeous views.

I decided that I was going to focus on keeping my body loose, my arms and abs engaged, and run the first loop as quickly as my legs would allow. I got in the zone by plugging into an old favorite, ACDC and taking off. I could immediately tell I was running faster than normal as my heart rate sky rocketed. Before I was at the half way point my heart rate was pushing 175! I finished the loop in 13:04 which meant i’d kept an 8:06 mile pace! Holy cow! I’d done it! I’d pushed my legs and lungs harder than ever. The second loop was slower but still completed. After completing the two loops we stretched as a group and did some squats and jumpies. The workout ended with a mile run back to Lululemon to retrieve our gear. What a great Wednesday night!

So, here is to the official start of NYC ING Marathon training and excitement! Leslie and I were gchatting back and forth yesterday since we both are in the 2010 marathon. She was lucky and ended up being one of the few “chosen” ones in the lottery while Bo and I both qualified through the NYRR last year by completing 9 races in 2009 and volunteering for one. 

Last but not least, please support my fellow NYC Marathon gal, Leslie, in her quest to win the National Flaunt Your Rock contest!

http://keridoolittlephotography.com/blog/2010/04/denver-wedding-photographer-flaunt-your-rock-national-contest-vote/
Couple #2
All the way baby!

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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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The First Rainbow Commute

Spring is making its’ presence known to New Yorkers today. This morning it was 65 when I woke up and the high is supposed to reach 85 just in time for this week’s Lululemon run club time trial workout in Central Park.

I made a spur of the minute decision this morning and slept until 6:45 which meant skipping Dave M’s spin class. My body was screaming at me after two days of 2 a day workouts and that combined with allergies meant that an extra hour and a half of sleep was more important. In honor of this morning’s warm weather I had the pleasure of enjoying my first Rainbow commute of the season. Blog Pictures 2010 103

Yup, I swear by my Rainbows during the Spring and Summer months as my go to commute shoes. I have the Rainbows Double Stack which have extra arch support and I find this makes all the difference in the world. What are your favorite summer commuting shoes?

This morning’s breakfast was quick, easy, and healthy. Bo and I both were craving iced coffee and therefore chose our favorite Starbucks breakfast item as the main event: the spinach, egg white. I’ve reviewed this great breakfast option before and it never disappoints. Here are the nutritional facts:

Blog Pictures 2010 106

Nutrition Facts

Serving Size one wrap (158g)

Amount Per Serving

Calories from Fat 80

Calories 280

% Daily Values*

Total Fat 9g
14%

Saturated Fat 3.5g
18%

Cholesterol 20mg
7%

Sodium 1140mg
48%

Total Carbohydrate 35g
12%

Dietary Fiber 8g
32%

Sugars 4g

Protein 19g

Vitamin A 45%

Vitamin C 15%

Calcium 20%

Iron 15%

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