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The Weekly Sweats – Sweats & Eats

Happy Thursday!

This week’s post is going to be a little shorter than normal as I’m in the midst of counting boxes and helping the movers ensure they are each labeled correctly! It’s crazy to see our apartment empty!

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Once again, this accountability challenge really helped me stay on track this past week and even motivated me to eat healthier than planned while in London. While wine has definitely been more present in my diet than normal, I’m proud of the fact that I’m down another pound and feeling pretty good overall.

What Did I Add This Week?

Instead of squeezing as much in as possible while in London, both Margaret and  Charlie had the great suggestion that we relax more than normal. The time spent with them was quiet and included lots of long conversations, home cooked meals and sleep. Considering the amount of stress I had coming this week with the move, I can’t thank them enough for keeping me sane and ensuring I started the week rested and refreshed versus exhausted from nights out at London bars.

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SWEATS

  • Monday- I took this day as a rest day as I was exhausted after multiple delays on the redeye flight  from New York City.
  • Tuesday – I made sure to squeeze in one last lunchtime BodyPump class before the move! This class was a killer as the instructor asked us to challenge ourselves by adding more weight during tracks!
  • Wednesday – I only had 30 minutes for my morning run which meant that speed was the best way to use the time. I was drenched in sweat when I finished my 3 mile run in 25:45!
  • Thursday – My final CXWORX class was a tough one but I am so proud of the progress I’ve made over the past two months. I found this CxWorx video on YouTube which will be a perfect way to keep up my ab strength once back in NYC.
  • Friday – Early morning 3.72 mile run with Margaret through Victoria Park and Olympic park. 
  • Saturday – Charlie and I did ALL THE YOGA together on Saturday including 60 minutes of Yoga at the Shard followed by 60 minutes of restorative yoga with Jasyoga. A full recap of the relaxing and restorative Jasyoga class is coming soon!
  • Sunday – Nike Women’s London 10km race (6.2 miles in 53:05 minutes)

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EATS

I don’t have a full recap of last week’s meals though the biggest things that I feel helped me were SHARING and EATING IN. Due to the festivities, I ate dinner out five nights last week which can easily add unwanted calories and pounds. My girlfriends and I shared meals most nights versus ordering our own dishes. In addition, as I mentioned, Charlie and Margaret both proposed cooking in one night which worked out perfectly! Sometimes nothing sounds better than a huge salad with all the toppings included my new favorite, roasted broccoli!

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ashleyd /

The Weekly Sweats – Sweats & Eats

Happy Wednesday gang!

Are you guys having a good week so far? This week the stress of the upcoming move has certainly built to the point that I am living and breathing by my to-do list. In less than ten days the keys to our flat will be turned over, the movers will be finished and I will bid farewell to Geneva. But, between now and then my time is being spent working through the list of things to do in hopes of ensuring that next week’s move goes as smooth as possible. I can’t believe two years ago today we signed the contract for our Geneva apartment!

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I’m so thankful that Bo will be in Geneva next Thursday and Friday to help with the move. Having someone to laugh and cry with when the moments get too stressful to handle will be a blessing. Or how about helping the movers decide what gets packed in which box and what is air shipped versus sea shipped.

I told my mom that I am so thankful this accountability challenge started when it did. Traveling and jet-lag can wreak havoc on healthy and wellness but this time, traveling was a no-brainer since I had a plan in place: eat healthy from the time I woke up until dinner and workout daily.

Due to my time in New York City, this week’s recap will look a bit more interesting than normal.

WHAT DID I ADD THIS WEEK?

As traveling tends to dehydrate me quite a bit, I started sipping a NUUN each day, beginning on Tuesday. I can’t get enough of the NUUN All Day grapefruit orange flavor!  Combining this with my daily supplements helped me stay energized and healthy while flying back and forth.

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SWEATS

  • Monday – I headed back to the park for a solo, relaxed 3 mile run before work. It was a refreshing way to clear my mind before the busy week. In keeping with the Monday night tradition, I enjoyed 60 minutes of gentle yoga with Kerrie and Mary. It’s crazy that next week will be my last time practicing at InnerCity Yoga!

  • Tuesday – During lunch I squeezed in a 45-minute Body Pump class that once again left my triceps and thighs quivering in pain. Last week I increased the weight for two of the tracks, and I was still feeling that decision 24 hours later!

  • Wednesday – Mary and I squeezed in an early morning 3 mile run before my flight. We ran at a conversational pace (9:46) which allowed us the perfect opportunity to catch up. We stopped briefly in the park for some strength moves including dips, push-ups, and planks!

  • Thursday – Thanks to jet-lag, waking up for a 4-mile pre-work run with Bo was a piece of cake. The heat and humidity helped ensure that I sweat everything out while we ran through Central Park. It was a gorgeous morning and perfect way to start the day with Bo after not seeing him for almost 12 days!

  • Friday –  Theodora and I sweat out all the week’s stress during a 60-minute hot yoga class at Y7 yoga. As you an tell from yesterday’s review, I’m in love with everything about this studio!

  • Saturday – I shed tears of joy while racing the Oakley Mini 10k in Central Park! The race, my strongest in months, has me tempted to sign up for ALL the races this Summer. Earlier today I signed up for the Bronx 10 miler and the NYRR R-U-N 5k! If you’re a New York local, you should join for the 5k as a few of us are planning a happy hour after the race!  

  • Sunday – After a leisurely morning together, Bo and I squeezed in one final workout together before my flight to Geneva. His favorite workout in NYC these days is FlyWheel so I happily joined him for Melissa Wolfe’s Fly 45 class.

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EATS

Breakfast: When I was in New York City I took advantage of the easy access to healthy smoothies, iced coffee, and green juice! Here’s a glance at my breakfasts throughout the week, including the days I was traveling.

  • Greek yogurt + 1/4 cup raw oats + cinnamon + chia seeds + 1/2 banana + 1/4 c blueberries

  • Greek yogurt + 1/4 cup KIND granola + 1/2 banana + 1/2 c raspberries and green juice + skim flat white coffee

  • Green smoothie including Almond Breeze, vegan protein powder, banana, almonds, kale, and cinnamon

  • Hard boiled egg + avocado toast + iced coffee from Le Pain Quotidien

  • Huevos Rancheros at Norma’s in the Parker Meridien post-race

  • Berry Powerful smoothie from Liquiteria + iced coffee

Lunch:  I didn’t have time to go to the farmer’s market this week, so my daily lunch was from the office salad bar. I made sure that I limited the amount of protein on my salad and tried to incorporate new vegetables and spices. I love adding a dash of curry powder, paprika and a few yellow raisins to the top of my salads. This flavor mix upgrades the salad from ho-hum boring to unique!

Snacks: I bought enough snacks at the grocery store on Saturday to use all week, including on my flight to New York. The apricots, nuts, apples, cherries and strawberries were easy to transport in Ziploc bags and Tupperware containers. I loved having the cherries mid-flight, paired with a few pieces of dark chocolate.

For those of you who joined the challenge how is it going?

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The Weekly Sweats – Sweats & Eats

Happy Wednesday gang! I’m typing this on my flight from Amsterdam to New York City. Believe it or not, a week has gone by since I shared this accountability series with you and I’ve actually stuck to the plan!

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Two years ago, when moving from New York City, the going away events caused anxiety and stress.  My mind would race, worried what effect seven nights in a row of evening events, many of which are filled with bottles of wine and heavy, restaurant meals would have on my health.  Instead of letting the anxiety paralyze me and keep me from enjoying the time with friends, this accountability challenge has changed things. This time around, due to my planning, tracking and moderation, I am able to savor the fun change in schedule and be thankful for such loving friends. Eating healthy during the day and working out has let me truly enjoy the time with friends, versus feeling anxious and stressed.

I finished the week feeling healthier and more energetic than I’ve felt in ages – proof that daily workouts and healthy eating can help balance the nightly fun! It’s all about #wycwyc – walking instead of taking the bus, waking up early, going to bed as soon as I get home, and making sure that I eat healthy at the office. In addition to the promised SWEAT and EATS recap, I also have a few more tips that I implemented that helped make the week a success.

Thumbs up for a plan that has lasted more than a week!

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WHAT DID I ADD THIS WEEK?

Since sleep is of the essence this month, I want to ensure that I fall asleep quickly each night. To help ensure this, I removed all technology from the bedroom. Reading a few pages in my book or a magazine each night relaxes me far more than the bright light on my iPad or iPhone.

Since I prefer French Press coffee, I don’t always have time to prepare coffee before my morning workout. I’ve been sipping warm lemon water each morning to wake my system up and love the fresh and uplifting effects it has in addition to being a great way to detox my body.

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SWEATS

  • Monday – I kicked the week off on the right foot with a speedy 4 mile run before work with Amy then ended the day with an hour of yoga with mom and my girlfriends. 
  • Tuesday – During lunch I squeezed in a 45-minute Body Pump class that left my triceps and thighs quivering in pain.
  • Wednesday – A solo early-morning 3 mile run at 8:56 pace exploring a new park near my flat.
  • Thursday – Each week I think that the CXWorx class will feel easier only to find myself dripping sweat after only five minutes and the first core circuit. This class is a killer! I capped off the workout with a 12 minutes treadmill run at an 8:20 pace.
  • Friday – Deciding to switch things up, I headed down to the lake for a speed workout including 1 minute repeats. I ended up doing 3.1 miles in total and keeping an 8:22 pace overall.
  • Saturday – Relaxed, conversation-filled 3.2 mile run along the lake with Leah
  • Sunday – I think my sweat may have actually smelled of white wine during my mid-day sweat fest aka a speedy 5k run through Geneva. It was the perfect way to prepare for what will most likely be a hot and humid Oakley 10k in New York City this Saturday.

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EATS

Breakfast: I switched things up again this week, adding two new things into the usual breakfast routine.

  • Mashed avocado + lemon + chili pepper flakes spread atop a piece of whole wheat bread
  • Greek yogurt + 1/4 cup raw oats + cinnamon + chia seeds + 1/2 banana + 1/4 c blueberries
  • 2 hard boiled eggs + apple
  • Greek yogurt + 1/4 cup raw oats + cinnamon + chia seeds + 1 tablespoon almond butter + sliced strawberries
  • Cooked oats + 2 sliced apricots + cinnamon + dollop of Greek yogurt

Lunch:  After buying way too much at the farmer’s market, I took advantage of the extra food by taking lunch to work three days this week. While I appreciate our subsidized salad bar at work, it was so nice to change things up. My favorite salad was Summer inspired, featuring fresh peaches, small slices of Chevre cheese, blueberries, avocados and crisp bib lettuce. During the weekend, even while relaxing with friends on the lake, I stuck with my healthy lunches. On Saturday I chose the Greek salad for lunch and delayed alcohol until 5pm.

Snacks: I made office snacks even easier this week by bringing everything to work on Monday. My desk looked like a stand at the market, filled with unsalted nuts, dried apricots, large apple and fresh apricots. Most days I snacked on a fresh apricot around 10:45 and then ate nuts and the apple with a cup of tea around 4:30 or 5, depending on evening plans. The later snack ensured that I didn’t find myself hungry while at a happy hour or dinner event.

For those of you who joined the challenge how is it going?

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