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!

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!

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.

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.

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?