Crunches for Cupcakes

Movin On Up!

2009-10-18T19:56:00.003-04:00

Check out the new and slowly improving Crunches for Cupcakes at...

http://www.crunchesforcupcakes.com/

Please updated your favorite places, blogrolls, google reader etc.

Steinfest

2009-10-18T00:44:00.007-04:00

Making Ranch dip

The yard is decorated

Dessert tray

Tortilla chips and salsa

Keg of Harpoon Octoberfest

Happy Fall!

Trying another type of pumpkin ale

Foamy beer

Matt threw a BBQ knife into the tree!

How many guys does it take to start a fire?

Drew's Stein

Bratwurst topped with ketchup and homemade sauerkraut

Buffalo wings

Brave enough to try the "Insano" hot sauce

Drinking out of a beer stein

Fire pit at night

The guys invented a new version of beer pong

Party On Wayne

2009-10-17T11:38:00.003-04:00

Muffin in a Bowl! I ended up eating this with a fork so it would be neater.

I've been up since 8:15 this morning! Yeahhh, but that's early for ME. I've been doing stuff to get ready for our Oktoberfest themed party Jared nicknamed Steinfest later this afternoon.

Jared downloaded a CD of German drinking songs. We're serving bratwurst and knackwurst. Even though I'm breaking from the true German theme, I downloaded 20 polka hits. I'm 1/2 Polish so I couldn't resist.

I won't photograph everything I eat and drink today, but I'll take pics of the spread and post them later tonight. And I'm taking the day off from exercise!

I'd also like to raise my glass and wish a Happy Saturday to everyone!!!

Chili When Its Chilly

2009-10-16T22:28:00.007-04:00

I forgot to reattach my front door key to my key chain after it fell off last night. To kill time while waiting for Jared to get home from work, I walked a few blocks from my rented parking space to Copley for some browsing.

WTF Saks 5th Avenue?!?! Take the Christmas decorations down a notch. It's October 16th.

I showed amazing self-control. I picked up a vest in Banana Republic and various items in Vineyard Vines and Lululemon but I put everything back. My only purchase was from Sephora because I am almost out of a few makeup essentials.

We stopped at Shaws to buy food for the party tomorrow. I snuck a few goodies into the cart, items that I've spotted on other blogs that I really want to try. Shaws was out of canned pumpkin! But word on the street is that they're getting a shipment tonight...so I might jog there in the am.

I heated a can of chili for Jared and me to split as an appetizer. Its topped with shredded Mexican style cheese and a dollop of plain Chobani.

Washed down with some pumpkin beer. Harvest Moon isn't that great. I can hardly taste the pumpkin flavor. Maybe it needs more nutmeg?

I had leftover chicken and spaghetti squash for my at-home entree.

I've been watching episodes of the Rachel Zoe Project on my DVR and cleaning/decorating the apartment for tomorrow's festivities. Jared mentioned exercising tomorrow morning. In my opinion, the walking around and housework I did today combined with the stuff I'm going to do in the morning will burn enough calories to keep me healthy through the weekend.

Loving my philosophy of being healthy and making changes slowly! I am not going to turn my life upside down. Besides, the journey towards a healthy lifestyle is the most fun part!

Lessons Learned

2009-10-16T15:31:00.004-04:00

Snacked on some edamame leftover from Wednesday's dinner.

I was so glad I took the time to make a turkey sandwich last night. Loved the turkey from Lionettes! This sandwich featured turkey, lettuce, pickles, and Spinach & Artichoke hummus.

I went to the gym with a plan in mind. I was going to use the foam roller, do some kind of cardio for 20 minutes, and then sit in the sauna. Plans got destroyed when I finished my 20 minute run on the treadmill and decided to use the foam roller for a few more minutes. One of the trainers (Dave) was nice enough to show me how to stretch my glutes using a small ball. It can get deeper into the muscles than the foam roller.

We started talking about my back issues and my background in gymnastics and cheerleading. Dave ended up spending 20 minutes with me, going over different ways to work my abs besides crunches. My rectus abdominals are overworked and everything else is under worked. He also showed me some exercises that target multiple muscle groups. Instead of doing a circuit and working one muscle at a time, I can do one or two different exercises and work more major muscles. My workouts are usually limited to my lunch hour so that was a major score.

(I'd love to share some of the exercises with you guys but he went over so many that I'm have trouble remembering. I'm going to try to write everything down later on tonight)

I'm always afraid to approach trainers, especially since I'm not paying for a session. But he said that if I ever see a trainer hanging around, just ask what his or her favorite core exercise is. Learning a new move or two a week would be great!

~Do any of you know any good core moves? Or websites with exercise demos?~

I had a cup of Gingerbread Spice tea for my afternoon snack. I loved the way it smelled and the first couple of sips were great. But as the tea cooled, it was too sweet and thick for me. Maybe I let the bag steep for too long?

I nibbled on a handful of prunes. These have been sitting in the fridge since Jared has his appendix out at the end of August. I should probably look for an expiration date.

The prunes didn't fill me up, and I didn't want to eat more and OD on fiber. I tried a new Bear flavor: Chocolaty Cherry. I liked the mix of the sweet chocolate bits with the tangy cherries. Chewy texture with bits of crunch.

If You Walked a Mile in My Shoes...

2009-10-16T10:33:00.006-04:00

...You'd probably end up with blisters all over your feet!

(I wore Ugg boots to work this morning and then changed into an uncomfortable pair of heels that I keep under my desk. Yay for style and boo for discomfort!)

We had to buy milk for the mac and cheese last night. That worked out nicely because I can have cereal again. I made a bowl of cinnamon Puffins topped with 1/2 of a banana and a sprinkling of blueberry flax seed.

Wearing a brand new sweater today and I am sooo warm and snuggley. I ordered this sweater from Athleta. It looks nice enough to wear to work, but it's made out of nylon so it's super soft. I hate wearing a wool sweater and then spending the day feeling itchy. Plus this sweater has an oversize cocoon neck. I'm wearing it pulled over my shoulders as a shawl. But I also have the options to wear it as a cowl neck or a hood. When I modeled the hood this morning, Jared told me that I looked like an immigrant. Haha, if it's cold enough, I'll still rock it!

Make Hay while the Sun Shines

2009-10-15T21:53:00.005-04:00

My mom got to my apartment a few minutes after I had got home. When I went outside to help her carry stuff in, the front door key somehow fell off of my key chain. I buzzed every apartment, but no one was home to open the door. Thankfully Jared was able to leave work early and let us in! (And no worries, the front door key was sitting on my ironing board)

We raked up the mulch that had been spread all over the yard. Then we spread a few bales of hay so that dirt won't get dragged in the house. Plus I think the hay goes really well with the Octoberfest theme of the party.

Miles had a lot of fun playing in his new and improved yard. I worked up an appetite!

Per usual, my mom brought lots of food with her. She brought leftover sandwiches from her staff meeting yesterday. I had 1/2 of a turkey sandwich for an appetizer.

Jared made dinner. Tonight's menu was simply Annie's mac and cheese. I ate mine plain, while Jared topped his with lamb sausage that he bought at Lionettes Market. He also brought some shaved turkey breast from Lionettes, and it's in my sandwich that I'm bringing for lunch tomorrow. Lionettes is known for their local clean sustainable food. Mmm!

When I was cleaning up after making my sandwich, I accidentally spilled pickle juice all over the bottom of my fridge and my kitchen floor. What a mess! I had been avoiding washing the kitchen floor so I guess this was a blessing in disguise!

I was still feeling snackie so I had a freshly baked blueberry muffin, another snack that was provided by Mom! I heated it in the microwave so the butter melted and the muffin tasted like it had just popped out of the oven.

Hopefully I can make it through the rest of the evening without losing any keys or making any messes.

Soup and a Sandwich

2009-10-15T13:35:00.003-04:00

I'm working through lunch so I can leave the office at 4 pm. I decided to treat myself to something from the HealthWorks Cafe to help pass the long day at my desk. I ate a bowl of Butternut Squash Soup. It had bits of apple in it. They added a sweet little zing of flavor.

Remy the Rat watched over my bowl to remind me that ANYONE CAN COOK. I love the movie Ratatouille! (Funny story, we actually watched Ratatouille while staying at an old house in France. Very authentic!)

I also ordered the Vegetarian Wrap. The wrap in the photo isn't what I ordered...not sure what it was, but it was still tasty. My wrap was supposed to have cucumbers, tomatoes, red onions, carrots, sprouts, and spinach dressing. This one contained cucumbers, tomatoes, lettuce, carrots, sprouts, and what I assumed to be goat cheese.

Only 2 more hours and then I'm heading to my apartment to meet my mom. She's going to help with yard work and cleaning for our party this weekend. She's also bringing my mail and a package I had sent home for safekeeping.

Bundled Up

2009-10-15T10:29:00.005-04:00

It was 38 degrees when I woke up this morning. WTF Mother Nature?!?! It's only October 15th. Boston's average temperature at this time of the year is 62. To make things worse, the water turned ice cold halfway through my shower. I had another cup of Boston Common Coffee Co.'s Breakfast Blend to get the chill out of my bones. We grind the beans just before we brew it. Smells great and the coffee tastes fresh!

I normally use Equal to sweeten my coffee. I am down to my last 2 packets and I'd like to switch over to something healthier and more natural. Any suggestions?

~What do you use to sweeten your coffee?~

I had to break out the winter gear for my commute to work. No gloves though...and the steering wheel was ice cold for the first 5 minutes of driving!

Always taking the lazy route, I made a package of Raisins, Walnuts, and Spice Quaker instant oatmeal. I sprinkled blueberry flax seed on top. I am becoming such a flax enthusiast that I need to buy another bag soon, possibly in a different flavor.

Continuing the oatmeal theme of the morning, I snacked on a Luna bar. I'm still really cold so I'm warming my hands in front of my space heater in between typing. I'm already craving a warm bowl of soup for lunch. And dreading the yard work that needs to get done later today!

Out With the Old

2009-10-14T21:25:00.007-04:00

This is the LAST frozen Healthy Choice meal that I will eat and post about on this blog. I have nothing good to say. As the picture shows, this was gross. A sticky mass of pasta, paper thin piece of chicken...blah!

I needed to please my palate. I can't believe I forgot about the bag of candy pumpkins in my desk.

Today's outfit!

I walked on the treadmill for the first 5 minutes I was at the gym. My hip was bothering me so I found a foam roller. Once I felt better, I went back to the treadmill and walked for another 30 minutes. Titanic was on the HealthWorks movie channel. Jack and Rose's love story was a nice escape from my workday!

I snacked on a PB&J Dipped Mojo bar. At first I couldn't taste the jelly and it seemed like the bar was just going to be peanut butter. But as I continued to chew, the jelly taste slowly developed. I swear it was magical! Clif Mojo bars are awesome!

Since it was so cold out, I drank a cup of tea to warm up. I've been a big fan of Celestial Seasonings for a while. I've had this box since last Christmas and I can't believe I waited so long to try it. It tasted like a melted candy cane, minus all of the stickiness and potential for cavities. Plus it had a subtle vanilla flavor. I need to incorporate more tea in the afternoon at work.

My stomach was going crazy so I snacked on this Bear Naked bar I snagged at the race last weekend. Another flavor/textre success! The fruit and nut combos usually work out well.

I had been planning this meal all day! I googled "how to cook spaghetti squash." So easy! I poked holes in my squash and baked it at 375 for 1 hour.

I made some chicken marinated in Italian dressing and boiled water to cook a bag of frozen edamame.

The spaghetti squash, hot out of the oven! I removed the seeds and then used a fork to scrap out the "spaghetti."

I topped my chicken with feta cheese, added sauce to the spaghetti squash, and sprinkled some sea salt on the edamame. Twas a wonderful dinner. I'm really proud that I am taking teeny tiny baby steps towards becoming a good cook.

AND...
Big changes are going to be happening to Crunches for Cupcakes. I'll keep you posted!

Fashion Boston - October 2009

2009-10-14T12:43:00.006-04:00

I finally had a minute to skim the Fashion Boston newspaper I picked up yesterday. The highlight was a several page spread with brightly colored party dresses! I'm always on the hunt for the perfect dress...which is often easier to find than somewhere to go!

In the Q&A section, a reader from Waltham, MA asked what colors are in style for fall? She's tired of trying to dress for the season and then getting stuck wearing too much brown. Lisa Pierpont suggests accenting brown clothes with colors including ruby, purple, or orange. I started thinking about how I can do this with my wardrobe without having to hit the stores.

Cranberry corduroy pants: Do you remember the book about Corduroy the Bear? He was so cute in his little green overalls! I think I can take it up a notch with my cords. I have 2 pairs that are boot cut, but my cranberry ones are matchstick style. I'll probably wear them with a crisp white button down.
Dark purple tights: I've owned this pair since high school. I wore a uniform skirt so tights or knee socks were in style . I could bring these back into action by wearing them with a dark colored dress and my Frye boots.
Orange 3/4 sleeve polo shirt: Though I usually reserve this shirt for UF games (Go Gators), I think I could tone it down and make it look more fall-like if I paired it with a cream colored grandpa cardigan, jeans, and some ballet flats.

Pierpont makes amusing, though a little out-there, suggestions for a great fall/winter jacket. A poncho? Leather? A vest? IMHO, or rather, in my shopping opinion, a great jacket is super soft wool and comes in a delicious caramel color. It's a neutral so I could pair it with anything and it will stay in style for multiple seasons I can justify splurging a little!

Brisk Morning

2009-10-14T10:47:00.007-04:00

~How do you stay warm as the weather gets colder?!?!~

It was so chilly this morning. I didn't want to leave the warmth of my down comforter to shower and get ready for work. I had a cup of coffee right away. Boston Common Coffee Co.'s Breakfast Blend is ok. I feel like I'm in the mood for something flavored and seasonal. We go through bags of beans pretty quickly so I'll opt for something else in a week or two.

I think I was still wearing my glasses when I photographed my coffee. My prescription is too weak so I didn't even realize that the photo was blurry. Time to make an appointment with the eye doctor!

I was so hungry when I got to work so I dug into my breakfast as soon as I sat down at my desk. I'm usually loyal to Chobani but Stonyfield Farm Oikos was the only Greek yogurt at Shaws when I did my last grocery shopping. It was good. I think I'd like to try more flavors. I know I bought strawberry Oikos but this blueberry one was the last container left. I bet Jared ate the rest!

Self-portrait as I worked away the morning and snacked on an apple. I have a huge project to finish by Thanksgiving so I'd better get going...

St. Supery Tweetup

2009-10-13T20:55:00.006-04:00

I sprinkled blueberry flax seed on my raisin bran granola cereal for an omega-3 filled breakfast.

I discovered homemade apple pumpkin muffins in the 1st floor kitchen at work. I wish copies of the recipe were sitting with the samples. This was really tasty. The apple chunks helped the muffin stay moist. It seems like everyone out there in Blog Land is ALL about pumpkin right now, and I'm not an exception. Mmmm!

I had leftover gnocchi for lunch. Plus a "salad" with a cucumber and carrot strips topped with Italian dressing.

I went to the gym a little bit earlier than normal (at 12:45 pm) l because I had an afternoon meeting. Wow, it was so much busier during. I'm glad I typically work out around 1:45 pm because it's so much quieter.

I used the Cybex and accomplished a 20 minute cardio workout. After massaging my hips on the foam roller, I went back to the locker room and relaxed in the sauna for 15 minutes.

I scored a free newspaper on the way out of HealthWorks. It's focused on Boston fashion! I can't wait to read it when I have some down time. I snacked on the rest of this bag of trail mix during my meeting.

I signed up to go to the St. Supery Tweetup at bin ends in Braintree so I made a quick dinner. I was worried about the traffic on 93S so I wanted to get on the road as soon as we could.

I boiled water with bits of baby carrots, and cooked Nasoya Chinese style noodles.

Steaming hot and flavored with soy sauce! I also saved Nasoya's recipe for vegetable stir fry. It seems really easy to make so I'm going to add the ingredients to this week's grocery list.

The Tweetup didn't start until 7 and we arrived at 6:40. There was plenty of time to browse around the store.

I was excited to see Nicolas Feuillatte champagne. We visited their champagne house when we were in France this summer. Their processes are very high tech, especially the computerized riddling racks. Their champagne is really good too!

I was excited to try St. Supery wine. They have a vineyard in Napa, my dream vacation spot.

Cheers! I tried 5 different wines.

St. Supery Sauvignon Blanc 2008, Napa Valley: St. Supery is known for their Sauvignon Blanc, and it happens to be one of my favorite types of whites. The nose was cirtusy. It also tasted citrusy, like lime and grapefruit.
St. Supery Virtu 2006, Napa Valley White Meritage: I really liked this blend. It was 52% Semilon and 48% Sauvignon Blanc. I recognize the citrus taste of Sav Blanc, but it was less acidic. The finish was very smooth.
St. Supery 2004 Cabernet Sauvignon, Napa Valley: This smelled like red berries. I thought it had a very woody taste. The tannins didn't seem to be too strong. I was happy that my mouth wasn't puckering after I swallowed. Different from what I usually look for in a red (I go for buttery berry types) but it was a nice change of pace.
Maison Bouachon Chateauneuf Du Pape 2005, France: This was a blend from St. Supery's sister winery in France. I don't remember anything specific, but I know I liked it.
St. Supery Moscato 2008, California: Sweet dessert wines are not my thing. I've tried a few at tastings but I've never actually ordered a glass. I liked that this one was not syrupy. It was sweet, but it had a light tropical flavor.

We went home with a bottle of St. Supery Sauvignon Blanc. Jared also picked out a Bordeaux that jumped out at him when we explored bin ends before the tasting.

Guest Post: Becky's Story

2009-10-13T10:46:00.005-04:00

I mentioned a guest post last week....and here it is! This is Becky's story!

Challenges and Changes: My Story

Hello Crunches for Cupcakes readers! My name is Becky. I’m not a blogger (yet!), but I am thrilled that my cousin Melissa has asked me to guest post on Crunches for Cupcakes. Each and every one of us has a story. We all come from somewhere. One of the most exciting things about reading and writing blogs is sharing our stories. Today I am here to share mine.

I am 25 years old. In my jam-packed 25 years, I created a reputation for myself. I was the BIG talker, world-class shopper, sarcastic jokester, bubbly kindergarten teacher, and academic. I had carved out my niche. I was also known for being “big-boned, curvy, well-endowed.” I thought my life would continue on that path forever.

I changed my mind. In December 2009, my best friend, Meg flew in from Washington DC. She looked great! She took up spinning, running, yoga…and it showed! For 11 years, I shared clothes and gourmet meals with Meg, but that quickly ended. I watched her healthy habits and saw the impressive results. Around the same time, I went to the doctor. She was concerned. She noticed that for the past couple of years my blood pressure was a little high, too high…should she put me on blood pressure medication? I begged to have a chance to make some changes. So many of the important people in my life were living healthy lifestyles and I was empowered to do the same.

In January 2009, I joined “the gym” in my hometown. Along with all of those who had made weight-loss resolutions for the New Year, I threw myself into exercise. I am an over-achiever by nature, so I made a plan. Go to the gym six days/week. Try as many classes as possible. Never quit! I stuck to that plan. In the first week, I tried Pilates, spinning, power yoga, gentle yoga, running on the treadmill. It was hard, but I felt rejuvenated, invigorated, and finally, happy with myself.

Exercising was a blast, my new hobby! My friends at the gym became my second family. While I LOVED exercising and would jump feet-first into any new workout, I knew it was not the only aspect of my life that needed tweaking. I needed to change my diet, too. That part came very slowly. I started out by counting and cutting calories. I saw results and I was pleased, but I was never satisfied. I craved boneless buffalo wings and ice cream. I realized that if I wanted to change my lifestyle, “diet” food just wouldn’t cut it. I needed to do something more.

As I said, I’m a kindergarten teacher, so I have the luxury of summers off. In June, I vowed to teach myself to cook. I started researching healthy recipes, reading blogs, grocery shopping, and educating myself about nutrition. With all of the information I collected, I started to eat “real” foods. I have tried countless recipes and discover so many new foods and flavors. After the intensity of spin and running, there is nothing more therapeutic for me than coming into the kitchen and getting creative with food. I am now satisfied!

I love my life! I started this journey at 165 lbs. with borderline high blood pressure. I lost a total of 45 lbs, but I also let go of a lot of baggage. I don’t live according my reputation. I set the bar for myself and I accomplished things I never imagined possible. I feel a million times better about myself and where I am headed. With the support of my family, I completed my first 5K at Bryant University on October 4, 2009. I finished in 29:36, placing 28/81 women in the race. I just registered for 5K #2….and I can’t wait!

Going back to the beginning, we all have a story. This is only mine. Over time, I made small changes in my life and they have amounted to something big. It is important to remember that it takes many small steps to reach a goal. Everyone needs to find their own balance and remember to have fun every step of the way! If you aren’t satisfied then it’s probably time for a change!

I'd like to add one more chapter to Becky's story. On Sunday October 11, Becky ran in her 2nd 5K race. She beat her previous PR by 2 minutes and 30 seconds! Wow!

(Becky, I'm so proud of you! You're amazing, inside and out! Can't wait to sign up for more races together. Possibly even the Disney Half Marathon in 2011?!?!)

Columbus Day

2009-10-12T20:00:00.008-04:00

I made a Peanut Butter and Jelly Smoothie for breakfast with...

1 frozen banana
2 tablespoons of blueberry flax seed
1 cup of vanilla yogurt
1/4 cup of milk
2 tablespoons of peanut butter
1 tablespoon of jelly
1 ice cube

In a few gulps, it was completely gone. Tasted just like the sandwich, but colder and without any bread. I loved it! The jelly added just the right amount of sweetness and the banana made it thicker and more filling.

It took a few hours of lounging, blogging, and cleaning the apartment before I got showered and ready for the day.

I had a leftover piece of pizza for lunch, and a few vanilla wafers that I didn't bother photographing.

Jared brought Chris's heat lamp to our apartment. Chris is moving to PA so we inherited it. Hopefully it will come in handy at our backyard party next weekend. It's supposed to be cold. I did some raking and planning for yard work that needs to happen later in the week.

We took the T to Haymarket and walked to the North End. Polcari's was closed so we had to look elsewhere for coffee options.

We went a few stores down and grabbed beans and fresh cups of coffee from Boston Common Coffee Co. I tried the North End blend. It was a little too strong for my taste. I'm hoping the Breakfast Blend we brought home will be more to my liking.

I convinced Jared to walk home. It was a crisp day, but it was nice to be out and about. Plus it helped to move around and shake off some of the soreness from the 1/2 marathon yesterday. I'm not in any pain, but Jared has been complaining that his knees are bothering him.

The Boston Common looked pretty in the autumn light.

Jared had to photograph this crazy little skeleton that appears as road graffiti around Boston. Anyone who walks around the city should know what I'm talking about. It's a robot-skeleton looking creature. I've seen it in several crosswalks including this one near the Common and another along Comm Ave. I don't know who makes it or why it's there. Anyone have any ideas?

Jared and I went out for dinner at Giacomo's South End location. We both ordered a glass of Pinot Noir and enjoyed a few pieces of bread dipped in olive oil.

We split a Caprese salad as an appetizer. After walking past all of the Italian places when I was in the North End, I was craving some fresh mozzarella.

I ordered the gnocchi for my entree. It was stuffed with goat cheese and red peppers, and served in a red sauce with chicken, spinach, and tomatoes. It was beyond delicious! I wish we had gone here to fill up on carbs before the race. Mmmm, pasta heaven!

Jared ordered the squid ink papardelle with swordfish and tuna. He didn't leave any leftovers so I'm guessing it was good. (Our table was in the middle of the restaurant and the lighting was very dim. My pictures don't look that great, but the food looked, smelled, and most importantly, tasted amazing!)

As the day's final ode to Fall, Jared and I split a piece of pumpkin cheesecake. I liked the simple way it was served, and loved the real pumpkin flavor. Nothing artificially sweet about it!

Giacomo's is cash only, so it's not always the easiest option. But it was where Jared and I went on our first date and it was nice to revisit for some cozy Italian dining.

Race Recap

2009-10-12T08:38:00.009-04:00

We arrived at the starting area in the Fens around 7:30 am. Maggie was there to support Mark and agreed to hold our clothes. This was a great help. I got to keep my sweats and jacket on as long as possible and avoid the cool morning air. We hung around and attempted to stretch. There were LONG lines for the Port-a-Potties so I was really glad I went at home.

My biggest worry before the race started was that all of the runners were supposed to finish in 2 1/2 hours. I was scared that we wouldn't be able to make it that quickly and the course would close.

The Elite Runners started ahead of the rest of the group. It was after 8:05 am by the time we crossed the starting line.

Mile 1
We were stuck in the pack and it was really crowded. I was really surprised when we passed the first mile marker and we had run just under a 10 minute pace.

Mile 2
Jared was darting through the crowd, trying to keep up with Chris. It was too difficult to stay together as a group of 3. Plus it was too early in the race to keep speeding up. I wanted to save my energy and run at a steady pace.

Mile 3
My parents were waiting for us at Mile 3. I think we surprised them. They thought our pace would be a bit slower, but we were running at a good clip. We were still in a big crowd. Sometimes people passed me and sometimes I passed them. But I didn't let anything bother me. I just listened to my music and kept going at a steady pace that felt comfortable.

Mile 4
The race course required runners to turn around and double back. By mile four, we saw the elite runners on their way back to the Fens. It wasn't discouraging to see them sprinting by, heading in the other direction. It was actually inspirational! All of the runners on my side of the road clapped for them. It made me want to keep going and get closer to the finish!

Mile 5
During the fifth mile, I started noticing that all of the comfortable downhills we were running were going to be difficult uphills when we had to turn around. I had taken 1 cup of water a few miles back and I was looking forward to the next water station, and goo for extra energy.

Mile 6
I grabbed a packet of green apple goo and a cup of water just before mile six. During this mile, we entered the Franklin Park Zoo. We ran by sets from the Zoo Keeper movie that's being filmed there. We also saw camels!

Mile 7
Jared and I were high-fiving at each mile marker. At mile seven, I was happy because we were more than halfway done with the race.

Mile 8
My longest training run was eight more mils. Once I hit this mile marker, I reminded Jared that anything we ran after this point was farther than we'd ever run before. Quite an accomplishment!

Mile 9
My parents were waiting at mile nine, camera ready for more action shots. My mom was surprised that we were still smiling.

It was the perfect weather for running. The air was crisp and cool. It wasn't windy. I couldn't have asked for a better day!

Mile 10 and Mile 11
It was a challenge going back uphill as we headed back to Boston. I pushed really hard at each hill and my legs were really tired.

Mile 12
My hips started to get sore and tight. My legs still felt heavy from the hills. Even though I was getting tired, I didn't feel bad. I just listened to more songs on my Marathon playlist and kept putting one foot in front of the other.

Mile 13
We had to circle around the Fens for the last mile of the course. I could hear the crowd at the finish line and that was enough to make me keep going. Jared was breathing heavy and seemed like he was struggling. I kept offering words of encouragement and motivating to keep running for 10 more minutes.

Final 0.1
There were crowds of people along the sides of the road cheering and ringing cowbells. This was really motivating! My legs were tired but I was able to pick up speed and lengthen my stride. I felt great when I crossed the finish line. I was happy I didn't have to run anymore and thrilled that I accomplished a major goal!

My mom was so proud of me for finishing. In elementary school, she helped me run one mile so I could earn a Physical Fitness award.

After getting drinks and snacks, we crowded around the official times to see how everyone had done.

Mark, Jared, Chris, and I successfully completed the BAA Half Marathon!

Food Marathon

2009-10-11T19:55:00.005-04:00

I wanted to post race pictures but I'm still waiting for my mom to upload everything from her camera.

Hopefully by some point later tonight or tomorrow?!?!

I had a Mimosa to celebrate my running victories.

Chris cooked brunch for all of us. Good for him, since we only have 2 functional burners on our stove.

We expanded the table so everyone had tons of space. Not really necessary...there were only 5 of us. But Jared was really psyched since we haven't really used the table since we bought it.

Chris's scrambled eggs mixed with cheese, peppers, and onions.

Plus a pile of bacon. So sorry...none of us are vegetarians/vegans, and the guys were really excited for this. There was a lot of talk about how to make the perfect Bacon Martini. The thought alone turns my stomach!

Ummm, someone melted a bag to the top of my toaster oven. Oops, haha!

Looks can be deceiving. This was totally delicious!

Miles was really hoping someone would drop something.

I ended up bringing 14 bars home from the race. Yikes...I went a little overboard grabbing free food!

Jared and I ordered pizza from the Upper Crust for dinner.

The Harvard Street with tomatoes, fresh mozzarella, and basil.

After such an exhausting morning, today was all about taking it easy. Aside from the soreness in my hips and butt, it was quite fun!

Disappointing day for Boston sports though. Losses by the Red Sox and the Patriots! Boo!

Boston Half Marathon

2009-10-11T12:42:00.003-04:00

My alarm went off at 6 am and I sprang out of bed. Much different from a regular work day. I showered to wake myself up and then chugged a glass of water. I made 2 slices of wheat toast with peanut butter and jelly for breakfast.

It was really chilly this morning, 40 degrees, so I had to add some layers on top of my race attire. Brr! I used my foam roller and stretched for 15 minutes before we left.

I'll write a FULL race recap later on. I ran 13.1 miles in 2:04:56!!! I didn't think I would finish in 2 1/2 hours so I am really proud of myself. My parents cheered us on; we saw them twice along the route. They got some great action shots. Plus after crossing the finish line, I snagged lots of Power Bars and Bear Naked bars to try later in the week. We all walked home from the finish area so that was plenty of time to stretch and shake out my legs.

Friends have started arriving for brunch and the Mimosa is being poured. I'm ready to relax and watch football all afternoon.

Carbo Loading

2009-10-10T21:51:00.005-04:00

After my relaxation efforts, I snacked on some trail mix and worked my butt off trying to clean the apartment. I vacuumed, walked with Jared to pick up our laundry, put clothes and random junk away, and tried to get rid of the stinky trash smell that's hovering around the kitchen area.

Grrr, this picture wouldn't rotate! I made whole grain pasta for dinner so we could carbo load. I mixed pieces of leftover sausage in the pasta and topped everything with a sprinkle of mozzarella cheese. Plus a bowl of cucumbers with Italian dressing on the side.

I remembered that I wanted to get a headband from Lululemon for the race tomorrow. We took a quick walk to Copley and cut through to get to the Pru. So many people were out and about but we had to head right home to relax before the big run tomorrow.

I worked on a Marathon Playlist cuz I plan on running with my i-pod. I know that's usually discouraged, but the BAA actually had a message saying that they'd overlook this for people who aren't top competitors. Miles was extra clingy while I was trying to get stuff done. He's so long and awkward, also weighs 30 pounds, but he thinks he's a lap dog.

It's almost 10 pm and I'm watching the UF/LSU game. I'll probably go to bed within the next hour. I want to do a few more sets of exercises on the foam roller warm up my hip muscles. The alarm is set for 6 am and I need to be out the door by 7!

Race Registration

2009-10-10T14:18:00.008-04:00

We walked to the Fens to register for the Boston Half Marathon.

I was super psyched to get a t-shirt with the Unicorn on it. I've always thought it looked so cool on all of the marathon merchandise, and now I'm an actual participant.

I wonder what the results will be. Can't wait til tomorrow!

Beautiful day in the Fens!

I love living in Boston, especially in the fall.

We walked down Huntington Ave on our way home. Northeastern has it's very own wiffle ball field!

This truck tried to make a left onto Huntington and it was an epic failure. Not sure how long the road will be blocked. This is why driving in Boston sucks!

Jared made his sandwich special: turkey sandwich on wheat bread with cheese and pickles, apple slices, and Wheat Thins. I started watching the BC/VA Tech football game at the beginning of the 3rd Quarter. BC was down 34-0. Yikes!

I'm estimating we walked a total of 5 miles from the South End to the Fens and back. Our walk included a quick stop at City Sports so I could get my own foam roller. I thought Miles would be exhausted cuz he has such little legs, but I'm pretty tired too. After I was done with lunch, I used the foam roller for 5 minutes. Now I'm ready to relax for 30 minutes.

We're hosting brunch after the race tomorrow so I really need to clean and vacuum the apartment!

The Amazing Race

2009-10-10T10:31:00.006-04:00

We had a low-key Friday night. Jared was craving sushi for dinner so we ordered form our favorite delivery spot: Fins Sushi + Grill! We shared steamed beef gyoza.

I wanted 2 orders of Kappa Maki. I love these plain rolls with only cucumbers. They're so light and refreshing. I love the stickiness of the rice and the crunchiness of the cucumber pieces.

Plus edamame!

We shared a bottle of Heron Hill's white table wine. It was a bend of Chardonnay, Pinot Blanc, and Pinot Gris. (I didnt realize this was such a crappy picture. Too bad cu it's a really decorative bottle!)

It was nice to sit back, relax, and watch last Sunday's episode of the Amazing Race. Plus we toasted to some good news I received yesterday afternoon. But shhh, it's a secret for right now. I'm still waiting to see if things pan out.

Jared and I met Mark at a local bar Delux for one round of drinks. We weren't there for very long, but it was nice to get out of the house.

I'll add my breakfast to this post since it's rather boring. I had Raisin Bran with Granola Bits and learned some fun facts from the back of the cereal box. Jared won't eat this or the Puffins so I'm trying to finish both boxes on my own.

Bring on the Banana Bread

2009-10-09T15:15:00.005-04:00

I was SO hungry when I woke up this morning. Between plain and apple banana bread, I'm overwhelmed trying to eat everything before it goes bad.

I snacked on an orange around 10 am and made a small mess, sprayed orange juice all over my keyboard, desk, and on my cardigan. Oops! At least I got plenty of Vitamin C.

As if I'm not dressed down enough every other day, I made my own Casual Friday by wearing jeans and sneakers. At least I look semi-business casual while I'm sitting at my desk and people can only see the cardigan.

Sneakers were still a must-wear. The blister on the back of my heel isn't doing too well. It doesn't hurt when I'm wearing a band aide, but it's not healing. I'm afraid it will start to bleed after 13 miles of running. Gross!

I made a list of exercises that Trainer Ian gave me last night. I couldn't remember his crazy names for everything, but at least I can recall what I'm supposed to do.

No lunch photo because...well, it was anther frozen meal. One more left in the fridge. I swear I won't buy anymore because they don't taste good enough. Not worth spending the money!

I was psyched to finally hit the gym. I made a beeline for the foam roller and did the 2 exercises to loosen up my hips. I felt like I needed to move around a little bit so I walked on the treadmill for 20 minutes. Since I forgot my headphones, I was stuck looking out the window and watching the cars on Route 9. I went back to the foam roller for more sets of hip loosening exercises. I did a tiny ab workout and then I had to get back to the office.

I had a few bites of another loaf of apple banana bread. I have a feeling this will be finished before I leave for work. I will forever and always "HEART" carbs!

Then I was ready to try a new bar! As soon as I opened this, I was reminded of Lara bars. Maybe the almonds made me like it a little bit more? Or maybe it was because I was starving? But overall I thought this was pretty tasty. Sticky and chewy texture with a pretty strong apricot taste and crunchy bits of almonds.

Preview

2009-10-09T11:29:00.003-04:00

I've never struggled with major weight loss. I'm lucky to have my mother's genetics and I've been active my entire life. While I've had my own issues with my body, most of my struggles were internal. No one could tell that I was suffering because it wasn't reflected in my outward appearance.

For those embarking on a weight loss journey, their struggle is easily observable. Outsiders can see that healthy living has taken on a deeper meaning for them as they work to shed pounds and improve overall fitness. I've asked my cousin Becky to share her inspiring story!

Becky and me at a family Christmas party
Clearly taking place in the mid-1990's

BBQ Tofu

2009-10-09T09:13:00.008-04:00

I have never eaten tofu before so I was really psyched to try out this out. I've been planning this meal for several days! I used the recipe for Oven Barbeque Tofu from Nasoya's web site.

I started by sauteing onions and then adding the rest of the sauce ingredients.

Then I poured everything on the tofu and let it marinate for a while. (The recipe called for extra firm tofu but Shaws was sold out. I thought firm would work just as well...)

While the tofu was marinating, I started to get our stuff ready for the 1/2 Marathon on Sunday. I bought the same long sleeve shirt that my cousin Becky wore for the 5K last weekend. Sorry for copying you Becky! But the top looked so cute and comfortable that I couldn't resist.

I made carrot fries to go with the BBQ tofu. I was inspired by a dinner I read about on MelissaNibbles.

I left everything to bake in the oven for about 40 minutes. Only one minor disaster: I caught the tip of an oven mitt on fire and set the smoke alarm off! No photos for obvious reasons! And rest assured, no humans or food were harmed in the oven mitt disaster!

Viola! BBQ tofu, carrot fries w/ organic ketchup, and mashed potatoes!

I LOVED the carrot fries. I was a little bit disappointed with the tofu. It tasted great but the texture was too soft. That's my own fault for trying to get away with using firm instead of extra firm. Next time I wanted something that has a higher chew factor rather than being soft and mushy.

While we were eating dinner, we gave Miles an empty box to shred. He made a huge mess but he had so much fun. Love how I caught a picture of him sticking his tongue out at me!

I had my first appointment with a trainer at 8 pm. I met Ian at the Back Bay HealthWorks. He started off with the standard questions about my goals, stats, etc. When I mentioned that my back hurt and described my symptoms, Ian had an immediate answer to the problem. I don't remember all of the proper terms but to sum it up, all of my issues stem from my hip muscles and from a group of muscles being too tight.

We started off using the high density foam roller. I'd never tried it before, but I'm SO glad I did. Ian really saved my life and I want to send a fruit basket or flowers to say thanks. Haha, totally kidding. But the 2 foam roller exercises made such a difference on my lower back! I felt much more comfortable for the rest of the night. I learned a handful of other stretching exercises for my hips, quads, glutes, and calves.

I have to set up another training session after I'm done with the 1/2 Marathon. It will cover more stretching and upper body exercises. In the meantime, I can't wait to get to the gym this afternoon and try out all of my new exercises. I'm going to use the foam roller right away!

Strawberry Fields Forever

2009-10-08T15:37:00.006-04:00

I was craving Special K with Red Berries this morning, but we're out. Kashi's Strawberry Fields was the closest option. I had to apologize to Jared because this was technically his cereal and I finished the rest of the box. He doesn't like the Puffins or raisin bran boxes that are left. Good thing he bought a new box of frozen waffles last night!

Definitely wore a pair of Chuck Taylors to work today. I've had a blister on the back of my ankle since the beginning of the week and it needs to heal by Sunday. I'm wearing the most comfortable shoes possible from now until the 1/2 Marathon.

I was craving an orange for a mid-morning snack but I always make a mess when I attempt to peel them. No reason to get sticky and dirty so early in the work day. I tried a new bar today: Clif's Mojo Fruit and Nut bar dipped in vanilla cream.

As soon as I opened the wrapper, I knew I was going to be impressed. I loved the salty flavor of the nuts combined with the sweetness of the berries. The vanilla cream was literal and figurative icing on the cake. Amazing!

I'm wearing my last sample Flector patch. Time to fill my prescription. These patches have been life savers over the past two weeks. I've been waiting until after the 1/2 Marathon to schedule a PT appointment and they've gotten me through uncomfortable days sitting at my desk.

I had a turkey sandwich on wheat bread topped with American cheese, lettuce, and pickles for lunch, accompanied by Parmesan cheese flavored goldfish crackers. Pretty basic, but I was happy.

I'm meeting with a trainer tonight so I didn't want to workout this afternoon, and since I was wearing the Flector patch, the sauna was a no-go. I've never worked weith a trainer before so I'm really psyched for this session. I don't have the money to see a trainer on a regular basis. I need to get as much as I can out of this one free session!

I decided to use my lunch break to go shopping! I can't reveal too much info because family members read this blog. All I can say is that I started my Christmas shopping. Woohoo! I have a very serious budget because I only get paid once per month.

I snacked on a handful of trailmix when I got back from my shopping adventures. Decided it wasn't exciting enough to photograph cuz it looked the same as the handful I ate yesterday.

Why I Blog

2009-10-08T09:54:00.003-04:00

I've always been a writer. I have journals dating as far back as 1990 when I was in 2nd grade and I wrote down the details of my life in my Minnie Mouse diary. From then on, I've filled various notebooks, diaries, and even small scraps of paper with information that was important to me.

Writing has served as my escape from reality. It's allowed me to go back and relive the most meaningful moments of my life. I've kept detailed accounts of games of Man Hunt in the backyard with my Middle School crush, winning Cheerleading Nationals as a freshman in college, and my struggles with food and disordered eating as a young adult. Nothing has escaped my pen!

I've been following healthy living bloggers for over a year. I started with Kath Eats Real Food and the list grew from there. I've always thought blogging would be a lot of fun, but I never bothered to think about it in further detail. That was something that they did, but I couldn't.

During my Spring 2009 semester of grad school at Boston College, I took a course entitled Increasing Personal Effectiveness. I completed a number of personality tests including MBTI, TKI, FIRO-B, and the Strong Interest Inventory. The Strong Interest Inventory reults had the greatest impact on me, especially when my professor issued his words of warning.

My percentage of artistic needs is considerably high, 2 standard deviations above the norm, and at that time, my needs were not being met. According to the test, I am independent and indiviualistic. I hate being forced into the box and I thrive in creative environments. My professor advised that I feed my artistic side as soon as possible. I would never feel personally effective unless all of my needs, especially my artistic ones, were being met. I suggested signing up for more classes, possibly a creative writing course at BC. It was a little frightening that my professor made it clear that I needed to do this as soon as I could, and that my happiness rested on this.

Life got too busy for me to enroll in a creative writing course. I finished grad school and got ready for a vacation to France. While in France, I photographed almost every meal so I could show the wonderful cuisine to the folks back home. The wheels in my mind began turning. I'd been living a healthy life for years, but I still wanted to make some changes. People might actually be interested in what I ate and how I exercised. Normal people could relate to the slow progress of my healthy living. I wasn't, and still don't, live as cleanly as a lot of bloggers out there...but I am trying!

By early September 2009, I forced myself to sit down and sign up for a blog. I've been posting several times a day for a month. My life has not changed dramatically, but my state of mind has done a complete 180! I'm focused on my life: where I've been and where I want to go. I have a newfound confidence in myself and an enthusiasm for the projects I'm undertaking.

Crunches for Cupcakes follows me on my journey of healthy living. Yes, extra emphasis on the living. I'm not perfect. I have my up and down days. I don't follow an organic diet. I don't know how to eat clean. I'm not a great cook. But the most important thing is that I'm trying! I'm also learning. I'm learning new things and I'm discovering myself in the process. I was obsessed with working out when I was in college. I limited my social activities because I was afraid of the extra calories I might consume. I missed out on so many fun life experiences because I was hell bent on staying thin.

My blog features a little of each aspect of my life because it's all about real living. I love to eat as healthy as possible and exercise whenever I can. It makes me happy and it feels good. I also love to drink wine, go out to eat, relax with friends, and have lazy weekend mornings. If I don't feel like going to the gym, I probably won't. But if I am craving a cookie, I'll eat it. Nothing bad will happen to me. I'm a responsible adult and I know how to balance my life. My life will not spiral out of control if I relax my healthy living and be a normal person.

So that's a brief summary of how Crunches for Cupcakes came to be. As for the title, well I've always been known to do crunches. I spent every free moment at cheerleading practice trying to work on my abs. I'm also obsessed with cupcakes. I love eating them, looking at recipes, and collecting cupcake themed items like necklaces, t-shirts from Johnny Cupcakes, and scents. But in order to keep enjoying cupcakes on a daily basis (well, the edible kind at least), I need to keep doing those crunches!

Final Five Miles

2009-10-07T21:24:00.004-04:00

Well, my 1/2 marathon training is over. Jared and I ran 5 miles tonight, and now it's time to rest until Sunday morning. 5 miles around the streets of Boston was much easier than the 5K cross country course. I missed asphalt!

I have a feeling I'm going to get psyched out when I see all of the "real runners" at the starting line on Sunday morning. I still feel like I'm not legit. Example: I saw another runner go by me tonight and she was wearing a hydrobelt with her bottles in the front. I spent the rest of my run wondering if I was wearing my belt backwards.

I know about the power of positive thinking. Gotta tell myself that I was wearing my belt the way it feels most comfortable for me. So who cares? And more importantly, I can put on a pair of shoes and go for a jog. I am as much of a runner as anyone else. I may not be an elite runner, but that's not what I want to be. Running (well slowly jogging) is fun and it gives me time to think.

From now until Sunday, I just need to keep telling myself that I can do this. 13.1 miles will be a challenge, but I can do it!

Jared and I did a quick grocery shopping at Shaws. I really wanted to make BBQ tofu but Jared was leaving for trivia so I promised not to make it tonight.

I made a veggie burger. I am a big fan of Dr. Praeger's Tex Mex veggie burger, but I've talked to others who don't like them very much. I love the spiciness and the fact that you can see actual veggies (corn, peas, etc.) inside the burger. I ate my burger on whole wheat bread and topped it with cheese, lettuce, pickles, and ketchup. I had tortilla chips and fresh salsa as a side dish. Plus I drank a huge glass of water to rehydrate after my run.

Blustery Afternoon

2009-10-07T17:43:00.007-04:00

Happy Winds-Day! (Has anyone else read Winnie the Pooh and the Blustery Day? Poor Piglet gets blown away and Owl's house gets blown down!) It's really windy here in Boston, but the weather is SO much better than it was this morning.

I snacked on an apple around mid-morning.

For lunch, I ate leftovers from last night's dinner. Heavy on the vegetables, but really light on the tortellini and chicken sausage. I also added 3 breaded spinach and artichokes nuggets. I thought these tasted really artificial so I threw the 3rd one out.

I went to HealthWorks and walked on the treadmill for 25 minutes. I didn't want to push myself too hard because we're supposed to run 5 miles tonight. I used free weights to work on my upper body for 10 minutes, and that was the end of my workout.

To work my upper body I did

Bicep curls with 10 lbs in each hand
Hammer curls with 10 lbs in each hand
Tricep presses with 10 lbs in each hand
Shoulder presses (palms facing in and palms facing out) with 10 lbs in each hand
Front raises with 5 lbs in each hand
Lateral raises with 5 lbs in each hand

I couldn't sit in the sauna because I was wearing a Flector patch on my back. The patch is supposed to last 12 hours and the heat from the sauna would've made it ineffective.

I started to snack on a new flavor of Jam Frakas bars. Yuck! The Peanut Butter Blisscrisp was anything but blissful. I attempted to eat 2/3 before I just tossed it.

I was much happier snacking on a handful of trailmix.

I had a great post prepared, but there was an error with the HTML code and it wouldn't upload. Since I'm computer illiterate, I had no idea how to fix it. I just deleted everything and I'll start from scratch later on tonight.

It's Raining, It's Pouring

2009-10-07T10:55:00.005-04:00

I bought some new shampoos and conditioner yesterday. I tried the CHI Infra Shampoo this morning and then used a small squirt of CHI Silk Infusion while I was drying my hair. Even on this rainy day, my hair feels nice and smooth. I blow dried it but I didn't use my straightening iron so I'm surprised that the frizz did not set in.

I had 3 small slices of Apple-ana bread for breakfast. Please excuse the butter substitute on top of each slice. I don't remember what brand it is, but it was leftover from the boyfriend's fridge before we moved, and I'm trying to use the last of it before buying something that I think is healthier.

I didn't get a photo balancing on the edge of the tub in my heels yesterday morning. But rest assured that I did an outfit check before I left, and then safely photographed it at work.

I was more daring today, but had to grab the curtain rod just in case! We need a new mirror ASAP.

By the time I left for work, it was POURING. I hydroplaned and crashed my car about a year and a half ago. I still get really nervous driving in torrential rain storms. I was very cautious today because parts of the street had huge puddles and I didn't want to lose traction.

During my safe commute, I sipped on Pecan Rum ice coffee that had been sitting in the fridge for several days. We're still out of milk so I used soy milk. I was quite impressed that the coffee still tasted great. I've never tried it with soy milk before, but it ended up being a good decision. The last of the Polcari's Pecan Rum coffee gave me a nice caffeine kick to start my day.

Celebrate Good Times, C'mon!

2009-10-06T19:45:00.009-04:00

I went to HealthWorks and relaxed in the sauna for 15 minutes. Refreshed, I used the rest of my lunch break to run my errands at CVS. I snacked on some vanilla wafers from Trader Joe's.

Sorry for the gross picture! I had a 2 pm meeting so I was in a hurry to eat my snack and clear my desk!

I limited myself to 3 candy pumpkins. It's really hard to show self control when I'm snacking on these!

I was starving by the time I got home so I had a bowl of tortilla chips with salsa. I spent my usual 30 minutes watching TV and catching up on shows that I had saved on my DVR.

Jared and I brought 3 bags of laundry to the laundromat. I brought Miles along so we could combine the errand with the dog's walk. Our laundromat is next to the South End Buttery. I spotted a special treat in the window that I couldn't walk home without...

Yay, time to start preparing dinner!

I made pesto tortellini plus a pan full of chicken sausage, red peppers, and zucchini. Jared doesn't like either vegetable so they were all up for grabs. I cooked the sausage in veggies in oil olive and added a little bit of pepper for added flavor.

Mmmm, I blended a healthy serving size of the tortellini, lots of vegetables, and one chicken sausage. I added a little bit more olive oil and a sprinkle of Parmesan cheese. I'm usually not a huge fan of sausage, but I was happy with the overall meal.

Finally....CUPCAKE!!!

Celebratory dessert! A pumpkin cupcake with maple cream cheese frosting from the South End Buttery!

What are we celebrating? I submitted my application to be a blogger for HealthWorks! I worked really hard on my sample post. I hope that they can see I have a lot of enthusiasm for fitness and I'd love to share my exercise goals with my fellow gym members. The deadline in October 14th so I guess I'll find out sometime after that date.

I also received an e-mail that I've been accepted to write for Examiner.com! Once everything gets set up, I'll be reviewing cardio options for people who live in and around Boston. From machines at the gym to stuff folks can do at home to short road trips away from the city, I have lots of plans of things to try out and review for others.

Significant Improvement

2009-10-06T12:24:00.006-04:00

My smoothie did not keep me full for very long. Maybe I should've blended the whole banana? I snacked on a Jam Frakas Lara Bar. I'm just a kid at heart. I liked this kids bar much better than the grown up Lara bars.

I've gotten SO many compliments on my shoes and my hair this morning. I finally asked if I look so much crappier on most other days that people really appreciated this outfit?

Nahhh! I don't dress bad for work, just super casual, so coworkers notice when I dress up a bit more. I think people liked the grey dress/pink shoes combo. And waking up 20 minutes earlier might've helped! I was inspired by an article I read on Divine Caroline about dressing in various shades of grey for an updated monochromatic look.

I really did NOT want to eat this for lunch but I didn't have any other options. We are out of bread, milk, cheese, lettuce, etc. etc. A grocery emergency has been declared and we'll probably go shopping tonight!

That being said, this Lean Cuisine actually wasn't that bad. There were a lot of veggies and chicken pieces and the pasta wasn't stuck in one bland lump this time. Go LC!

Halloween Treats

2009-10-06T09:41:00.005-04:00

My mom gave me a box of these yummy looking Halloween treats.

Unfortunately they are for dogs, not for people. Too bad cuz they really do look yummy!

Operation Beautiful? Yeah, I am confident enough to post this ridiculous picture, and I could care less what I look like! I gave myself a facial with some old C.O. Bigelow cream. It didn't seem like it had expired but it was a funky shade of yellow.

I was in bed at 10:29 pm! I read for 20 minutes and then went to sleep. I felt great when my alarm went off at 7 am, but I still snoozed for a bit. I finally got up at 7:20: That's 20 minutes earlier than yesterday morning!

I made a smoothie for breakfast using:

1/2 of a banana
1 tablespoon of blueberry flax seed
Cherry Vanilla yogurt
1 cup of frozen berries
1 apple (cored)
3 ice cubes

Foster's might become Australian for smoothies. I had considered making a peanut butter smoothie, but I was craving berries. Mmm, this was perfect!

I snacked on some strawberries as soon as I got to work. (Told ya I was in the mood for berries!)

I am already debating whether or not I should go to the gym on my lunch break. I have a few errands that I could do this afternoon or save for after work. Depends on how much I feel the need to do some physical activity... (or relax in the sauna!!!)

Scavenger

2009-10-05T19:31:00.004-04:00

I snacked on a bowl of fresh pineapple.

Then I microwaved Amy's Broccoli and Cheese Pocket Sandwich for lunch. I also had a bag of 100 calorie Sunchips that didn't make it into today's pictures.

I wandered down to the kitchen on the 1st floor to use the water cooler and was able to scavenge some great stuff. I tried a tiny nibble of an apple cheesecake bar. I love the fresh apples combined with the creamy cheesecake. I also scored a coupon for Blue Diamond Oven Roasted Almonds.

I went to the gym at 2 pm. I did 30 minutes of cardio on the Cybex machine. It went by so quickly cuz Twilight was playing on one of the big TVs. Edward Cullen is a great distraction from exercise that might otherwise be mind numbing.

I didn't want to do a tough workout at the gym because there was an All Staff meeting on campus. I was afraid to show up looking rough without any makeup to reapply. I snacked on a handful of pretzels and an oatmeal cookie.

Lazy dinner tonight to use some leftovers before we go grocery shopping later this week. I heated some of the "Chicken Leo," spread it on two tortillas, and topped it with a Mexican blend of cheeses. Not bad for a quick and easy meal.

Style Stealer

2009-10-05T12:17:00.008-04:00

Photos from Style Bakery and In Style

Natalie Portman looks adorable in this outfit! I wouldn't change a thing, though I might hem her jeans a little bit shorter. I've always thought capes were so cute and I've wanted one for years. I don't think I'm stylish enough to pull off the look. So I'll leave the cape hanging on the rack at the store and go home with Natalie's dark jeans, white tunic blouse, and a brightly colored scarf. I think that shade of green looks really nice on someone with dark hair.

Just remembered my navy blue pea coat I purchased yesterday. That will look perfect for my interpretation of this look!

Vitamin Zzzz Deficiency

2009-10-05T09:33:00.003-04:00

Jared and I debated bringing a full length mirror back from my parents' house yesterday. After climbing on the tub again this morning, I'm wishing we had decided to fit it in the car. I'm wearing my new red flats to work today, a gift from my mom for helping her dress shop. They're from the Naturalizer outlet so I'm expecting them to be comfortable. I like the fact that they have a slight wedge heel. Any extra inches to help lengthen my legs and make me appear longer and leaner!

I was SO tired when my alarm went off. I hit snooze as many times as I could get away with before I had to get up for work. I think the 5K and the excitement of being with my family took a lot more out of me than I realized. I'm going to try to go to bed before 11 tonight.

I ate Dannon yogurt and the last of my Bear Naked granola for breakfast once I got to work. I was psyched to try the Strawberry Kiwi yogurt, but found that it tasted very similar to strawberry. I would've appreciated a stronger kiwi taste.

The newest addition to my Halloween Decorations! My mom sent me home with these cute little rubber duckies. (I think they are in the Prize Box at the dentist office where she works) They glow in the dark! I love their little Halloween costumes. My cousin has a HUGE collection of rubber ducks so I'm going to bet that my mom is mailing some to her in South Carolina!

Sunday Run Day

2009-10-04T21:58:00.009-04:00

I started the morning off with a bowl of Cinnamon Puffins topped with banana slices.

Jared and I drove to my parents' house to meet my cousin before the race.

To fuel for the 5K, I snacked on a Chai Tea Luna Bar. Yay, another favorite flavor. I like the chai spiciness. This was tasty.

We had a large support system at the starting line with us. Becky was a little nervous for her first 5K so she appreciated the extra encouragement.

We were all smiles at the beginning of the race. Little did we know that we would be running up slippery trails and pushing ourselves to the max!

My Uncle Jon took off like a bullet from the start. I think his final time was just about 25 minutes. He ran Cross Country in high school so he knew what he was getting into.

I pushed myself harder than I ever have before. After the last big hill, I thought I might be sick. But somehow I forced myself to keep going and even managed to break into a run as I neared the finish line. 3.1 miles in 27:19...I'm proud of myself!

Becky struggled with cramps towards the end of the race but my Auntie Carol talked her through it. They both met their goals, finishing in just under 30 minutes!

This is our After picture, a little tired and a lot sweaty. But overall, a great experience to share with my family and good speed work before the 1/2 Marathon.

There was a post-race BBQ and I took advantage of everything. I had a veggie burger with lettuce, onions, and pickles. Plus 2 slices of watermelon and a raspberry dessert bar! It probably wasn't the healthiest meal but it felt good to eat after working so hard and draining all of my energy.

I was happy to see my parents' Siberian Husky Natasha. She has beautiful blue eyes and she's such a low key dog. Nastasha is getting old, she's 12, but she is good about tolerating my crazy corgi when he's in town.

I went shopping with my mom and helped her buy a dress to wear to my cousin's wedding. I'll find any excuse to go to the Wrentham Outlets. I got a pea coat at J. Crew for 40% off, plus a 15% discount because I have a college ID. Can't beat those savings.

My mom was really psyched to make spaghetti squash. She cut the squash in half and then scraped out the seeds.

She baked for 45 minutes.

Then she scraped out the "spaghetti" insides. Mmmm!

My plate was filled with a wheat roll, spaghetti squash, "Chicken Leo" named after my grandfather (unfortunately I don't remember the real name), and wheat egg noodles. Look out for leftovers over the next few days.

I had a slice of homemade apple pie for dessert, accompanied by a tablespoon of vanilla ice cream.

Running Recap

2009-10-04T17:38:00.005-04:00

It was like a family reunion at the race. My cousin Becky, Auntie Carol, Jared, Uncle Jon and I ran the Shawn M. Nassaney Memorial Cross Country Race at Bryant University. Running on cross country trails is SO different from running on sidewalks. No one warned me that this is one of the most difficult courses in RI.

I finished the 5K in 27:19. My goal was to finish in under 30 minutes to prove to myself that I can run faster than a 10 minute/mile pace. Yay, goal achieved!

I have more pictures from the race and the BBQ lunch after, but my parents' desktop is way too slow. I'll have to upload everything when I get back to Boston later tonight. We're getting ready for a family dinner and we're trying a few new recipes. Mmm, good smells are wafting from the kitchen!

BC vs. FSU

2009-10-03T23:38:00.008-04:00

Raining cats and dogs all morning! Miles did not want to go outside to pee so I had to run out in pajamas and slippers and force him into the backyard. The things we do for our pets!

I snacked on a blueberry muffin while getting ready to go.

We went to Chris's house to watch the BC/FSU football game and enjoy his Healthy Tailgating Recipes for the new blog he's launching. I met some other bloggers and ate a lot of delicious food!

I was starving but the food wasn't ready so I had a small glass of Malbec to hold me over.

We got to Chris's a few minutes after kickoff. The guys were all about drinking Blue Moon Harvest Pumpkin to add to the fall-like atmosphere.

The first snack was healthy nachos with ground turkey, lowfat cheese, and fresh vegetables. These were one of the highlights of the day!

Chris had several variations of chicken wings for us to test.

Jared was the true wings expert.

I was not the best person to test the wings because I don't care for spicy foods. I love Blue Cheese so I was on board to test both blue cheese dips. The chunkier version made with plain Chobani and Blue Cheese crumbles was outstanding! I loved it so much I even ate it by the spoonful when I was done with my wings.

Potato skins. This recipe needed a bit of work.

Pita pizzas baking in the oven.

After eating such spicy foods, I switched to white wine. This was around the time that BC pulled off their win over Florida State so I needed to have a victory drink anyway.

There were several different types of pita pizzas to choose from. I tried the BBQ chicken and the Sausage pitas.

Mmmm! Everything tasted great to me.

We shared pieces of cookies from Flour Bakery for dessert.

We ended the night with some board games. We attempted to play Trivial Pursuit but we quit early-on after everyone kept getting the questions wrong. Scattergories was a lot more fun!

I have to wake up early tomorrow to drive to my parents' house. I'm running in a 5K at Bryant University with my aunt, uncle, and cousin.

Harpoon Brewery Octoberfest

2009-10-03T10:43:00.006-04:00

I snacked on some tortilla chips while I got ready to head to Harpoon. It always makes me laugh that normally I wear my nicest clothes when I'm getting ready to go out. But when I get ready for any Harpoon Festival, I throw on my crappier stuff. There's no way to avoid getting splashed with beer and I don't want to risk ruining anything.

We met Mark and Maggie, and the four of us shared a cab to the Brewery.

Using my Friends of Harpoon card, I got to skip the line so I had my wristband and picked up my souvenir cup in no time.

Happy Octoberfest 2009!

The main tent and most of the outdoor space was jam packed. We pushed our way through the crowds. No one was standing in front of the German band so we moved in and spread out. It was a great time dancing to the Ooompah music.

I didn't eat a real dinner so I had an Italian sausage with peppers and onions. I only ate half of the sausage before throwing it out and finishing the bun and the vegetables.

I was cold, and Jared was Mr. Nice Guy and let me wear his jacket.

We made a cultural shift and went to Pho Republique after Octoberfest ended. The four of us split a bottle of Dreamy Clouds sake. I've tried this before and really liked it. The sake has a chewy texture and a light taste.

We split a Pu Pu Platter. I don't eat any seafood so my choices were really limited. I had one chicken potsticker, one tofu and edamame potsticker, and a rib. It was delicious and not too filling.

Miles had SO much energy when we got home. He was running and jumping and biting, one of his favorite things to do. It took a while to calm him down and I was totally ready for bed...and no alarm in the morning cuz it's the weekend.

I decided to make a fruit smoothie for breakfast.

Today's ingredients included:

1 cup of frozen berries
Frozen banana
Apple (cored)
Black raspberry yogurt
1 tablespoon of blueberry flax seed
2 ice cubes

As I previously mentioned, I am not a seafood fan. Because of the lack of fish in my diet, I miss out on the benefits of Omega-3 Fatty Acids. I'm always interested in finding non-seafood ways to incorporate it into my meals.

Omega-3 Fatty Acids are said to help prevent 2 types of strokes, breast, colon, & prostate cancer, depression & anxiety, and cardiovascular disease. It can also benefit immune function and brain activity. I am not a registered dietitian or a nutritionist, but Omega-3s seem like a good idea to me.

This smoothie was amazing! The fruit flavors blended together perfectly. The texture wasn't too thick and I drank the whole thing within a few minutes. I couldn't resist!

To the Core

2009-10-02T18:01:00.003-04:00

Leftovers from dinner last night....and not nearly as good as last night either.

I went to the gym and walked on the treadmill for 30 minutes. I wanted to do something that wouldn't be too difficult but would help stretch my hip flexors. I walked for 30 minutes at a 3% incline. By the time I was done, the stiffness was almost gone. Plus I picked a treadmill by the window so I had a view of Route 9 (and a blue New England sky) and my TV playing the WBZ news.

I sat in the sauna for 10 minutes before cleaning up and heading back to the office. The afternoon dragged because we had to spend 2 hours cleaning out old paper files in our "library."

I snacked on a handful of my absolute favorite trail mix from Trader Joe's called Sweet Savory and Tart Trek Mix.

Before I left the office to start my weekend, I ate this apple down to the core. Seasonal fruits are great!

A group of us are celebrating Octoberfest at Harpoon Brewery tonight. I won't have any German beer; I'll just stick to Raspberry UFO. However there's a good chance that I'll enjoy some German food...and an even better chance that I'll enjoy the Oompah music!

In the Bag

2009-10-02T11:08:00.006-04:00

Style Bakery posted its Fall Handbag Guide.

#s 1-3 include the color red, stud details, and ruffle details. I couldn't agree more!

1. Red: I love adding random bits of color to outfits. A red bag, a close second to red shoes, adds a nice pop! to what you're wearing.

2. Stud details: Again, on bags or on shoes, studs are awesome. They can give a girlie outfit a bit of edge. I'm on the lookout for a pair of stud earrings. I can't remember where I saw the pair that I really wanted...possibly at Urban Outfitters?

3. Ruffle details: I was walking by the Cole Haan store on Newbury Street and I saw a ruffled bag that I adored. The opposite of a bag with stud details, ruffles can add a girlie look to a plain outfit.

Hope you enjoyed the brief departure from food and exercise. My cousin used to tell people that shopping was her cardio, and I totally echo that sentiment!

Fall Friday

2009-10-02T10:40:00.006-04:00

I broke into the box of Cinnamon Puffins for breakfast. I think I like the Peanut Butter flavor best, but this was still tasty. The cereal stays nice and crunchy even after the milk is added.

We don't have a full length mirror in the apartment so I have to move the shower curtain and stand on the edge of the tub to see my entire outfit. It was in the 40s this morning, quite chilly! I have several sweaters with toggle buttons. Now is definitely the appropriate time to wear them. Plus my Ugg moccasins! Flats look better without socks but my feet get way too cold. The moccasins' fuzzy lining comes in handy during the Fall and Winter in Boston.

I'm also "mad for plaid." I bought a lot of it last fall/winter and I'm glad it's still in style. I have at least 4 button down shirts, and also 2 dresses, in various colors and patterns.

I usually snack on a bar in the afternoon but I decided to change things up a bit. I tried a Clif Kid Z Bar in the Honey Graham flavor. Mmm! Anything with an icing swirl is right up my alley! The texture was chewy but not sticky.

It took a day, but my post-run soreness from Wednesday night's long run as finally kicked in. My hip flexors are pretty tight. Walking is a little bit difficult and I feel like a little old woman. I'm going to to do some light cardio later today and then take extra time to STRETCH.

2 for 1

2009-10-01T21:13:00.005-04:00

So my business casual work outfit had a greater emphasis on the casual. But I got a complement on my boots! They're from Madewell and I got them for my birthday a few weeks ago. Woohoo!

I got semi-creative with dinner and decided to bake squash and zucchini. I coated them in oil olive, sprinkled them with sea salt and pepper, and then baked them for 25 minutes at 425 degrees.

While the veggies were baking, I boiled pasta and sipped some of the leftover wine.

For some reason, I love meals that are mixed together in one bowl. Everything gets blended for a nice taste and texture! As soon as everything was ready, I dumped the veggies in with the whole wheat penne and then topped everything with feta cheese. It was a nice and light dinner, and truly scrumptious!

I had to drive to Medford at 7:15 so I could get my 1st massage. When I arrived, I was forced to face another first. I had to parallel park my car! I had NEVER done that before. The space was pretty tight and I might've played a bit of bumper cars. Sorry! But I got the car in the space and made it to the spa on time.

My 30 minute back massage was great. A Touch of Spa was affordable, but still offered a great service. I felt so pampered. When I was fixing my hair after my treatment, I noticed I had a red line down my forehead from a crease in the headrest. Embarrassing. I lathered on some Apple Cinnamon lotion that was in the room. I smell like a piece of apple pie! I have 3 treatments left in my birthday package. I think I'll book the facial next!

So after a day consisting of relaxing in the sauna, parallel parking for the first time, and getting my first back massage, I'm ready to watch the Office and call it a night.

Relaxing Afternoon

2009-10-01T15:41:00.005-04:00

If I'm a Sunchip addict, my mother is my dealer. She bought another box of 100 calorie bags for me to bring back to Boston. My turkey sandwich wasn't too good today because I used prepackaged turkey from Trader Joe's. Nothing beats getting freshly shaved turkey from the deli counter!

I cleaned out our snack drawer and brought some chocolate into work. I left it on the kitchen counter and it was gone within an hour. Coworkers are great at helping get rid of food! I couldn't part with this little Lindor Truffle though.

I went to HealthWorks over my lunch break. Since today is a lazy day, I just sat in the sauna for 10 minutes and read a magazine. It was beyond wonderful! I barely managed to stay in 10 minutes. I was too hot and sweaty! But it felt amazing as soon as I stepped out, like I sweated out all of my negativity! I am going to plan a few minutes in the sauna at least once a week, especially as the weather gets colder.

I had some time leftover after HealthWorks so I took a quick trip to the Chestnut Hill Mall. I used a coupon at Victoria's Secret to get a free pair of underwear. Does anyone with an Angel's Card bother to buy underwear anymore? I swear I earn a free pair every month!

I devoured this Luna bar as soon as I got in the car. I didn't even care about taking a good picture. I was hungry! The S'mores flavor was good. It didn't top the oatmeal kind, but I liked the chocolate layer a lot!

It's Bananas, B-A-N-A-N-A-S

2009-10-01T09:26:00.005-04:00

I really wanted a smoothie for breakfast but I was too cold. It might be time to turn on the heat! I opted for the banana theme instead: 3 small pieces of banana bread and a serving of the Celebrity Fruit of the Day. Very tasty and definitely VERY filling.

Jared and Miles were busy doing work when I left to go to my job. I am a little sore from yesterday's long run so I might skip the gym today. (Or I might go sit in the sauna for a little while!) We're supposed to do another long run on Saturday so I want to make sure that I'm well rested. Then on Sunday I'm running in a 5K race at Bryant University.

I put my Flector patch on my back as soon as I got to work this morning. Not really in pain but I'm feeling some discomfort. I am super super excited because I'm going to the spa tonight for my first back massage ever! Maybe that will help me feel better?!?!

Great Eight

2009-09-30T21:08:00.008-04:00

I wasn't too hungry after my workout but I knew that I needed something to eat. I decided to try a Greens Plus bar.

Wow, that's a lot of information and A LOT of healthy ingredients. I LOVED this bar. The tangy berry flavor was awesome and the yogurt coating was perfect. I liked the texture too. If it didn't cost over $2, I would buy a lot more of these.

I had some yogurt with a sprinkle of granola around 4 pm. Jared had mentioned running after work so I knew I'd need to have something in my stomach. (That's a photo of my grandpa and me. He passed away last Christmas, but I still think about him a lot)

I got home from work and took care of the dog. Jared was running late so I had a bit of my mom's homemade banana bread for a snack. My mom is known for her banana bread. She uses a recipe she cut from the newspaper in the early 1980s. Nothing can top your mom's baking and the childhood memories it conjures.

Jared came home not just ready to run, but also with the news that Mark was running with us. We ran 7.5 miles and then walked the last 3/4 mile home. I felt great! We ran along the Charles. The path was better lit than I had expected. Plus running with 2 guys who are both over 6 feet helps to make things less scary. The views of Cambridge, and then Boston after we crossed the bridge at Cambridge Street, were so pretty! I love the city at night.

Our goal was to run 8 miles but the Map My Run app wasn't working quite right. I can rationalize. If I add the 7.5 run and the 0.75 walk, we definitely reached our goal. Eight feels great!

If anyone has any good running music, let me know. We're planning one more long run before the 1/2 Marathon and I get bored easily!

There was a chilly wind along the Charles. I was really cold when we got home so I knew soup would be the perfect thing to warm me up. Grilled cheese is ideal with soup. And since we didn't have crackers, I had a few French Onion chips.

After such a busy day I am ready to relax on the couch! I'll probably watch Glee and then drag my tired self to bed!

1st Day of School

2009-09-30T13:48:00.005-04:00

I was really nervous to go to HealthWorks for the first time. I'm such a dork! It felt like the first day of school. I had my gym clothes packed and I was so nervous but excited at the same time.

I tried to pack better foods to eat at work. I snacked on the NY apple (Mmm, much better!) around 11 am and then ate the burrito at noon.

I was ready to head to HealthWorks by 12:45 pm. All I had to do was grab my gym bag and walk out through the building's main lobby. HealthWorks was about 15 steps away from the front door.

Crappy shot of my view of the Chestnut Hill HealthWorks. Cars were backing out and looking at me like I was a crazy person for standing in the driveway and taking pictures.

I got a brief tour of the workout facilities and the spa-like locker room. Then I was on my own! I brought Budget Travel magazine to read during my cardio. I chose to use the Elliptical machine for 22 minutes. It seemed like a safe bet. I hate working out in new environments. I get really nervous and I can't focus on what I'm doing. Today I was more interested in looking around, trying to figure out where the wipes were so I could clean the machine when I was done. As I become more comfortable, I have lots of options so I can vary my workouts. Boredom won't be a problem!

After cardio, I found a nice little corner with free weights and all the ab workout items I could ever dream of. I didn't have a plan in mind and I just played around with everything. I did a little bit of bicep/tricep/shoulder work, 3 sets of leg lifts on that stand where you balance on your forearms (does that make sense? I don't know what it's called), and then I stretched on a mat.

I almost got lost trying to go back to the locker room and find my stuff. I feel SO spoiled at this gym. I know I'm paying for the membership but I don't feel like I deserve to be working out somewhere so nice. I changed my clothes and listened to soothing classical music. I even sampled some of the body lotion that was by the makeup mirror. Even though I skipped the sauna today, I still feel pampered and even rejuvinated. Definitely ready to take on the rest of my day!

Someone left free vegetables by the mailboxes. I can't turn down fresh from the garden produce! I took a big zuchini and two little baby squashes. Now I need to think of ways to use this in my meals for the rest of the week. Mmm hmm....

PB & Oats

2009-09-30T10:15:00.003-04:00

All of the big-time bloggers use nearly empty jars of peanut butter as bowls for their oatmeal. I decided to make a small portion of stove top oats and give it a try.

My mix included:

1/2 cup oatmeal (uncooked)
1/2 banana
Maple Syrup
Sprinkle of Cinnamon

I was much happier cutting the serving size in half. This mix was delicious and so filling. Even with a smaller amount of oatmeal, I still had trouble finishing the whole bowl. It's been over 2 hours since I ate breakfast and I am still full. So different from when I eat cereal and then end up snacking by mid-morning!

I tried an ice version of the Pecan Rum coffee. I burnt the top of my mouth eating the oatmeal so it was soothing to my palate. I love drinking coffee on the way to work. It's a relaxing distraction from traffic and it decreases my road rage!

Objects in the mirror are closer than they appear! Yeah, I'm waiting at a red light by the Pru and the Christian Science Center.

Biggest Loser

2009-09-29T20:39:00.005-04:00

I NEEDED a quick snack before I headed out to the Madewell Fall Denim Tour. A bowl of Wheat Thins did the trick and I was out the door.

After the event I met Jared at Trader Joe's for a quick grocery shopping. We had a lot leftover from our big trip to Shaws last week so I just stocked up on fresh fruit, lunch meat, and a few items that are exclusive to Trader Joe's.

I was the Biggest Loser tonight for wasting my time at the Madewell event. The store was packed! There was barely room to move around and look at the clothes. Servers were passing trays of appetizers but I didn't feel like eating while being jostled by crazed shoppers. It was 1 million degrees in there so I stayed just long enough to grab a goodie bag. The bag contained a Lucky magazine (already read it at the gym), a pin, a poster, and these ridiculous sunglasses. Oh well. It was free and at least I was right near Trader Joe's. Shopping for food was much more fun than shopping for clothes!

I have a great selection of bars in the snack drawer. I took the suggestion to get the S'mores flavored Luna bar and the Z bar. Can't wait to work my way through and try these flavors.

It was my night to make dinner. I made Spinach and Artichoke raviolis and topped them with Trader Joe's Alfredo sauce, and a side salad of lettuce, cucumbers, and red peppers with Italian dressing.

Jared suggested wine...and who am I to argue? I felt a little guilty because we drank wine last night, but I've read enough information about the Mediterranean Diet and I believe that wine in moderation is allowed. This is my 2nd bottle of Gruner Veltliner. I taste that it's a nice, crisp white with the perfect amount of acidity for my palate.

What's Wrong with this Picture?

2009-09-29T15:26:00.008-04:00

Raisin bran for breakfast because I was tired, lacking coffee, and not in the mood to create anything good. I promise I'll eat something fun tomorrow!

If my dog Miles had a blog, he'd post this picture twice a day.

Poor Miles eats 1 cup of Purina kibbles every morning and evening. He gets treats to liven things up. But since he's trying to prevent that doggy weight gain, he needs to snack in moderation!

I snacked on an apple and some string cheese around 10:30 am. This apple is from MA orchard. All of the other apples I've eaten are from NY. The NY apples are much sweeter than this MA one. I was disappointed. Maybe tomorrow I'll have better luck with fruit.

What is wrong with this picture?!?! I guess this is my punishment for eating a crappy frozen meal. The chicken doesn't look very appealing in real life. I ate it because I was hungry but it was nothing to brag about.

I went to the Beacon Hill Athletic Club to cancel my membership. Since I was already at the gym, I decided to do one last workout. I read Running Times while I climbed on the Stair Master for 22 minutes. I thought Running Times would give me confidence for the 1/2 marathon. Instead it made me feel like crap. Everyone in the magazine is a REAL runner. They have training schedules, perform at super speeds, and can handle long distances. I need some big time encouragement for the 1/2 Marathon on October 11th! At least I learned how to hydrate and replenish electrolytes as well as how to warmup before workouts and the race.

I had time to squeeze in a quick ab workout before getting ready to go back to work. Everyone at the BHAC is so nice and I feel bad about leaving. But HealthWorks is going to help me get the most out of my lunch time workouts. I'm even going to attempt to follow a weekly workout schedule. (I haven't followed a training schedule since college when I had cheerleading practice 5-6 days/week!)

My favorite flavor of Luna bar so far! I have to remind myself that I am on the hunt for new foods (bars included) I tend to get stuck in ruts and eat the same thing several days in a row.

I ran out of snacks so I decided to try to get rid of my afternoon munchies by making my own ice tea. Here's the Before shot....

And the After. Love my Wall-E wallpaper on my computer. I'm not even going to try to pick a favorite Disney character, but he's definitely in my top 5.

And from last night:
Oops....here's my dinner. Jared and I got caught up cleaning out the DVR so I forgot to blog. We watched The Amazing Race, Say Yes to the Dress (ok only I watched that one), Hung, and Entourage.
Couscous! Plus 2 pieces of chicken hidden in there somewhere. Accompanied by a glass of Malbec.

Clothes Horse

2009-09-29T10:44:00.007-04:00

I love shopping! Possibly even more than I love good food and working out. Ok, not possibly, definitely. If I had to choose between a designer handbag and grocery shopping, I would totally be carrying that new bag.

In Paris! Shopping dream come true....even though I didn't end up buying the coveted Louis Vuitton bag!

My dad got a paparazzi shot of me shopping in London. I'm clearly focused on the impending purchase.

I'm trying to sift through my closet, both at my apartment in Boston and at my parents' house, and get rid of stuff that I won't wear again. I have a huge pile that I need to bring to the Salvation Army.

I like to check out Style Bakery's fashion blog for tips on the latest and greatest...

Items to Update your Fall Wardrobe

1. Leather biker jacket

2. Soft, draped day dress

3. Layered chain necklace: I was able to get a really funky necklace from TopShop in London so I've got this one covered.

4. Printed scarf: Scarves were EVERYWHERE in London. I think I came home with 4 or 5 different patterns.

5. Skinny inky blue or black jeans

6. Studded ankle boots: My Seychelles booties just arrived in the mail.

7. Long cardigan: Obsessed with long "Grandpa" cardigans. They're so comfy and cozy. Plus they cover a lot when I'm not feeling my skinniest.

8. Red bag: Got one from Cole Haan a few years ago. Love the buttery soft leather!

9. Red lipstick

10. Green or purple nail polish: Dark purple is my go-to color!

Dreaming of an engagement ring from Tiffanys!!!

Lower Back Attack

2009-09-28T19:48:00.006-04:00

This was a late night snack last night. Spinach and Artichoke hummus, cucumbers, red peppers, lettuce, and good old American cheese. It was refreshing to eat so many veggies before heading to bed.

I had an early morning doctor's appointment in RI so I ate breakfast in the car.

I am FINALLY dealing with my lower back pain that has resulted from 11 years of gymnastics and 8 years of cheerleading. I've been bothered for as long as I can remember. Now I have some Flector patches to try wearing at work. The right side of my lower back bothers me when I sit for long periods of time. It doesn't exactly hurt, but I'm uncomfortable, almost as if I need to twist and stretch and pop something into place.

I have to try 2 weeks of physical therapy and/or a chiropractor. If I don't see any positive results, I'll have to go for an MRI. I hope that this gets taken care of soon. I'll stretch and do PT. I haven't done any serious tumbling in well over a year and I'm tired of feeling like I'm falling apart at 26.

After the doc's, I had a dentist appointment. My mom is my hygienist so I didn't mind going. She made the appointment quick and relatively painless. Though she did force me to wear the fluoride trays usually reserved for little kids! I "borrowed" 3 magazines from the waiting room including one about running in a desperate attempt to get some 1/2 marathon pointers.

No groceries at my parents' house = I ate grilled cheese and Tostitoes with salsa for lunch.

Here's a shot of the Flector patch I rocked while working from home for the afternoon.

I drove back to Boston around 4 and hit traffic on 93, grrr! I went to HealthWorks to take a tour/sign up for a membership and to attend Tina's How to Blog seminar.

I work next to the HealthWorks in Chestnut Hill so this is going to make my lunch hour so much better. (I love that the showers are equipped with everything you could possibly need: shampoo, conditioner, body wash!) Sorry to have to cancel on my old gym but I am saving myself time and gas during my lunch hour.

It was great to meet Tina and learn about her blog Carrots 'N' Cake. She shared a lot of great blogging tips. I was super excited and asked a bunch of questions. Hopefully I didn't embarrass myself and come across as crazy obnoxious. I'm really excited about HealthWorks' blogging program. They're selecting 5 members to blog for them. Fingers crossed! Regardless of whether I get picked or not, it will give me more fun stuff to read when I have free time.

Jared is making dinner now. Once I eat, I have to unpack the stuff I brought back with me including a new pair of booties (hopped on that trend band wagon) and a few belated birthday gifts from my parents. Thanks Mom and Dad!

Bills Bar

2009-09-27T20:50:00.004-04:00

I used my self-timer for the first time ever! Stretching out before going for my run.

Ok, so I haven't totally figured out the art of self-timer portraits.

It was a little bit muggy and misty, but the running conditions weren't that bad. We ran 3.6 miles at an average pace of 8 minutes, 22 seconds. How do I know this??? Because Jared download the "Map My Run" application on his i-phone. It was really nice to know the exact info instead of planning a route ahead of time and trying to guestimate our pace after factoring in stoplights.

I made a healthy sandwich for lunch: Spinach and artichoke hummus, red peppers, American cheese, and lettuce with some Wheat Thins for crunchiness. It was delicious! I'm craving another one as I type this.

I watched most of the Pats/Falcons football game while cleaning the apartment. I met Jared and Chris at the Harp to watch the Bills/Saints game at 4. The Harp is the home of the Bills Backers, diehard Buffalo Bills fan who live in the Boston area.

I had one Blue Moon and shared some Buffalo Wings and Spinach and Artichoke dip with the guys. Not the healthiest dinner but I didn't eat TOO much. Sometimes it's more important to relax and have fun rather than spend time agonizing over every calorie.

There was a great crowd today. It was disappointing that the Bills couldn't pull off a win. I was happy that the Pats beat the Atlanta, and hopefully Buffalo will do better next week!

Start Your Engines

2009-09-27T11:14:00.005-04:00

Jared brewed our new Pecan Rum coffee. It made the whole apartment smell yummy.

When I went outside with the dog, I found the world's tiniest snail crawling on our deck. Aww! Look at the little guy!

I made French Toast for breakfast. I mixed 1 egg, milk, and a bit of cinnamon together, and then dipped 3 pieces of wheat bread in the mixture.

Topped with some warm berries and syrup. Amazingly delicious!

The Polcari's Coffee was SO good. The flavor wasn't as strong as the smell, which was a good thing. I don't like flavored coffee that is too sweet and overwhelming.

We watched last night's SNL while enjoying cups of coffee.

Once we're done digesting it's going to be time for a RUN.

Picture Perfect Day

2009-09-26T20:45:00.009-04:00

Jared was in charge of making lunch while I was getting ready to go. He prepared turkey sandwiches with Wheat Thins, baby carrots, and apple slices.

We walked from the South End to the waterfront. It was such a nice day. I felt bad that we were heading inside but for desserts, I made the sacrifice.

Tasty treats, this way!!!

I was in love with the leopard print wrapping around these cupcakes. So cute! I am definitely having cupcakes at my wedding someday!

Pretty flowers to add to the atmosphere.

Wedding cake with slices for sampling

Chocolate fondue provided by the Melting Pot

We walked to the North End and wandered into Polcari's Coffee. Such a cute and old school shop. They're cash only so I'll hit the ATM before I head back there.

We bought 0.5 pounds of Pecan Rum flavored beans. It smells like heaven and I can't wait til tomorrow morning to brew it! I wanted to try the Pumpkin flavored coffee but they had JUST sold out. There are tons of tasty flavors to pick from so I'll be back to sample more.

Cute silverware in the sidewalk...only in the North End where there's an Italian restaurant every 50 feet.

We walked past Haymarket where there were lots of fresh fruits and vegetables for sale.

There was a charity bike race in Government Center. Pat the Patriot was there for the mascot race. We met up with Chris, Mark, and Maggie to enjoy the festivities.

Mascots lined up and ready to go!

The men's race started around 5. The riders did 0.7 mile laps for about 90 minutes. Some of the turns were really tight, and really scary to stand on the corners and watch.

We got bored and cold after watching for 30 minutes so we walked to The Living Room for dinner and drinks. I started with a glass of Blue Moon.

Then I dined on macaroni and cheese and a side salad. Mmmm!

On the walk home, the guys started arguing over who could ID beers in a blind taste test. So we decided to create our own.

They were blindfolded and sampled glasses of Coors Light, Miller Light, and Bud Light. Jared was the winner, getting all 3 correct. Mark and Chris didn't get any right. Sorry guys; maybe next time!

We're all hanging out and watching the Penn State/Iowa game.

So obviously Jared and I didn't go for a short run like we had planned. More proof that we're not morning people. We ran out of time and then just needed to get to the Dessert Showcase. I'd like to think we made up for it by walking around all afternoon and by sampling much fewer desserts than we planned. (FYI, I think I had 1 cupcake, 1 bite of cake, iced coffee, 1 chocolate covered strawberry, and 1 bite of a coconut brownie bar)

We're definitely going running tomorrow. The weather will determine whether we do our 8 mile training run or a quick 3 miler. If it's crappy and we only run 3, we're going to have to do a long run sometime during the week.

Hob Nob

2009-09-26T10:30:00.003-04:00

We went to Anchovies for dinner and I made sure to order a glass of Malbec while we waited for our table. As soon as we sat, the guys decided they wanted a bottle of Hob Nob. Equally delicious!

I ordered the chicken and artichoke salad with the pesto dressing on the side. It was nice and light yet still filling. Plus I love the pesto dressing! We ordered a 2nd bottle of Hob Nob so we could sip and chat. Chris is starting a food blog geared towards guys. He's going to have some Boston bloggers over on Saturday to try out healthy tailgating recipes. So excited to be there to take pictures and sample the food!

I couldn't find my camera so I had already eaten half of my raisin bran cereal when it finally turned up and I got my breakfast photo.

Jared is cleaning the back door and taking out the screen. No more breezes! They were getting too chilly anyway. We're going to run 3 miles and then get ready for the New England Dessert Showcase later this afternoon.

Balanced Meal

2009-09-25T18:55:00.008-04:00

What a well balanced snack! Literally!

I snacked on yet another apple. We only have apples and bananas in the apartment. I really like to eat fresh fruits and vegetables but I don't always have a lot of options.

I ran out of time this morning so I needed a grab-and-go lunch. A frozen meal was the best solution. Amy's Broccoli and Cheese Pocket Sandwiches are so tasty. I don't know why I'm so obsessed with Sunchips lately.

I walked to CVS during my lunch break. Today was a perfect example of fall on New England!

I went overboard buying hand sanitizer and other items to combat germs. The cashier thought I was kinda crazy, but oh well. One container is for Jared, another for my car, etc. etc.

At 2:30, I had to go to campus to help set up for BC's Pops on the Heights. The tables were decorated with the cutest chocolate pianos and notes. The smell was such a tease! Luckily I had snacked on a Luna bar while I was driving over so I wasn't too tempted to sneak one.

It took about an hour and a half to place bagged meals under the seats in Conte Forum. It was hard work! My back was killing and I was sweating like a beast by the time it was over. At least I got my workout in for the day.

I snacked on string cheese when I got home from work.

Plus I snacked on more Sunchips while I watched last night's episode of Grey's Anatomy.

I think Jared and I are going to meet our friend Chris for dinner and then go to a jazz club. Nothing like good food and good music to enjoy a Friday night!

Smooth Operator

2009-09-25T10:15:00.004-04:00

I was beyond hungry when I woke up this morning. (What the heck?!?! I snacked all night. I should've been satisfied!) I grabbed a mini-croissant so I could have something in my belly.

I decided to create a breakfast smoothie based on one of the recipes in my book. I changed things a little bit. My smoothie included

1 cup of milk
2 tablespoons of peanut butter
1 banana
3 ice cubes

It was awful good! (That is Jared's old school Awful Awful glass. I would never steal anything from Newport Creamery!) It was really filling. I had thought about having a coffee on the way to work but after my smoothie, I didn't have room for anything else.

Lucky Duck

2009-09-25T10:01:00.005-04:00

As I was about to fall asleep last night, my phone vibrated with a new text message. I didn't understand what it said because I was too groggy. Food, prize, me... Huh??!?!

This morning I solved the mystery!

I won 2 tickets to the 2009 New England Dessert Showcase from EatBoston's twitter contest. I tweeted that my favorite Boston dessert was a cannoli from Mike's Pastries. I guess that was delicious and Boston enough to be worthy of the prize.

I can't wait to go sample desserty treats tomorrow from 11 am-4 pm. I guess I'd better run tonight AND tomorrow morning so I won't feel too guilty.

Still Muchin'

2009-09-24T21:33:00.005-04:00

I booked my first spa appointment!!! I am so excited. On October 1st I'm going to get a back massage and a back wrap. It sounds so relaxing. I can't wait.

I was in a foodie mood when I got home so I used the taco leftovers to make a taco salad. I filled a bowl with lettuce and cucumbers. I reheated the meat and then topped that with cheese and Ranch dressing. I don't have my favorite Kraft Ranch dressing and the Ken's Steakhouse brand wasn't as good.

I found this in the snack drawer and couldn't resist some dessert.

My new smoothie maker arrived today. Thanks again to Bob and Kris for the great gift. The machine is called the "Smooth Operator" and it's one sexy smoothie maker!

I couldn't resist trying it out right away. I mixed ice cubes, 1 cup of orange juice, and one cup of frozen berries.

The motor on the Smooth Operator is so powerful. It crushed the ice in seconds! So much easier than the old blender that I kept needing to mix.

So fruity and delicious! I read 500 Smoothies and Juices to get ideas for my breakfast smoothie tomorrow morning.

I was still snackie so I ate a bowl of Peppercorn Ranch Sunchips. New flavor and I liked it!

I feel a little guilty that we didn't go running tonight but sometimes life hands you too many distractions. Jared and I went to drop off/pick up laundry. Then I worked painting the bathroom for an hour. I'm pretty sure I'm done with painting for a while.

Now I want to kick back and relax and watch the Office!

Snackie

2009-09-24T14:49:00.005-04:00

I chose to eat breakfast at work this morning. I packed some strawberry yogurt and granola. Easy enough and always a crowd pleaser.

I was such a snack-monster today. It was 11:15 and I just HAD to eat my lunch. I bought more delicious rolls when we were at Shaws so I used one to make a turkey sandwich with cheese, lettuce, and pickles. Plus Sunchips as a side, obviously!

I ate an apple around 12:30 but my camera was charging so I couldn't take a picture.

I went to the gym at 1:30 and used my time wisely: 25 minutes on the Elliptical machine and free weights for my upper body. Jared and I are supposed to run 3 miles tonight so I didn't feel the need to push myself too hard. I remembered to pack face wash and Cottonelle wipes to clean up after my workout. What a huge difference! I'm not too sweaty when I finish at the gym and I always splash water on my face and refresh my deodorant. Even so, when I get back to work, I feel kinda grimy. I feel so fresh and so clean clean today! Why weren't these 2 items in my gym bag before today?!?!

I was hungry when I got back in the office so I tore into a Luna bar. Mmmm! I loved this so much more the the Lara bar I ate yesterday.

Work Horse

2009-09-23T20:55:00.007-04:00

I took one for the team and ate the last of the Strawberry Yogurt O's. I'm not a fan! The yogurt bits were too sweet and the O's are too thick. If I'm going to eat o-shaped cereal, I'll stick with Cheerios.

I snacked on a fresh and healthy apple after I got to work. An apple a day keeps the doctor away! (Plus I need to go to CVS and buy a boatload of antibacterial hand gel!)

I put a few Fall decorations around my office.

Speaking of The Office, I love Dwight! He's so insane and has some of the funniest lines on the show. I ate a 100 calorie bag of Sunchips before I went to lunch.

I had a lunch meeting at the Cheesecake Factory with my new supervisor. I ordered the BBQ Ranch Chicken Salad. I didn't even come close to finishing, but it was really good. I was totally in the mood for fresh veggies.

I was really excited to try a Lara Bar. This one smelled exactly like a cinnamon roll when I opened it, but it didn't taste like one. The texture was too sticky. I'll have to eat another bar to before I make my final opinion. I know I didn't like the first Luna Bar I tried.

My registration info for the 1/2 marathon arrived! I still don't know if I'm capable of running 13.1 miles, but I'm going to try!

Jared made tacos for dinner. I ate 3 tortillas topped with ground beef, cheese, chopped cucumbers, and lettuce. Tacos are usually my meal to cook, but since we just use one of the kits, Jared's tasted the same as mine.

I had to paint the bathroom ceiling since the new vent has been installed for about a week. I got overzealous and painted the 2 closet doors by the bathroom. Everything looks great! Well, great considering we just rent the apartment so I'm just trying to make things look semi-decent. If I owned this place, I'd definitely hire someone who knows what to do.

BlogHer

2009-09-23T11:27:00.003-04:00

In the middle of signing up to be a member of BlogHer. BlogHer is a community for women who blog. I'm hoping I'll gain some insight on the blogging world, learn some new things, and meet some interesting bloggers!

Fun with Food

2009-09-22T22:29:00.007-04:00

I started off the day with a bowl of Special K with Red Berries. (But my smoothie machine just shipped today so my liquid breakfasts will come to life in the near future!)

I took a group picture of the food I brought to work because I was worried about my camera battery dying. I snacked on the Chobani and the apple during the morning hours. The Healthy Choice pasta had been purchased as a backup in case I didn't have anything to make for lunch. Well today was that day! It was pretty good for microwave pasta. I like to keep a few prepacked meals hanging around the apartment but I am making an effort to eat fresh stuff.

I went to the gym during my lunch hour and read the September issue of Self magazine while I used the stairmaster for 20 minutes. I had just enough time to do a few sets of crunches and stretch before I needed to head back to work.

I love mini cardio sessions during the workday. I used to live 5 minutes from my office so I would drive home to eat and then take a nap. When I would get back to work, I'd feel very lethargic. A few minutes of sweating has made a huge impact on my afternoon productivity levels!

The boyfriend and I went grocery shopping! It was $60 lower than our last trip. The kitchen cabinets are finally becoming stocked.

I made Annie's macaroni and cheese for dinner. I added some small bits of broccoli. I couldn't go over board because Jared isn't a big fan. I also added a tiny bit of garlic salt because mac and cheese used Alfredo shells.

I enjoyed my bowl in front of the TV so I could watch some of The Biggest Loser. I didn't get to enjoy tonight's show because I was busy trying to clean the apartment. When we got home on Sunday night, we dumped our stuff everywhere. I didn't lift a finger yesterday cuz it was my birthday!

Jared and I split an ice cream cookie sandwich for dessert. Lots of calories but such a treat! No photo cuz I was worried about my camera batteries dying.

But wait....
Jared was the hero of the day; he found my camera charger in the drawer full of dog items. Hmm... Was Miles trying to play a trick on me???

More Registering!

2009-09-22T15:10:00.004-04:00

Wow, this is the 2nd exciting item I've added to my calendar today! I'm attending the Healthworks seminar How to Blog on Monday September 28th. Tina, one of the bloggers I follow, is hosting the event. Can't wait to meet her!

I'm also psyched because I work next to the Healthworks in Brookline. I've always thought about joining but I've never made an appointment to take a look around and get some info. I'm going to set up a tour of the Back Bay location so I can start thinking about making the switch. I love to go to the gym on my lunch break so it would be so convinient to head one building over from my office for an hour of exercise! Plus I'd like to be able to go to the location near my apartment over the weekend for classes, etc.

Race Registration

2009-09-22T12:17:00.002-04:00

I just registered for the Shawn M. Nassaney Memorial Cross Country Race. I'm going to run the 5K race with my aunt and my cousin. It's my cousin Becky's first 5K race. I'm looking forward to running with family!

It's My Party

2009-09-21T22:22:00.007-04:00

And I'll cry if I want to... Or just eat whatever I feel like. I made my go-to instant oatmeal.

It took a while to blog about the weekend in NY so when I finished I took a nap.

I snacked on some Chobani and relaxed around the apartment. I got hooked on a marathon of the Rachel Zoe Project.

Photographed the 3 bottles we brought back from Seneca Lake.

I had to run a few errands on Newbury Street at some of my favorite stores: Johnny Cupcakes, Madewell, and Anthropologie. I guess Katie Holmes and Suri are staying at the Mandarin Oriental cuz there were photographers everywhere and there was a lot of yelling. I was more concerned with my birthday shopping.

I was SO hungry when I got home so I made a "salad" aka a bowl of lettuce with dressing.

Then it was time for the ultimate....
Potatoes in a pouch! Just boil 2 cups of hot water, add the mix, and there's a pan full of delicious goodness. Don't worry, I didn't eat the entire thing.

Jared and I went to Aquitaine to celebrate my birthday. Such a delicious meal! We shared a bottle of a Merlot/Cabernet Sauvignon blend. It was really good!

The onion soup appetizer was topped with gruyere cheese. I'm glad we split it because I would've eaten the entire bowl myself, and spoiled the main course.

I ordered the lamb. I like my meat cooked, not bleeding, soooo I ordered it "medium well." It was excellent. There were a few artichokes mixed in with the veggies so that made it even better! I was stuffed but I found some room to enjoy dessert.

We split the souffle for dessert and Jared requested a candle. I'm SO glad the staff didn't feel the need to sing! It was a sweet ending to my 26th birthday!

Weekend Update

2009-09-21T09:24:00.010-04:00

My first attempt at stove top oats!!! I didn't know what brand to buy so I just picked a small bag that was fairly inexpensive.

The instructions called for 2 cups of water and 1 cup of oats. That was TOO much for one person. I am going to cut everything in half next time I make this. I'm always hungry for breakfast but I'm never that famished.

List of toppings...

Cinnamon
Strawberry jam
Spoonful of almond butter
Maple syrup (added after a few bites because I thought it needed something sweet)

We left for Rochester around 12:30 and made a pit stop at the Banana Republic on Newbury so I could get the security tag removed from my sweater. I found the receipt while I was searching for my camera charger so there wasn't an issue. I was hungry so we stopped for lunch at only 30 minutes on the road.

We let Miles play in the dog walk area while we ate wraps from Fresh City. It was difficult to eat while standing up. I made a mess and kept dropping pieces of lettuce all over the ground.

We arrived at Jared's parents' house by 7:30. I was more than ready for dinner. We scrapped the plans for BBQ and headed to an Italian place instead. I started off with a nice green salad and a glass of Zinfandel.

For dinner I inhaled tortellini with chicken. Mmmm!

After dinner, we went back to the house. Two of Jared's friends came over and we all hung out in the hot tub. So relaxing! It was the perfect way to wind down after a super long car ride.

Jared and I had planned on going for a short run on Saturday morning, but sleep was much more important. There was just enough time for bagels and showers before we left for our wine tour around Seneca Lake.

We stopped at so many great vineyards and sampled more wines than I could keep track of. I swear I tried! We came home with 3 bottles of wines we liked best, and I came home with lots of corks to ad to our collection.

Turkey, cheese, and a pumpkin cream cheese spread. I really couldn't taste the pumpkin so I was a little disappointed. The sandwich just seemed spicy. Ohhh well, it was still very tasty!

The weather was absolutely perfect. Not quite fall but you could already feel a slight chill in the air despite the warm sunshine.

After all of the wine, we went back to the house for dinner. Jared's dad grilled some delicious chicken, but the freshly picked corn on the cob seemed to be the favorite!

There was cake to celebrate my birthday! Thank you to Jared, Bob and Kris, Doreen and Roy, and Bryan and Jenna for the great day! I had a lot of fun.

Jared and I RAN 7 miles on Sunday morning. It went much better than I expected. No cramps, no pain, and at the end of the 7, I felt like I could've kept going. Don't worry, I was more than happy that I didn't have to keep going. Instead I iced my knees for 10 minutes and then showered so we could continue with our day.

I was super excited for my chicken salad sandwich. Until I took a bite and something wasn't quite right. The cook made a tuna sandwich by mistake. Gag, spit, shudder! The restaurant was very nice about taking the sandwich back and I ordered something new.

I dove into my open faced chicken cordon bleu sandwich and didn't remember to take a picture until I had finished eating.

After lunch, we "tacked on an Abbott's" while wandering around RIT's campus. It was fun to see where Jared went to school and learn more about his college years. Apparently he's some sort of legend... Haha!

We stopped to buy some pumpkins and apples on the way home. I LOVED the fall themed setup but I couldn't play around for very long. Jared and his dad were eager to get home to watch the Bills game.

Jared and I left at halftime and didn't get back to Boston until after midnight. It was a long drive, but totally worth it for a fun weekend.

Jared's parents ordered a smoothie maker for my birthday. I'm counting down the days til its arrival on October 1st. They also gave me a recipe book with hundreds of options of cold drinks to create. What an awesome birthday weekend!!! I am truly blessed!

2-6!!!

2009-09-21T09:13:00.001-04:00

Wishing myself a very happy 26th birthday!

My age says that I'm an adult but can someone please tell me when I'm supposed to feel like a "grown up"!!!

7!!!

2009-09-20T11:21:00.003-04:00

Jared and I ran SEVEN miles this morning. So now I know I can make it through 50% of a 1/2 Marathon. It took exactly 70 minutes. We've definitely perfected the 10 minute/mile pace. I didn't get any cramps. I had a few moments of knee discomfort but no actual pain.

Now I'm icing my knees just in case. Then I need to shower and get ready to spend the day out and about in Rochester. I think we might go out to lunch and then go apple picking.

Sincere Apologies

2009-09-19T09:36:00.002-04:00

Jared and I left for Rochester, NY yesterday afternoon. I spent ALL morning looking for my camera charger with no success.

We stopped at a rest stop and I ordered a wrap from Fresh City. It was a loooong 6 hour drive to Rochester and we made it there by 7:30 pm. We went out for a delicious Italian dinner last night and then spent time relaxing in the hot tub.

We're going on a wine tour on the west side of Seneca Lake. I'll still be taking lots of pictures so expect a post as soon as I get a chance.

Have a GREAT weekend! (FYI: it's the last official weekend of summer)

Celebration

2009-09-18T09:19:00.005-04:00

I broke out my fall/Halloween decorations at work. Don't worry, I didn't start to put anything up yet. I just removed it from the file cabinet so I could take an inventory. Then I snacked on a plum!

When I got home from work, Jared and I decided to go to a local restaurant Anchovies for dinner. I wanted to wear this cozy sweater but the security tag is still on! To make things worse, I think I threw out the receipt. Do you think Banana Republic will still help me out and get the damn thing off?

I had a glass of Malbec while we waited for our table at Anchovies. I love love love this Malbec. It has a buttery finish and goes down so smooth.

House salad with pesto dressing. I didn't eat the whole thing because the pesto was overwhelming as I got to the bottom of the bowl.

I ordered one of the specials: the veggie lasagna! It was SO good. It was packed with green beans, broccoli, artichokes, and peppers. I didn't finish it, but I destroyed it while I was digging for veggies so it wasn't worth it to bring home leftovers.

Jared ordered a bottle of one of his favorite wines, a Montepulciano. It was decent, but after sipping on my Malbec, I wasn't overly thrilled. This one was too tannic and was making my mouth dry and puckered after each sip.

When we got home, it was time for an EARLY birthday celebration. Jared had to hide my gifts in the basement because that's the only place in the apartment that I wouldn't find them. Miles was by my side to help me open each and every item. Haha. I got a t-shirt from Johnny Cupcakes, boots from Madewell, and.... a series of SPA visits! Manicure, back massage, facial, etc. I think there's 5 different treatments in the package. I am super excited! Thank you Jared!!!

It's My Friday

2009-09-17T12:41:00.006-04:00

I spotted the box of Special K when I walked into the kitchen this morning and knew that I needed to have a bowl of my favorite cereal. I was SO hungry when I woke up...must've been from the 4.5 mile run last night!

I snacked on a peach before I had to drive to a meeting on BC's Newton campus. (I painted my nails dark blue last night. I keep my nails short because it makes me feel like they're cleaner. I think they only look good when they're painted dark colors. I wish I could go for a professional mani/pedi!)

About to head to my meeting. Not a flattering picture but I just wanted a photograph because I actually dressed semi-nice at work today. Normally I just wear whatever can fall under the business casual heading because I really don't care. I wish I had a good reason to dress up for work each day!

After the meeting I walked Miles around the parking garage. Long story...our bathroom fan is finally being replaced today. Miles had to come back to work with me for one more day. When I got back to my desk, I reheated the chicken parm from last night but forgot to take a photo. I was distracted because I thought the center of the chicken looked really undercooked.

Sad to report that I got 2 tiny dots of red sauce on my white shirt! Happy to report that I have Spray 'n' Wash at home so I should be able to remove them.

I treated myself to some sinfully good chocolate!

I'm very loyal to Lindor Truffles but the squares from this bar were quite good. There are 3 or 4 more bars in our snack drawer. They are part of Jared's Get Well goody basket that his company sent last month after he had his appendix out.

In another 10 minutes or so I'm going to take my break and take Miles for a nice long walk.

4 miles?!?!

2009-09-16T22:29:00.006-04:00

I was famished when I got home from work so I made a snack wrap with spinach and artichoke hummus, American cheese, and lots of crunchy lettuce.

Jared and I went for a 4 mile run. We usually do a 10 minute pace. As I kept checking my watch and our current location, I kept thinking we might've been going a bit slower. Well...Jared had tricked me into running 4.5 miles. So we actually ran just under 10 minute miles!

I felt great; I didn't get any cramps and I didn't have any pain after. I'm looking forward to running 6 or 7 over the weekend.

When am I allowed to call myself a runner? I'm not sure if I've earned the title just yet. Always a work in progress!

Jared offered to cook dinner and he made his version of chicken parm. He had to use the last of the American cheese because that's all that was left in the fridge.

Pinot Noir seemed like a good pairing with the meal!

Aww, he worked so hard on the presentation!

I spy an artichoke. Jared doesn't willingly eat a lot of vegetables but he does love artichokes. Whenever it's his turn to make pasta, he usually adds a few into the mix. Such a good dinner! I only ate half of my plate. I saved the rest for lunch tomorrow.

Out with the Old

2009-09-16T16:25:00.003-04:00

I had a plum as a snack.

And I loved the fishies cuz they were so delicious! I brought the remainder of the bag and snacked throughout the workday on the little bit that was left.

I ate my breakfast oatmeal for lunch. I had a Quaker pouch of raisin and spice flavored oatmeal. I'm going to make my first batch of stove top oats on Friday morning! I'm already brainstorming topping ideas.

The best part of my day so far: I used my $100 Bloomingdale's gift card (earned by saving up credit card points) to buy a new wallet! My old Juicy Couture wallet was too big and heavy. Plus a velvet wallet seems a little cheesy for a soon-to-be 26 year old. I used my gift card to get a Coach wallet. Yellow wasn't my first color choice but it's really grown on me. With such a bright color, it won't get lost in my purse anymore!

Lucfast is the new Brunch

2009-09-16T10:11:00.003-04:00

I wasn't hungry this morning so I had a small glass of orange juice while I was getting ready for work. I'm so glad I ironed a bunch of work outfits last night. It saved so much time getting ready!

I am still admiring my new purse hook in our closet. I used to keep my bags in a pile on the shelf, next to the shoe boxes. The hooks make things MUCH more organized and efficient.

I had a coffee on the way to work and wasn't hungry for breakfast until 10 am. I decided to switch things up and eat the food I brought for lunch instead. Thanks Jared for making my peanut butter and jelly sandwich on wheat bread. I love soggy PB&J but this one was still fresh. I ate a bag of 100 calorie Sunchips as a side because I needed a crunch with my sandwich.

TV Tuesday

2009-09-15T21:27:00.005-04:00

I snacked on a nice fresh peach around 2 pm. I prefer peaches when they're very firm and crunchy. This one met my standards!

I wish the pill was a bit smaller! I always end up hitting something in the pack of my throat and then I swear I can taste the pill for the rest of the day. Gross! At least vitamin #1 went down ok. We'll see how the other 59 pills in the bottle treat me.

I made dinner as soon as I got home. I almost forgot about the leftover chicken sausage that my mom packed for me. I made two wheat wraps and added American cheese and a pickle to each one.

Dessert was 4 Vienna Fingers. As soon as I finished, I got to work cleaning the apartment. It must seem like I'm always cleaning...but with a dog that sheds like crazy, I need to vacuum a lot! I removed the couch cushions and cleaned the fur that was hidden underneath. I really worked up a sweat. Cleaning is great exercise!

I've been watching the Biggest Loser while doing my housework. I love this show; the contestants are so inspirational. I like seeing everyone take control of their lives and making amazing changes. The Green Team is especially touching and it's been tough not to cry!

Jared is hanging hooks for my handbags and we have a few more household items to attend to before calling it a night.

But I Don't Wanna

2009-09-15T13:37:00.003-04:00

I did NOT want to go back inside the office after my lunch break. It's much too nice outside! I'm like a whiny little kid who just wants to stay outside and play for a little bit longer. Please?!?!

Earlier I snacked on a bag of 100 calorie Sunchips. I waited until 12:20 pm to have lunch. Someone must've microwaved fish because the kitchen stunk! Anyone who knows me knows that I do NOT like seafood. I'm getting better about trying stuff, and I've even enjoyed things like ahi tuna and ceviche. However there is NO way I'll ever like the smell of stinky fish. So anyway... I scurried downstairs to use the microwave on the 1st floor and raced back up to my office, having to pass through the fish stench each time. I was too distracted to remember to photograph my meal. But it looked the same as yesterday and tasted just as yummy. Thanks again Mom!

I was going to walk towards BC's campus and the reservoir during my lunch hour. When I changed into my Nikes, and added a huge pair of Marc Jacobs sunglasses to the ensemble, I decided I looked to ridiculous to be seen in public. I power walked around the cemetery for 30 minutes and listened to fun songs on my ipod. Those Stevie Wonder tunes put a smile on my face!

3 more hours left in the office! I'm in a great mood. I can't wait to spend a few more hours outside after work. I have a feeling we'll end up taking Miles to the dog park and we'll go for a run tomorrow evening.

Perfect Day!

2009-09-15T10:18:00.005-04:00

The temperature in Boston is supposed to reach a high of 75 today. It's the IDEAL late summer day. Still slightly warm but not hot and humid. I'm planning on being outside as much as possible. Especially since it's going to be 20 degrees cooler tomorrow!

I was in a rush this morning so I brought my breakfast to work. I decided to choose a meal that's appropriate for warm weather: vanilla yogurt and Bear Naked granola. I'll start making oatmeal once the temperature drops. So that means I'll be eating oatmeal tomorrow morning!

I'm guzzling water because I feel slightly dehydrated. I didn't drink enough after going running last night. 1 glass of water and 1 beer doesn't cut it!

I think I'm going to FINALLY start taking a daily multivitamin when I eat lunch. The container has been sitting on the desk in my office for almost a month!

Also, I am a teeny tiny bit sore from the run yesterday. I can't decide if I want to go for another run after work or take the dog to the park instead. Hmmm.... Soreness isn't a factor. Miles doesn't cooperate when it comes to running; he sprints and then stops to pee every few minutes. So it's either 1/2 marathon training while he sits home or taking my little corgi out for a slow walk/sniff around the South End.

Throwbacks

2009-09-14T20:51:00.003-04:00

Jared got into his uniform just in time for kickoff! Miles was happy to join him on the couch until the yelling got too loud.

I had a handful of crackers for our run so I wasn't hungry for dinner right away. I enjoyed a Shipyard Pumpkinhead Ale and played on my laptop.

I wanted to have a tailgating dinner so we made Jared's "ghetto rice." It consisted of brown rice, Hormel chili, and some finely chopped veggies for health benefits. I added cumin and a tiny bit of chili powder to give it some flavor.

I couldn't finished my bowl of rice and gave my leftovers to our friend Drew who came to watch the game.

Mark is over too so there are 3 Buffalo fans screaming at the TV. I'm the lone Pats fan and I'm wearing a throwback t-shirt with the old logo and it even says "Boston Patriots." Right now the Bills are up 14-10 but there's still a lot of time left....

Go Pats!

Sigh of Relief!

2009-09-14T19:25:00.003-04:00

It was a short run tonight so that we could make it home in time for kickoff of the Pats/Bills game. We planned to run for about 30 minutes and ended up running from 6:33-7:02 pm. Pretty near perfect timing!

I am SO happy to report that I didn't have any cramps tonight. My breathing was completely under control and I felt great. I'd like to think we ran about 3 miles since we didn't have to wait at too many crosswalks and we usually do a 10 minute mile. Slow and steady wins the race! I even added a burst of speed at the very end of the run. That's extremely out of character for me! I'm lazy and don't push myself as hard as I could. I'm making a conscious effort to get out of that habit.

Plus when we were on Comm Ave, we could see trucks and cameras a few blocks away. Yet another movie is filming in Boston. We also saw a commercial shoot yesterday near Faneuil Hall.

Self-contained

2009-09-14T15:39:00.005-04:00

At 10:30 I decided to snack on a peach while I took a quick work break to browse the catalog from one of my favorite stores: Anthropologie!

Lunch was leftover American Chop Suey.

During my lunch hour, I walked across the street to Sovereign Bank, City Sports, and the Container Store. The Container Store was like heaven for someone like me who is crazy obsessed with organization. I was able to contain my excitement and only bought the item I went in looking for...a wooden rack to hang my handbags in my closet.

I had another bottle of water and some baby carrots for an early afternoon snack. These tasted so fresh and crunchy. Sometimes I forget to eat bags of baby carrots because they end up in the back of the fridge, and then they end up tasting old and bland.

Then I had an iced oatmeal raisin Luna bar for my late afternoon snack. I loved everything about it! Well, ok, I loved the icing drizzle most of all. :o) This was my last out of the 4 bars I bought last week. I'm definitely going to buy more of these next time we go grocery shopping.

I'm definitely definitely definitely going to run 3 miles when I get home from work tonight. Then I have a fun dinner idea and I have to watch Monday Night Football cuz the Bills are in town to the Patriots.

I'm Special

2009-09-14T10:02:00.003-04:00

I love Special K with Red Berries. It's been one of my favorite cereals for years! I was out of bed after 2 hits of the snooze button. I'm really proud of myself! That gave me more time to enjoy my cereal. I saved my mug of coffee for the drive to work.

The wine themed place mat is from France. I love it! I looked at place mats at Crate and Barrel yesterday. Eventually we're going to buy a new set of plates. We'll probably just get a plain white set but I'd like to add color to the tablescape by picking up a few place mat options. They have so many nice things!

Sunday Recap

2009-09-14T09:24:00.004-04:00

Here's the photo of my toast with peanut butter and bananas. (In college, I would eat 1/2 of a jar of peanut butter in one sitting. What was I thinking?!?!)

Miles was really stressed at the MSPCA Dog Walk. It was really hot and crowded. The poor little guy was overwhelmed. He was possessive over the water bowls and showed his teeth at a few dogs. I am trying to discipline him but corgis are so stubborn!

Of course I needed a picture with my dog-son!

After the walk, Jared and I went to Sissy K's near Faneuil Hall to watch football with Chris and his brother. Since my camera died at the dog walk, I didn't get a picture of my chicken Caesar wrap.

I wasn't hungry for a while so dinner was at 10 pm! Jared marinated the chicken using the most delicious lemony marinade and we had pasta with Parmesan cheese and more of the Montepulciano from the other night.

Sunday night football and a glass of vino! The Packers/Bears game was really exciting. I can't believe I stayed awake for the whole thing! (I did take a few breaks from the game to put laundry away and to start deep cleaning the bathroom. Also put clean sheets on the bed! Nothing tops going to bed after its been freshly made!)

I had a tough time falling asleep...blame it on the nap from 5:30-7 pm plus the coffee from Starbucks! To help myself relax, I turned the king size bed into a yoga mat. It was weird to be so high up while doing downward dogs. During my sun salutations, I was touching the ceiling!

Disappointment

2009-09-13T22:30:00.002-04:00

I was supposed to go for a 7 mile run today. Even stopped at City Sports to pick up an extremely overpriced helium 2-bottle belt.

Did we go to the bar to watch football? Yes. Did Jared do computer work while I cleaned up around the apartment? Yes. Did we go for the long run we've been planning all week? No!

I am terrified for the 1/2 Marathon. I need to force myself to run every day this week so I have some endurance by October 11th.

Sunday Funday

2009-09-13T17:33:00.004-04:00

Check out the baby banana that was attached to the bunch. How cute! My mom sent me home with 2 bananas so I had toast with peanut butter and a banana for breakfast.

I have photos of my tasty toasty and the rest of my morning (MSPCA Dog Walk with Mr. Miles) but my camera batteries are charging.

Photos will be posted later tonight!