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A Family and Food-Focused Weekend

August 9, 2009 by

Hey all! Sorry I’m posting so late. I’m just now winding down from a full weekend of family and food-focused activities. To recap, we had dinner with my sis on Friday night, a family portrait and birthday bbq on Saturday, and today we had a family breakfast and huge family picnic at a park. Do you think that’s enough family and food for one weekend? Also, why is it that whenever I get around family, everything seems to center around food? I’m not even Italian! Does anyone else ever have that issue?

Anyway, my day began with a 5-mile run which felt GREAT, especially after all of the food I’ve been eating. Then it was on to another family breakfast at the Ritz Carlton. The food was, once again, fabulous and the service was top-notch. I decided that I wanted to take my breakfast in courses today. So, I started with a 4 tablespoons of strawberry yogurt with a few fresh berries and about 2 tbsp granola.

8.9 yogurt

Next, I tried something I’ve never eaten before….

8.9 muesli

A very small bowl of Muesli! I know it probably looks like yogurt, but it’s actually a cereal-based dish that’s very popular in Europe. It has a base of uncooked rolled oats (soaked in water or milk overnight) mixed with dried fruit and nuts. Mine had dried currants and figs (I think) and a mix of cashews, walnuts, and almonds. Once I got past the “cold oatmeal” taste, it was actually quite good. I think I’ll try whipping up my own version at home.

Next was a small plate of some other hot and cold breakfast items….

8.9 breakfast

I had one small slice of havarti cheese, sauteed peppers and a few potatoes, with one slice of bacon. It was just enough of the “hot” breakfast to keep me satisfied. 

I also had a very small portion of a blueberry muffin.8.9 muffin2

I seriously only had 2 bites of this because it was very dry and had a very strong “cake batter” taste, like it had too much flour.

Finally, I had my own pot of English Breakfast tea -Yeah! This time, I had Taylors of Harrogate tea and it was just lovely. 8.9 tea

Although that was the end to my very hearty but balanced breakfast, I did have a sip of some hot chocolate that someone else from my table ordered. Although the hot chocolate just tasted average, the presentation was so cool. Take a look…8.9 hot chocolate

It was brought out with little marshmallows and a silver spoon dipped in dark and white chocolate.

8.9 hot chocolate1

Way cool – makes me wish I had ordered it!

After our amazing breakfast, we headed out to pick up a few more picnic things. We arrived at the picnic around 12:30 PM and visited with all of our “lost lost” relatives, which was so fun! I was still full from breakfast so I only picked at some of the food that was there – had a little potato salad, a small scoop of cheesy potatoes, and a scoop of my cousin’s ramen noodle salad (my portions were not even enough to take a decent picture). All of it was very tasty, but it would have been even better if I was actually hungry. It was also about 95 degrees outside which didn’t help my appetite.

Now we’re heading home and I am sooo tired. After this weekend’s eating fest, it will be so nice to get back into my regular eating pattern and eating home-cooked meals!

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A "Ritzy" Breakfast

August 8, 2009 by

Afternoon everyone! I’ve had a whirlwind morning so far. Between breakfast, a family photo, visiting, and lunch, I’m wiped out. But, I always find time for blogging!

Prior to our family photo at 9 AM, we had a little breakfast. It was a semi-snazzy affair at the Ritz Carlton with the family. I just love the buffet breakfast at the RC. They offer the right amount of choices, many of which are healthy, like yogurt, fruit, muesli, and egg white omelettes.

8.8 breakfast

Wanting to go the lighter route, I chose to have a little fruit, one piece of bacon, and a few breakfast potatoes. I also had one of my favorites…

8.8 yogurt

Yogurt with fresh fruit and granola. I started with some strawberry yogurt and then layered a little granola with a few raspberries, blackberries, and blueberries. So heavenly! I also had a huge pot of Tea Forte English Breakfast tea all to myself – it was so relaxing!

8.8 teapot

Next on the agenda for today was the family photo. Between my mother and father, brothers and sisters, spouses, and grandchildren, there were 17 people in the photo. It was a little crazy but somehow we managed to be done in about 30 minutes. 

After visiting with the family for a little while, we decided to head to a kid-friendly place for lunch – Red Robin. The sandwich/hamburger chain is great for kids because they have so many things for kids to look at, it’s rather noisy, so it’s ok if the kids are not quiet, and they give away balloons.

8.8 lunch2

As you can see, my lunch was not as healthy as breakfast. I split a plain chicken sandwich with my sister-in-law and had a few fries on the side. My father also bought the whole table a tower of onion rings…8.8 onion rings

I had one and it was very tasty. Sorry the picture was out of focus. I only had time to take one and this is what I got.

Now, we’re resting a little before heading to the birthday/anniversary party tonight. It’s a BBQ and I know it’s going to be a blast. I’ll fill you in the details later.

Enjoy your evening everyone!

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Plain Jane Lunch

August 5, 2009 by

Wow, what a hectic morning it’s been! I’ve been working non-stop since I arrived at the office. Crazy I tell ya! 

After my fantastic morning run, I made a yogurt bowl for breakfast…

8.5 yogurt3

I started with TJ’s low-fat Greek yogurt in vanilla flavor, then added a couple teaspoons each of chopped walnuts, dried pineapple, and banana chips. Awesome! I served it in my new cool bowl that I snagged at the outdoor concert I attended a few weeks ago…

8.5 yogurt

It also came with a matching, curly-Q spoon that changes colors with the temperature. It gets darker when it touches something cold and lighter when it touches something warm. How cool!

8.5 yogurt2

I also stopped at Starbucks on the way to work and grabbed a tall mocha frap. It’s really not bad calorie-wise – only about 230 with light whip cream. But, it ranks very low on the nutritional needs scale if you know what I mean. I don’t have a pic because I drank it before I remembered to take a picture. You all know what it looks like anyway.

The morning went by so fast. Before I knew it, my stomach was growling for lunch. I only brought a plain Jane chicken sandwich today – blah…

8.5 lunch

No frills, no fuss. A girl can’t eat fancy everyday. But, it was on whole-grain bread (you can actually see the little seeds/nuts, which I love!). I also paired my sandwich with a few sweet carrots…

8.5 lunch1

I know, I know, what a dull lunch. I’m hoping dinner makes up for it. We’re having a basil chicken stir-fry dish, one of my husband’s favorites. Can’t wait!

Have a great afternoon and see you all after dinner!

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It's Crunch Time…

August 4, 2009 by

I just couldn’t get to sleep last night. My mind was racing and it was really hot in the house, even with the ceiling fan on and the windows open. I didn’t get to sleep until after 12:30 AM, or at least that’s the last time I looked at the clock. So, it’s been a very slow and rough morning. Even though Tuesday is typically a running day for me, I opted to not run this morning because of my bad night. I do plan on taking a walk on at lunch.

I was feeling so groggy at breakfast that I needed a huge energy boost, with a little sugary sweetness added in. I went the cold cereal route and combined a 1/2 cup of cheerios with some Kashi Go Lean Crunch..

Kashi cereal box

Kashi cereals are all-natural and so, so tasty! And, they are full of fiber. There’s 8 g of fiber in the Go Lean Crunch and you get a bunch of omega-3 and protein thrown in – all the things I need to keep me running strong.

Kashi cereal bowl

And this cereal really does pack a huge C-R-U-N-C-H. Seriously, when I eat this cereal, I can’t hear anything that my husband is saying because the crunch is so loud.

Now I’m off to make some of my newly purchased Tazo Awake Tea! Have a great morning everyone.

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To Stretch or Not To Stretch

August 3, 2009 by

Morning everyone! I have to make this post quick because I am really running behind today.

I had a great morning run even though the wind was pushing at me head on! I always seem to push a little harder when it’s windy, maybe it’s because I want to get finished faster.

After my run, I did some stretching and strength exercises (squats, lunges, abs, etc.). I rarely stretch before my run, I just walk for about 5 minutes then get right into my run. But I always stretch after my run, when my muscles have been warmed up quite a bit. Some experts may argue that you should always stretch before exercising, but this method of stretching has been working for me for years so I’ve kept with it. Also, just last year, researchers from the University of Nevada found that static stretching (stretching before exercising) may actually hinder athletic performance.

After my run, I wasn’t very hungry but wanted to eat a little something before I headed off to work.

Pear1

I had a perfectly ripe pear. So sweet and juicy, and just the right amount of food for my not-so-hungry tummy. I did not have any protein to speak of this morning, but I did bring some Dr. Kracker flatbreads to munch on in case I need a protein fix before lunch.

Alright, gotta scoot for now. Have a great morning.

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Energizing Apple-Nut Oatmeal

August 1, 2009 by

Hello everyone! My day started with a 60-minute session of yoga at my local studio. It was fantastic! I’m so glad that our regular yogini is back. She really makes us work but also takes her time with us. 

After class, I made a little breakfast…some apple-nut oatmeal!

Oatmeal-pb2

Here’s what it included:

Energizing Apple-Nut Oatmeal

  • 1/4 cup old-fashioned oats (not the quick cook kind)
  • 1/2 cup skim milk
  • 1/4 shredded red delicious apple
  • 2 tbsp walnuts
  • 1 heaping tbsp all-natural creamy peanut butter

Cook the oats as directed on the package or combine the oats and milk and microwave on high for 2-3 minutes. Add shredded apple and walnuts and top with peanut butter. Stir until peanut butter is melted and blended into the oatmeal. Enjoy!

Oatmeal-pb1

My Energizing Apple-Nut Oatmeal was fantastic and so filling for just 1/4 cup oats! It really is amazing all of the things you can add to plain oatmeal and have the flavor change dramatically. It’s also great for a post-run or post-yoga workout because it gives me a ton of energy with the nuts and peanut butter added it. I may try it as a pre-run snack to see if it makes me run faster or longer – ha!

With my oatmeal, I also sipped on some Tazo Refresh herbal tea…

Tazo-Refresh

It’s really just a fancy blend of peppermint tea, but it is good nonetheless.

After breakfast, hubby and I ran out to do some errands – one of which was going to Costco. What a zoo it was there! You would have thought they were giving something away – aside from the samples. Thankfully, we were able to get in and out in record time. It seems that everyone wanted to browse and not actually stand in line.

We headed home to make some lunch. Sandwiches are usually a weekend lunch staple in the RWC household, but today we made burgers. I had a t-burger and hubby had a regular beef burger.

T-burger1

I only had about 2/3 of a turkey burger, topped with lettuce and white cheddar cheese, on a 100-calorie Thomas’ multi-grain English muffin. I also threw in a few grape tomatoes as a side.

T-burger2

Now, after a filling lunch, I’m off to Barnes and Noble again to finish a few work-related projects.

Can’t wait for tonight – we’re making homemade split-pea soup!

Catch ya later all!

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Fitness Magazines Motivate You To Live Healthy

July 31, 2009 by

I recently had someone ask me what health magazines I read. Oh my – there are so many! I am a magazine fanatic, but I especially love health and fitness magazines. I just love getting a bunch of little tidbits of health information all wrapped up in a nice, portable, easy to read package.

Magazines

As for subscriptions, I subscribe to several magazines, mostly health-related, including:

  • Shape
  • Self
  • Fitness 
  • Real Simple
  • Marie Claire

And, there are many more that I don’t subscribe to that I frequently read, whether I get them from the library or read them while relaxing at Barnes and Noble. Here are just a few that I read (although do not subscribe to) on a regular basis:

  • Body and Soul
  • Yoga Journal
  • Natural Health
  • Fine Cooking
  • Cooking Light
  • Bon Appetit
  • Runner’s World

Health and fitness magazines are not the end-all, be-all in wellness information, but they provide a nice overview of what’s new and different in the wellness world, as well as new twists to old favorites. They also provide great ideas for recipes, new fitness or food products, and continued motivation to stay healthy. Although every magazine reguritates information, or at least topics, at some point, I can honestly say that I learn something new each time I read a new issue of my favorite magazines.

Now, on to my day….

What a difference a day makes! Although I still don’t feel completely rested, I woke up with way more energy than I did yesterday – maybe it’s because today is my day off! By the way, I did not do my Yoga Download last night. I became too engrossed in writing and watching Harry Potter at the same time. I’ve seen the first HP movie a dozen times but it never gets old.

I started my day with a 4 mile run, then walked for a short time. The weather was just perfect too, low humidity and 70 degrees. 

I had an appointment early this morning so I had to make a quick breakfast and get out the door.

Cereal-walnuts

I had a little cheerios with about 2 tbsp walnuts and, what else? Blueberries! I’m still trying to use up the monster-size blueberry container I purchased from Costco. It’s been almost 2 weeks and they are still in the fridge and still fairly fresh. 

I headed to may appointment then onto the grocery store where I picked up a ton of fresh fruit – bananas, pears, apples, etc. Can’t wait to dig in..

I was super hungry by the time I returned from the store – I’m really surprised I didn’t buy more groceries considering I was so hungry.

Time for lunch…

7.31 sandwich

I had a 1/2 sandwich made with peppered turkey breast and low-fat hard salami, a little white cheddar cheese, and some dijon mustard, all on a piece of 12-grain bread. I also had a few carrot sticks, grape tomatoes, and some Kettle’s Salt and Pepper chips on the side. Perfect for a hot summer lunch.

Carrot stick

After lunch, I took a quick dip in our pool. Once I was used to the cool water, it was quite refreshing on a hot day. 

Now, I’m off to write more articles. Chat with you later.

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Desperately Seeking Yoga

July 30, 2009 by

Boy, for getting a decent night’s sleep (7 hours) I still feel like I’m dragging this morning. Although I still did a 4 1/2 mile run, I felt like it would never end. Even after chugging a bunch of water and eating a protein-packed breakfast, I still feel in a fog. I’m chalking this yucky feeling up to the extremely high humidity we are having here today. It’s nearly giving me a headache.

pbbanana1

For breakfast, I had a piece of 12-grain bread with all-natural creamy peanut butter, with a few banana slices. It was good, but I didn’t finish it all – just wasn’t that hungry.

pbbanana4

What I really need is some Tazo Awake tea (and I have none) and a little yoga. Yoga always seems to clear my head in the morning, but it’s a little difficult to excuse myself at work, go into a conference room, and get into savasana. People might think I’ve passed out! However, we are trying to get a yoga instructor to come into our office once a week, which would be awesome! I would really like to increase my yoga practice to more than one day a week and this would be the perfect way to do it.

If you’re thinking about trying yoga, I would definitely recommend taking a few classes to learn the basics. Then, once you’re familiar with the concept and the poses, then you can practice at home. 

But, if you just want a quick illustration of a yoga class or to see what yoga is all about, a good place to learn is at yogadownload.com. You can download free 20-minute yoga lessons and print out free step-by-step illustrations of poses. You do need to create an account first, but it’s very easy and free. You can also go to Yoga Journal to learn about yoga basics, as well as additional information about healthy eating and living.

I’m planning on doing a short Yoga Download session tonight. Just thinking about it is already making me feel a little better. Ah… the power of yoga!

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Morning Wake-up Call in a Bowl

July 29, 2009 by

Morning all! I am really glad this is my off day from running because I am sooo tired from staying out late last night. I was up until 12:30 AM, which is so NOT a good idea on a Tuesday when you have to work the next day. 

I tried to give myself a wake-up call this morning with a little energizing breakfast…

Gereal-granola2

I started with a base of about a cup of Cheerios, then added the rest of my RWC Tropical Granola, and a handful of fresh blueberries. There’s nothing like a bit of c-r-u-n-c-h in the morning to get you going.

Cereal-granola3

OK, enough chatter. I’m off to make some tea before I fall asleep!

Have a great morning!

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A Fruity Breakfast, With a Side of Protein

July 28, 2009 by

I had another HOT run this morning. The humidity was really high as well, which made it a little hard to breathe. But I was still able to go about 4 1/2 miles. 

Before heading to work, I refueled with a TON of fruit.

Peach1

I started with a huge peach that was so juicy and sweet – yum!

Peach2

Although I was feeling just peachy after my peach, I still needed a little more food. But I was still very hot from my run (and it was hot in the house) so I had a major craving for cold food, meaning fruit. Watermelon chunk

I had a few watermelon chunks and felt refreshed. But alas, where is RWC’s protein in her fruit-filled breakfast?

Not wanting to skip my protein this morning – because it’s what keeps you full – I also nibbled on a little all-natural peanut butter on a couple whole wheat crackers (sorry, no picture).

I have a really busy day today so I must be off. I need to leave work at a decent time tonight because my husband and I are attending an outdoor concert. More details on that later today…

Have a great day everyone!

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