Catching Up

Well, I have tons to catch up on.
Sleep.  Eats.  Work.  Social life... okay scratch the last one, we all know it doesn't exist.

Thanks to my brilliant idea to join a team that wakes up at 4:30 every morning and practices twice a day.... I've had zero energy to do anything other than the bare minimum.

I've had to take naps, each random snacks, fit in quick cardio sets, and rush to study groups just to keep up with my course work.  Needless to say, I'm rethinking my decision.

To Crew or Not To Crew?

First of all, how could you not want to be on the water, gliding across, as the sun rises?  It's one of the most beautiful experiences - once your team starts rowing in rhythm, it's really magical. 
However, my whole life has been changed since joining.  I wake up at 4:30, scarf down a granola bar, freeze my ass off and enjoy some time on the lake, then come back, eat, do my work, nap, nap, go to class, work out, nap... are you dizzy yet?  It's ridiculous.

Therefore, I'm rethinking the crew team.  I'm still up in the air at this point, but I'm leaning more towards "school and sleep are more important that sunrises" -- unfortunately.

Breakfast:
I've been working with this weird early-morning wake up, so I've been eating a luna bar or a VitaTop Muffin with PB before practice and then coming back to a nice, warm bowl of oats.
Back to Basics Oats: plain oatmeal topped with a sprinkle of stevia and cinnamon, with bananas and blueberries (and almond milk after the picture!)

Workouts:
I've been rowing from 5:30-7 every morning, but since we're still in the recruiting process, we're mostly doing sets that focus on technique and not so much on pure cardio and strength.  That being said, our coach has "encouraged us" to get in two workouts a day :( so, I've been running the hills a bit.  Weirdest realization - I like running without music.

I was on a rather boring 10 miler on Sunday and I just couldn't get myself to enjoy it.  I found myself zoning out and distracting myself with music until I finally turned off my IPod and just focused on how my body felt.  It was amazing.  My pace picked up, I tackled hills with no complaints -- I think I like being in tune with my movements instead of turning on music to distract myself.
Saturday - Crew & 10.5 miles 
Sunday - 10 miles
Monday - Crew & 10 min of running, 20 minutes of Rowing, and 10 minutes on the elliptical.

Food:
Yesterday, I had class until 7:15 -- which, if you know me at all, is way past my dinner time.  I've adapted and started sneaking in nuts and granola into my seminar... however, my loud crunching is starting to distract people from their "deep philosophical thoughts"... yeah, my stomach growling is distracting me too.  suck it up. 

BUT I made plans with my two best lady friends for some delicious Middle Eastern food after class!  They were kind enough to wait for me so we could feast --
Chicken Schwarma plate with Double Salad, fresh pita, and hummus.

Tip? Annie actually taught me this one - whenever there is a meal that offers salad and a choice of ohhhh say rice or fries, ask the waiter if you can order a double salad.  They're always happy to accommodate AND you get a full plate of greens!  Perfect. 

Dessert, of course, was decided as soon as we called our favorite FroYo shop (I have them on speed dial... and no, I'm not kidding)
Their flavors of the day?  Classic Vanilla, Ghirardelli Chocolate, Toffee Mocha, Bananas Foster, and Cranberry Pomegranate. 

I went with Half Vanilla Half Bananas Foster topped/filled with graham crackers, oreo bits, almonds, and crushed waffle cone

Can you believe that's a mini??
When I first moved to the bay, I made the mistake of ordering a small... I don't think I've ever shaken the memories of failing to finish a frozen yogurt cup :( the horror.

ANYWAYS, with my debate on crew still going on, I'm hoping that I'll be able to post more frequently and NOT wake up at the buttcrack of dawn. 

Have a HAPPY TUESDAY! It's fat tuesday for me - I'm taking a much-needed rest day!

Hello, San Diego

Check out what I came home to...

80 degree weather and clear skies? I guess that works for me.
I hopped on a plane around noon East coast time and arrived at 2:45 - perfection.

Workout:
I got in an easy 7.5 miles before showering and heading to the airport.  I just HAD to test out my new babies and, good news, they're amazing.  This is the first pair of shoes that I haven't had to "get used to" or "break in."  I wanted to keep running but I had a plane to catch...

I tried out my coach's "hip to nip and don't unzip" technique for my arms... ugh.  I know it'll make me a better running, but after years of running the same way, it'll definitely be a challenge to switch over.  It did help me with hills and accelerations - he might be on to something!

Lunch & Snacking!

I got upgraded. so I didn't pack anything for the plane... but then I remembered how insane/crazy/bitchy I get when I'm hungry.... thanks for the reminder, Dad.... so I decided to pick up some snacks, just in case.

Um, this trail mix medley was sooooo addicting.
SO ADDICTING.

Dark chocolate, dried fruit, and nuts should never be eaten separately. New law to live by.

We were served Creamy Asparagus Soup and a Chinese Chicken Salad.

Not too bad for plane food, huh?
It beats the typical "beef or pasta" choices that you get on some flights...

Okay, screw the soup and salad.... ALMOND JOY PIECES ARE MY REAL PASSION.  Seriously.  There are actually almond and coconut pieces inside of each little m&m-sized chocolate.  And a serving size in 46?!

Well, I lied.  That's the recommended serving size.  Mine was like half the bag.


Buy these immediately.  It's the perfect solution when you're craving those candy bars but you don't want to eat an entire king sized - let's be honest, nobody buys fun size bars... right?

Anyways, my brother picked me up and I headed home to relax a bit.
I was feeling super headachy and out of it, thanks to a time change and the fact that I had to stop drinking water about an hour in to the flight because I already peed 4 times and the guy next to me was getting annoyed.  Hydration and airplanes just don't mix.

Dinner:
I ended up eating around 4:30!  I was hungry and dizzy...
But I managed to whip up some Spaghetti Squash with Vegetarian Bolognese and Mozarella.

My sauce was a mixture of stir-fried veggies, meatless crumbles, tomato sauce, garlic, onions, mushrooms, salt and pepper.  Amazing. I added some red pepper flakes for some fire.

And then I got off my ass, drove to the gas station, filled up my car and drove 15 minutes to get froyo.... just because I'm ridiculous and I love frozen yogurt.

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I'll leave you with some views from my morning run today 

Yepp.... now I know why I love coming home!

Georgetown and Kids' Night

Hey guys!  Hope you're having an amazing weekend!
I know I am -- which is why I've been kind of absent.  It's been non-stop! Just the way I like it.


Let's just say my Friday involved Potbelly - only the best sandwich place ever - and outlet mall shopping, which is kind of the greatest thing ever invented.


Anyways, I've been eating my way through the East coast and enjoying some family time.


Before I fill you in on Georgetown and Kids' Night, I need to do some honorable mentions:
Dad's leftover Pasta with Duck L'Orange, Shrimp, Garlic, and White Wine.  

My dad is an excellent cook, and he's even better at revamping leftovers! I served a small portion on top of a huge bed of arugala and mixed greens - this is my trick for lightening up any dish.  The pasta acts as a great salad topper, and you won't feel weighed down from eating a huge plate of carbs !

New ankle boots - my latest obsession.

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GEORGETOWN!

Yesterday, I started off with a family-fun workout.  I went for an 8 mile run and then ran to the gym to meet up with my dad for a yoga session.  It felt great to get a good stretch!

We had a quick lunch (egg & canadian bacon sandwiches plus leftovers!) and then headed out to Georgetown to walk around and enjoy some super warm weather!  60 degrees in January?!

I love the vibe of the city!  There were tons of younger folk running around (seriously, tons of runners out there!) and there was a cool mix of high-end shops and old vintage boutiques.

I could definitely move here...
Especially since there was frozen yogurt involved and a trip to Dean and Deluca's!

We stopped to refuel with a sandwich and some coffee!

ALSO, I got a present: The Athlete's Palate!
If any of you read the column in Runner's World, it features tons of great recipes that target an athlete's needs - specifically for training and for recovery.

The recipes come from some super famous chefs too AND are low in calories but high in nutrients!

Yum, huh? I can't wait to dig into this.

Anyways, as soon as I got home, I was off to pick up my cousins and head over to Austine's (our other cousin's) apartment for some Kids' time -- fun without parents! Austine is RECENTLY ENGAGED and she's kind of a blast to hang out with....

We snacked on veggies and yogurt dip, then ordered Domino's while watching Despicable Me!

I went for a piece of the thin crust and then finished off a Trader Joe's salad and tons of kettle corn and alphabet cookies... what can I say, they're addicting.

Then we busted out the Dance Kinect and worked up a major sweat.  Um, we're a competitive group.  There was trash talking involved.  We take dancing very seriously.

Of course, a kids' night out wouldn't be complete without a trip to get FROYO!
Pinkberry happened...

Mine would be that odd concoction with fruity pebbles and cap'n crunch cereal.

Oh yeah, it was definitely a crazy night :)
It's always fun when you get to have family time without the "adults" -- although half of us could probably qualify as adults now :(

Great Saturday night!
I have a run and a hike planned for today!  Keep you updated!

2 Salads and Some Salmon

I'VE MISSED YOU!!

Today officially marks that first day of finals week 2011, baby.  
We should make t-shirts.

Don't worry, I've been studying and going easy on the "bang your head against a wall" habit that I've developed :) gotta love finals week!!

Thanks to my weird coping mechanisms for dealing with high stress levels, I've been running and eating my heart out.  You would think my first instinct would be to crawl under the covers with a jar of peanut butter (okay, maybe that happened...) but I just can't sit still.

Case in point: My Saturday looked a little like this -- run 16 miles. Work. Dinner and dessert with my great friend -- LEE!!  Troy's Greek Cuisine.

We split the appetizer platter (the top photo) and then we divided and conquered the rest of the menu :) Lee ordered this amazing lamb and Gyros wrap, while I opted for a Greek salad topped with chicken souvlaki.  Salads always test better when somebody else makes them for you (I'm pretty sure that's Newton's 4th law) -- and I rarely have that much tender meat!  YUM!

Then we got froyo with all the fixins - study fuel.  Duh.

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My Sunday looked a little like this: Work. Nap. Study. Run 12.5 miles.  Dinner with Lee (again!) and studying... again.

I told Lee I start getting all clingy when I start stressing -- so I basically glued myself to him for the past 48 hours.  Poor guy... 

We had plans to go for vegetarian/vegan Japanese food - then Lee mentioned Barney's Gourmet Burgers and I was SOLD.

I went with yet another salad beast -- Grilled veggie salad topped with cranberries and sunflower seeds and a Vegan Garden Patty.  SO GOOD.

But the best part?  Carrot cake which I didn't share with Lee. 

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Okay, it's the last day before my finals start -- politcal psych tomorrow!! -- and I decided to go heavier on the studying, less on the running, and less on the eating out.

You know when you eat out, you start getting into that rut where ALL you want to do is go out for dinner??  (and dessert)... Well, today I decided to break that streak with a delicious homecooked meal.  This is just what I needed.

I woke up went to work (surprise, surprise), grabbed lunch and napped before hitting the books again!  Psychology and Arabic x 10.

I went on an easy 5 mile run -- all bundled up with long sleeves, sweats, and gloves! -- then hit the gym for a 20 minute elliptical sesh & some stretching :)  Love a good sweat!

On the menu for tonight's homecooked meal?  

Salmon and Quinoa With Veggies.

I marinated the salmon with salt, pepper, garlic salt, and lemon juice - EASY!
Then popped it in the oven at 425 for about 12-15 minutes.

While this was cooking, I sauteed some chopped crimini onions, spring onions, and broccoli. 
 

Cooked up 1/3 cup of quinoa with some Better Than Bouillon chicken stock in a cup of water.

Added the quinoa to the veggies and sauteed it all with some soysauce, salt, and pepper for few minutes and served it with my perfectly baked salmon!

It was perfect.

And packed with protein!!
I'm about to curl up with some flashcards and maybe an episode of Gilmore Girls.

Stay tuned with more updates on FINALS HELL and some delicious recipes :)

W.I.A.W.

What I Ate (and did) Wednesday!

Ready for some photos?

Breakfast: Classic oats with blueberries and chopped raw walnuts.
I topped this bowl of oats with some almond milk after the picture :) yum.

Workout: 6.7 mile run and my favorite abs and back class with Jenny and Lisa.
 
Lunch: Mexican beans, guacamole, tomatoes, and feta with multi-grain crackers.
The buttery crackers went perfectly with the taco-seasoned black beans, creamy guac, sharp feta, and ripe chopped tomatoes.  new favorite! I had it for lunch two days in a row!

and a fake-baked apple.
Sliced granny smith apple with a tablespoon of splenda, lemon juice, cinnamon and pumpkin pie spice - microwaved for 95 seconds.  Also have eaten this snack twice in two days.

What I wore: new cardigan from my San Diego trip! courtesy of Loehmann's... 

What I did: protest to save public education - in Arabic.
Yes, that is my professor.
Yes, she taught us how to chant "topple the regime" in Arabic, which elicited strange looks.

Snack: Toasted everything bagel thin topped with swiss laughing cow lite and sugar free red raspberry preserves.  Side of almonds and raisins. 

What I did after: take a midterm

Dinner: a salad that is bigger than my face and probably half my torso combined...
Chopped romaine and baby green lettuce with tomatoes, kidney beans, garbanzo beans, carrots, sprouts, half an avocado, croutons, hard boiled egg, and low-cal veggie dressing. With a hunk of honey wheat bread.

Dessert: Pumpkin pie, death by chocolate, french vanilla, red velvet cake, and taro froyo topped with captain crunch, diced almonds, and crumbled oreos.

I actually took a picture of everything I ate!!
Usually I forget to snap things (as I rush to stuff them into my mouth...) but there you have it.  Yesterday was quite eventful, if you haven't been following Bay Area news.

So, let's hope today is a little less dramatic....