In love again

Exercise: 1.5-mile walk with Denali with power walking/shopping planned for the afternoon

I’m sorry I essentially skipped Friday love. I was waiting for my love to return.

At least one of my loves.

Yep, that would be Chipotle.

Mark and I lurve Chipotle but we broke up with it about three months ago. We were finding that we were spending a good chunk of our entertainment budget on the national chain and missing out on some great local restaurants. Our New Year challenge was to try some of those restaurants and, unlike many resolutions, we were successful. We tried out the Cuban place, the Japanese restaurant, the Vietnamese restaurant.

But last night, it was time to go back. It sort of helped that I had a BOGO deal off Facebook.

We got there a little too late for the early bird special, and I was forced to live the old adage, “Good things come to those who wait.”

I lamented that there should be a pregnancy express lane, sort of like how wheelchairs get to go to the front of the line at Cedar Point. Mark said I wasn’t pregnant enough for that yet. Jerk. For that I made him order second.

I got what I always get – a vegetarian burrito bowl.

  

And here’s how you do it the Healthy Strides way:

Light on the rice, black beans, double fajita veggies, triple tomato salsa, light corn salsa and cheese, guacamole and lettuce. It’s to die for. And it’s not that bad for you. It’s probably about half the calories of Mark’s face-size chicken burrito.

He loved ever one of those 1,200 calories, washed down with a Bud Light. Props to Chipotle for having beer and making my husband happy.

So … do you like Chipotle? When you go, do you try to keep it healthy or fig it and go Mark style?

Decision … made

Everyone, gather round. I have something important to tell you. I have made a ruling. A monumental ruling.

Calories eaten in he middle of the night don’t count. They just don’t. They fall into the abyss of nothingness or into limbo or the Bermuda Triangle of missing Girl Scout Cookies.

I mean, think about it. Do you write down your 3 a.m. fridge raid for the day prior seeing as you haven’t really woken op or do you count them toward the next day because it’s after midnight? And, if you are eating because the pangs of hunger prevent you from going to sleep at 3 a.m., should it even be considered consumption? Hello, it’s medicine.

OK. Not really.

But I will say that I had absolutely no choice at 3:30 a.m. but to eat. I woke up at 3 a.m. to go to the bathroom because, you know, I do that and I couldn’t go back to sleep. At first, I thought it was because I was using the solitary moment of quiet in the house to think. Wrong. I was hungry. Super hungry. I tried to roll over. Forget it. But groan. Loud groan. So I got up, plodded to the kitchen and poured myself a bowl of Cinnamon Puffins (btw – not as good as the PB variety) and ate it out of my favorite penguin mug with some 1 percent milk.

Then I went back to bed. As luck would have it, though, the cereal didn’t put me to sleep either. Oh no. I was up till 5:30 and then slept till 6:15. Thanks for the bark in the face, Denali.

Friday love will be a bit delayed today. No sleep = Frozen brain. Or, really, something lovely is happening later, and I might take photos.

And just for giggles, something to make you smile. BTW, this didn’t happen last night in our house. I’d have to take out the shelves for Denali to fit. And even then, he’d steal the bottle of hoisin sauce (which I almost put on my English muffin this morning because I was so tired) and eat it before he’d consider hanging out for a photo.

Where do I register

Best. Shirt. Ever.

I found this shirt on one of my fave sites – Busted Tees. Not only are the shirts hilarious but I always manage to find the perfect Christmas gift for my brother there. Well, I visited for a bit of a pick me up (remind me not to listen to too much Fiona Apple) and saw this. It’s pretty rad. I’d even wear. Heck, I’d run it if I could. I mean, come on, check out those sponsors! Krusty Burger, Kwick-E-Mart, Springfield Mall, Springfield Nuclear Power, Lard Lad Donuts. I just wonder if Moe will give you a pint at the finish line ;)

Three Things Thursday

Workout: 2.9-mile run and 10 minutes with my weights

Is it just me or does this week seem loooong? I was sitting on the couch last night, watching "Survivor," and bemoaning the fact that it was only Wednesday. It definitely felt like Thursday. And now today is Thursday, and it feels like Friday.

Except it's not.

1. I think part of the reason it feels like such a long week is because it's been a busy week. I was in meetings all day Tuesday and we met Mark's parents for dinner that night. Today, I have a full plate at work and then Mark and I are meeting the Realtor to look at two more houses. Yep, we're still looking. Want the scoop?

a. We had to walk away from the house on which we had made an offer. The sellers did agree to replace the furnace and roof but only under the condition that we pay half the closing costs and $2,000 above list price. Say what? Apparently, they were way under water and couldn't afford to take less on the house and make repairs. Considering their situation, our Realtor wasn't confident that they would pick reputable contractors and we were released from the contract.

b. Mark and I went out again last weekend and again found a house we liked. But there are glitches. The house was purchased by an investor (aka flipper) and updates were made to the house. New roof, newer furnace and hot water heater, new bathroom. Awesome. Glitch? The house was bought, remodeled and being sold (potentially) in less than six months, subjecting our loan to greater oversight. The seller could be asked to justify the increase in price (160 percent) by providing receipts and if the lender didn't find it acceptable, they could deny the loan. Even if the house appraised for the selling price. Boo.

c. House No. 2 isn't out per se but we're feeling a little gun shy, prompting the meeting tonight. At least I'm bringing cupcakes.

2. Lately, I have been having an issue with vegetables. As in I don't want to eat them. The thought of a side of broccoli or carrots as a snack makes this former veggie queen nauseous. I can manage to eat salads but that's about it, and it's forcing me to get creative with my meals. Case in point: breakfast this morning. I made a "pizza" scramble - sauteed mushrooms, onions and spinach; 10 grams turkey pepperoni, 1/2 cup Egg Beaters and 2% cheese. The pepperoni made the vegetables palatable and was actually kinda good with the eggs. Salty, salty. It would have been better with tomatoes but we didn't have any. (By the way, a helpful hint: Cook the veggies in 1/4 cup chicken stock to cut down on oil.)

3. I felt so smart today. I was able to change the display on my Garmin so that I only see time and distance - all I really need to see right now. I can no longer glance to see what pace "slogging" really is and I don't get the urge to push myself beyond my comfort level. Kinda nice. Sort of like today's run - minus the wind.

Head ache

Exercise: 2.3-mile walk with Denali

You know what's great about putting on a sweater you haven't worn in a while? You find a quarter in your pocket, giving you enough change to buy a hot chocolate out of the work vending machine.

Anyway ... I realized something very interesting this weekend. When I was visiting my friend Heather, mom of month-old twins Luke and Lexi, I discovered there's a lot more to getting ready for motherhood than taking funk-nasty vitamins and registering for diapers. There's work to be done. Real work. Like lifting weights and doing 5 million squats.

Let me explain.

I was holding lil Luke, who maybe clocks in at 7 pounds (at birth, he was 5 pounds, 10 ounces), when my arm started getting tired. Really tired. It wasn't like I was holding a precious, teeny babe. I was holding a rag doll with a bowling ball head. A bowling ball head that always seemed to find its way to my, ahem, girls. I had to switch arms, put him on my chest, try holding him like a football - all in the hopes of alleviating arm fatigue. And then, when my foot fell asleep while sitting on the floor, I had to get from sitting to standing with him in my arms.

Talk about work. And I was only there for an hour. What's it going to be like when baby boy arrives and I'm lifting, holding, getting up ALL THE TIME?

It's going to be torturous ... if I don't get ready. So I'm going into training - mama training - to strengthen my arms and feel at ease squatting. My target is an hour to 90 minutes a week starting, well, now and going till I can't do it.

Seeing as I am in training, here are some goals:

*Work my way up to using the 10-pound weights regularly.
*Wince my way through 2 minutes on a wall sit.
*Get back into the Jackie Warner DVD.

So what about you? Any strength training goals? After all, for you non-preggos, summer is rapidly approaching :)

Last chance for love

Workout: 3.5-mile run

Yesterday, Denali and I had the distinct honor of waiting for the dishwasher repairman. Jerry - that was his name - was supposed to come anywhere between 8 and 10 a.m., which usually means, "I'll show up at 9:59 and make you late for work."

While we were lucky enough that Jerry came at 9:10 (to tell us that the dishwasher was clogged with debris), our chances of a walk or run were shot. We watched "Good Morning America," lifted weights and made breakfast. We stared out the window, blinds open, and felt envy as runners flew by down the sidewalk. We wanted to be out there. We wanted to be doing that.

And it's funny that I felt those pangs of jealousy yesterday because I had no desire to go out there this morning. But I am who I am, and I managed to get out there with the hope of doing 3 miles.

With the first step, I was feeling regret. My calves were sore (I have no idea why) and the muscle/tendon/ligament strain on the sides of my growing belly was evident. I didn't want to do it. I just didn't. And just after 1 mile, I began to wonder whether this run - this crappy run - was an indication that it should be my last. No big decision. No fanfare. No last hurrah. One last run at the end of my 20th week.

I was beginning to write the end when Denali began to do this thing, this thing that usually annoys the bejeebus out of me. He slowed down to a prance, nearly getting in front of me, so that he can touch his nose to my hand. It always makes you look directly at him, right in his bi-colored eyes, so you can see that he is having a great time. His eyes glow, his mouth makes a doggy smile. The joy is impossible to deny.

And so he did this morning, nudging my hand with his snout. He smiled and pushed me along. It was as if he was telling me, "Mama, you got this. We like this. We can do this." I am such a pushover when it comes to him that I couldn't deny his "encouragement" and let go. Let go of the idea that I could quit (very different than need to quit).

It still wasn't a great run. I was tired and the hill at the end killed me. But I did it. And I didn't pee my pants ... I don't think.

Entering the man ’hood and giveaway winners

I spent my Sunday surrounded by men.

  

Not that I’m complaining – they were all quite gorgeous.

Here’s the rundown:

Breakfast out with Mark, followed by a family walk of more than 2 miles. Afternoon date with Mark and Colin Firth courtesy of movie passes I got from work and “The King’s Speech.”

And then there was the hour spent holding my friend’s month-old son Luke. His twin(!!!) sister, Lexi, was asleep the whole time so it was just me and Luke. It was really good practice. He fussed. He spit up on my sleeve. He made a poop face. He tried to fall a comfortable spot on my chest. He spit up on my shirt. All very cute.

Now, I’m going to pretend I’m Anne Hathaway so I can stand next to James Franco for the rest of the evening :)

***

And now for the giveaway winners, courtesy of my PC and Random.org.

No. 7: kpsmommy

and

No. 9: Lacey Q.

E-mail me your address to hlthystrides at gmail dot com, and I’ll get your prizes out this week!

In the buff

I ran once this weekend - not twice.

But I did run naked. For nearly 3 miles.

And, I have to tell you that it wasn't as awkward as I thought.

Who wants a picture?

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...

...

I'll give you a mental one - a wrist sans Garmin and ears without buds.

Did I have you fooled?

Mark and I went out for a slow run yesterday morning and as he leashed up Denali, I asked if I should put on the Garmin. It's only real purpose would be to track distance as I haven't been checking my pace recently. And seeing as Mark and I pretty much know how far our routes are, it wasn't really necessary. So we ran down the boulevard and around the park, avoiding the chunky snow and enjoying the weather.

Side note: There was lots of "chunky" snow, more than likely thrown from the street and what fell from the trees. It was a pain a bee's behind. Not only because made it near impossible for Mark and I to run side-by-side, but it posed ankle-twisting dangers. Especially for me. A preggo's ligaments and tendons are for more flexible, and I've found I twist my ankle far easier than in the past.

I didn't have to stop the Garmin to wait for traffic and I didn't look at it and question whether we were going too fast or too slow. It was refreshing and a reminder that running can be simply that running - not training or goal oriented or to beat someone (or yourself).

I'm not sure if I'll go every run sans Garmin - I'm too anal with my running log for that - but it was a nice change.

Do you like to run "naked"?

P.S. Don't forget to enter my giveaway. Rules here.