Friday love

No workout today. My legs hurt from Wednesday. And I had stuff to do. Like make a giant cupcake and pick up a tiara for work. I kid you not.

[insert awkward transition full of wit here]

Time for Friday love!

Food. Everything Bagel pretzels (by Rold Gold) plus Sundried Tomato and Basil Laughing Cow equals a delicious afternoon treat. Sort of like the cheese bagel and tomato spread that I crave all the time … minus chewiness, grease and 500 calories.



Fitness. I may be alone in this but I’m actually pumped to change my clock this weekend. An hour difference should mean sunny-ish skies by 7 a.m., allowing me to run safely and wash my hair before work. It also means that I will no longer be able to stare at George Stefanopolis as I wait for it to get light out/warm up. I wonder if he’ll notice.

 
(Not my real BFF or the real Baby E)

Life. My BFF had a baby this morning! A sure-to-be beautiful little girl, weighing in at 5 pounds, 4 ounces (she was 7 weeks early) with a crop of black hair arrived at 12:45 a.m. I’m so excited that E. has entered the world and can’t wait to see my friend as a mom (and all the things she’s going to learn and share with me!).

Three Things Thursday: Today’s workout brought to you by …

Workout: 15 minutes on recumbent bike and 3.12-mile run

1. New shoes!

Can you see ’em? My Mizuno Nexus arrived yesterday, and I’m in love. They are super cute, very comfy and seem to give a good amount of support. I was so anxious to try them out that I was out of bed at 5:30 a.m. and out the door at 6 a.m.

2. Groupon. Sometime last week, a Groupon e-mail piqued my interest. It was $29 for 29 one-day passes to a local gym. What, what? I talked to Mark about it, and we both a greed that it would solve my pregnancy workout conundrum. I would have recumbent bikes and ellipticals at my disposal when running is outlawed. Plus, I’d have treadmills when the weather sucked or if Mark and I decide running sans Denali is safer.

Today, I made my first visit and was happy with my decision. Lots of workout equipment, nice facility and cordial staff members. I warmed up on the recumbent because my legs were KILLING me after yesterday’s Jillian Michaels routine. Then I headed to the treadmill for a 5K. After all, I had to break in the new shoes ;)

3. OK, this has nothing to do with a workout. Whatev. You want to know how to make vegetables taste good?

Old Bay seasoning.

This weekend, I drizzled a head of cauliflower with olive oil and generously sprinkled it with Old Bay seasoning. I threw it in the oven for 30 minutes at 425. Let me tell you, it was delicious. I ate the entire thing in two meals and was hungry for more – and that’s saying a lot for this veggie-adverse preggo.

And speaking of preggo, here’s a very unflattering belly shot.

I’m 22 weeks and feeling good!

Sacrifice, schmacrifice

Workout: 20 minutes strength training and 2.2-mile walk with Denali

 

Soda. Ice Cream. Cursing. I’ve given them all up at one time or another – with varying success – for Lent. As a child, it was mostly sweets because, well, that’s what my grandma did. As a college student addicted to Mountain Dew, I cut out pop in the hopes of losing weight. And cursing? That’s been a more recent phenomenon as I realize my mouth sometimes rivals that of a sailor.

This year, I didn’t want to give up any of those things. My soda consumption is one a day and I consider it my lifeline to normalcy. Take ice cream away from a pregnant lady? Heck no! The cursing? It’s gotten far better. So I had to think long and hard about what would be an appropriate sacrifice during this time of penance. I could stop being mean to Mark … quit Facebook … stop showering (just kidding!) …

Or … or I could give up something big. Huge. A staple in my diet.

Potatoes. White potatoes.

My decision all started with a single realization: I’m eating french fries far more than I used to. The fast-food variety make their way into my diet at least once a week, and I’ve been turning up my nose at turnip fries in favor of Ore-Idas. The key to limiting my weight gain and bouncing back post-baby will be maintaining the lifestyle I had pre-baby and that lifestyle didn’t include buckets of fries. Sure, I could limit just french fries but then I could bend the rules with oven fries or home fries or hash browns. Nope. It’s no potatoes for me.

A disclaimer: Sweet potatoes are A-OK. Hello, vitamins!

A second disclaimer: I know it’s not the meaning of lent to give up things to help you be healthier and lose weight and all that jazz.

It might be tough, especially in restaurants, but I’m ready for the challenge.

Are you giving up anything for Lent?

Feels like home

Workout: ~4.25-mile run

I gave myself two options this morning: run 2-2.5 miles and come home to some weights or run 3 miles and come home to a breakfast of eggs and grits. Either way, no matter how lazy or tired I felt, I would be running.

I wasn't sure which option I'd pick when I set off. I headed down the street, knowing that I could (in a mile or so) cut off through the park for a shorter route or I could detour and pick up the Greenway for a bit and make it 3+. I lumbered a bit for the first section or so, my legs heavy and taking a bit to get the feel of things. Denali and I had to stop for a crosswalk and continued along our way, taking advantage of the gentle downhill toward the park. I started to feel better and the debate as to which route to take was raging in my head. Short or long? Left or straight?

And then, just about a block, where I'd really have to decide, I remembered that I didn't have to take either route. I could go right. I could go right and pick up the Greenway, running one of my favorite stretches of trail in the city.

Many a training run were along that path, affording me the opportunity to run uninterrupted for miles and miles. The river runs to the right and throngs of trees line the bank. In the summer, they provide lush cover and the illusion of seclusion as you plod along. In the fall, the trail turns brilliant with oranges and reds and leaves crunch beneath your feet. The barren trees of winter offer windows to the water and there's a cool silence as you move.

I hadn't seen much of that section this winter, maybe not all. So as I made my turn, I grew more and more excited with each step. I was home.

I made sure that that my giddiness didn't translate to a faster pace - in fact, I made sure to "chat" with Denali at regular intervals to make sure the pace was "conversational. No need to go crazy. But as I ran, I noticed that I was beginning to feel different. Better. My legs felt lighter and looser, my breath easier. I didn't feel the need to break for a minute, and I actually ran the last half with no rest. I was unsure of whether it was the weather (a balmy 30 degrees) or whether baby boy decided to take a rest somewhere new but I wasn't going to question it. I was going to go.

The trail, though, had other plans. Of course. A section was flooded, and I was forced to run for home.

When we Denali and I reached the doorstep, I was unaware of how far I'd gone or how long it took but it didn't matter. I felt great. I felt like, for a brief period today, I had reunited with myself.

Yes, your holiness

Workout: 2.3-mile walk with Denali

Mark's been making fun of me. A lot lately. And not because my belly seems to move and grow at the whims of baby boy. Lucky for him, too, because I'd punch him in the mouth.

No, Mark's been making fun of me because it seems every pair of athletic shoes I own have at least one hole in them. There are my Nike Air Pegasus 26s, which carried me in the Flying Pig half, that have a hole in the left toe box. My Mizuno Wave Rider 13s, which I wore for the RnR Chicago, that are showing wear in both toe boxes. Then the shoes that I wear to run now, the Nike Zoom Triax 13s, which have a hole in the right toe box.

The Pegasus and Wave Rider pairs are in semi-retirement, serving as my walk-the-dog shoes, but the Triax I still wear to run. They have had a whole in them since at least November, when I noticed my right foot getting extra wet during my rainy turkey trot. The Triax were good, though. They had miles left.

Until, well, now (I can definitely feel it, too). Now, though, isn't when Mark and I want to plunk down $100+ new shoes for running -- especially when I'm anticipating the doc to cut me off next week.

So what's a girl to do? She clicks on Skinny Runner's site, takes advantage of her 10 percent Running Warehouse discount and searches for a closeout pair of stability shoes that are less than $50. And, much to my chagrin, I found the Mizuno Wave Nexus 4 -- a bargain at $40 after discount.

Aren't they pretty? I was a fan of my Wave Riders so I'm hoping to have equally good luck with the Wave Nexus. I did order them a half size up to account for swelling down the road and, well, because they didn't have a 7.5. I also think part of my holiness is that I need a smidge more room in the toe box.

They should arrive Wednesday (yay!) and I should be able to take 'em out for a spin on Thursday. I'm so excited! There's nothing like a new pair of shoes to get you going.

Does new gear give you a bit more oomph? I always want to go for a run when I get something new!

P.S. Giveaway winners, your packages were mailed today. I am sorry for being a lazy bum for the delay but I was a bit frazzled last week.

Morning glory

Workout: 3-mile run with Mark and Denali

Let me tell you, we know how to live it up in the Healthy Strides house.

Mark took his Dad to see "Rango;" Denali is sleeping on the rug; and I'm hosting a "Sex and the City" marathon ... for one ... while a pot of Cincinnati chili simmers on the stove.

Talk about an exciting afternoon but I guess that's what you get when you pack all the good stuff in the morning.

When I woke up this morning, I decided to move my run to the afternoon. I was STARVING and knew a small snack wouldn't even make enough of a dent so that I could run. Thankfully, Mark agreed.

But we forgot to include someone in our little run later decision: Denali. He was howling up a storm as we put away laundry (after breakfast, of course), and I decided that we could squeeze in a few miles before we met our Realtor to look at two more houses.

The miles were a bit chilly - 26 degrees - but not too bad. I've discovered that wearing my Bella Band over my belly helps a bit with the heaviness. Sort of like wearing control top panty hose. Sure, it rolled up a bit but helped to keep things in. I like to keep things in.

I am noticing that the breathing part is getting harder. Darn baby compromising my lung capacity! I am hoping that spring's warmer weather will help with that.

What are you looking forward to most about spring? Feel free to mention my birthday :)