Training Week 4 Playlist

This Training Week flew by with a heck of a finale run.  Every week my mileage increases by two and this time I had a challenge of creating a playlist to last right under an hour and a half.

Just for fun (and in honor of my battle to get over the sniffles)... I had to include at least 2 songs for why I got them in the first place: running in the *rain*.

Get ready to channel some 80's favs... 

I had to dig a little deep for this one! ;)

Lean Beef Burrito Bowl

Last night I was looking for an easy recipe to whip up quickly after an evening run.

The first recipe I thought of under the "quick & easy" category is something similar to the burrito recipe a friend of mine sent me.  We had almost all of the ingredients already in our pantry, so I just had to run out for the meat.  I prefer going "tortillaless" and habitually order burrito bowls, so I figured I'd give it a try at home.

Lean Beef Burrito Bowl

1 lb lean ground beef
1 packet taco seasoning mix
1 can Rotel tomatoes & green chilis
1 can black beans
1 cup sliced black olives (optional)
4 cups shredded lettuce
1 box Spanish rice
2 tbsp salsa (each)

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serves: 4
cook time: 20 minutes

To make bowl: Boil water for rice and brown ground beef.

Stir in Rotel, black beans and taco seasoning mix.

 Stir well, then turn down heat to simmer while you finish preparing the bowls.
*TIP: You can also use this recipe in a crock pot as well.

While waiting for rice to cook, wash and prep the lettuce and olives (optional).

When the rice is done, start your bowls with a cup of lettuce and a 1/2 cup of rice per bowl.

Add meat mixture and top with olives (optional) and salsa (optional).

*TIP: If you want to make a regular burrito: I recommend using these La Tortilla's Smart & Delicious low carb, high fiber whole wheat tortillas.

Serve your Spanish rice on the side of the burrito and Enjoy!

Question:
Did you notice I didn't use any shredded cheese?
(You don't need it!) ;)

Training Week 3 Playlist

Training Week 3 got pretty intense for me ending in a 6 mile run (on a Saturday night no less).

I've found a fun and upbeat playlist can help get you through those last few miles and this mix should keep going for just under an hour.

I threw in an oldie but goodie for the cool down.  

I keep bleeding running, I keep keep running...

Hope this gets you moving into a great week! :)

Training Week 2 Playlist

Here's some Monday morning motivation for you:

How about a run with my Playlist from Training Week 2?

*Don't forget to cool down & stretch to a little Colbie Caillat... :)

Have a great day!

Training Week 1 Playlist

Here is the playlist I created for Training Week 1.

*TIP: I always include a cool down song at the end of each playlist.  Use that time to walk it out and stretch!

Enjoy! :)

Drink Chia!

Are chia seeds the new acai berry superfood?

Chia is becoming more and more popular among health enthusiasts, athletes and families.  I heard about chia seeds a few months ago, but didn't really think twice of what they were and why people were eating them. 

source: wikipedia.org

After shrugging the idea off for a while, I'm finally realizing how beneficial these little seeds could be for my diet, exercise and body.

Chia seeds provide protein, good fats and fiber, and its uses are comparable to flax or sesame seeds.  You can eat them whole, sprinkle them on top of your meals, and even drink them.

Yup... DrinkChia!

I was recently introduced to DrinkChia! and tried it for the first time after my run yesterday.  Right away, I was sold by the nutritious benefits, the naturally sweet flavor, and the Omega-3 content.  Since I'm not a huge fan of fish, I take Omega-3 supplements as part of my Everyday Vitamins Routine to supplement my need for fatty acid.

After comparing this 8oz bottle of DrinkChia! (880mg of Omega-3 + 290mg of Omega-6 + 100mg of Omega-9) to my bottle of Omega-3 Pills (1000mg of Omega-3 only), I realized this drink alone could replace my need for taking any kind of Fish Body Oils.

What does it taste like?  Exactly what the label says...it comes in 3 different flavors (for now) including Honeysuckle Pear, Strawberry Citrus and Mango Tangerine.

Can you taste the chia seeds and does it have a weird texture?

You can taste the seeds but the texture is just like drinking orange juice with pulp.  The seeds are packed in the all organic, all-natural juice and it blends nicely.  Just don't forget to Shake it Baby!

Chill, Shake, and DrinkChia!...it's pretty simple.

What else should you know?  

Besides giving you 880mg of Omega-3, it's loaded with antioxidants, it's gluten-free, and it only has 4 grams of sugar coming to 40 calories per 8oz. bottle.

Chia is a superfood and is proven to help hydration, endurance, heart health and brain power.  For more information about it's nutritional benefits, visit the DrinkChia! Nutrition Page.

DrinkChia! should not replace your need for a protein drink, but is recommended to be part of your morning breakfast, afternoon snack, or pre/post workout meals.

You can buy DrinkChia! online, or at Orlando venues.  The stores I'm most familiar with are Fresh Market, Chamberlin's and Track Shack, but you can find a complete list of distributors here.

 I'm looking forward to enjoying DrinkChia! as part of my half-marathon training for the next 10 weeks, and for years to come.

Stay posted for recipes and even a possible giveaway of DrinkChia! coming soon...

Question:

Do you incorporate chia seeds into your diet?  How?

My Right-Hand Plan

What I thought would be a 5 minute trip to Office Depot turned into an hour of browsing aisle after aisle of office supplies.

Does anyone else have this problem?

It was in the late-afternoon and I had about 2 hours to knock some Christmas shopping out.  "Oh I'll just go ahead and grab some index cards I need," I think to myself as I strategically map out the closest Office Max or Depot.

I was very particular with what note cards I wanted, and once I found the neon color-coded pack I had the brilliant idea of picking out my 2012 planner.  "I'll just go take a look," I continued to think and wandered over to the calendar and journal section.

What started out as getting a little notepad for my purse turned into 30 minutes of playing This-or-That: Planner Edition.  Picking out the perfect planner may not be a difficult task for some, but it certainly is for me.  I have so much attachment to a planner I carry around everywhere I go for an entire year, to the point that it feels like a child.

Laugh all you want...I'm seriously that girl from 27 Dresses who doesn't do anything in life without jotting it down in her planner first.

My perfect planner needs to have the basic requirements:

• monthly overview calendar page at the beginning of each month
• day-to-day breakdown with enough space to write numerous tasks in per day
• monthly dividers
• durable cover
• cute appearance

With that said, I went to the basic business planners first, knowing they would offer the most organization.  They were practical, but weren't going to cut it as my right-hand plan.

They were cute, but weren't going to keep me organized...

Planner after planner seemed to have the same issues until...

Tabs? Check.  Monthly outline? Check.  Enough room to write? Check!  Now if there was just a cute cover to top it all off.

I was soooooooo close!

I'm not sure if you can tell what's different about the above line of planners, but there's something creative you can add to make it your own. Eventually, I went back to Office Depot and purchased one of these, but I couldn't have made that decision without checking out Barnes&Noble's selection first, of course.

Cute? Check.  Room to write? Check...but where are my organizational tabs?

Needless to say, I didn't get any Christmas shopping done that day.  Apparently I'm the person who sits and analyzes planners (while taking pictures of them) in the middle of office supply and bookstores.

Not weird at all.  Oh, the life of a blogger.

Keep your eye out for the follow up to this post, as I reveal what I did to make the "soooo close" planner my right-hand plan for 2012.

Questions:

• Does anyone else spend a seemingly ridiculous amount of time picking out their planner?
• Where does your planner come from every year?

Veggie Crisps + Sticks

I found a new love in my life a little less than a year ago.  While I was browsing around at Fresh Market one day I stumbled upon Eat Smart Natural's Veggie Crisps.

I looked at the bag, saw they were gluten-free and decided to give them a try.  Although I don't have a gluten allergy, I enjoy GF products because they taste lighter and I feel like I can enjoy a larger portion of the snack without feeling weighed down.

I've always enjoyed veggie chips, Eat Smart Naturals has been my front runner for some time.

I enjoy the Potato, Tomato & Spinach flavor, and a few months ago I found a similar version at Whole Foods called Veggie Sticks.  The flavors are the same, but the veggies are in a stick, straw-like crisp.

I really could eat an entire bowl of them...

Guess what? You can! A serving size is 2 cups for 140 calories.

source: eatsmarnaturals.com

Now that's my kind of snack.  Although the Veggie Sticks aren't Gluten-Free certified, they still taste like a light.  For a few months I could only find the sticks in stores, so I'm grateful they were there for me to purchase.

It's been a while since I've bought both the crisps and sticks because I can't find them! I'm not quite sure what's going on with the product...but they seem to be MIA at all of the stores that I used to buy them from.

I've found a few other versions like Sensible Portions Veggie Straws, which are great.

Just like the veggie sticks, you can have a lot in one sitting:

Okay, I guess that will do...for now. I just want to know where my beloved crisps went???

All 21 chips a serving of them...

source: eatsmartnaturals.com

I was thinking they might have been discontinued, but that doesn't seem to be the case.  They're still listed on the website and it looks like you can purchase them online.

Hmmm...I might just have to do that.

Questions:

• Any Veggie Sticks, Straws or Crips you swear by?
• Have you seen my Eat Naturals Veggie Crisps + Sticks in stores?  Where?

$5 Footlong - the Healthy Way

Five.  Five dollar.  $5 Healthy Subway coming your way!

Since this week brings us to the end of ANYtober (where every regular footlong sub from Subway is $5) Scott and I have been hitting that store up like it's our job.  If you can take the "Subway" smell (really....what is that?!) on your clothes from being there for the 5 minutes it takes to order, getting two meals for $5 is truly worth your while.

When I go to get myself a foot long, I split it between lunch and dinner that day, or split it with Scott if I'll be seeing him in the near future.  There are several things that can distract you from eating healthy at Subway (don't even get me started on that Meatball Marinara sub...YUM), but there are several tasty right ways you can go too.

Here is my pride and joy go-to sandwich from Subway:

"Foot Long Turkey on Wheat":

Wheat Bread (toasted)
Turkey
American Cheese
a little bit of Oil & Vinegar
and a whole lotta Veggies:
Lettuce
Spinach
Tomatoes
Cucumbers
Onions
Banana & Green Peppers
Black Olives
Jalapenos
Pickles

Whew! Now THAT'S a sub if I've ever seen one.

*TIP: If you like veggies, go NUTS here!  The ones I listed above are all fat-free and add nutritional value to your sub.  If I'm watching my carbs, I'll often go for the Subway Salad with Turkey and get the exact same things listed above, using half shredded lettuce/half spinach as the base.

Watching fat? Leave off the cheese and go light on the dressing.
(Oil & Vinegar is the best dressing choice).

Not a Turkey fan?  Go for grilled Chicken or Ham.  You can see on these charts below how these 3 choices rank compared to the rest.  Take that Meatball Marinara!

*Nutritional Chart pulled from Subway.com.

Unless I'm really hungry, I go for the sandwich only and if I'm going home then make a side for myself there.  *TIP:  No matter how amazingly, crazy good the cookies are, try to avoid getting them.  They give you 2 or sometimes 3 per meal and that just killed your healthy trip to Subway.

Instead, choose the apple slices or the baked chips.

At home I prefer to cut up a few apple slices.  Try dipping your apple slices in my All-Natural Pumpkin Peanut Butter for extra energy and taste!

Everything pictured above is less than 500 calories and provides a substantial lunch and/or dinner!

Question:

• What are some of your Subway Sandwich combination?  
• Are you a veggie freak like me or do you prefer just the meat and cheese (Katie...)?