Tea Wisdom

So, I'm back to real food--and forever hesitant to try Colombian food again. Stupid bad cheese.

But, I'm feeling fabulous now, especially since I'm back on track with my "Get Healthy" plan. Here's another little tip I learned, and it's oh so simple and awesome: Feeling "hungry" but not actually hungry? Have a lovely mug of hot water! Ok, ok, you can make it tea--but seriously! The combination of water (you're usually thirsty rather than hungry) and heat (you'll take your time drinking it, thus giving your body the time to realize it's full) can do wonders for the system!

I'm trying to always have a cup of tea with my breakfast now, as it not only supports the "most important meal of the day," but it also fills me up for longer, giving me the energy to get through the first half of the day.

Plus, tea is delicious! And mine comes with positive phrases on the tag. Today's message:
"Be great, feel great, and act great."

Yes, yes, and yes.

Om Nom Nom Discoveries

Yesterday--after having worked out and done laundry and being, overall, quite productive--I did some grocery shopping.

Now, I may have mentioned this before, but I love grocery shopping, seriously! I mean, I am quite the fan of food, but I like the imagination boost you I get from taking my piggy self to market. All along the aisles lay possibilities--ideas for dinner parties, birthdays, or just really weird pizza toppings... Ah, heaven!

But, I digress. Still high on my workout endorphins, I was totally excited to buy healthy food! Plus, with the gorgeous weather we had yesterday, the fruit and vegetable stands looked especially tempting. Strawberries, mushrooms, tomatoes on the vine--needless to say, I had an awesome salad for lunch.

I also am beginning to lean towards more organic foods; I found an amazing organic guacamole which, when paired with organic baked corn chips, makes for quite the healthy snack. Plus, if you get the chance to watch the documentary "The Future of Food" (view it for free on Hulu), you'll be amazed at what's been happening to our produce, as far as genetic modification goes--foods that have been legally labeled as organic are some of the few that don't have weird science going on inside their DNA structures.

Another documentary I recently viewed (and also available on Hulu) is "Super Size Me," Morgan Spurlock's filmed 30-day McDonald's binge. Now, don't worry, I'm not getting obsessive about what I'm eating (and I won't lie, McD's still sounds awesome, to a point), but it's fascinating when you really take the time to see what we put into our food and, therefore, our bodies.

For example, eating a bagel is equivalent to eating 5 slices of bread--way more than should be eaten in one sitting! As an alternative to this, I've discovered Bagel Thins--and yes, they are as awesome as you can imagine. Only 110 calories and with 5 grams of fiber, these slices of toasted excellence are a great way (especially when adding on low-fat cream cheese) to get fill that bagel craving without eating enough bread for 3 people.

*I should probably mention, once again, that I am not paid by any corporation/company to promote their products. I just like talking about what I like. Don't sue!*

Bagels, guacamole, cream cheese--it is possible to eat what you like and have it taste real, without suffering the consequences. It may take a little more time to prepare, but real food tastes better and is better for you!

And on that note, I'm feeling peckish for a plum. Yum!

I Am Carnivore. Rawr!

If I were a dinosaur, I would definitely be a Tyrannosaurus Rex.

I mean, aside from being the coolest dinosaur ever, the T-Rex ate a lot of meat.
And I like burgers.
See? Total connection.

However, despite my T-Rex tendencies, I enjoy veggie sausage, turkey burgers, and soy milk. I have had delicious vegan cookies and amazing vegetarian lasagna. Being the foodie that I am, I enjoy both the Boca and the Burger!

I bring up this subject because my sister is, in fact, a vegan. More specifically, a "90% vegan." She hasn't always been vegan, hasn't always been vegetarian, but this is how she lives now, and I am very proud of her for it! She has made me some incredible vegan pumpkin-oatmeal cookies that rival any that have eggs in 'em.

Anywho: I bring this up because, while I keep mentioning the turkey legs and magical bacon that exist in Disney World, it's important to know about the vegetarian and vegan options available, too.

Walt Disney World may have fantastic hot dogs, but there are also great salads and veggie burgers available at the quick-service restaurants, and almost all table-service locations have vegetarian (if not vegan) options on the menus. Fresh fruit, vegetables, and vegan baked goods are also commonly available at food stands throughout the parks.

One of the most amazing things about Disney is their ability to not just accommodate, but to go above and beyond the dietary needs of their guests. By calling the WDW Dine phone line, you can give advance notice of the dietary requirements of your party--be it vegan, vegetarian, kosher, gluten-free, etc.

Once you let the restaurants and chefs of Disney know about your dietary needs, that's where the fun begins! Disney's chefs are able to make some truly remarkable vegan dishes, and better than me attempting to describe them, I suggest you check out this blog: Vegan Satori.

My sister, of course, was the one to point me towards this particular entry, describing the author's wonderful experiences eating vegan in Walt Disney World. The meals actually sound quite tempting, and I may even give them a shot!

After I enjoy a dozen corn dog nuggets at Casey's Corner, of course.

Scary-thon

Today marks the beginning of Week 4 of the training plan (only 13 weeks to go--yikes!), and this is where it starts getting harder.

Not to say that the weeks leading up to this haven't been somewhat hard, but this is where I'll really have to start pushing myself, as the mileage begins to increase significantly. I also need to be more careful about what I'm eating and drink a whole lot more water each day. I over-carbed yesterday and whoa, was I tired when I woke up this morning.

I'm not going to lie, when I think about the task the lies ahead, I get pretty scared. Even though my mind has yet to wrap around the fact that this is 26.2 miles that I will be running, I'm still (obviously) aware of the craziness that is a marathon. Eee.

Eeeeee.

Eeeeeeeee.

I also need to be really careful about not getting injured at work. Running a few miles and then being on my feet for nearly 9 hours does not a happy Holly make; I have also (in the past) hurt my heels and ankles at work, due to some precarious wooden steps.

I also may or may not have slipped and fallen on my butt a few times. But, never you mind.

I also should stop writing "also" so much. It's beginning to look strange.

But, regardless, I just need to really be careful: to stretch more, to allow more time, to be better to myself, because now is where the real challenge begins.

Eee.

Some Observations

1) I pushed my power walk pace to 14:15 and my running pace to 11:30 without getting totally exhausted, and feel even better about the possibility of me not passing out during the marathon!

Dos) I met yet another person who has run a marathon (the one in Chicago). It's really encouraging to know that, even though a marathon is still a huge feat of strength and a major undertaking, regular people do it and survive!

C) I am beginning to see muscle definition in my chubby calves--hooray!

IV) I have been trying out different foods to eat before I run (since I don't usually like to eat before working out). I've done yogurt and granola and will soon be trying bananas with peanut butter.

Five) I love my running tights so much--they reduce jiggle like nobody's business.

J-E-L-L-O-No-mo(re).

Quickie 4

Sorry for the wait, folks! It's been a busy week, so here's what's up:

1) This has not been my strongest week; I've been pretty exhausted between training and work.

2) My hip joint is bothering me less, but still, boo.

3) I'm starting to not hate fake bacon. Fakeon. Facon. Whatever.

I am sure, however, that the moment I taste real bacon again, I will cry with happiness.

Sigh.

Feeling Good

There really is something amazing about the way you feel after working out.

The endorphins kick in, and, instead of feeling tired after the gym, I feel energized and excited! I am really happy that I've gotten to the point where working out is enjoyable--it still takes a while for me to force myself to pull on my shoes and go, but by the time I leave my apartment, I am eager as can be.

After going to the gym, I also feel more motivated to do other things: I want to eat healthier, I want to take care of errands. This is probably why I prefer going to the gym first thing in the morning; that way, my whole day starts off right and I am energized to boot.

Even if I don't accomplish anything else major during the day, I feel as though I have done something really good for myself, and that goes a long way!

And so, on that note, I go forth to be productive and buy a book (the new Dan Brown one--whee!) and walk about Manhattan with this lovely burst of energy.

Quickie

A short post, as I have to go to work early (blech).

1) Walked/power walked outside today, following a 3.35 mile course; now that I know what it looks/feels like, it'll probably be easier to run/jog.

2) My lower back is doing better, thanks to my trusty friend, Advil.

3) While veggie breakfast sausages are quite tasty, veggie bacon is not. Eww.

Score one for the carnivores.

Mmm, Wheat Germ!

Yeah, right. Like I'll ever say that.

But, this does bring me to an important subject: Nutrition! Yes, believe it or not, how you eat does affect your training--and it is important to understand why certain food groups are going to become more necessary during my training process.

Now, for those of you who aren't as familiar with my fabulous self, know this: I love food. I love cooking and baking and trying new recipes and restaurants. I enjoy a gourmet meal just as much as I do a microwaveable corn dog (somewhere, my vegan sister just began weeping).

However, with all the working out and running I'm doing, my body is going to require certain foods that don't necessarily rhyme with schmambuger. In order to make myself as prepared as possible, I looked up the Runner's Diet on www.runnersworld.com. They recommend a 50-25-25 plan, where half of your day's calories come from carbohydrates, one quarter from proteins, and one quarter from fats.

Good carbs include whole wheat breads and pastas, fruits, and low-starch vegetables; good proteins include egg whites/substitutes, low-fat milk, and low-fat hot dogs (yes!); good fats include olives, peanut butter, and avocados. For the full listing, check out the link!

It's actually not as difficult to adjust to as you would think. For breakfast this morning (when I got back from the gym), I had a bowl of instant oatmeal (carbs) with Egg Beaters (protein) that I had cooked in some olive oil (fat). A lot of it is coming down to planning, making sure I have enough fruits and vegetables to grab for a snack or having frozen veggie sausages that I can nuke in a couple of minutes.

This isn't to say that, come Thanksgiving, I'll be ditching the pie--it'll just be a matter of remembering moderation. My pre-Thanksgiving run with my sister (we'll be at her place) will make the meal all the more satisfying, knowing that we earned it!

And as soon as we've finished the marathon? Hide your corn dogs, Disney. I'm coming for them.