SweetGreen Obsessed

January 31, 2013

I want to share with you my new obsession…

Finally, there is a restaurant that has food which is convenient and fast, but also raw and organic. sweetgreen is this place. This company sources ingredients, that are fresh and organic, which comes from local farmers.

Their menu consists of a wide variety of organic raw vegetables- arugula, spinach, kale, beets, avocado are to name a few. They also have some plant based proteins, all organic – black beans, chickpeas, lentils, tofu. They have an array of organic grains to choose from, spicy quinoa, and soba noodles. They have a variety of nuts, cheeses, dried fruit, and meats. If you don’t want to make your own combination, choose from some of their signature salads, such as the Misoba. Bored of salad, you can make it, into a wrap.

sweetgreen also has a variety of cold pressed juices to choose from. Because they are simply made from only veggies and fruits, the sooner you drink it the better. By drinking it with in the day you by it, your body will absorb more of the health benefits. If you wait to long, you risk the growth of bacteria – that is how natural it is.

LOCATIONS

I am one lucky girl… sweetgreen is not a big chain. It is only located in DC, MD, VA, and PA. I feel so privileged to live in an area that has not just one sweetgreen but many. It has become a popular place, in the area, which makes me so happy. I am a DC native. And people in our area are becoming more health conscious, then ever before.

Are you curious how health conscious your city is? Check out this article that lists the top 10 healthiest cities. DC made number 4.

If you ever visit the DC area you must stop in to sweetgreen!

Do you have a place like sweetgreen in your area?

Clean Eating, Rest Days, Livefit

January 31, 2013

Yesterday, Today, and Tomorrow are rest days in the Livefit trainer. Yesterday, was a perfect day for me to have a rest day, because it was Tuesday. Tuesday always ends up being really busy for me, because I have my art class in the morning, and then I head straight to work. But because of that, I wasn’t able to prepare any meals for the day. I did the best I could under the circumstances, but there were times when I felt hungry, and I don’t think I got enough calories. Remember, I am suppose to be eating immediately when I wake up, and then in three hour intervals. I also did not have a protein shake- this was a major fail.

On rest days, I am not working out, and should have more time to focus on nutrition. So Today, Wednesday – 1/30/13, is another rest day! Have I mentioned how sore I am?

Today, I was going to go for a short run because a warm front came through and it is 65 degrees out. However, it is also overcast and looks like rain. This was a really hard decision for me, but I actually decided to skip the run and stick to the plan, of “NO CARDIO” in Phase 1. So instead I used this time to prepare my meals for the day. I have noticed eating small clean meals on regular intervals have really given me tons of energy. I haven’t felt tired, or had headaches, but instead super energized. I also have noticed that when before I wasn’t a morning eater and didn’t begin having an appetite until the afternoon, I now wake up, hungry.

Below are some examples of the clean foods I ate today.

For breakfast, instead of having my normal, hard boiled eggs and greek yogurt with homemade granola, I saved those for later, and had toast with almond butter. I used Ezekiel bread as my toast. I have been wanting to get my hands on Ezekiel bread for some time now, but could never find it. I finally found it in the freezer section at MOM’s. J and I split a loaf because I don’t eat that much bread and didn’t want to have a whole loaf and let half go bad. Anyway, this bread is all natural, organic. It’s ingredients are inspired by the biblical passage Ezekiel 4:9, hence its name. This bread is high in fiber and protein, while being totally flourless.

Later in the day, I ate an arrangement of organic veggies with organic hummus. Have you ever had hummus with cilantro in it? This is my new favorite!

I also prepared a protein shake with Vega protein. I juiced kale, celery, and pineapple. I poured the juice over the protein powder and added some coconut water. Really yummy drink.

Anyway, those are just some examples of some things I munched on today. I am hoping these clean meals inspire you, and give you new ideas of things to pack for your day.

Questions for You…

Do you eat on regular intervals?
Have you ever made your own hummus?
What is your favorite “clean eating” meal?

Livefit. Phase 1. Day 3 & 4.

January 29, 2013

Day 3– Sunday, 1/27/13

TRAINING – Yesterday was Day 3 of Phase 1 of the Livefit trainer. I had to work 10-6 at the salon, but I couldn’t wait to hit the gym right after. Why? Because Day 3 was all about targeting muscles in the Legs and Calves. Working out my lower body is my favorite area to train. I just love it – don’t ask me why- I just do.

Squat like your ass depends on it…

and I did…

Before we started we ate a small clean snack and took our supplements. Then we hit the gym. The work out went really well. J and I did 3 sets of 12 for each exercise, with resting for one minute between each set. I used the app gym boss in order to keep track of my timing. I highly recommend this app. It took J and I about 1 hour to accomplish the whole work out. We ended the work out with our protein shake, BCAA, and glutamine. I juiced organic kale, celery, and pineapple. I add this juice along with a blended banana to my protein shake. This tasted amazing. A little organic pineapple can really sweeten a drink.

NUTRITION – I started my day with a clean breakfast, consisting of two hard boil eggs and greek yogurt. I am beginning to love hard boil eggs! They are a wonderful source of clean protein and they are super convenient. I pay a little more for my eggs, but paying the extra $2 is worth is because I am supporting a local farm and they are organic. I packed clean meals for the day, and I tried to eat on regular 3 hour intervals. The only thing I need to work on is drinking more water. Day 4 – Monday, 1/28/13

TRAINING – Today’s workout was focused on Shoulders and Abs. J and I did 3 sets of 12, with a minute of rest in between each set. Again it took about 1 hour to complete the full work out. We took supplements before the work out.

NUTRITION – With in 1 hour of waking J and I ate a clean breakfast. Today we had organic local eggs on top of ezekiel bread and organic tomatoes.

After we were finished with our work out, we left the gym and hit up Sweet Green. I will write a post giving you more info on Sweet Green, but if you haven’t been to Sweet Green, you must go asap – it is amazing. Anyway, I had a salad from there that had spinach, kale, beets, carrots, sprouts, broccoli, etc… It was a pretty good size, so I saved some for my next meal. J and I also mixed up our protein shake with another green juice.

We are now done with our work outs for week 1. The next three days are rest days. So we are going to focus on…

But we need the rest more than ever. I haven’t been this sore in a while.

I’m really sore, but it feels really good… You have to be training to understand…

Can’t wait for Phase 1, Week 2, of Livefit!

Livefit. Phase 1. Day 1 and 2

January 27, 2013

I have been wanting to weight train for some time now, but my love for running and yoga has over powered my small yearning to weight train. I also have been consistently training for a race of 10 miles or more, so I have felt it was my obligation to run. But I now have the time to switch it up a bit, so I have decided to start the Livefit Trainer.

The Livefit trainer is by fitness model, Jamie Eason. It is a 12 week program, which is a total of 84 days. I will be doing this program with my younger sister, J, – (not, E, the sister I run with.)

Why are we doing this program? Well that is simple, we both love a fun challenge! J wants to do the Livefit trainer to begin a healthy lifestyle. And although, it has only been 2 days into the program, she has already learned a ton about clean eating and supplementation. The reason I decided on the Livefit trainer, is because I want to build my strength. Being stronger will help me run further and faster. More muscle will help me perfect my natural running form, ultimately improving me as a runner/athlete, and helping me prevent injury. I also love the idea of sculpting my body. Most people don’t realize how much control they have over their physical capabilities.

So lets talk about Phase 1 of the Livefit trainer…

Phase 1 is our building phase. For the next 4 weeks, Jamie Eason wants us to eliminate cardio from our daily fitness routine. This means no running. Unfortunately, you know I can’t go 4 weeks with out running. So I might be running a little here and there. But I will not to run everyday. I will not run on the days I lift, and I am planning on significantly cutting back on running during this phase- it is only 4 weeks. J, on the other hand, will not be running at all. She is going to be following the exact plan.

The reason why Jamie doesn’t want us to do cardio is because cardio slims out muscle mass, and phase 1 is all about building,

So what does building mean? We will be doing weight training, eating clean, and taking supplements in order to build muscle. Week 1 and 2 we will be weight training 4 days a week, and resting 3 days. It is important to have rest days because your muscles grow while they rest. Week 3 and 4 we will be weight training 5 days a week, and resting 2 days.

Phase 1 is about building which also means we are working on getting our metabolism fired up. Some people yo/yo diet – which slows down the metabolism. Most women eat too few calories – which slows down the metabolism. So along with a work out plan – which has pictures, videos, and written instruction of how to do each work out/ lift each weight. Jamie also has video explanation about clean eating and a written out meal plan. In this phase we will not be counting calories, but rather eating ever three hours, which adds up to 5-6 small balanced “clean” meals a day.

So here is the run down…

We will be waking up and eating a “clean” breakfast with in an hour of waking – this will help start the metabolism. At breakfast, we will take a Multi Vitamin and an Omega 3. I like to alternate everyday between a flaxseed oil and a low mercury Fish oil. Before we hit the weights we will take a BCAA. And always remember never strength train on an empty stomach. After the work out, which should last about 1 hour, we have a 30 minute window in which our newly born muscles will take in protein. So we will then be drinking a protein shake with glutamine.

When it comes to protein powder, I am obsessed with Vega Sport. The protein does not contain soy or whey. The guy who created it is an endurance athlete who does Iron Mans, and he is vegan. Glutamine helps with muscle recovery. With this protein shake we will also be taking another BCAA. BCAA stands for Branch Chained Amino Acids. This helps support new lean muscle growth and reduces muscle breakdown. I also want to point out that in a hurry you can make a protein shake with glutamine and water. But I am going to rush home from the gym, so I can use my blender and juicer. I want my protein shake to include kale, beets, and other veggies if possible.

For the rest of the day, we will be eating clean organic whole foods every three hours. Jamie recommends setting a timer, for consistency is key. On the three hour mark, she wants us to eat small well balanced meals. So this means the meals will consist of a protein, complex carb, and unlimited vegetables. I have heard some reviews on this meal plan from vegetarian and vegans, who have said it is impossible to follow because it is so high in protein. I want my vegetarian and vegan friends and followers, to stop thinking, protein as an animal. Protein is protein, and there is tons of plant based protein options. An example of a small meal/snack would be veggies and hummus or apple/celery with peanut butter. I truly feel since May I have been really good about eating clean organic whole foods. And although I am following Livefit, I am still going to cook my favorite vegan and vegetarian meals. Any fish/eggs/dairy I eat will be organic and local.

Along with eating clean, we will be drinking tons of water. When lifting weights you create toxins, such as lactic acid, so because of this we will be flushing our systems constantly with water. In order to discover how much water you should consume, take your body weight divide it in half and take that number and convert it to ounces. That number is how many ounces of water you need a day. Tea and coffee is also good beverages to consume because they are metabolism stimulaters.

Supplements

Day 1 and 2 Breakfast

Day 1 – Friday, 1/25/13

Day 1 was Chest and Tricep day. Above are examples of a few of the exercise we did. We did 3 sets of 12 at 60% effort weight wise. Later in the program we will be using 100% effort working with max weight.

Day 2 – Saturday, 1/26/13

Day 2 was Back and Biceps day. Again 3 sets of 12 at 60% effort weight wise. Later in the program we will be using 100% effort working with max weight.

After we worked out, I took J, over to MOM’s organic market. On her first trip there, she immediately fell in love- I knew she would. She stocked up her fridge with healthy organic whole foods, and prepared meals for the next couple of days.

I went home and cooked a vegan Eggplant dish.

Although, it has only been two day in, so far I am loving Livefit. Phase 1 makes total since. Eating clean on regular 3 hour intervals will spark the metabolism. Protein shakes/supplements along with lifting will build muscle. Muscle will burn fat. This is true. End of story.

Tomorrow is day 3, and it is legs and calves – my favorite! I love working out my lower body. Can’t wait for tomorrow!

Oh and btw… I am sooo sore, but it is a good feeling!

Questions for You...

Have you started the Livefit trainer?
What is your favorite body part to train?
Any good recipes for protein shakes?

Meeting my Idol, starting a new Challenge.

January 25, 2013

It is June. I am in the airport in Salt Lake City, Utah, heading back to the east coast after my twelve day getaway to the wild wild west. I am on the moveable aisle heading in one direction, towards my gate. On the other side, heading in the other direction, I see a beautiful woman. Immediately I recognize her blonde bob, stacked in the back, angled around her chin. She has the prefect body, extremely lean and fit. She is shorter than I imagined her to be. She must be 5’2, only one inch taller than me. All of these thoughts fill my mind, and with in seconds, I blurt out to my bf, “Oh my goodness, I just spotted a famous person.”

“Where? he asks. “I don’t see anyone famous?”

“The blonde,” I tell him.

“Oh… the woman with the guns.”

“Yes! She is a famous fitness model, from Oxygen magazine. My idol.”

I continue walking to our gate, while my bf encourages me to turn around and introduce myself to her. And because we have time to spare, that is exactly what we do. We start walking in the direction she was walking, but she is no where in sight. Finally I spot her in the food quart.

While everyone around her is eating McDonalds or the Chinese food option, that might as well be McDonalds, she is there clean eating with her homemade lunch. I know this sounds kind of stalkerish, but she is my idol, the one that got me interested in living a more fit and healthy life. By reading her articles in Oxygen magazine I have learned how to lift weights properly, and was motivated to get to the gym everyday! (Of course I have grown since then, and now prefer yoga studios, and running outside.)

I approach her, by saying I am sorry to disturb her, while she is eating lunch. Then I ask her if she is a famous fitness model for Oxygen magazine. She answers, yes and introduces herself, and then hugs me. I tell her she is beautiful and a total inspiration. Then we part ways. I do have a plane to catch.

So that was the day I was starstruck, and that was the unforgettable day I met my fitness idol, Jamie Eason.

The only regret I have, is that I didn’t get a photo of the two of us.

So above is my first Oxygen magazine with Jamie Eason, printed in June of 2007. I also am showing you my free weights, which is an inexpensive but great investment. You should always have free weights at hand. The top left picture is of the supplements that I have recently purchased. Where am I going with this?

Well end of January through February is the only gap of time that I do not have a race that I need to train for. I call this time my off season. This is the time that I casually run and have more time to incorporate different types of work outs into my fitness routine. I remember, months ago, having a desire to strength train. Weight training along with yoga is so important for runners. Building muscle makes you stronger, which improves your running. The stronger you are the better your natural running form becomes, and this helps prevent injury.

So finally I will have the time to focus on building muscle, which is easier said than done. I never thought I would follow a fitness program. But then I realized I have never run a marathon with out a training plan. I actually ran my fastest half marathon this December by, following a half marathon plan. So I guess I am the type of athlete that finds success when I follow a program. So after researching crossfit, wish I could do it, but it is just not in my budget right now. Then I read reviews on P90X and insanity, but finally found the Livefit trainer by Jamie Eason.

It is a 12 week training plan, broken down in 3 phases, and it is totally free. I love Jamie Eason, so I though might as well try her plan.

So today, is day one of the Livefit trainer with Jamie Eason. I can’t wait to begin, and I am so happy that my younger sister will be joining me for this challenge. I will be blogging everyday about my experience. And I have a feeling that both my sister and I will have amazing results. Her goal, is to begin a healthy lifestyle. Mine is to add some strength, lean out my body, and prepare it for when I start my training for my races I have lined up for this spring.

If anyone wants to jump on this challenge with me feel free, we can do it together. Now is the perfect time. You will have a lean body by the end of April.

Questions for You?

Has anyone had success with the Livefit program?
Have you ever had the chance to meet you idol?
Who inspires you in the fitness industry?

My favorite hat, spells TEAM LIVESTRONG!

January 25, 2013

So I have this hat… that is my absolute favorite hat. It was given to me by a friend who got it after he accomplished his first century ride. Pretty sweet swag right!? The hat is made from a white wicking material, that keeps your head cool on a hot summer day. It is actually the only hat I don’t feel suffocated in, while I run. It fits my head perfectly, protecting my skin from the sun’s harmful rays, and shielding my hair color, from fading, keeping it everlasting, shiny, and vibrant. (Yes, I am a hair stylist, so my hair color is a priority.)

The above photo collage shows me wearing this hat at the beach, on hikes, while doing yoga, I also run with it, and just about wear it everywhere. Now, if you look closely it says, “TEAM LIVESTRONG,” written across the front.

I know the interview between Lance Armstrong and Oprah was sooo last week. But I finally stopped being annoyed, and was able to pull it together, to write this post.

So as you all may know, Lance Armstrong was the face of the LIVESTRONG organization. As you may also know, he recently admitted to Oprah that while he competed his 7 tours, he was using performance enhancing drugs, and undergoing blood transfusions. So in my mind, and pretty much the rest of the world’s, Lance Armstrong, is a cheater and a lier. The amazing athlete we thought he was, never existed – so sad. He was not much of an athlete at all, but rather a man that was a brilliant cheater, with the best doctor, and doping schedule.

However, when it comes down to it, the whole using performance enhancing drugs doesn’t really bother me, (I mean it does,) but I can be understanding. Lance told Oprah, everyone was doing it… it became part of the job. The only way to win was to do it too. Well what kind of “Win” is that, and look who is loosing now…

Well like I said above the whole using performance enhancing drugs doesn’t really bother me, because what does, is the the way he handled everything. Lance was selfish and foolish. He called his best friends, the people that lied for him and protected him, horrible names, and then he sued everybody.

Ok, so that bothers me, but there is one thing that bothers me even more… The interview with Oprah, was Lance’s chance to make things better- but he didn’t. I am a marathon runner, who is so passionate about running, that I get a little crazy if I miss a day. I was desperately waiting to hear Lance say how passionate he was about cycling – but he didn’t. I just wanted him to say, how he couldn’t imagine life without participating in the sport – but he didn’t. I did not hear him say he has a love for the endurance sports, but rather an obsession with winning. Maybe he is not passionate at all. Maybe he doesn’t care for cycling at all. Maybe he just found that he was quite good at cycling and would do whatever he could to win.

When Oprah asked, “Why now?” I wanted him to talk about his passion for the sport, but he didn’t. So then, I was waiting for him to say, that he is a father, and wants to make things right, to be a good inspiration for his kids. But nope, he didn’t say that either. Instead he admits to all the lies, cheating, and bad behavior not to make thing right, but rather to reduce his sentence. How selfish can you be?

So in the end… I have this fabulous hat, that has TEAM LIVESTRONG written across the front. I will still wear that hat, not only because I love it, but because I support Cancer research. I support what it truly means to LIVESTRONG. But what I don’t support is Lance.

Lets talk about hair, baby…

January 20, 2013

I know this is my fitness blog, but I am a professional hair stylist and wanted to give you all some advice. You are trying your hardest to be happy and healthy, your hair deserves that too. So this year upgrade your hot tools… It will change your life… I promise.

Ok everybody, lets talk about power tools!

The most common questions I get from my clients is, “How does a professional dryer differ from a generic brand dryer? “Is a professional dryer really better?”

Yes and Yes and here is why…

Most professional hair dryers are tourmaline, ceramic, and ionic.

Tourmaline is a semi-precious stone, that when infused into a hair dryer emits maximum levels of ions and infrared heat for efficient drying. Most hair dryers that are tourmaline are also ultra light weight.

Ceramic heats up the hair from the inside out. It also distributes heat evenly, and regulates temperature. It helps prevent bacteria growth, resulting in a healthy scalp. All of this creates longer-lasting healthier hair results. Also a ceramic coil in a hair dryer is stronger than one that is not ceramic. Stronger materials make for a longer hair dryer life.

Ionic hair dryers breaks down positive ions on wet hair, by distributing negative ions, pushing water molecules deep into the hair shaft. This rehydrates and reconditions hair with each use, while smoothing the hair cuticle. Also helps prevent static.

Most professional hair dryers, dry the hair fast, in half the time.

During my career as a hair stylist I have used several blow dryers. My top favorites are T3, Salono, Twin Turbo, and now Taiff!

And this is why…

Lets start with the T3 Featherweight Professional Dryer, because I have tons to say about it. This dryer has won awards, four times in Allure magazine, two times in InStyle magazine. It claims to be healthier then air drying your hair. It is tourmaline. It is ceramic. It is ionic.

But besides all those, my favorite things about this dryer is how quiet it is, the controllable air flow, and how totally weightless it is.

For the Hair stylist: When using this dryer in the salon it is quiet, to the point, that you can continue your conversation with your client. For the Client: When getting ready early in the morning for work you will not wake up anyone else sleeping in your home, it is that quiet.

For the Hairstylist: The controllable air flow is good for new stylists on the floor, but for someone like me who has been doing hair for six years, I actually prefer a more powerful air flow. For the Client: The controllable air flow is perfect for the client. I hear a lot of my clients say they can’t round brush blow dry their hair because they aren’t coordinated enough. Well the controllable air flow helps keep things organized and makes round brush blow drying an easier task.

For the Hair Stylist: This dryer is as light as a can of diet coke. You won’t feel tired after a long booked busy day. For the Client: Light weight dryer is great for travel.

In the end, I loved this dryer for my own personal use at home. When it came to using it in the salon on clients, it just didn’t cut. When I straighten curly, frizzy, poof ball hair I do not want to pull out my flat iron. This dryer was not powerful enough, and definitely was not fast enough. Also they tend to break. I took really good care of both of my dryers but they still just gave out. My first one broke with in a year and my second one broke with in two years.

The SOLANO is known for power. This is the hair dryer that I have been using in the salon for the last two years. I just retired it and brought it home for at home personal use. This dryer is 1875 watts, ceramic, and tourmaline. Compared to the T3 this dryer is much more powerful. Dries hair faster, and hair looks much more smoother and shinier. However, it is loud, and so heavy, that after a long day of clients, my arms feel numb and tired.

The TWINTURBO is the most popular dryer. Right now everyone has this one at my salon. It is an Italian hair dryer, that is 2100 watts, ceramic, and ionic. I have never used a dryer that is so powerful. Buy the green one, it is eco friendly.

The TAIFF Fox Ion TC is my new blow dryer, which is in the picture above. I received this blow dryer after my Sebastian hair training out in LA. I can’t tell you enough how excited I am about this dryer, there is nothing negative to say about it. It is very quiet. It is very light weight. It is very compact and is very fast drying. It has a powerful 2000w engine. It is ionic. It has tourmaline technology and a ceramic grid. I have never seen hair dry so fast. I have never seen curly, poof ball, frizz hair dry so smooth, so straight. When using this drier my clients have amazing shine, and their hair looks like they have received a Brazilian Keratin Treatment.

Please check out the TAIFF TECHNOLOGY.

I hope that answers your questions about hair dryers. Now let me hear from you… which hair dryer do you like best??

Oh and BTW… Thank you Sebastian Professional for such a wonderful gift. I love my new TAIFF FOX ION TC!

Did you know I do some serious hair…

Questions for You…

What is your favorite hair dryer?
What is your favorite “must have” hot tool/hair tool?

Feel free to ask me hair questions at anytime!

Newton OBSESSED!

January 17, 2013

I know… I can’t help it, I am totally OBSESSED with Newton Running! Anyway their 2013 line of running shoes became available yesterday. I am really excited to buy a new pair of the Distance U. However, I was unsure if I needed a new pair of the Gravity or not. So I posted photos of my shoe’s lugs on their facebook page and this is what Newton had to say about them.

Below is my conversation between Newton Running and I, regarding my shoe wear analysis.

I have had them since September! I have raced 2 races in them, The Army 10 miler, and the Annapolis Half Marathon. They have a little over 400 miles on them. – dorseyml

Newton Running Quite good! You could probably get another 1-200 miles out of them and maybe even more if you can tighten up your gluteus medius, relax your ankle and land with your foot a bit more even on the ground rathe than so far out on the lateral side.

First of all, I want to Thank Newton! When I posted photo’s of my shoes on their facebook page, they immediately responded. I didn’t think they would get back to me that fast, but they did.

Also they gave me amazing advice! I was confused on how many miles my shoes were capable of having. Everyone is different, and I had heard that you can run in these shoes for twice as long as traditional running shoes, but I was still unsure. I am so glad they cleared this up for me. I also have been really focusing on my running form. So for them to notice from the wear on my shoes, that I need to tighten up my gluteus medius, and relax my ankle a bit, is brilliant. I will work on this, so it will better my form and make me a more efficient runner.

Thank You Newton Running!

8 mile runs on Monday mornings…

January 16, 2013

Now, if you are from a place, where it is seriously cold, and you are getting dumped on with snow, you are probably thinking this girl should count her blessings. But let me tell ya, I would rather have snow than rain. I would rather it be 30 degrees and sunny. I can tolerate crisp, refreshing, winter air, as long as, the sun is shining bright. With that being said…

It has been dark and dreary. Fog has formed, and a cold mist of rain has been lingering since early last week. It is totally dull, gloomy, depressing. I know it is January, but the weatherman promised the weekend would be a warm 65 degrees.

He lied.

It stayed around 50 degrees, the sun never came out, it was raining, but I still ran. I actually ran everyday…

Saturday, 1/12/13 – I ran an easy 5 mile run. It was 50 degrees, but gray and gloomy.

Sunday, 1/13/13 – I woke up early, and met L before work, for a 5.32 mile run. This one was full of “bitch” hills. It was a little warmer than 50 degrees, but again gray and gloomy.

Monday, 1/14/13 – I met up with L and ran 8.29 miles. This was the warmest of all the days, being 61 degrees. It still was gray and gloomy, with rain. This run actually felt amazing, and gave me the energy I needed for the rest of the day.

Today, Tuesday, 1/15/13 – I had my Art class in the morning, before work, so I took a rest day. It was gray, gloomy, and by the end of the day the rain was coming down hard.

You are probably wondering what is giving me my drive, to run on miserable, dull, winter days of gloom?

Well…

I am reading an amazing book called, Eat and Run, by Scott Jurek. It is inspiring me in many ways, including giving me motivation to run an eight mile run on a rain drizzle filled monday morning, like yesterday.

(photo taken from my iPhone)

“and now, running had turned into something other than training. It had turned into a kind of meditation, a place where I could let my mind… float free.”

Above is one of my favorite passages from the book, so far. Trust me, there are many more quotes to share… and although, the weather around here has been totally depressing, running in it, though it, all around it, feels good and keeps me sane.

Questions for You?

What is the weather like near you?
What motivates you to work out, run, eat healthy?

Granola… made from scratch!

January 14, 2013

Granola is a great addition to your breakfast greek yogurt. It is also a great snack item you can pick on through out the day. However, store bought granola can be very fattening and overloaded with sugar. So that is why I am suggesting you make your own. You become in complete control when you mix your own batch. You can also get very creative by using any spices and flavors you desire. For example, my cousin Shelly, mentioned using spices you would find in Chai Tea, in your granola.

In the last week, I randomly came across two different granola recipes in two different books I have been reading. It must be a sign, right? I thought to myself, I must try to make this. So I did, and it was super easy, satisfying, tasty.

This Granola recipe is from the book, Eat and Run, by Scott Jurek.

INGREDIENTS

rolled oats
hemp milk
coconut oil (to coat bottom of baking pan)
apple, cored and sliced
2 teaspoons cinnamon
1/2 cup dried coconut flakes
2 tbsp of maple syrup or 1 tbsp of agave nectar
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
sea salt
1/2 cup raw almonds, chopped
1/2 cup pumpkin seeds
2/3 cup golden raisins
wheat germ (I added, not from original recipe)
flax seeds (I added, not from original recipe)

DIRECTIONS

Soak four cups of rolled oats in hemp milk over night. Make sure hemp milk is covering all of the oats. Hemp milk softens the oats, and adds a creamy sweetness. Hemp milk is also rich with omega 3 fatty acids.
After oats have soaked in hemp milk overnight. Drain excess milk, that wasn’t absorbed from oats.
Cut apples.
Add coconut flakes, apples, cinnamon, sweetener, vanilla, and salt to the oats.
Put mixture into food processor. Process for 30 seconds. Scrape sides and process for another 30 seconds, if necessary.
After processed, transfer to a mixing bowl. Add pumpkin seeds, flax seeds, almonds, raisins, and wheat germ.
Coat bottom of baking pan with coconut oil. Spread mixture to pan and bake for 2 hours in oven heated to 250 degrees. Check sporadically flipping granola ever so often to make it into crispy golden clusters.

Final Result

So there you have it! This recipe is really easy. And although, it took 2 hours to bake, it is well worth it because it makes your home smell like amazing apple cinnamon!

What is your favorite flavor of Granola!? Lets trade recipes!

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