Back on the Bandwagon

My mother pointed out last night that I hadn't blogged in awhile.  She's right.  It's been about a week.  But I told her that this is supposed to be a healthy living blog and it would really help if I had some healthy living to share.  Besides, I didn't want to torture you any further with talk about my job hunt or how awesome I am because I graduated.  I also didn't want to whine about the fact that I was sick all weekend, have been left with a residual cough for most of the week, and how it's rained here every day since Sunday.  No.  I don't think anyone really wants to hear about that.  So let's talk about things in my life that are healthy.

In case you have picked up on the hints in my last few posts, I've been busy.  I graduated, moved home, started back at my summer job full time, and am seeking permanent employment, which is my other full time job.  You can imagine that eating healthy and exercising have been put on the back burner.  Really, all these things are not excuses.  I know that I'm responsible for making choices, blah, blah, blah. 

Anyway, now that I'm settling back into a routine, I've made a conscious effort to get back on the bandwagon.  I'm still doing Weight Watchers and so I decided I needed to focus on one thing at a time.  This week I focused on staying within my points and making healthier food choices.  I weigh in tonight and I think it's going to pay off (I'll keep you posted).  I didn't want to overwhelm myself by trying to do that and workout a ton on top of.  Besides, with the cold I had, I thought it best to rest.

Last night I got out for my first workout in about two weeks.  My mom and I did a three mile walk around the neighborhood.  So my focus for this week is to exercise 3-4 times while still eating healthy.  Hopefully the weather cooperates a bit better this week so I can get outside!  Sunshine motivates me.  As does having my mom as a workout buddy.  We both do better when we're around each other because we push each other to go even when we don't really feel like it.  Plus it gives us time to chat.

I'll have some more interesting things to share in the next few days.  What have you been doing lately that's healthy?

Three Things Thursday

1.  Probably the most exciting news is that I literally just sent copies of my thesis to my committee.  Hence why I have been absent from blog land.  I defend a week from tomorrow.  Puke.  I can't believe that this phase of my life is coming to a close so fast.  It's exciting and terrifying all at the same time.

2.  It was nice enough today that I broke out my trusty steed and went for a ride.  It was so refreshing not to be couped up in the gym biking to nowhere.  It was sunny and gorgeous and just what I needed.  It was the perfect break from the thesis work.  I think this is the earliest I've ever been out in the season because my bike usually stays in NH.  This year it's here in ME with me because I have a place to put it.  This weekend is supposed to be even warmer and I'm looking forward to getting in a run and a bike.  Glorious!

3.  As of Monday, Patrick and I are apart for a month while he works and I stay in ME to finish school.  It's been a real bummer, but I'm trying to make the best of the situation.  I'm using the 5 weeks to focus on exercising and eating healthy.  So far, so good!  I've done a great job staying on track with my eating despite the stress.  I'm kind of looking forward to my weigh-in on Saturday.  It really helps that the only food I eat is what I bring home from the grocery store.  There's nothing in the apartment to tempt me.

How's everyone else doing?

Keepin' Busy

The title of this post has a double meaning here.  Obviously I've been busy, hence my lack of posts.  However, I also find that keeping busy helps keep me on track in terms of eating.  So how does this work?  Well, when I head into school for the day, I pack a lunch and I only eat what I packed because quite frankly, I'm so busy when I'm there that I don't have time to eat more.  However, when I come home in the evening, I am surrounded by temptations in the kitchen.  To make matters worse, Patrick work nights, which means there is no one to 'keep an eye on me.'  Self-control is one of my weak points and something I constantly need to focus on.  I've found that keeping busy helps me distract myself.  I thought I'd share the things I do to distract myself from eating when I'm not actually hungry:

1.  I keep my crocheting right next to the couch so I can pick up my current project.  It keeps my hands busy so I can't munch on anything.  Here's a sneak peak at my current project:

2.  On the weekends, I like to scrapbook.  I can get so sucked into it that it keeps me busy for hours.

3.  Blogging!  I suppose this one should be obvious, but it's helping me stay away from noshing right now!
4.  Sometimes I chew gum or brush my teeth early.  This keeps my mouth busy.  And besides, I don't want to eat with that minty fresh feeling in my mouth.
5.  I also like to read.  I especially like to read in bed.  So I'll get ready for bed and read.  Having a book in hand keeps my hands busy and I'm not tempted to snack.  Here are the two books I'm working on now:

How do you keep yourself from snacking when you're not hungry?  What are your strategies?

Stay tuned for a giveaway coming up soon!

Portion Control On The Go

One of the biggest challenges I face with healthy eating is portion control.  I'm definitely a snacker and I know how easy it is to grab a handful of something and not even consider the fact that it may not even be close to a serving size.  And let's face it, we all assume that our 'little' handful is close enough to the serving size.  Well, it's probably not.  Since rejoining Weight Watchers, I've tried very hard to be conscious of my portion size.  It's not easy, but there are plenty of tools to help.  One of the biggest changes I've made it that I've started using one of these:

What a difference!  Let me tell you, that handful of tortilla chips was much closer to two servings than one.  I generally use this to measure out snacks and such.  I keep it right out on the counter near the snacks so I think to use it.  I also keep these handy:

I often eat my light ice cream right out of the half cup because that's what a serving size is!  Imagine that!  And doing this cuts down on the dishes.  This used to drive my mom nuts because the half cup measure was always dirty.  I use this for cereal, milk, pasta, cheese or whatever else a recipe calls for.  It's very easy to get carried away while cooking.  I recently found these in the grocery store:

 This offer a dual purpose.  First, they are a half cup, so I know exactly how much I'm having of something.  And second, the make things easier to grab and go.  For example, I made sugar-free, fat-free pudding and put them in these handy containers.  Then they're ready to go!  I've also been doing this with salads:

Once a week, I wash and cut my veggies and divide them up in to-go containers.  Then I measure in any little extras like cheese, walnuts, or craisins.  Having them ready to go during the week helps me make better choices for lunch.  I do this with fruit as well.  See, look how stocked our fridge is:

I'm finding that having the right tools handy and having healthy choices handy really helps.  How do you control your portions?

A Favorite (And Easy!) Meal

This recipe is a staple in my kitchen.  It's one of the first things I learned how to cook from my dad and it's so easy that it gets made often.  That and it makes great leftovers.  Although it does contain asparagus, which is not Patrick's favorite so he grumbles a little about this one.  Oh well!

Asparagus Pasta Salad
3 c. dry pasta
1 bunch asparagus, cut into 1 inch pieces
1 pint cherry tomatoes, halved
1/4 c. grated Parmesan cheese
2 tsp. olive oil
3 cloves garlic, crushed
salt
pepper
crushed red pepper (optional)
grilled chicken (optional)

Cook the pasta as directed on the box.  Steam the asparagus until al dente.  In a large saute pan on medium heat, pour in the olive oil in the pan and add the garlic.  Then add the halved cherry tomatoes.  Add some salt and pepper.  When the asparagus are done steaming, add them to the saute pan.  Continue to saute and add more salt and pepper, if needed.  Pour the cooked pasta into a large bowl.  Then add the sauteed tomatoes and asparagus to the pasta and mix.  If it's on the dry side, add a little more olive oil.  Let the mixture cool a bit and then add the cheese.  You're not looking for the cheese to melt, you want it to hold its shape.  Then enjoy!

This dish doesn't really use precise measurements, so play around with it until you get it where you want it.  If you like a little more heat, add the crushed red pepper or add some plain chicken if you want to add some protein.  And this is really meant to be enjoyed at room temperature, although you can eat it whatever you want.  This is better than a traditional pasta salad because it won't spoil if you leave it out (makes it great for bringing to get togethers).

Three Things Thursday - Holiday Edition

1.  Merry (belated) Christmas and Happy New Year!  I hope you all had a wonderful holiday.  My blog has been hibernating for the holidays to spend time with my husband and our families.  We  had an awesome Christmas.  Santa brought me everything I wanted and my husband did the sweetest job filling my stocking and picking out a gift.  It really showed how thoughtful he is and how much he listens when I say that I like things.  I really am blessed!  The greatest gift was having Patrick in NH with me for five days and being able to relax and spend time together.  He is now safely back in ME while I continue working in NH.  I head back in another week or so.  What was the best gift you got?

2.  A Little Confession:  I am back with Weight Watchers.  My mother graciously gave me WW for Christmas.  For a year.  I'm really happy to be back because the past few months I have been eating crap and not working out.  While my schedule really was busy, I've made a lot of excuses and it's time to buckle down.  Personally, I need the accountability of something like WW to keep me on track.  I'm still adjusting to their new plan and with the holidays, I have not lost anything yet, but I'm looking forward to figuring out their new plan and sticking to it.

3.  This weekend I'm headed to Meredith, NH to spend New Year's with one of my friends.  We used to take turns visiting each other and spending the weekend, but this sort of began to fall by the wayside with our work schedules and my wedding.  I'm very excited to get away for a girls weekend.  My friend is really into making jewelry and so inevitably we spend the weekend crafting.  I love coming home with something new to wear!  I'll be sure to post pictures if we make anything.  However, I want to try to convince her to go to the outlets as well!  What are your plans for New Years Eve?

Stay tuned for my Year in Review Post!

Apartment Warming Party

On Friday, we had our apartment warming party.  It was nice to finally get all our friends together and break in the new place.  The best part was all the yummy food we enjoyed.  For dinner I made homemade pizza, which I had a little trouble with in the beginning, but it ended up turning out pretty good.  I used the recipe from The Pioneer Woman Cookbook.  The recipe for the dough can be found HERE and the recipe for assembly can be found HERE.
Here was my finished product:

It was really yummy.  I highly recommend trying it out.
For dessert, I made Peanut Butter Cookie Dough Brownies, which are out of this world.  I found that recipe on FoodNetwork.com HERE.

And I also served some of the leftover Oatmeal Crasin Cookies that I made earlier in the week:

Unfortunately, we didn't take any pictures at the party, but I think everyone had a nice time visiting.  We love to entertain so we're hoping to be able to have people over again soon.

Happy 200th Post

Happy 200th post to me!  Yay!  Let's celebrate with some cookies, shall we?

Oatmeal Chocolate Craisin Cookies
adapted from the Better Homes and Gardens Cookbook

3/4 c. butter
1 c. brown sugar
1/2c. sugar
1 tsp. baking powder
1/4 tsp. baking soda
2 eggs
1 tsp. vanilla
1 1/2 c. flour
2 c. rolled oats
1 c. white chocolate chips
1 c. Craisins

First, beat the butter in a mixing bowl.  Beat in the brown sugar, sugar, baking soda, and baking powder until well combined.  Beat in eggs and vanilla.  Then, slowly add in the flour.  Finally, add the oats, Craisins, and white chocolate chips.  Divide the dough in half and create two logs of dough on wax paper.  Roll up the paper and put the logs in the fridge for at least an hour.  When you are ready to bake them, heat the oven to 375, slice the logs, and place the cookies on a baking sheet.  Bake for approximately 8 minutes or until golden brown.  Makes about 48 cookies.  Let cool and enjoy!

Can I just say that these things came out delicious?  They are soft, but have a little bit of a crisp on the outside.  So good!  And in terms of calories, they're a bit healthier than your traditional cookie, so win!  Happy Labor Day Weekend!

A Dress, Ikea, and Mine Falls Trail Race Week 3

Tuesday already?  I've been meaning to post all weekend, but somehow the time got away from me.  How does that happen?  Well, I kicked off the weekend with a 16 mile bike ride.  The weather was gorgeous and it got me feeling good for my final dress fitting.  That's right, the dress is done.  I think it came out pretty good.  Unfortunately, you'll have to wait until the big day to see the final product.  It's still all a bit surreal and I'm struggling to be super excited about it.  They do have to adjust something at the bust, so while it's technically done, there is one final stitch to be put in. 

Saturday night Patrick and I headed into Boston for the evening.  We were really in need of a night out.  It has been a busy couple of weeks trying to get the wedding stuff done.  And between that, him trying to find a job, and family stresses, we needed to get away for a bit.  We strolled through Boston Commons and down Newbury St. (i.e. shopping galore) and just took it all in.  Then we headed to the North End for some yummy Italian food at this place:

The service was so-so, but the food was delicious!  After the meal we walked back up the street to Mike's Pastry and got a cupcake, a brownie, and a piece of cheesecake for $8!  What a deal!  We saved it until we got home because we were full.  No pictures of that because we were too busy stuffing our faces.

On Sunday I went to Ikea for the first time.  That place is like Crate and Barrel on crack.  Seriously, that place is out of control.  I've never seen anything like it.  Personally, I don't think Ikea fits my personal shopping style, but it was an experience.  My friend and I kicked the trip off by indulging in a cinnamon bun for $1.  It sure was worth the dollar, but maybe not the calories.  Oh well.  I did have to restrain myself from spending a ton of money.  I ended up with just a couple things for our bathroom in our new apartment for about $30.  It's probably a good thing that our new apartment is going to be tiny because there's less room for me to fill with crap we don't need.

And finally, last night was week 3 of my trail race series.  It was another hot and humid evening.  There was even a heat warning in effect, but I hydrated all day and figured I be ok.  Final time: 35.43 minutes.  However, I did stop about a half mile in to help another runner out.  The poor girl was on the side of the trail and having an asthma attack.  A bunch of other people ran by her, but no one was stopping.  That just seemed absurd to me.  So I stopped, gave her some water, and got her walking.  Finally, a friend of hers caught up to us and took it from there.  Talk about scary though!  I was just so surprised that no one was stopping to help.  I mean, it's only a trail race.  I would feel so guilty if I had just kept going and found out something really bad happened to her.  So all you runners out there, listen up: if you see a runner hacking on the side of the road or trail, stop and give them a hand. 

Antioxidants

One of the neat things about being a chemistry major is getting to learn about the chemistry of all the things around you.  This semester I took a biological chemistry class where I learned about the chemistry that is going on in our bodies.  You would think that this class would be super interesting and it was for a couple of classes and it was generally boring for the rest of the time.  However, in our last class, our professor lectured on some of the research he works on.  Since I blog about healthy eating and healthy living (or at least I try), I thought I'd share.  I promise I won't kill you with all the nerdy details.

If you watch the news or read magazines, you've likely heard about the positive health benefits of antioxidants.  They can be found in red wine, blueberries, and cranberries.  If you take in antioxidants, it will indeed increase your life span.  However, it doesn't increase the quality of your living.  To do that, you need consume a low calorie diet.  I found this interesting.  I don't know about you, but I would much rather live better than live longer.  I suppose you could combine the two for optimal benefits.

 The research group that my professor is part of is extracting resveratrol (an antioxidant) from the bark of trees.  Surprisingly, antioxidants can be found in much higher concentrations in tree bark than in any other food we humans could consume.  They are working on finding a way to do these extractions in a cost efficient manner so that the antioxidants could be used for human consumption.  Another component to their research is that we have paper mills in the area that just burn off the bark of trees they use to make the paper.  The research group figures is would be beneficial to extract the useful components of the bark before it get burned.  I'll be interested to see where this could lead in the future.

Refreshed

Patrick and I enjoyed a nice evening in Southwest Harbor (really close to Bar Harbor) yesterday.  I think it was exactly what I needed to get myself focused for the last two weeks of classes.  There's a lot to be done, but I feel ready to conquer it.  Sometimes just laying in bed for a weekend is just what the doctor ordered.  Well, we also did some hiking, some divine eating, and some exploring of the area.

We stayed at the Clark Point Inn, a fabulous bed and breakfast in Southwest Harbor.  Here is our cozy little room:

We stayed here 2 years ago when Patrick was playing a gig with his band.  At that time the current owners of the inn had recently bought the place and we were some of their first guests.  It was nice to go back because it was like visiting friends.  The best part is the breakfast.  It's a 3 course gourmet meal.  This morning we had pumpkin chocolate chip muffins, followed by bananas and kiwi with a vanilla creme sauce.  Finally, we had peanut butter stuffed french toast.  I cannot even tell you how divine that stuff is.  I was too busy eating it to take pictures.

We started out Saturday morning by hiking in Acadia National Park.  I've only been hiking out there once so I thought it best for us to stick to a trail that I knew and had a map of.  It's really more walking than hiking, but you get some nice views for not a very large climb.
Here we are at the top of Conner's Nubble:

And here are some other fun things we found (note: Patrick was having a little too much fun with the camera at this point).  Happy hiking trails:

With a happy hiker:

And a big boulder:

That came from somewhere up there:

For dinner, we headed over to Bar Harbor.  Unfortunately, we were about a weekend too early.  Most of the restaurants were still closed for the season and the place the innkeepers recommended was also closed.  We did manage to find a place that was pretty good.  Here's Patrick enjoying my company:

 But even better than dinner was Ben & Bill's Ice Cream and Candy Shop that we found while exploring the area.  Patrick and I both got chocolate peanut butter cookie dough ice cream.  It was really yummy.  We also got two truffles to eat on the way home.

Check out all these chocolates:

And here's a picture of our ice cream.  Just to tease you:

And here we are with the awesome lobster outside.  Me and this lobster could be best friends with an ice cream cone like that:

All in all, it was a perfect weekend for a little getaway.  Hope everyone else had an equally nice weekend.

It's Kind of Like Vacation

Well, I have the place to myself!  Patrick and my other two roommates all left this morning for the Symphonic Band tour.  They won't be back until late Thursday night so I have the apartment to myself.  I'm hoping that I get lots of work done in this peace and quite.  It's not that I don't like my roommates, it just that a break is nice sometimes.  I'm sure mothers feel the same way.  Although I am glad that it's only a few days because I'm sure I would start to get a little lonely if it were much longer. 

The hardest part is fixing meals.  I'm used to cooking for three people, not just one.  Tonight I fixed myself a really yummy salad with spinach, walnuts, cranberries, and feta cheese.  I was curious if others had suggestions for things that you prepare when you have to cook for just one.  I think I may just make a regular meal tomorrow night and take the leftovers for lunch the next day. 

Well, I have to go get ready for my evening class.  And then I'll be tuning in to watch the Biggest Loser without having to compete with anyone for the television.  Ah, yes, just like vacation!

Hope everyone's week is off to a good start!

New Things

So I finally laced up yesterday and got out for a run.  The rain has finally stopped and although the sun wasn't really out, it was still good running weather.  And I was able to try a new loop that I've been wanting to test out for awhile.  Here are the stats:

Miles: 4.25 mi

Time: 47:31 min

Pace: 11:11 min/mi or 5.4 mph

It felt extra good because I didn't walk at all!  I haven't done that or run that far since February.  Even on my shorter runs I've been taking walk breaks lately.  I was really proud of myself that I pushed mentally and didn't stop.  Besides, it's always so hard to start running again after walking.

Yesterday I also did some shopping and stopped by The Natural Living Center.  I've never been before.  Imagine Whole Foods, but a mom and pop version of it and you get The Natural Living Center.  It smelled so good in there and I could have literally gone crazy and bought tons of stuff.  I restrained myself and only bought a small jar of almond butter, a small amount of chia seeds, and a handful of chocolate covered peanuts (a snack for the ride home!).  I've heard good things about almond butter and about chia seeds so I figured I'd give it a try.  I liked that you can buy the chia seeds in bulk, which means that you can pick how much you want to buy.  I know you can probably get a better deal by buying a big bag somewhere, but I wanted to try them before committing to them.

Today I did a recovery walk.  The sun is shining, but it's really windy out.  I was thankful I was walking and not running because running into that wind would have really been crappy.  I walked at a pretty good clip and feel pretty good.  It's not often that I just go out and walk, but it was a nice change.  I was able to notice more things - like all the buds on the trees and flowers starting to pop up!  Summer will be here soon enough!

Eating on the Go

First off, it is a gorgeous day here in Maine.  The sun is out, there's not a cloud in the sky, it's 53 degrees, with just a little breeze.  That's what I call perfect running weather.  I didn't think I was going to have time for a workout today, but a class was canceled and viola!  I had time to run.  I got in 3.02 miles in 36:00 minutes even for an 11:55 pace.  I took 4 minutes of walking breaks and I was satisfied.  Considering I really have gone for a run in almost 3 weeks now, I wasn't expecting to shatter any records.  I just wanted to get out there and do it.  It feels good to be back, especially since the weather is nice.

So on to the whole point of this post.  I originally thought that I was going to be out of the apartment today from 9 am to 7:30 pm.  Not only is that a long day, but it means that I have to pack both lunch and dinner.  I usually don't mind having to pack a lunch, but having to eat both meals on the go can be a drag.  To make matters worse, when I went to make a sandwhich, the bread was moldy.  I ended up with a yogurt, a couple Special K bars, crackers,  Laughing Cow cheese, and popcorn.  I realized there wasn't much substance (or protein).  I think I need to stock up better so I have more options when I need to eat on the go.

I usually have fruit handy, but I didn't wash or cut up the fruit I bought last night.  And we generally don't have leftovers that I could take.  I only make enough for the meal.  I think maybe a protein shake could be a way to get in some better nutrients.

What sorts of things do you like to take with you when you have to eat on the go?  Do you drink protein shakes?  What brand do you use?  How do you plan ahead for these sorts of things?  Other tips or suggestions?

Finally, I'll leave you with another picture from San Fransisco.  This is an actual working windmill in the Queen Willamina garden right near the Pacific Ocean.