tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5099629021964608432024-03-05T17:07:39.572-05:00crazy lil fit chickHi! I'm Lindsay, a 23 year old grad student from NY. I live in the suburbs & go to school in Manhattan. This blog follows my endeavors in fitness, love and psychology.lindsay lovehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02515865749653286650noreply@blogger.comBlogger20125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-509962902196460843.post-83667247717432362192011-10-24T19:11:00.000-04:002011-10-24T19:11:11.322-04:00Rice to the Rescue<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">This morning, my workout was NOT easy! I hit the gym at 5:45 to do back and a quickie cardio circuit. My energy was basically nonexistent because I didn’t go to sleep until <em>midnight</em> last night! (I know, after I just pontificated about the importance of sleep I slept for a mere 5-ish hours! Terrible!) Even though it was tough, I did push through my whole workout and even worked up a pretty decent sweat. Once my workout was completed I felt good and proud of myself for getting in there and getting it done. I was happy that I didn’t just “go through the motions”.<o:p></o:p></span></div><span style="font-family: Calibri;">I think I might have over done it yesterday and made myself over tired. Yesterday morning Dan and I woke up at 6:45am and started our morning with a quick but heavy legs session. After warming up we did this routine:<o:p></o:p></span><br />
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>Squat Press; 3 sets, 8-10 reps<o:p></o:p></span></div><br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>Calf Raises; 3 sets, 35 reps<o:p></o:p></span></div><br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>Extensions; 3 sets, 25<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>reps<o:p></o:p></span></div><br />
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<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>Squats; 3 sets, 6-8 reps<o:p></o:p></span></div><br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>Split Squats; 3 sets, 6 reps each leg<o:p></o:p></span></div><br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>Box Jumps to failure<o:p></o:p></span></div><br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">It was quick, but tough </span><span style="font-family: Wingdings; mso-ascii-font-family: Calibri; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-char-type: symbol; mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-symbol-font-family: Wingdings;"><span style="mso-char-type: symbol; mso-symbol-font-family: Wingdings;">L</span></span><span style="font-family: Calibri;"> I went <em>heavy</em>. I realized about half way through the workout that doing a heavy day of legs the day after a long run was a pretty dumb move. What I really needed yesterday was a REST day—or at least an active recovery day. I thought about taking the day off today but when I woke up I had the energy and just couldn’t lay in bed any longer so I went to the gym and just focused on my upper body. My cardio circuit consisted of some jumping jacks, burpees, push ups and mountain climbers. It pretty much served as a warm up. I was in and out in about 45 minutes. <o:p></o:p></span></div><br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">Back to yesterday; yesterday was a really fun day! Casey’s 20<sup><span style="font-size: x-small;">th</span></sup> birthday was October 22<sup><span style="font-size: x-small;">nd</span></sup>, and her boyfriend, George’s 21<sup><span style="font-size: x-small;">st</span></sup> was October 20<sup><span style="font-size: x-small;">th</span></sup>. So yesterday my mom hosted a big birthday celebration at our house. She went all out with the food (as usual) and dinner seriously felt like Thanksgiving!! Plus just about EVERYTHING we ate was PUMPKIN flavored! LOVE! First, she served a butternut squash and pear soup that was so delicious. Then, we had salads and for the main course she made an incredible beef stew with root vegetables that she served in a BAKED PUMPKIN. I really should have taken a picture of the stew-in-the-pumpkin but I forgot! For dessert, she made chocolate cake balls and a pumpkin spice cake. I brought a fat-free, sugar-free “pumpkin cream pie” that I made (poorly) that ended up looking like a slab of goo. Everyone was kind of grossed out by it but not surprisingly Casey and I enjoyed it and continued to pick at it after we finished our slices. My mom also served pumpkin ice cream and Halloween cookies (because in our family there is no such thing as too much dessert…or food in general). I had seconds and thirds of everything, plus a glass of wine and I consistently picked on everything in between each course. At least before dessert was served Dan and I took Chewy on a walk so I got some movement in! </span></div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Babe & I waiting for dinner <3</td></tr>
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<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>Dan and I got back to his apartment at around 9pm and I must have been on a sugar high from the desserts because I could not sleep for the life of me! Plus, I was seriously starting to feel that morning workout. My glutes were SCREAMING. I made myself a glass of peppermint tea and read some magazines hoping it would calm me down and make me sleepy. By 10pm, though, I was on the living room floor with the foam roller, rolling out my glutes and hips while watching the Real Housewives of New Jersey Reunion. By 10:30, I gave up and just took a melatonin. I waited and waited for it to kick in but I just could not get tired!! I finished watching the reunion show, read a little and did some journaling until finally at around 11:40pm I was tired enough to go lay down. I tossed and turned for a while and finally fell asleep. Perhaps I just wasn’t tired because I sprung out of bed before 6am this morning without an alarm. Today, I haven’t felt irritable, groggy or tired. Now I’m finally starting to unwind so hopefully I’ll have a good night of sleep tonight. <o:p></o:p></span></div><br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>Even though yesterday was a wonderful day full of great family bonding, there was one tiny lil downside. I dropped my phone right into Chewy’s water bowl. </span><span style="font-family: Wingdings; mso-ascii-font-family: Calibri; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-char-type: symbol; mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-symbol-font-family: Wingdings;"><span style="mso-char-type: symbol; mso-symbol-font-family: Wingdings;">L</span></span><span style="font-family: Calibri;"> Currently, I am disconnected from the world as my phone is recovering in a bag of uncooked white rice. Apparently, this process saves a submerged phone. It takes a few days. So in a few days when I take it out of the rice, I’ll let you know the verdict. <o:p></o:p></span></div>lindsay lovehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02515865749653286650noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-509962902196460843.post-4595411958750559292011-10-23T12:00:00.000-04:002011-10-23T12:00:28.185-04:00Wellness and IllnessFirst off, I am feeling <em>so</em> much better!!<br />
<br />
When I was in high school and I would catch a cold it would take my body <em>at least</em> a week to fight off the virus. Now, it takes about <em>twenty four hours.</em> Yes, <strong>one day</strong>. And, during that one day I'm usually not even that bad! If I got a cold in high school I <em>really</em> needed to take the day off an stay in bed all day (although that <em>NEVER</em> happened because I'm far too anal about *perfect* attendance) but now I maintain my daily routine regardless of a cold. <br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">HS-junior year-I actually had mono in this picture!</td></tr>
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Why is this? I've been thinking about the difference in my lifestyle from high school to now. I've always been a pretty healthy chick. I first joined a gym when I was 14 and did sports forever. I ran track and cross country in high school and college and have been a runner + weight lifter for, omg, almost ten years! A healthy diet has always been important to me but in high school I simply did not yet understand what it meant to be healthy. While I thought I was eating to be healthy, I was really eating to be skinny. <br />
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Back then, for breakfast I'd have coffee with skim milk and some kind of protein bar (either Special K or those <em>dreaded</em> awful Atkins bars) then as a snack I'd have a diet coke and Dannon light yogurt (those lil 80 calorie cups). I ALWAYS packed my own lunch which was usually always chicken breast, some kind of light cheese, pesto and spinach wrapped up in a whole wheat wrap (though I usually picked off about half the wrap). Sometimes I kept a box of Fiber One cereal in my locker to snack on and afternoon snacks typically consists of mixed nuts or fruit or both. I thought I was healthy because I defined "health" in terms of comparissions to the lifestyles of my peers and information I obtained from the one general nutrition class I took. A lot of my friends did not work out, did not play a sport, bought lunch which consisted of a plate of fries with ketchup and mayo, a bagel with cream cheese or a muffin. They <em>loaded</em> their coffee with sugar and TONS of half and half (I'm talking a cup of cream with a splash of coffee). I drank my coffee with splenda and splash of skim, drank only diet soda, stringently watched my carbs, made sure it was ALWAYS <em>whole</em> wheat, obsessively made sure there was fiber in whatever I ate (always snacked on those flavored fiber chews) and ate salads like they were going out of style. <br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjZKoYBNv9t8hWByHwCGJz-VWJdz-anie7rI_VADFO04vWIKNTyKjSSewbevoDbFK-EfRAQEuZG59wHR-Z7_Kkh1Gckk0xhT09lXamKjr755UM3eZwTYhXYmoSgELn7ajXw-uSFMRRBjIuG/s1600/229231_1006642330804_1367280242_30178692_5337_n.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="212" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjZKoYBNv9t8hWByHwCGJz-VWJdz-anie7rI_VADFO04vWIKNTyKjSSewbevoDbFK-EfRAQEuZG59wHR-Z7_Kkh1Gckk0xhT09lXamKjr755UM3eZwTYhXYmoSgELn7ajXw-uSFMRRBjIuG/s320/229231_1006642330804_1367280242_30178692_5337_n.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">father daughter dance senior year :)</td></tr>
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So, was I healthy in high school? Yes and no. Sure what I was eating was nutritious, but I really wasn't eating "healthy". I cared about fiber and calories more than anything. Protein? What was that? I definitely was not eating to fuel the workouts I was doing. Track practice was hardcore and lasted two hours a day and after practice I hit some weights or did a pilates class. There was no need for me to "watch my carbs". Plus, I focued on trying to eat as little calories as possible and often went on "fasting diet". Around prom season I attempted the "gum-water-and-diet-coke-diet". Not healthy. So basically, I was starving and <strong><em>overtraining. </em></strong>NO WONDER it took my body nearly TWO WEEKS to battle a cold!!!!!!!!! Plus-I got sick ALL THE TIME!!!!!!!! Whenever a virus was going around, this girl ALWAYS caught it!<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhZIASFyOshbiUsATf1nroHyj2ph7k3YOmES5LUI84zfeBpXRyZUdMH_tjK8eAxnpjEm6OHggpTGUz32WVKRCUVlLQvekFpzNcZ4hi4WCiqLaJCVD_a2O3Y4hZbjk4D50vdbRGQMlSCnptD/s1600/n1367280242_30227098_7846.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhZIASFyOshbiUsATf1nroHyj2ph7k3YOmES5LUI84zfeBpXRyZUdMH_tjK8eAxnpjEm6OHggpTGUz32WVKRCUVlLQvekFpzNcZ4hi4WCiqLaJCVD_a2O3Y4hZbjk4D50vdbRGQMlSCnptD/s320/n1367280242_30227098_7846.jpg" width="240" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">sweet 16! was actually sick during my party!</td></tr>
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Now, I eat a balanced diet that includes TONS of veggies, fruits, some whole grains and plenty of lean protein like chicken breast and egg whites. I also eat lots of healthy fats like cacao, coconut, nuts, peanut butter and olive oil (and I love it all...LOVE fats). My workouts last around 45 minutes to an hour and they include a balance of strength, power and cardio. The only thing I really need to work on is remembering to stretch. Keeping this balance fuels my body AND my immune system <em>properly</em>. Basically, I'm giving it *just* what it needs to function at its best. So, when I catch a cold (which, thankfully, RARELY happens) it's a minor discomfort that doesn't really slow me down and my body is able to fight it right off.<br />
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But, I forgot to mention the MOST IMPORTANT difference between my lifestyle now and in high school:<br />
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<strong><u>SLEEP</u>!!!!!!!!!!!!!!</strong><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi_6qQHAScLZrIlvvW6Q2UTDsoYbkcabUW-qje223OpEpxPco-mkdpxmTVg0PlHayhZd8O6NzvA0vhoNzmhQGj3Jhf5Z_LipDyo8pHnVAlxauftE4q33lb6DASWfaYlCXPOS5WxSl4QsxsY/s1600/sleepy.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi_6qQHAScLZrIlvvW6Q2UTDsoYbkcabUW-qje223OpEpxPco-mkdpxmTVg0PlHayhZd8O6NzvA0vhoNzmhQGj3Jhf5Z_LipDyo8pHnVAlxauftE4q33lb6DASWfaYlCXPOS5WxSl4QsxsY/s320/sleepy.png" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">my guys are the perfect models for sleeping..</td></tr>
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SLEEP is way too commonly overlooked but it is the KEYYY to a balanced and healthy life!!! In high school I was lucky if i slept for four hours a night! I was a TOTAL night owl!! I could stay out all night long, and on school nights I stayed up all hours of the night either cramming or talking on the phone. Then I'd wake up at 6am (some days earlier because I always had morning detention). On Sundays I would "catch up" on my sleep for the week and sleep in till way passed noon. Now, how healthy is <em>that</em>? Now, I MAKE SURE to get AT LEAST 7 and a half hours of sleep a night!! I almost always get my full 8 hours, only rarely do I get 7 1/2. Sleep is a HUGE priority for me. Even if I'm not tired, if it's time for bed I pop a melatonin and go lay down. To keep my circadian rythym balanced I don't sleep in much later on the days that I don't have to wake up. It's about a thirty to forty minute difference. When you sleep your body RECOVERS. How can you battle a cold if you're not sleeping?!<br />
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So since I woke up yesterday feeling vibrant and refreshed I went out and completed my nine mile training run! It was a bit cooler this week but that worked in my favor because it speeded me up a bit. My run was ten minutes shorter this week! My legs feel fine today, only a little bit tight so I'm going to roll them out a bit on the foam roller. <br />
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Dan, however, was feelin' my same peppiness. He was a little under the weather last night so we decided to stay in and cook dinner. After pondering recipe ideas I decided I wanted to try Mousakka (it always reminds me of the Lion King...Mufasaaaaa). I loosely followed a recipe from <em>Cooking Light</em>. When I say "loosely followed" I mean not at all because their recipe was a vegetarian bulgur Mousakka topped with some butter-y, flour-y, cheese-y sauce goo and mine was loaded was beef and sprinkled with vegan cheese.<br />
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Dan was impressed and we both gobbled it up (seriously, half of it-GONE) so I say success!<br />
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<strong><span style="color: red;">Meaty Mousakka</span></strong><br />
<span style="color: black;">Ingredients:</span><br />
<ul><li>3 eggplant</li>
<li>1 TBSP olive oil</li>
<li>1 Vidalia onion</li>
<li>4 cloves garlic</li>
<li>2 packages extra lean 96% ground sirloin</li>
<li>1 can no salt added diced tomatoes</li>
<li>3/4 cup mozeralla flavored Daiya cheese</li>
<li>1/2 tsp cinnamon</li>
<li>1/2 tsp allspice</li>
<li>1/4 tsp cloves</li>
<li>1 cup low sodium chicken broth</li>
<li>1 TBSP oregano</li>
</ul>First, preheat your broiler to high. Slice the eggplant into half inch thick rounds and line on a sprayed baking sheet. Pop them in the broiler for 5 minutes, flip and broil 5 minutes on the other side. Get 'em nice and brown & crispy. Put them aside. While the eggplant is broiling chop up the onion and garlic and heat the tbsp of olive oil in a deep sautee pan. Sautee the garlic and onion for about 10 minutes then add your ground beef. Brown the meat a little then add in the spices. Continue until the meat is mostly browned then add chicken broth and tomatoes. Bring to a boil, then reduce to a simmer, stirring until the meat is about done. In a casserole dish, line the bottom with half the eggplant. Spoon meat mixture over the eggplant (I used a slotted spoon and left the remaining liquid in the sautee pan). Top the meat mix with the remaining eggplant. Top the eggplant with cheese and bake at 350 for 20 minutes, then at 400 for another few minutes. <br />
<br />
Since the recipe called for bulgur wheat the cooking times were all off so improvised. I thought I might've cooked everything too long and the meat would be dry but it actually came out perfect! We paired the Mousakka with a side of brussels sprouts, 'cuz I just like having a lil something green with every meal :)lindsay lovehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02515865749653286650noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-509962902196460843.post-59857472511869252272011-10-21T18:05:00.000-04:002011-10-21T18:05:34.809-04:00Pumpkin Spice Lattes & Frozen GrapesFrozen grapes and macadamia nuts may just be one of my favorite snacks ever. Frozen grapes are <em>truly</em> nature's candy. They are SO delishh!!! I eat the macadamias frozen as well, and when they're frozen they just taste even <strong>more</strong> <em>buttery</em>, <em>smooth</em> and delectable :)<br />
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Plus, last night I caught Dan's icky lil virus :( No bueno... So after being too sick to sleep last night and suffering from a scratchy sore throat all day today, a soft, frozen snack was <em>exactly</em> what I needed. As for the nuts, I kind of just sucked on them like a hard candy so jagged pieces wouldn't irritate my poor swollen tonsils. Ever since I had mono when I was 16 my tonsils have become super sensitive to any virus and swell up to the size of ping pong balls, which then makes the glands on my neck <em>super<strong> </strong></em>swollen. Hot, I know. Luckily, though, my healthy life style keeps my immune system in tip top shape and I typically fight off viruses in <strong>record time</strong> and can easily maintain my daily life even when sick. For example, today I hit the gym at 6am for a leg workout before work, then worked for five hours, followed by a lovely manicure and walk around my neighborhood (for some much needed fresh air and to complete some errands). <br />
<br />
Want to know what else I enjoyed with my frozen snack? A <span style="color: orange;"><strong><em>pumpkin spice latte</em></strong></span><span style="color: black;"> - homemade! I was SO proud of myself for this one, and I thought it was AMAZEEE. Dan, however, thought it tasted like doody. meh..</span><br />
<br />
Anyway, don't go by our opinions, try it out and judge for yourself :) it's not hard:<br />
<br />
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<span style="color: orange;"><strong>Pumpkin Spice Latte </strong></span><span style="color: #783f04;"><em>for one</em></span><span style="color: black;">:</span><br />
<ol><li>Mix 1 TBSP pureed pumpkin, 1/2 TSP pumpkin pie spice, pinch cinnamon, one packet of Stevia and 1/2 TSP vanilla extract in half a cup of almond milk. </li>
<li>Mix together with a whisk or a fork and pop in microwave for 1 1/2-2 minutes in 30 second intervals (stirring each time you stop it)</li>
<li>Mix the almond milk concoction with 1/2 cup french vanilla flavored coffee, add in some more milk if you life your latte on the light side. </li>
<li>Top with a sprinkle of cinnamon or a dollop of whipped cream and ENJOY!</li>
</ol>I found this whole snack SO enjoyable. I notice that whenever I eat frozen grapes and macadamia nuts I actually feel <em>guilty</em>--like I ate something bad! THAT'S how much I enjoy them. But I do have to watch myself with portion control because it's way too easy to over do it, and when that happens you may end up having something to feel guilty about. Macadamia nuts are naturally high in fat and calories and grapes have a bit of a high glycemic load and sugar content, so exceeding a proper portion (I like to stick to 1/2-3/4 cup....if I can) may spike your blood sugar a little too quickly. This is probably ok right before or after a workout.<br />
<br />
Have you ever had <em>ice wine</em>??? I found out about it in this erotic novel I read over the summer...and found out that the grapes used to make the wine are fermented when they're <em>still frozen. </em>Wine made from FROZEN GRAPES?! Count me in! I immediately starting googling like crazy and found a place nearby that carryied it. I bought the wine back in the summer but only tried it a few weeks ago with Dan. Woa....it was <em>amazing</em> but <strong>CRAZY</strong> sweet! You know those little port wine glasses? One of those is ALL YOU NEED, any more than that and it's just overwhelmingly sweet. The expensive price tag is worth it because it is orgasmic and a little really goes a <em>long</em> way!<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Ice Wine & Prosecco; meet some of my favorite indulgences :)</td></tr>
</tbody></table><br />
Well, I'm off to relax for the rest of the night because I plan on doing a long run tomorrow morning as part of my training for the <a href="http://toughmudder.com/">Tough Mudder</a> race that my sister and I will be competing in this November! If I'm feeling up to it (depending on this dangggg virus) I'm going to complete a nice lil nine mile run outside around town from my gym this morning. Last week I ran a nine mile course with my friend Gianna. It was GORGEOUS out last Saturday morning--absolutely PERFECT running conditions! So, tonight I'm taking it easy and taking lots of cold meds. Also, on Fridays I now include a bit more carbs and fruits into my diet to prepare myself for an intense cardio workout the following morning. I have WAY more energy for the run and feel great during and after when I eat this way. Cross your fingers that I'm feeling up to it tomorrow!!lindsay lovehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02515865749653286650noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-509962902196460843.post-52856979736569699122011-10-20T19:44:00.000-04:002011-10-20T19:44:22.226-04:00Halloween Party & Harvest Quinoa<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjIz9b1fyFEQIKGXd9_9Dwn8mBqyth8kg3r-SPXRHlLKaY_hEk4eW4lXoQ8ils_24P21IUdBZBB55T5GzJ0XFj7wUgSBnwTcGfECpixu6Y9CEBQIzGk0qIZz-TwASsyd5OqmpgtFeYeUm1F/s1600/020.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjIz9b1fyFEQIKGXd9_9Dwn8mBqyth8kg3r-SPXRHlLKaY_hEk4eW4lXoQ8ils_24P21IUdBZBB55T5GzJ0XFj7wUgSBnwTcGfECpixu6Y9CEBQIzGk0qIZz-TwASsyd5OqmpgtFeYeUm1F/s320/020.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><br />
So, this past weekend I threw a little Halloween party for some friends! It turned out really nice and we all had SO much fun! <br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">party peopleee<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgsczDoX2o9TlFisngjX_C94TCOe1zbEGzOmL8k7AW0XZN4uFYwjU-gANsg4sugIPmoml3o1325Z9L1NzcNgbbBW6Tb1CF9oY6n42p3mYvr4HgEjLtidZcYLlEYxidLsYCx3uKv4j4zIx5f/s1600/018.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgsczDoX2o9TlFisngjX_C94TCOe1zbEGzOmL8k7AW0XZN4uFYwjU-gANsg4sugIPmoml3o1325Z9L1NzcNgbbBW6Tb1CF9oY6n42p3mYvr4HgEjLtidZcYLlEYxidLsYCx3uKv4j4zIx5f/s320/018.JPG" width="320" /></a></div></td></tr>
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It was a cute, festive little gathering. I had it at my house and entertained Dan, Casey & her boyfriend, George and a few girl friends. My parents hung out with us for the night too, which was fun! I made an assortment of Halloween themed foods and drinks and my friend Gianna brought <em>cupcake </em>flavored vodka (yes, CUPCAKE). The vodka was <em>delicious, </em>however, my body is so not used to the combination of sugar+alcohol overload so by the end of the night I was suffering from a pretty bad tummy ache :( which continued into the next morning. So, Saturday night was the my first and last experience with cake vodka. Thanks, but no thanks. <br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">well, it <em>seemed</em> like a good idea!</td></tr>
</tbody></table>Aside from that, I had SO much fun preparing, cooking, decorating and entertaining! I LOVE throwing parties and get togethers. The prep work started the night before; I made my "Harvest Quinoa", edamame hummus and pumpkin spice cookies. The next day I chopped a ton of veggies and made/prepared the rest of the appetizers and entrees. With the hummus I served seaweed snacks, veggies and sweet potato bakes (thin slices of sweet potato seasoned and baked). I also used dark pumperknickel bread and a cookie cutter to make "black cat" grilled cheeses. Dinner was pumpkin quinoa, turkey sliders and flank steak covered in cherry tomatos, avocados and sauteed onions. For dessert I made a brown rice crispy treat cake in the shape of a big pumpkin (no butter, just marshmallow and extra dark chocolate chips were melted to create the Jack-O-Lantern face), caramel apples, white chocolate "ghost" pears and candy corn, of course. Casey made some Oreo cake balls and I also served some of Dan's mom's <em>phenomenal</em> pumpkin bread. Jackie & Gianna completely hoarded the pumpkin bread for the night, but trust me, I had <em>more</em> than my fair share during the day...picking while cooking ;)<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">my fruit & casey's ballss</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">my other helper ;)</td></tr>
</tbody></table><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgctvApTiG-R_GJWVsr-jtVR5Xy403Ewl_1Nf62eZ-RVz3D3PLsE4PG7SIEHSouaSRq2vvFlStDgiovDlVrAkpTKmL6SVQMqbpHB5mHYKNkZM7eaxPG81olNnZ5nZypnZOa-C6SmKjwGGfN/s1600/009.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgctvApTiG-R_GJWVsr-jtVR5Xy403Ewl_1Nf62eZ-RVz3D3PLsE4PG7SIEHSouaSRq2vvFlStDgiovDlVrAkpTKmL6SVQMqbpHB5mHYKNkZM7eaxPG81olNnZ5nZypnZOa-C6SmKjwGGfN/s320/009.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">crudites & black cat grilled cheeses<br />
</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiVa4Ay63UvPyKUWr197n_n06ZBpbWm_JMHjgpYK8ZM1stv02Y-I5STZ7HjpVoAMe2T1uX0bD8G1SOi6ZJ1yW1M2Zf8GxF4gS98Zr9ZfkD_HjhbEAdD2VMTf2n9q_YtC4aGtbklGMAVvDdw/s1600/006.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiVa4Ay63UvPyKUWr197n_n06ZBpbWm_JMHjgpYK8ZM1stv02Y-I5STZ7HjpVoAMe2T1uX0bD8G1SOi6ZJ1yW1M2Zf8GxF4gS98Zr9ZfkD_HjhbEAdD2VMTf2n9q_YtC4aGtbklGMAVvDdw/s320/006.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">preppingg</td></tr>
</tbody></table>The Harvest Quinoa was a nice lil side and would probably be a nice addition to Thanksgiving dinner as well! Plus, it's crazy easy to make:<br />
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<span style="color: #b45f06;"><strong>Harvest Quinoa <span style="color: black;">-</span></strong></span><span style="color: #990000;"> Serves 12</span><br />
Ingredients<br />
<ul><li>1 cup quinoa</li>
<li>4 cups water</li>
<li>1 cup pureed pumpkin</li>
<li>1/2 cup pecans</li>
<li>1/4 cup raisins</li>
<li>1/4 dried cherries (no sugar added)</li>
<li>1 Tbsp maple syrup</li>
<li>1/4 tsp salt </li>
</ul>Cook quinoa and water on high until water comes to a rapid boil. Cover, reduce heat to simmer and cook until water absorbs. Remove from heat, stir in pumpkin until thoroughly mixed. Next, add in maple syrup, salt and dried fruit. Stir in nuts right before serving (so they stay <strong>crunchy</strong>). <br />
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This recipe makes SO MUCH!!!!!! Another reason why I think it would be perfect for Thanksgiving :)<br />
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All in all, it was a fun lil get together with some of the <strong>best</strong> company, good food & maybe too many drinks! All I know is as usual, Gianna and I totally went to town on the desserts........see all that candy corn? Gone. And I wonder <em>why</em> my stomach was hurting!<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhKoKbtGdsvn0Ru8QqdVGRkg-Kkz3UpU26PPBYmMZAWgStYk7xPl2LPsPxs5IkAobp-D4J12mLt44a3rqSQVcSuwSu_69hFVPDx2s1okbNyxegliMBbxDSnYg3SomWCglFCN2aBXlh1-Mg3/s1600/036.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhKoKbtGdsvn0Ru8QqdVGRkg-Kkz3UpU26PPBYmMZAWgStYk7xPl2LPsPxs5IkAobp-D4J12mLt44a3rqSQVcSuwSu_69hFVPDx2s1okbNyxegliMBbxDSnYg3SomWCglFCN2aBXlh1-Mg3/s320/036.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>lindsay lovehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02515865749653286650noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-509962902196460843.post-387100951443834122011-10-11T12:49:00.000-04:002011-10-11T12:49:47.715-04:00Spicey LunchI LOVE a lazy day off!! No school or work today and since I hit the gym so early I have the <em>whole day free</em>. When does <em>that</em> happen? Never. <br />
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After I showered I went over to the salon my friend works at for a nice lil airbrush tan...feels so good to not be pale as a ghost anymore. It took basically a lifetime to finally scrub off the entirety of my competition tan. That nightmare will most likely happen again fairly soon since Halloween is rapidly approaching and that requires lots of spray tans. Even a few years ago when I was a vampire I got a spray tan, it's all good. <br />
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After my tan I made a delicious spicey lunch. <br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjsGfhS2EGJi6qkEaJuyvBf4rSML5LKnNV4NMtgWRNLtG3DIEYDobLeW32N4INIONSevK3XMUwRum7BrB-qsOahu3Nlv80cCA_FCeQ0ilo5ZESjJ6p5aUk4J2_UU3GrfKqrpv25IBXRzOJ7/s1600/027.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjsGfhS2EGJi6qkEaJuyvBf4rSML5LKnNV4NMtgWRNLtG3DIEYDobLeW32N4INIONSevK3XMUwRum7BrB-qsOahu3Nlv80cCA_FCeQ0ilo5ZESjJ6p5aUk4J2_UU3GrfKqrpv25IBXRzOJ7/s320/027.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">OD spicey seasoning</td></tr>
</tbody></table><br />
I baked some chicken breast yesterday, saturated half of them in Tomato Basil Mrs. Dash and the other half in an <em>overwhelming</em> mix of dried chipotle, cayenne, paprika and cumin. I like a TON of spice on my chicken because I don't marinate them or use any fat or salt while cooking them. Along with my chicken I had some steamed spinach (leftover from Sunday night's dinner) topped with a drizzle of balsamic and a scoop of hummus to dip (spicey hummus). Balsamic and hummus are a <em>really good</em> mix..up until today I always had one or the other. WHY did I never think to combine!?<br />
<br />
Sunday I went apple picking with Dan and my parents, but unfortunately the whole orchard was COVERED in <strong>poison ivy, </strong>so we didn't nab ANY apples. :( While we were leaving we realized we went to the <strike>wrong</strike> orchard. The one we planned on visiting was actually a few feet down the road, across the street. Oops. By that time, though, the lines and crowds were RIDICULOUS so we just passed and came home! Now I wish we had stopped because I'm totally craving the homemade apple sauce I had PLANNED to make!! booo...<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhvmaOt9DZm9N9a0-KOt_nQsO1KqMcbyqFV24Ft_BT3SXuu0BPCwtVdGixFBSQWtf1xjjecieZiTs6B9zhX1q3zFHYAn1I6bWEH9VuTNjQvzatmluOnXRFxmFxrDihRLwFLwzUK93rvcOIe/s1600/016.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhvmaOt9DZm9N9a0-KOt_nQsO1KqMcbyqFV24Ft_BT3SXuu0BPCwtVdGixFBSQWtf1xjjecieZiTs6B9zhX1q3zFHYAn1I6bWEH9VuTNjQvzatmluOnXRFxmFxrDihRLwFLwzUK93rvcOIe/s320/016.JPG" width="240" /></a></div>lindsay lovehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02515865749653286650noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-509962902196460843.post-26185072514048880702011-10-11T09:13:00.000-04:002011-10-11T09:13:17.656-04:00"And Then She Asked Me To Eat Green Paper"<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgixOyDnl8ETpaUpQungAjz5Chbu5gvTVuFztf7raoBAi8XLOxxp77UUWc0hghRtE23wZmQNTYSZKKmu3s4XjqBryyJAeHzN7ISWr7cV6AcMHEYZfStsSPW0mygpQNklGesgu_03R3aToVT/s1600/013.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgixOyDnl8ETpaUpQungAjz5Chbu5gvTVuFztf7raoBAi8XLOxxp77UUWc0hghRtE23wZmQNTYSZKKmu3s4XjqBryyJAeHzN7ISWr7cV6AcMHEYZfStsSPW0mygpQNklGesgu_03R3aToVT/s320/013.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>My boyfriend thinks I am a nut job. I'm constantly cooking up strange concoctions and playing with food trying to make something healthy and tasty while also being low calorie and fairly high in protein. I also buy random things that also meet this criteria. <br />
<br />
Such as seaweed snacks and tofu shirataki noodles...both of which I introduced him to this week. When I first offered him a piece of seaweed, assuring him they were delicious <em>and</em> totally <strong>addictive</strong> he stared at it and simply said, "and then she asked me to eat green paper....that's what I'm telling everyone tomorrow. I tell everyone about all the weird sh** that you make and try to feed me."<br />
:(<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjvyVqcmfMGE0s_3GtirrCA1Q651q446QG3jNFNXvCbXG7DVJF5kw0EU5jcAOFd_p2zE8KPsoRmJ-lNqEjAYAYwb9fIaLmIf0Cr3C9-tGG3tjK43JVRd5nElqyWC44cpW35nfus22kbfVpe/s1600/Trader+Joes+Seaweed+box.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjvyVqcmfMGE0s_3GtirrCA1Q651q446QG3jNFNXvCbXG7DVJF5kw0EU5jcAOFd_p2zE8KPsoRmJ-lNqEjAYAYwb9fIaLmIf0Cr3C9-tGG3tjK43JVRd5nElqyWC44cpW35nfus22kbfVpe/s320/Trader+Joes+Seaweed+box.jpg" width="222" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">seaweedy deliciousness</td></tr>
</tbody></table><br />
<br />
Well, Saturday night we decided to stay in for dinner and wanted something quick and lazy. I could have cooked but he wasn't in the mood so we decided on pasta. Even though I ran a long run Saturday morning, I just wasn't feelin' pasta (let's be honest...I just wanted to enjoy my carbs in the form of pumpkin beer..). So he boiled up some whole wheat penne for himself and I opened up a bag of <a href="http://www.house-foods.com/tofu/tofu_shirataki.aspx">these guys</a> for myself. We both topped our noodles with some jarred tomato sauce but I mixed in a bag of steamed brocoli and cauliflower to mine. Suprsingly, he was intrigued by my dinner and to my <strong>shock</strong> he tried it!!!! Shocking me even <em>further</em>, he <em>LIKED</em> them!!!!!! Liked them so much that he said, "if you buy these...i'll eat them" (he later told my sister that they tasted like <em>goo</em>, but enjoyable goo, nonetheless). I felt a slight warming sense of accomplishment anyway :) Anytime I can turn Dan on to one of my weird little findings I have to give myself a pat on the back. His enjoyment of whole wheat pasta took me just over <strong>three years</strong>!! Persistance, my friends. <br />
<br />
Besides Saturday's dinner the rest of our weekend was pretty dang good! Saturday Dan and I headed out to a mall in New Jersey for some fall decorations and Target for a bag of candy corn. Then, we came home and made this monster: <br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh_5XDh0boIHTMADHQcuy85Gn29UHqotQE4m-eRZrfe6WI-2iw10HBC_RNowa-VS5ib1m82S6kWdpuMlskAwBKRUYUvHSSa4UEc7JFEkFCe4mHqig5g1nIrSK1zWiiYYr2sZGyOXRx_6csN/s1600/013.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh_5XDh0boIHTMADHQcuy85Gn29UHqotQE4m-eRZrfe6WI-2iw10HBC_RNowa-VS5ib1m82S6kWdpuMlskAwBKRUYUvHSSa4UEc7JFEkFCe4mHqig5g1nIrSK1zWiiYYr2sZGyOXRx_6csN/s320/013.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">teamwork at its finest</td></tr>
</tbody></table><br />
His mom got us the kit from Williams-Sonoma, so the gingerbread is actually really tasty (those two tombstones have been devoured already...along with some of the roof..).<br />
<br />
Along with decorating that house (and consuming way too much candy corn...the pumpkin variety is ridiculous...I was sure to get the bag with the MOST pumpkins mixed in) we festively decorated the apartment! I'm obsessed with the cozy decorations and pops of pumpkin-orange fall colors!<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjXc7LdUp8ySe75GUPdwTPNFmroDIXIibZHuqSRbriUO7eDeYmMqsmH2-PqaJuCSYW86L7g-8TdResEinkUiYNVnI5AXgUJoIsNVDlLLGp3NWCaA1093yCw93CUwDnqVi_x72ACu4WshQFh/s1600/019.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjXc7LdUp8ySe75GUPdwTPNFmroDIXIibZHuqSRbriUO7eDeYmMqsmH2-PqaJuCSYW86L7g-8TdResEinkUiYNVnI5AXgUJoIsNVDlLLGp3NWCaA1093yCw93CUwDnqVi_x72ACu4WshQFh/s320/019.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">lovin the lil pumpkin candles</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg6KN26eckcsHbRN21Z9KxysSeL74lX0r-I-8vvrvUEhzKTjW_JQX7xAL11wuNi7FAkhDQFCAB6p5Ix8nz4lL2w1e4L00Pn9Q2nru40_IqgMhJ6B1kWePmaUGeHLANhej6dZVK1jSVdp3_B/s1600/020.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg6KN26eckcsHbRN21Z9KxysSeL74lX0r-I-8vvrvUEhzKTjW_JQX7xAL11wuNi7FAkhDQFCAB6p5Ix8nz4lL2w1e4L00Pn9Q2nru40_IqgMhJ6B1kWePmaUGeHLANhej6dZVK1jSVdp3_B/s320/020.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">is there anything cuter?!</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjgvJW8Ae19aB0jhWTKHBgsPMQBjHluq84_3xNIXe_VHqZXlRo0YEtpt9Jj4RmIr3JEDf0B8a7l7_-ngmgR7ac_bvcU6xCAEfzWrk3dgMAt1n8WGgnsEzO8JLond6NoDKwU6wjvhE6X8gJO/s1600/010.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjgvJW8Ae19aB0jhWTKHBgsPMQBjHluq84_3xNIXe_VHqZXlRo0YEtpt9Jj4RmIr3JEDf0B8a7l7_-ngmgR7ac_bvcU6xCAEfzWrk3dgMAt1n8WGgnsEzO8JLond6NoDKwU6wjvhE6X8gJO/s320/010.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"></td></tr>
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</div><div align="left" class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div>For our first autumn-decorating experience I think we did pretty well! The following morning I was craving something pumpkin-y for breakfast so I made myself a bowl of pumpkin spice mush. I credit Dan for the creation of <strong>mushbowl</strong>.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEirmTZjqVT91CQpxLQj2qitlERq44tMzaGk5V93N68kxoISHzEymtxYB12gptbgFVLuxt8Ipl9uDE7vEkR0eL1LVfqxBhOPtF7mleYZEdXiQISQeuIv9B-fbivhe6W7mV7hJ_-EBJsgXP38/s1600/018.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEirmTZjqVT91CQpxLQj2qitlERq44tMzaGk5V93N68kxoISHzEymtxYB12gptbgFVLuxt8Ipl9uDE7vEkR0eL1LVfqxBhOPtF7mleYZEdXiQISQeuIv9B-fbivhe6W7mV7hJ_-EBJsgXP38/s320/018.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">thick goo</td></tr>
</tbody></table>Into the bowl went 1/2 cup shredded wheat cereal, cinnamon, pumpkin pie spice, 2 tbsp raisins, 1 tbsp flax meal and a cup of almond milk. I stuck the bowl back in the fridge while I made and ate some egg whites (about 10 minutes). After the cereal sits for about ten minutes it absorbs <em>all</em> the milk and becomes <em>super</em> soft, thick and mushy. I stirred in a tbsp of canned pumpkin and another splash of almond milk. <strong>Thick, mushy goodness</strong>...that tasted like pumpkin bread dough. Amazing. Dan lets his mushbowl mush-ify right on the table but I like mine extra cold so I keep it in the fridge. Mind you, I'm <em>not</em> a fan of mushy cereal, I definitely prefer crunch, but for some reason this mushbowl is beyond addictive. Plus, soaking the raisins lends some extra sweetness. <br />
<br />
Since I hit the gym at 5:30 this morning and it's now a little after 9am and I have yet to shower, I think it's probably time I go do that. ;)lindsay lovehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02515865749653286650noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-509962902196460843.post-70347861836160307292011-10-06T18:42:00.000-04:002011-10-06T18:42:49.720-04:00Lactose-Free Yogurt & Protein DELIGHTWhen I realized I was lactose intolerant it was pretty easy to give up dairy, since I wasn't consuming much of it to begin with. <br />
<br />
However, there was one dairy staple in my daily diet that broke my heart to eliminate....<br />
<br />
this guy:<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgwvgpkAMTO_NMV94ViAHqHhswsWdihvwXF5yNwmEQNajjPz1wKCeL66EqFARinZiUXe8T_hY4wPlYXf0hbaZ4UnkH8zEATc00dKaVtIcgzVupK2tt96sLMImfpCbTxdTIfo8Cy5Glaunb6/s1600/fage3.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgwvgpkAMTO_NMV94ViAHqHhswsWdihvwXF5yNwmEQNajjPz1wKCeL66EqFARinZiUXe8T_hY4wPlYXf0hbaZ4UnkH8zEATc00dKaVtIcgzVupK2tt96sLMImfpCbTxdTIfo8Cy5Glaunb6/s1600/fage3.jpg" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">thick, creamy deliciousness in a cup</td></tr>
</tbody></table><br />
I <strong><em>love</em></strong> greek yogurt. I never cared for the fruity flavors because they tasted like jelly mixed into yogurt (I will ALWAYS favor REAL, WHOLE fruit rather than cooked down, sugared up versions of "fruit"). The plain, however, oh my <em>gosh. </em>Plus, it is SO easy to customize plain greek yogurt into whatever you're in the mood for! At first I only added a little cinnamon..then I played with various fruit add ins like banana slices and blueberries. My staple was definitely plain yogurt with cinnamon and blueberries.<br />
<br />
Of course, there was always the occasional Crystal-Light+Fage mix (a la <a href="http://hungry-girl.com/">Hungry Girl</a> -- I heart you, Lisa Lillian) and spoonful of peanut butter+Fage mix (amazing). Oh, and have you ever mixed <em>frozen</em> blueberries into greek yogurt??? Obsessed. Cocoa roasted almonds also pair pretty dang well. <br />
<br />
So when I first discovered my intolerance I simply took a Lactaid pill with my yogurt. Unfortunately, even that didn't work. My body <em>cannot</em> tolerate dairy, no matter how much help I try to give it. <br />
<br />
Hey, don't love foods that don't love you back.<br />
<br />
So, it's been MONTHS since I've had a yogurt of any kind...until yesterday.<br />
<br />
While wandering the aisles of Whole Foods I stumbled upon these lil guys:<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiD8fawKh6m87FUFmTiKVM30A8oj62mgdEmeFoxVJ9UCj10060x6A00BD0kHYZZAKckCuZiXhuIC7g0TrwJj4FLe56zZYfTm8GPYSJ8GOwS7dsaEYzK-AQ9PYBqCTQyzQIPIM7IBO78DJkv/s1600/green-valley-yogurt-kefir1-345.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiD8fawKh6m87FUFmTiKVM30A8oj62mgdEmeFoxVJ9UCj10060x6A00BD0kHYZZAKckCuZiXhuIC7g0TrwJj4FLe56zZYfTm8GPYSJ8GOwS7dsaEYzK-AQ9PYBqCTQyzQIPIM7IBO78DJkv/s320/green-valley-yogurt-kefir1-345.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br />
The stats were impressive...no horomones, grass fed, nothing artificial, organic, LOTS of probiotics, and lactose free. Lactose free milk still bothers me and even when I take a Lactaid pill dairy still bothers me so I was definitely hesistant to try this. However, I've read that "cleaner" dairy products are easier on the body so I figured I'd try it.<br />
<br />
My problem with other dairy-free yogurts (like the soy and coconut milk varieties) is that they are LOADED with sugar, and fat, sometimes, too. Some of those little cups have <strong>29 grams</strong> of sugar!! That's INSANE!!!!!!!!!!!!! That's more than Halloween candy!!!!!! My other problem is that they have a measly one or two grams of protein. ehh..<br />
<br />
This yogurt had 100 calories, 2.5 grams of fat (I couldn't find a fat-free version, but I'm on the lookout), 6 grams of protein and 5 grams of sugar (naturally occuring, not added). Sure, half the protein of greek, but <em>way</em> more than what my other options present me with!<br />
<br />
So to solve the protein issue I figured I'd add a couple spoonfuls of my Strawberries 'n' Cream Myofusion. OMG it was SOOO amazing!!!!!!!!!!!!<br />
<br />
Not only was it DELICIOUS, but my stomach actually felt OK!!!!!! (Not 100% symptom free, but so minimal that it was worth it...plus it is sooooo soo good and I <em>really really</em> miss yogurt). I also still took a Lactaid with it. <br />
<br />
Why did I never think of adding protein powder to yogurt!?! (Oh yea, cuz the greek stuff was already naturally loaded with 18+ grams!!!!!!!) SO good and since I have like a hundred different jars of every protein imaginable my options are endless! <br />
<br />
I'm not going to have it everyday, since my body just wouldn't be able to handle it, but it's a great option for a treat every now and then. :)<br />
<br />
I'm just so happy to know there is a yogurt option out there for me for when the craving hits :) woohooo<br />
<br />
On another happy note--I talked to Dan and this weekend we are doing it ALL!!!!!!!! Saturday shopping for fall decorations, Sat night having an intimate lil party of drinking pumpkin beer and decorating and Sunday apple picking!!!!!! I can't even explain how excited I am. The little things in life :) LOVE!<br />
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</div><div align="left" class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div>lindsay lovehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02515865749653286650noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-509962902196460843.post-50731301552407777232011-10-05T09:41:00.000-04:002011-10-05T09:41:14.413-04:00Morning Workouts & Pumpkin AleWhy does working out first thing in the morning feel <em>so</em> good?!<br />
<br />
It's definitely a pain to wake up to a blaring alarm before 6am, when it's still dark out and the bed just seems <em>extra</em> comfy, but once I'm up and out of bed I feel fine. On the two minute drive to the gym I suck down either a Monster Zero or black coffee and by the time I get to the gym I'm energized and ready to go! Today I did back, a little ab work and a thirty minute interval walk on the treadmill. <br />
<br />
A couple things help make an early morning workout doable. First, preparing the night before. Last night I laid out my workout outfit so this morning I didn't have to scramble through my drawers (I don't know about you, but for me, this process takes an ungodly LONG time!!! NO IDEA WHY). On my counter I laid out my house & car keys, morning vitamins, bottle of water, iPod and workout journal. After I got dressed all I had to do was grab my little pile of things in one quick reach and I was off!<br />
<br />
My back workout looked like this:<br />
<br />
4 minute warmup on hand bike<br />
<br />
3 sets, 20 reps:<br />
Lat Pulldown<br />
Bent over Row<br />
Hammer Strength Row<br />
<br />
4 sets, 12 reps:<br />
DB one arm row<br />
1 arm seated pull<br />
Rope Cable high pull (no idea what to call this exercise...hook the 2 headed rope up to the top of the cable and pull using your back/rear delts to bring it to your face)<br />
<br />
Finished off with body weight pull ups and chin ups to failure<br />
<br />
Then I did a few random ab moves and went over to the treadmill where I did a fast walk on incline while listening to the Nicki Minaj and Britney Spears stations on Pandora (love). <br />
<br />
My sister and her boyfriend were at the gym this morning...which meant lots of stop-and-chats between sets so the weight portion of my workout wasn't as sweaty as it could have been thanks to all the extra rest. However, we had very significant things to discuss...like haunted houses and my upcoming Halloween party. Clearly, extremely important. <br />
<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhWzYIlJOZaZKf8_oLEmT5lHjy_ynMFxerTsP13dHPrleQYxboTfq_8F7XB1X9Iserh_8WVfgpHfMercW4KI3ctNm_AiCZWJapLaWVtfdFNuAXTLgL-r2oivJlOtO0phfCZtPTa9ISljNAy/s1600/268308_2017797729057_1367280242_32369716_2893351_n.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhWzYIlJOZaZKf8_oLEmT5lHjy_ynMFxerTsP13dHPrleQYxboTfq_8F7XB1X9Iserh_8WVfgpHfMercW4KI3ctNm_AiCZWJapLaWVtfdFNuAXTLgL-r2oivJlOtO0phfCZtPTa9ISljNAy/s320/268308_2017797729057_1367280242_32369716_2893351_n.jpg" width="240" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">the cutiess</td></tr>
</tbody></table><br />
Our conversation reflected the fact that boyfriends seem to <em>despise</em> things like double dates to haunted houses. My sister and I agreed that these outings should be planned as girl trips instead of double dates, seeing as both of our boyfriend's had the same answer to the question, "hey, wana go to that haunted house friday night?"<br />
<br />
...that answer being "No. But, if you really want to I'll do it".<br />
<br />
Translation: "I'm a really good boyfriend, and love you <em>sooo</em> much that instead of doing things I like to do I will put myself through the torture of doing these stupid girly activities that for reasons I'll never understand you sooo enjoy. But....it'd be nice if you could maaaayyybeee, just maybe, be a good girlfriend and not make me do this?"<br />
<br />
Well, Casey is that good girlfriend and backed out of the haunted house for her man.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgz2yDlVbxXktW-r7Ur9dgQKjX0RF4CSiT5DAWgmrRQLbQ7_LoPq_KVBed0rlKNjuzCSmrGLc4cYxhhpiphnqS-571uWKS3LM_NWTtHTBxewi7tYvwRP3vN4Xb4d11M-wa-c9hBW53QjIiX/s1600/14557_1213673226447_1367280242_30971082_705859_n.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgz2yDlVbxXktW-r7Ur9dgQKjX0RF4CSiT5DAWgmrRQLbQ7_LoPq_KVBed0rlKNjuzCSmrGLc4cYxhhpiphnqS-571uWKS3LM_NWTtHTBxewi7tYvwRP3vN4Xb4d11M-wa-c9hBW53QjIiX/s320/14557_1213673226447_1367280242_30971082_705859_n.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">whereas I make Dan do stuff like this...</td></tr>
</tbody></table><br />
But, Halloween is my FAVORITE holiday, I never made it to a haunted house last year and I'm <strong>determined to do something festive</strong> this week. Preferable including a trip to a haunted house. Friday night. With Dan. <br />
<br />
It'd be super awesome if candy corn can somehow, someway be incorporated into this weekend. <br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi-XPdnTXxkOjrtRY_6Ii8YW-nlWFaIHAzIxKGkeEWcUsZxtcSsSAX3_Q0bPcRImuSq08b0P876At0RGzdSDiAlAtGXDjegDNi9wbxMGbPlzo_LJcSWXj6_lSlHSqHXxddjpeqMfUmQck-O/s1600/untitled.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="243" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi-XPdnTXxkOjrtRY_6Ii8YW-nlWFaIHAzIxKGkeEWcUsZxtcSsSAX3_Q0bPcRImuSq08b0P876At0RGzdSDiAlAtGXDjegDNi9wbxMGbPlzo_LJcSWXj6_lSlHSqHXxddjpeqMfUmQck-O/s320/untitled.png" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">yum.</td></tr>
</tbody></table><br />
And apple picking.<br />
<br />
And pumpkin picking...<br />
<br />
And if we're coming home with pumpkins, we should probably carve them, right? And toast the seeds..while watching old school horror movies...and drinking that pumpkin beer I impulsively bought yesterday..<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgddsI4Z-iPmT431XajmsSmqddvhb-hX4Klco6GrSsNp7gKhzKB8s0Z5KNIZJeaBXUFYDDm2sjOSv8r1ipZMTHaXX8DdPBedcvdRUQA6FAjjXyz8aG9YGUEb-u75_-_eY42LJVLQfa5nnWN/s1600/blue-moon-harvest-pumpkin.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgddsI4Z-iPmT431XajmsSmqddvhb-hX4Klco6GrSsNp7gKhzKB8s0Z5KNIZJeaBXUFYDDm2sjOSv8r1ipZMTHaXX8DdPBedcvdRUQA6FAjjXyz8aG9YGUEb-u75_-_eY42LJVLQfa5nnWN/s1600/blue-moon-harvest-pumpkin.jpg" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">can't wait to try this!</td></tr>
</tbody></table><br />
See how I plan out this crap in my head? Who the hell am I going to do these things with? Cuz, I haven't said anything about any of this to Dan (except for the haunted house)...and when he asks me what I want to do this weekend, I'll probably say "I don't know, babe..what do <em>you</em> want to do?"<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhkWNw2FjM1uj-dTNTV7GYhRL_qdEYxi24qAdXBcO0wBwyFPuJFclYw5NnfIT71kjKAlw7e77-_fcSoBMBlGIaWndHyviOGN2FCT3LkeUwpotY49rsubLceUd9ch94B9FhGxmbTf0tbtO_0/s1600/468.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhkWNw2FjM1uj-dTNTV7GYhRL_qdEYxi24qAdXBcO0wBwyFPuJFclYw5NnfIT71kjKAlw7e77-_fcSoBMBlGIaWndHyviOGN2FCT3LkeUwpotY49rsubLceUd9ch94B9FhGxmbTf0tbtO_0/s320/468.JPG" width="240" /></a></div><br />
I'm going to challenge myself...when this conversation comes up I'm going to tell him my ideas!!!! (or at least direct him to this post...)<br />
<br />
Well, I'm off to start my day which includes finishing the laundry, going to Party City for cute stuff for my party & costumes and some other errands...and class this afternoon (Group Dynamics--actually a pretty fascinating class!).<br />
<br />
Side note--my Hair ADD kicked in again and I now have DARK brown (nearly <strong>black</strong>) hair!<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgZqOlIyKu0uvBfn5CoQQtHjn2KoK3ht9NXhS3xXe3XBPKiDpK8Om_wmfYl2eXGuA-AGGiA_Hn7qBldMs-6Cu0IEgJ9rhmu2uh2jho3kHzB3pmk-S4d1iu96OJPDXIDwBscvnGriopw9SIy/s1600/469.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgZqOlIyKu0uvBfn5CoQQtHjn2KoK3ht9NXhS3xXe3XBPKiDpK8Om_wmfYl2eXGuA-AGGiA_Hn7qBldMs-6Cu0IEgJ9rhmu2uh2jho3kHzB3pmk-S4d1iu96OJPDXIDwBscvnGriopw9SIy/s320/469.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">darkkk girl</td></tr>
</tbody></table><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div>lindsay lovehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02515865749653286650noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-509962902196460843.post-17443687611417112792011-09-28T08:57:00.000-04:002011-09-28T08:57:34.296-04:00Cake for Breakfast??This morning's breakfast was <i>amazing.</i><br />
<i><br />
</i><br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiHl9nIxMnFNDVxvCSzxyDHZja1EIUPhe0mXPgpe2YMHLzChNFN-LQJFrSr5UMgabH-MB7ToG2ssITKR6prQaQZCYcQ1l4ktISBYIoc05aqpBxOaoJFRTm7UpF14EtEw2s_Q7LKlXW7abmH/s1600/DSC01905.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiHl9nIxMnFNDVxvCSzxyDHZja1EIUPhe0mXPgpe2YMHLzChNFN-LQJFrSr5UMgabH-MB7ToG2ssITKR6prQaQZCYcQ1l4ktISBYIoc05aqpBxOaoJFRTm7UpF14EtEw2s_Q7LKlXW7abmH/s320/DSC01905.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">chocolate peanut butter heaven...</td></tr>
</tbody></table><br />
<div>I used Chocolate Covered Katie's <a href="http://chocolatecoveredkatie.com/2010/04/12/build-your-own-pizzert/">dessert pizza</a> recipe and just went all out :)</div><div><br />
</div><div>I mixed together:</div><div><ul><li>2 tbsp coconut flour</li>
<li>2 tbsp garbanzo bean flour</li>
<li>1 tbsp applesauce</li>
<li>1 rounded tsp unsweetened cocoa powder</li>
<li>1 tsp cacao nibs</li>
<li>1/2 tsp baking powder</li>
<li>TINY pinch salt</li>
<li>1/4 cup water</li>
<li>1/4 tsp vanilla extract</li>
<li>drop of almond milk</li>
</ul>Then I baked the concoction for about 15 minutes and topped it with "peanut butter syrup" aka 1/2 tbsp Better'n'PB, 1/2 tbsp coconut butter and 1/4 cup almond milk microwaved for 30 seconds and stirred up (sounds weird but trust me its delicioussssss). I poured the syrup over the chocolate blob and topped it with some banana chips for crunch and a squirt of whipped cream...since it was resembling cake anyway. why not? </div><div><br />
</div><div>OMG seriously.....it was amazing. It just tasted like mushy delicious fantastic chocolate peanut butter cake. It was <i>that</i> good. Plus, the apartment smelled like a <b>bakery</b>. Since I'm always <i>extra</i> hungry in the morning I also had some egg whites with salsa :)</div><div><br />
</div><div>I notice when I eat a bigger breakfast with carbs and protein and healthy fats I have SOO much more energy not just in the morning but all throughout the day. I also notice I'm way less hungry throughout the day and don't crave sugar. </div><div><br />
</div><div>It's hard to believe that a few years ago I used to just eat a bowl of cereal with some almond milk and maybe some strawberries and banana on top-that's IT!! Nothing but carbs and NO protein. I was usually starving about an hour (sometimes even sooner) after. Usually, I'd just have another bowl of cereal. Then I craved sugar and carbs throughout the day and would pick at JUNK. People are usually surprised at how much I eat for breakfast but since I've started having "bigger" (really, just more BALANCED) morning meals I've noticed such a positive difference in my hunger, energy and mood. </div><div><br />
</div><div>Plus, today I worked out first thing in the morning on nothing but coffee, which usually leaves me STARVED.</div><div><br />
</div><div>Now I feel perfectly fueled and ready for another busy day of chores, work and class...won't be home until bedtime :(<br />
<i><br />
</i></div>lindsay lovehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02515865749653286650noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-509962902196460843.post-65419450974041488032011-09-21T08:47:00.003-04:002011-09-28T09:07:26.191-04:00I Did It!!!!!<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgU8psOXIsyi7ttIEO33ujx1YbL5MiC00TK1yoEC8-mFhhGngeNsgTEJX0gQfHhiYO74PTxmxeeck6OJ4D0X2ubgyjeIBNmpz7aUqYmGReYmXnVsnBlV0uWLcu5kv8JltXLQZLeU6thBtjS/s1600/DSC01893.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgU8psOXIsyi7ttIEO33ujx1YbL5MiC00TK1yoEC8-mFhhGngeNsgTEJX0gQfHhiYO74PTxmxeeck6OJ4D0X2ubgyjeIBNmpz7aUqYmGReYmXnVsnBlV0uWLcu5kv8JltXLQZLeU6thBtjS/s320/DSC01893.jpg" width="240" /></a></div><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhZLOaao9QTwmTj01_AoaFqBbr5XzU8qPqmwiwQIgtpXUG9DRXdUau4YecR3a7q6sDLDLWwEMpgk52WYOYbZOLM0IzA3SYM7wX49QKHh41r64nbA1BXQPF1WyKGpbiDj15uAgkPpo_-uLS4/s1600/DSC01844.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhZLOaao9QTwmTj01_AoaFqBbr5XzU8qPqmwiwQIgtpXUG9DRXdUau4YecR3a7q6sDLDLWwEMpgk52WYOYbZOLM0IzA3SYM7wX49QKHh41r64nbA1BXQPF1WyKGpbiDj15uAgkPpo_-uLS4/s320/DSC01844.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">All the gorgeous women </td></tr>
</tbody></table><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgU8psOXIsyi7ttIEO33ujx1YbL5MiC00TK1yoEC8-mFhhGngeNsgTEJX0gQfHhiYO74PTxmxeeck6OJ4D0X2ubgyjeIBNmpz7aUqYmGReYmXnVsnBlV0uWLcu5kv8JltXLQZLeU6thBtjS/s1600/DSC01893.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgU8psOXIsyi7ttIEO33ujx1YbL5MiC00TK1yoEC8-mFhhGngeNsgTEJX0gQfHhiYO74PTxmxeeck6OJ4D0X2ubgyjeIBNmpz7aUqYmGReYmXnVsnBlV0uWLcu5kv8JltXLQZLeU6thBtjS/s320/DSC01893.jpg" width="240" /></a></div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEifTLCenRqUn7_xPKeL6JTmJskCKeClto0MjAW0MZzy_RnoDgRO9SLY4v_hVXG6f5HqJYQ05uav4lAn7IIDW2TLK23goOLJcNOVXAr5XVHuPA1mM5UbeD4h1DTzcgaFem808Bpf4n_Vopfc/s1600/DSC01887.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEifTLCenRqUn7_xPKeL6JTmJskCKeClto0MjAW0MZzy_RnoDgRO9SLY4v_hVXG6f5HqJYQ05uav4lAn7IIDW2TLK23goOLJcNOVXAr5XVHuPA1mM5UbeD4h1DTzcgaFem808Bpf4n_Vopfc/s320/DSC01887.jpg" width="240" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Victory is MINE :)</td></tr>
</tbody></table>I did it-I won my very first fitness competition! First place, baby!!!! The moment was SURREAL! I worked SO hard and truly gave it my all. For all that dedication to pay off just brought me to tears-- literally, on stage. When they handed me that trophy I just started balling! ( happiest tears ever!)<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiCbw_DIVgisjVSg8J8unZhzsMOht_tOyL4kn7mH0hIU18zx06Qzmk4-WV6qviJWtVtHR2IMsKFzvHuU5RvanrlFPwC1Rx3ExuZ49lG97q3hhJ-wuWIyawT8kWxcJeyPdu7Lld69RmLE6KE/s1600/DSC01875.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiCbw_DIVgisjVSg8J8unZhzsMOht_tOyL4kn7mH0hIU18zx06Qzmk4-WV6qviJWtVtHR2IMsKFzvHuU5RvanrlFPwC1Rx3ExuZ49lG97q3hhJ-wuWIyawT8kWxcJeyPdu7Lld69RmLE6KE/s320/DSC01875.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><br />
<br />
One of the best moments was hearing my sister scream the whole time!!! She was sooo loud I could hear that mouth of hers the whole time I was on stage. I loved it because hearing her voice was so comforting and gave me such a confidence boost. When my name was called for first she screamed out, "THIS IS HER FIRST SHOW!" Because, after all, doesn't that make anything that much more satisfying? To go into something brand new- for the very first time- and kill it!!!! Let me tell you, it's an incredible feeling. When my sister competes for her first time ( which I hope she will because she's a beautiful crazy lil fit chick herself) I owe her MANY, MANY screams.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhcplndxcNchFqPgKoj8XOiC5Hk33c6hbXrX7MCgUY3ceheLJLG6IVQxtIgQmmh4EnQswa47_b8YNoAiYqmT602k502nixWn47G7FS_wFRcPxNN8_w1X_HhqPNHLVOXCKpx9OBfSYVp1gD0/s1600/DSC01838.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhcplndxcNchFqPgKoj8XOiC5Hk33c6hbXrX7MCgUY3ceheLJLG6IVQxtIgQmmh4EnQswa47_b8YNoAiYqmT602k502nixWn47G7FS_wFRcPxNN8_w1X_HhqPNHLVOXCKpx9OBfSYVp1gD0/s320/DSC01838.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">My sister--BEST cheerleader EVER</td></tr>
</tbody></table>I am SO blessed to have such an amazing support system. My crowd of cheerleaders included Dan, my sister, my parents, my friends Jackie and Gianna and of course, Greg, aka the best trainer in the universe, hands down. Greg was supportive of me from day one. He didn't just meet me once or twice a week to train and then send me off on my own. He motivated me every single day, even sending me motivational tweets! From the start he believed in me and told me I would do well. He critiqued my walk and gave me a million helpful tips. Along with sculpting my body to what it is now through intense training he also helped me build my confidence up to a place I never thought possible. If you want a sickkkkk trainer who will motivate the hell out of you and help you look and feel your best-Greg Watson at Equinox Fitness Club in Scarsdale NY is your guy.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiZPQF8fAgNY2x7FudG0FSlKnZXNVvj8JBMJJbEVl-iNh6UeVWxy_UP6K5CDc1aCyfgOQ9CgC-6vkDy-rcFaUyylIQ0Sq1jhyphenhyphenbwqRlY8rHFLRBNLUD1Pg8UP1ynltAZpFbZS5ZsJzEDSXog/s1600/DSC01891.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiZPQF8fAgNY2x7FudG0FSlKnZXNVvj8JBMJJbEVl-iNh6UeVWxy_UP6K5CDc1aCyfgOQ9CgC-6vkDy-rcFaUyylIQ0Sq1jhyphenhyphenbwqRlY8rHFLRBNLUD1Pg8UP1ynltAZpFbZS5ZsJzEDSXog/s320/DSC01891.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">beautiful & supportive friends <3<br />
</td></tr>
</tbody></table>I'm off to the gym to get in a good workout before a long day of cleaning, cooking, errands and school!<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi66o1GPcsT5eie6noY6FNP0pGVt0yTWYzimivO3agtMrJ2ZGvRgtH2fD9JzADWXceGc_2X9OuEp4eibUjm1h4N6gBj4zfPcqMGQ-DeMrr_LmiKxotMYp8DXZnUrHG2sFZXM0eszAo69JI2/s1600/DSC01835.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi66o1GPcsT5eie6noY6FNP0pGVt0yTWYzimivO3agtMrJ2ZGvRgtH2fD9JzADWXceGc_2X9OuEp4eibUjm1h4N6gBj4zfPcqMGQ-DeMrr_LmiKxotMYp8DXZnUrHG2sFZXM0eszAo69JI2/s320/DSC01835.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">world's best trainer!</td></tr>
</tbody></table>lindsay lovehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02515865749653286650noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-509962902196460843.post-92092703734476795672011-09-12T17:19:00.002-04:002011-09-12T17:19:58.321-04:00Coffee vs Energy DrinksFirst off, I am a caffeine queen. I LOVE it. Caffeine is definitely my biggest vice. As addicted as I am, I have cut down quite a bit. In high school my caffeine consumption was as such: <br />
Large or extra large dunkin donuts iced coffee in the morning on the way to school<br />
2-3 diet cokes before lunch<br />
1-2 diet cokes and or coffee after lunch<br />
Red bull before going out and red bull and vodka when out<br />
<br />
In college, it increased a little:<br />
A sugar free red bull or other energy drink on the way to class, or sometimes on the way to dunkin....<br />
Coffee before or after class (extra large dunkin) or both<br />
Several ( or way more) cans of diet coke throughout the morning/ early afternoon<br />
Another energy drink and coffee before and again during work<br />
Medium or large coffee or 2 during night classes<br />
More coffee after class if I went out with friends<br />
<br />
In college I was a commuter and the money on my meal card was NEVER used because I always packed my own food. So to utilize the money ( I never let it go to waste) I stocked up on fuel for my awful caffeine habit. I bought a ton of 12 pack cases of diet soda cans. Sometime I just carried the case with me from class to class and popped them open throughout the day. I always had a case or two in the trunk of my car for emergencies. <br />
<br />
Finally, around my college graduation I realized how bad this habit was. I relied on my blood pressure to tell me if the caffeine was getting out of hand; if it went up I'd cut out some caffeine. Because I was such an avid runner ( a serious distance runner at that time) and gym rat my blood pressure stayed consistently around 110-20 over 60-70. Finally I realized that I was lying to myself-- the caffeine intake was really extreme and something had to be done. <br />
<br />
I'm really good at quitting things cold turkey ( it's how I stopped smoking, cut out fake sweetener, dairy, etc). I had already cut out the splenda, which led to way less coffee because I wasn't used to the bitter taste yet, but I was supplementing coffees with diet cokes- even worse. So out went ALL the soda!! At first my headaches were outrageous and I was really cranky. I realized I slowly started adding in more energy drinks. <br />
<br />
Finally I found a balance which has led me to where i am now in terms of caffeine:<br />
Big cup of iced coffee or 2 smaller cups of hot coffee after breakfast ( apparently it's not good for your metabolism to drink something caffeinated with a meal)<br />
A sugar free or calorie free energy drink before a workout ( sometimes an iced coffee instead)<br />
<br />
Usually I have my coffee with a teenie splash of non dairy milk, but now I just drink it black. Flavored coffee is actually, dare I say...better black. The flavor overrides the usual bitterness. <br />
<br />
Thanks to training for this competition, though, I've nixed the energy drinks. I'm eating so clean that I figured I'd nix the artificial stuff for now. So pre workout is just a big iced coffee. At first I was annoyed because I felt like the coffee just didn't deliver like the energy drinks did. I never ever got jittery from them I just got some energy. I'm very ADHD so my body responds pretty well to caffeine, it focuses me and never makes me jittery. After a week of only coffee, even though I'm taking in LESS caffeine, i feel way better and more energetic! Plus, I never get that bloated or crampy feeling in my stomach that I sometimes get from energy drinks. <br />
<br />
This is not to say I'm mixing energy drinks forever (weird as it is, sometimes I crave a Monster Zero, I actually LOVE the flavor) but they're definitely out of my daily routine for good. I'm going to stick to the twice a day black coffee thing. I think my body responds way better to it. Maybe once a week before a Saturday morning workout I'll cave and go for a Monster Zero. But for now, coffee it is! lindsay lovehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02515865749653286650noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-509962902196460843.post-64781281338876361692011-09-10T10:40:00.000-04:002011-09-10T10:40:14.627-04:00Food FIT for FALL The other night before dinner I was feeling a little bored but had the urge to cook something. I'm still eating the <i>same thing</i> every day for one more week so I decided to make something for Dan. He's trying to eat as healthy as possible but sometimes it's hard because his schedule is so crazy. So I figured I would make him some <i>healthy</i> granola. It's good because he can add it to his cereal in the morning for lasting energy PLUS it's totally portable so he can bring it to work without worrying about refrigerating or reheating.<br />
<br />
So to make sure it'd be healthy it had to have a balance of:<br />
<b>fiber</b><br />
<b>protein</b><br />
<b>carbs</b><br />
<b>healthy fats</b><br />
<b>antioxidants</b><br />
<b><br />
</b><br />
Granola can be LOADED with fat and sugar...which is usually what makes it so delicious :(<br />
<br />
So instead of oil I used egg whites, which also adds in some extra protein. For sweetness I combined a tablespoon of pure maple syrup with a tablespoon of farm fresh honey and added a little water for a less thick consistency. To make sure it was still packed with flavor I added a TON of cinnamon and pumpkin pie spice to the dry oats.<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgLAdZTyRwdYZayDGLbUXhG8ZnNj9l3SmQL5LySt8tLs3i7c6_I1SL5P7tPPEPQElQIDEUyTqbcfAP3ryLieO6I38nB-I7X9mDKChkQs_VYGkNrAcubllOf9pmS_Tsqbc6rwen4V9zY2Wab/s1600/get-attachment.aspx1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgLAdZTyRwdYZayDGLbUXhG8ZnNj9l3SmQL5LySt8tLs3i7c6_I1SL5P7tPPEPQElQIDEUyTqbcfAP3ryLieO6I38nB-I7X9mDKChkQs_VYGkNrAcubllOf9pmS_Tsqbc6rwen4V9zY2Wab/s320/get-attachment.aspx1.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br />
<br />
This granola is yummy, good for you and fuels your body without added fats or sugar! Plus it tastes like FALL. Perfect for transitioning into the new season!<br />
<br />
Recipe:<br />
<br />
Ingredients<br />
<br />
<ul><li>2 cups oats (I used quick cook)</li>
<li>1 T pure maple syrup</li>
<li>1 T honey</li>
<li>2 heaping T water (more if you need)</li>
<li>1 heaping tsp cinnamon</li>
<li>1 heaping tsp pumpkin pie spice</li>
<li>3 T egg whites</li>
<li>3/4 cup walnuts</li>
<li>3/4 cup macadamia nuts</li>
<li>3/4 cup freeze dried blueberries</li>
</ul><div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgUOHRHN6Yo0F2MRZuMQcOVhujzhkPJ8fm9nAqlhKjAODLvz5pvU_wVzcI4gdqr0i_8dqxMIrOscE_tk4W-JYsSDS7lji7u2RWEZU2YZIh0oe6P387MaQR719_4Op3WUm8FP6GlQZq4o-zW/s1600/get-attachment.aspx2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgUOHRHN6Yo0F2MRZuMQcOVhujzhkPJ8fm9nAqlhKjAODLvz5pvU_wVzcI4gdqr0i_8dqxMIrOscE_tk4W-JYsSDS7lji7u2RWEZU2YZIh0oe6P387MaQR719_4Op3WUm8FP6GlQZq4o-zW/s320/get-attachment.aspx2.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br />
Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Combine oats, spices, nuts and berries in one bowl and mix. In a separate bowl combine all wet ingredients, mix well. Pour wet ingredients over oat mixture and stir until well combined. Spread mixture out onto a parchment paper lined baking sheet (if you like your oatmeal on the sweeter side, drizzle it with some more maple syrup now). Bake for 20 minutes, stirring it up at the 10 minute point.</div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhHcF7lJdYcds_x1r05xFtiHZ5xtnMyrzqbN2abrjA4kYqsvwHMHBGCi6mmG0reU-eNxZB-indp7MJwtafDgp1-PhrNx_1HJv5M-kq_kLXUaItpRud16HxQZT7-oi1QeuJPAxNFL4aexInx/s1600/get-attachment.aspx3.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhHcF7lJdYcds_x1r05xFtiHZ5xtnMyrzqbN2abrjA4kYqsvwHMHBGCi6mmG0reU-eNxZB-indp7MJwtafDgp1-PhrNx_1HJv5M-kq_kLXUaItpRud16HxQZT7-oi1QeuJPAxNFL4aexInx/s320/get-attachment.aspx3.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">before baking </td></tr>
</tbody></table><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiDaBrgCwcsOLGgco0i-gDm9pAXklyARDenKUniHDxNg24M0VMHswr72DR3V2KcTN8gUrIrQDKeev8AFZ70PD5VmDIl3NXnOc4odj0NZXCpk76_Lv6MFs9WWf72r5W1_LKs-BqetyLMzc2H/s1600/get-attachment.aspx4.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiDaBrgCwcsOLGgco0i-gDm9pAXklyARDenKUniHDxNg24M0VMHswr72DR3V2KcTN8gUrIrQDKeev8AFZ70PD5VmDIl3NXnOc4odj0NZXCpk76_Lv6MFs9WWf72r5W1_LKs-BqetyLMzc2H/s320/get-attachment.aspx4.jpg" width="240" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">combining wet & dry</td></tr>
</tbody></table><br />
<div><br />
<br />
</div><div>Let sit at room temperature so it becomes nice and crispy!<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgnu0981La16LfkGRf3XXK_jdY2xMnhPZbbRINZfxzsFTv5a6eqZkUYvoygXu9vZVkw2fLGyFMTHO1KAnVUuMMOpJZ6sH2HhmCBLBuU2PvALsFjfCU-G0Fwuu7FcHZI8GrRVJhITaf4MGor/s1600/get-attachment.aspx.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgnu0981La16LfkGRf3XXK_jdY2xMnhPZbbRINZfxzsFTv5a6eqZkUYvoygXu9vZVkw2fLGyFMTHO1KAnVUuMMOpJZ6sH2HhmCBLBuU2PvALsFjfCU-G0Fwuu7FcHZI8GrRVJhITaf4MGor/s320/get-attachment.aspx.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">packed & ready to go!</td></tr>
</tbody></table><br />
Every season has it's own selection of food unique to its time of year. Fall happens to have some of <strike>the best</strike> my favorites:<br />
<br />
<div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: red;">Apples</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: orange;">Pumpkins</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: yellow;">Butternut Squash</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #b45f06;">Sweet Potatos</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #cc0000;">Cranberries</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: purple;">Grapes</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #783f04;">Walnuts</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><b>candy corn</b> </div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: center;">I can't help it!! There's absolutely <i>nothing </i>healthy about it and usually it's everyone's <i>least favorite</i> candy but for whatever reason I just LOVE candy corn. I love every single flavor and even those waxy little candy corn pumpkins! In the fall I usually always have candy corn on me...hiding in my purse or car or somewhere. A few little triangles here and there are NOT going to kill me. ;)</div><br />
</div>lindsay lovehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02515865749653286650noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-509962902196460843.post-89393605504341214022011-09-08T17:51:00.000-04:002011-09-08T17:51:45.678-04:00Back At It!!My first week of class is officially over! <br />
<br />
I <strong><em>loved </em></strong>it!<br />
<br />
My classes seem great so far, and I couldn't be happier to be a part of the counseling program!! I can tell that I'm going to learn <em>a lot</em> this semester, and though it will be a lot of work I'm going to enjoy it. <br />
<br />
The days I have class are pretty busy, though. Tuesday I woke up at 5am to get to the gym by around 5:20. I got dressed, grabbed my iced coffee from the fridge (it makes life soo much easier when you set the little things up the night before), grabbed my workout journal and off I went. <br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjwraDE2R3HlT7O16rfWThyphenhyphenvPONp-EQOatIsckndOWFyvujjjy0wiqOMql3WUBwnDHz01eKIYRNSKAvmcbqAckqUphvw6RJ9zjPzdL_4FKNop4r_epSrrjmw9HPrr3nwitxqzBZBjA8uv5p/s1600/drhd.bmp" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="150" nba="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjwraDE2R3HlT7O16rfWThyphenhyphenvPONp-EQOatIsckndOWFyvujjjy0wiqOMql3WUBwnDHz01eKIYRNSKAvmcbqAckqUphvw6RJ9zjPzdL_4FKNop4r_epSrrjmw9HPrr3nwitxqzBZBjA8uv5p/s200/drhd.bmp" width="200" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">not too bad for a before-coffee shot</td></tr>
</tbody></table><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgnkPUVWMwwGuP4DrmVgcgFako1IkH7vJRRhcB-xwbm6aYG24IoNFBJnHHqM9Ad31Y59EnpyuFC6czzcF0CUQZTh-xOmmIyUH-5YiQ8qppHrBXKXA4FDPm4Yof75L3XW1VBi-CcK-1Aw3NB/s1600/coff.bmp" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" nba="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgnkPUVWMwwGuP4DrmVgcgFako1IkH7vJRRhcB-xwbm6aYG24IoNFBJnHHqM9Ad31Y59EnpyuFC6czzcF0CUQZTh-xOmmIyUH-5YiQ8qppHrBXKXA4FDPm4Yof75L3XW1VBi-CcK-1Aw3NB/s320/coff.bmp" width="240" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">pure joy in a cup</td></tr>
</tbody></table><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh3eprjYi0gm8mitjRMSP61eIFXeDW4bM06sSV5_d2NHogKEbu1_IhG0Rt2ZZKqYURMjYLHnIsKLgPri-tcokg8w2B20WIQJkX1JbwaAj1gVzCSfYksvz_q5e3FET0Gk6u9kQxpWuHk-OzD/s1600/untitled2.bmp" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" nba="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh3eprjYi0gm8mitjRMSP61eIFXeDW4bM06sSV5_d2NHogKEbu1_IhG0Rt2ZZKqYURMjYLHnIsKLgPri-tcokg8w2B20WIQJkX1JbwaAj1gVzCSfYksvz_q5e3FET0Gk6u9kQxpWuHk-OzD/s320/untitled2.bmp" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">training log </td></tr>
</tbody></table>I love working out at the crack of dawn for several reasons-first, Dan is there! He's up waaay before 5am, with a TON of energy--so much energy that he does his own workout at home<strong> before the gym even opens.</strong> I can bang out an early workout, but that's <em>pushing it.</em> I also love it because I love the feeling of looking at the clock at 7am and feeling SO accomplished! Gym, shower, hair, makeup, all out of the way before the day even starts! Plus, the gym is nice and calm and quiet at that hour and most of the people who are there are in the group fitness classes...meaning I get all the equipment all to myself! Can't beat that!<br />
<br />
After the gym I ate my boring teenie little breakfast and ran off to catch the 8:02 train. I got into the city at around 8:30 and had a couple errands to do before my first class. It was a pain in the butt carrying a giant cooler and gallon jug of water around all day from class to class though. Oh well, only one more week of that! I got home at 8:30pm and was so happy to just snuggle with Dan, take a melatonin and relax for the evening!<br />
<br />
Wednesdays are much easier, since I don't have class until 5pm. I did some chores around the house, stopped at Trader Joe's for the usuals and hit the gym for a training session all before class. <br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg4406Ew342XIWaeKJGOqMTnlExyAwQ3IImcoUxC_H4DiqoajbuksK-LL2i4HkuaLf0NPXOf82Wd80z_sjxxk2ideTRUnGcCoQwgMxEH5Y8-rg2iWAk7Eek5KwX42B8rVHdv4iVk61L4E7b/s1600/untitled1.bmp" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" nba="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg4406Ew342XIWaeKJGOqMTnlExyAwQ3IImcoUxC_H4DiqoajbuksK-LL2i4HkuaLf0NPXOf82Wd80z_sjxxk2ideTRUnGcCoQwgMxEH5Y8-rg2iWAk7Eek5KwX42B8rVHdv4iVk61L4E7b/s320/untitled1.bmp" width="240" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">much cuter when gymmin it at noon instead of 5am...</td></tr>
</tbody></table>It's a busy two days in a row! Its nice to have a semi-long weekend to unwind, go through the readings and then get back into it the following week. The days I'm not in class I do work at the gym for the day so I don't <em>totally</em> have a full day off until the weekend. But my two minute commute from home to work at the gym definitely feels like a break when compared to driving or training into the city!!<br />
<br />
<3<br />
Lindsaylindsay lovehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02515865749653286650noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-509962902196460843.post-330267977721193002011-09-08T10:51:00.003-04:002011-09-08T17:21:22.713-04:00Food in Class?Ever since high school, I've always needed something with me to eat or drink during a class. Maybe it's the comfort or distraction of having something to nosh on? I also HATE eating while driving- I'm horrible at it. Plus, I really like to savor and enjoy every bite when I eat so inhaling something while the majority of my focus is on the road just does not appeal to me.<br />
<br />
The problem with my eating in class habit is what I eat. When people eat in class (trust me when I say I ALWAYS observe people when they eat-- what are they eating?, how are they eating it?, why didn't they finish that?, do they realize how bad that is for them?, ooo that looks dang good....etc) I notice they typically eat snacky, not so healthy things that usually come out of a bag that has been sitting in a vending machine. I'm not a vending machine girl. Never have been. Since I was little my mom ALWAYS packed me not just a lunch but snacks and drinks as well-- she never gave me lunch money so vending machines were never an option. When I had my own money, and they were an option I just didn't want them, I preferred packing my own food. So my class snacks are a bit divergent from vending machine fare. I'll never forget one time in undergrad I brought dinner to a night class, it was a container of lentil soup that I wrapped in a huge ball of tin foil to keep warm, and ate with a silver spoon I brought from home. When I unwrapped it the smell of the soup permeated the whole classroom and I heard a girl sitting near me whisper to her friend, "omg..that b*tch is seriously eating lentil soup right now". Sorry, but that soup fueled me for class a lot better than a seventy-five cent bag of Fritos would have!!<br />
<br />
I guess the things I bring to class may seem a bit odd, or stinky, to others. You'll usually catch me munching on containers of steamed veggies, veggie burgers, chicken breast and salad, scrambled egg whites cooked the night before, variations of fruit and last semester I even ate spaghetti squash with tomato sauce and turkey meatballs in class (that one got some looks).<br />
<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiO57sVYb3zs7aiciMiGBcjpTrTUQRhYQve0MiSfbPCwLcoraPi4kRDfp7HvT31fVMfbmi-NL2MP8bB8sFPAvjJyYtMYFwlu4XTqeOqxLjxZiCe6hgXsyINCLGTiPgHpPMQd77Gr3uwzlUi/s1600/ej.bmp" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" nba="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiO57sVYb3zs7aiciMiGBcjpTrTUQRhYQve0MiSfbPCwLcoraPi4kRDfp7HvT31fVMfbmi-NL2MP8bB8sFPAvjJyYtMYFwlu4XTqeOqxLjxZiCe6hgXsyINCLGTiPgHpPMQd77Gr3uwzlUi/s320/ej.bmp" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">a typical b-fast..eggs, veg, paprika..box it up & take it along!</td></tr>
</tbody></table><br />
Another reason I eat in class so often is because I time my meals. I like to eat 5 or 6 times a day- at least-and I make sure never to go more than 3 hours without eating. So if that time falls in the middle of class, sorry but I'm not going to keep my body waiting and risk slowing my metabolism, I'm going to open my stinky container of broccoli and chicken and whip out a fork and napkin and nosh while I note take. The stares don't bother me, I stare at you when you eat too. A lot of people usually end up asking me about it, too.<br />
<br />
" That looks good! What is that?"<br />
"That looks weird...um, what is that?"<br />
"I notice you eat a lot! I heard that's really healthy, how do you remember to eat? I always forget when I'm busy"<br />
"wow, did you make that?"<br />
"how do you eat that cold?! Does is still even taste good?"<br />
<br />
To that last one, no, it's never as good cold!! But it is still yummy, just not as yummy. Usually, I find a microwave somewhere....sneaking into teacher lounges.<br />
<br />
This week and next week at school I'm going a little overboard though, and even I feel a little ridiculous. My meals are so structured this close to show time and Tuesday I'm in school all day long so every meal from my second to my last have to come with me in a big giant cooler. So Tuesday's I'm a total bag lady with my bag of books on one shoulder and giant orange cooler on the other- oh yeah, it's bright orange.<br />
<br />
Last night in class our teacher told us we could not eat. This is the first time I've ever experienced this rule enforced. The class goes from 5 pm to 7:35 pm -- hello, dinner time!? Before 5 is too early for me and I don't get home until a little after 8 which is too late. So I'll be bringing my dinner anyway and sneaking out into the hallway for a few minutes to quickly go enjoy my pre packed dinner. Hey, you do what you gotta do, right?lindsay lovehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02515865749653286650noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-509962902196460843.post-29239813324712062022011-09-07T09:00:00.004-04:002011-09-08T18:00:34.471-04:00Happy Birthday to My LoveHappy Birthday Dan!!!<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjiyzSYRwgmCICmEE510qdyCahnVil8TR7prUpFoWDzrps8m27o5ayMWG3hH2yCMoYUFketZivPuukV1hJ9nETeEWJgCDGQ-9NHyi4uXSUNgmmqOFnfnicjbDW_iLr4PQkhHxRf_IXycnVg/s1600/n1367280242_30466303_4085.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" nba="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjiyzSYRwgmCICmEE510qdyCahnVil8TR7prUpFoWDzrps8m27o5ayMWG3hH2yCMoYUFketZivPuukV1hJ9nETeEWJgCDGQ-9NHyi4uXSUNgmmqOFnfnicjbDW_iLr4PQkhHxRf_IXycnVg/s320/n1367280242_30466303_4085.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">first birthday cake i made for him-3 years ago!</td></tr>
</tbody></table><br />
I love the way our birthdays are-- mine, at the end of June, kicks off the summer and Dan's, at the start of September kicks off the end of the season. Plus, he is a Virgo and I'm a Cancer..a match made in astrological heaven. :)<br />
<br />
Since Dan is turning 35 today, here is a list of 35 things I <em>love </em>about him:<br />
<br />
1. His honesty<br />
<br />
2. His drive<br />
<br />
3. His motivation<br />
<br />
4. How handsome he is!!!<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiQV0tRRgZbRJ5C53I-cXQ1CuwfdFrojnKbhB5oOPB3h2jQohHKqcZPsqTK-YVCuzk4cWjxTThpiiroQWgxsIyiMQfMdCqiJGOKHDugKKQ_JvfDg7OI_geo5qglKKU1dLoo1Pl4BiJBxN9d/s1600/fall+2009+005.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" nba="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiQV0tRRgZbRJ5C53I-cXQ1CuwfdFrojnKbhB5oOPB3h2jQohHKqcZPsqTK-YVCuzk4cWjxTThpiiroQWgxsIyiMQfMdCqiJGOKHDugKKQ_JvfDg7OI_geo5qglKKU1dLoo1Pl4BiJBxN9d/s320/fall+2009+005.jpg" width="240" /></a></div><br />
5. His sense of humor! He's so sarcastic. Every. Single. Day. He makes me laugh...not just a little giggle, every day, at some point, he has me hysterical laughing. I think I take this for granted a lot. He's the only guy I've ever been with who REALLY makes me laugh, that is not easy to find!<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgVnKu9SWzoeBNVS2On9-3JwegHnkqCTmHgrDrAXQcPwF90E6XeTG5KCi_TPbqwPHQWN0hcuDG9KWV7G8MZ9-vKR8zAIi67AriU6gDtkxDPIlfjPLOefuaqmezpzJD_cjrDBDGQrTQA2hyZ/s1600/17273_1252634840463_1367280242_31064454_8147650_n.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" nba="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgVnKu9SWzoeBNVS2On9-3JwegHnkqCTmHgrDrAXQcPwF90E6XeTG5KCi_TPbqwPHQWN0hcuDG9KWV7G8MZ9-vKR8zAIi67AriU6gDtkxDPIlfjPLOefuaqmezpzJD_cjrDBDGQrTQA2hyZ/s320/17273_1252634840463_1367280242_31064454_8147650_n.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br />
6. He has great taste-- from his personal style to food...and women, obviously ;)<br />
<br />
7. I LOVE his body!!<br />
<br />
8. He is conscious of his diet...he eats really well and healthy-- not your typical fried-food- and- sixpack-of-beer guy<br />
<br />
9. He likes wine<br />
<br />
10. He's a hotel snob<br />
<br />
11. He likes the beach!<br />
<br />
12. He's an amazing cook.<br />
<br />
13. He treats me like a princess :)<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg5uBdpITWPY3UjEprcq1sdBCTLF1WcVf43wzRlQKozDvHaUVNhmgw4RNBUklLpgGsCxzvv0Paobn3YGcOYKSyyfFWFugcC3IzPRuMkrXkzf_yKkJd4NfchxtZiTLwuErPCuxYzSjMZpHC8/s1600/264762_2017787928812_1367280242_32369677_25456_n.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" nba="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg5uBdpITWPY3UjEprcq1sdBCTLF1WcVf43wzRlQKozDvHaUVNhmgw4RNBUklLpgGsCxzvv0Paobn3YGcOYKSyyfFWFugcC3IzPRuMkrXkzf_yKkJd4NfchxtZiTLwuErPCuxYzSjMZpHC8/s320/264762_2017787928812_1367280242_32369677_25456_n.jpg" width="240" /></a></div><br />
14. He gets along with my family!<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiGUhqfHp5m5S8RlJKXZHN-sb9ldaRBcqbYEGQdWT9TJDRqGOIWq0R15UUqksnOs1dGao-4-RPja8fauYlpZMitspq_sCv8D9P4CSAMXf0c_bBP1cpzD88GedfGHf7A-1iF1U94XdFjVFys/s1600/n1367280242_30615161_3963868.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" nba="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiGUhqfHp5m5S8RlJKXZHN-sb9ldaRBcqbYEGQdWT9TJDRqGOIWq0R15UUqksnOs1dGao-4-RPja8fauYlpZMitspq_sCv8D9P4CSAMXf0c_bBP1cpzD88GedfGHf7A-1iF1U94XdFjVFys/s320/n1367280242_30615161_3963868.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">even the baby of the family</td></tr>
</tbody></table><br />
15. He's SO smart, our conversations are always intriguing and he inspires me to make the most out of my education<br />
<br />
16. He proofreads all my papers for me....even if it's just a one paragraph abstract.<br />
<br />
17. He's super anal and type-A but for some reason, it's not irritating at all, it's cute :)<br />
<br />
18. He looks really cute with a little stubble on his face<br />
<br />
19. He dresses well and always look amazing whenever we go out, even if it's just running errands during the day<br />
<br />
20. He leaves me random little notes around the apartment<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi931D6LYPGiHPcrQdC28cKCPxPFKBbNh6DjGmnVTpUWAAhkQ35PcBr6zF8HZmotWnJQZbl7oID4bg-_99gGUMhuZYZaKj_6GqamKIkGlVT1mNiJF6lxwLEvb_5UYsnyHOE5TUBOSKlZ7Qm/s1600/13849_1223748078312_1367280242_30994866_3264330_n.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" nba="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi931D6LYPGiHPcrQdC28cKCPxPFKBbNh6DjGmnVTpUWAAhkQ35PcBr6zF8HZmotWnJQZbl7oID4bg-_99gGUMhuZYZaKj_6GqamKIkGlVT1mNiJF6lxwLEvb_5UYsnyHOE5TUBOSKlZ7Qm/s320/13849_1223748078312_1367280242_30994866_3264330_n.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br />
21. He's a great workout buddy<br />
<br />
22. He likes to try new things<br />
<br />
23. He likes history (this is important because so do I)<br />
<br />
24. He's super passionate about his career<br />
<br />
25. He always smells incredible<br />
<br />
26. I love his smile<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhj-7DCl6pRX92l077eFCPf_zKZELFeoRw3-YLjdQDBYxH62typpac9SQRO5dLNWTqaxevdDedg314rOnhuvsJBnqS5QfP1haaOKSyGDkt_bfEWDlh0-kI77H6h188kolXcmsig2OIoQ-o6/s1600/264672_2017922372173_1367280242_32370325_1890425_n.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" nba="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhj-7DCl6pRX92l077eFCPf_zKZELFeoRw3-YLjdQDBYxH62typpac9SQRO5dLNWTqaxevdDedg314rOnhuvsJBnqS5QfP1haaOKSyGDkt_bfEWDlh0-kI77H6h188kolXcmsig2OIoQ-o6/s320/264672_2017922372173_1367280242_32370325_1890425_n.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br />
27. I love his eyes, too<br />
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28. He's always there to listen to me when i need to vent<br />
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29. He's really good at helping me fix my problems<br />
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30. He compliments me :)<br />
<br />
31. He's always on time!<br />
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32. He's reliable<br />
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33. He has a positive outlook on life<br />
<br />
34. He's loyal<br />
<br />
35. He hasn't gotten sick of me and my crazy antics yet!!!!<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgSiPx0nvB-chCzdIXiV9HACojZnZv5Sp7QtQvglpG-wcixtThI0n0CGifdJgkVRu89UzpCA5Twim9SaP6EbrKsolNDZkE-XBe6vMceBovI0s__hadBbcZz4d9sz5t5wpmcW3WRdOdeU2LT/s1600/264474_2017847130292_1367280242_32370015_470969_n.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" nba="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgSiPx0nvB-chCzdIXiV9HACojZnZv5Sp7QtQvglpG-wcixtThI0n0CGifdJgkVRu89UzpCA5Twim9SaP6EbrKsolNDZkE-XBe6vMceBovI0s__hadBbcZz4d9sz5t5wpmcW3WRdOdeU2LT/s320/264474_2017847130292_1367280242_32370015_470969_n.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">maybe i drive him a liiiiittle crazy</td></tr>
</tbody></table>lindsay lovehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02515865749653286650noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-509962902196460843.post-50153454341121193622011-09-06T22:02:00.003-04:002011-09-08T17:26:53.343-04:00Countdown to CupcakesEleven days to go! I'm so excited and so nervous and most importantly so excited to eat something different! I already have a grocery list about a mile long and cannot wait to go shopping!<br />
<br />
I live in the grocery store these days, however, I buy the same exact things every single time I go week after week after week. I'm sorry but there is simply no joy or excitement left in buying spinach and egg whites. As much as I absolutely love these things, picking them up and loading a card with about fifty packages of them has finally become unbearable. Not really, but it's pretty damn boring. You don't realize how exciting it is to go to the grocery store until you've become limited to buying the same five or six things for months!<br />
<br />
So basically, every time I see something I want to buy that isn't on my diet I add it to my ever growing "fall grocery list". It's a simple joy that gives me something exciting to look forward to after so much time spent being so restrictive. Everyone asks me what i want to eat when this is over and what kind of food am I looking forward to. Everyone has the SAME expectations, they all think I want to totally binge out on every kind of junk!! I know I'm on a boring diet, but I wasn't eating junk before the diet! So why would I want to eat junk now??? Yea, ok, I got a little out of hand with the wine and dessert on the weekend, but besides that I was my usual health nut self. I was eating a lot of veggies, seafood, protein shakes, tons of egg whites (omelets, hard boiled, etc), greek yogurt, Ezekiel bread, nuts & nut butters and fruit. I rarely indulged during the week and if I did it usually consisted of post dinner snacking on cereals and nut butters.<br />
<br />
However, i was looking forward to ONE junky thing at the end of this...a cupcake.<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgmf8z0qplSwNeP_n5RVJz2hgSXNAJg6NuXy4Ih9n3bwYAo_I2CVKk4nN0eGn6MhNXoDB0Gkk3mnVc8jb8akId1VDeuBAU7EO4DhJM3k4hUQGgnTZiN-nH5wFONfzmCUcA6sM0tjTbDevB4/s1600/images.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" nba="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgmf8z0qplSwNeP_n5RVJz2hgSXNAJg6NuXy4Ih9n3bwYAo_I2CVKk4nN0eGn6MhNXoDB0Gkk3mnVc8jb8akId1VDeuBAU7EO4DhJM3k4hUQGgnTZiN-nH5wFONfzmCUcA6sM0tjTbDevB4/s1600/images.jpg" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">i heart you</td></tr>
</tbody></table><br />
UNFORTUNATELY this whole experience has led me to the discovery that I'm severely lactose intolerant. Before the diet my stomach was ALWAYS bothering me!! I was constantly bloated, or achey or nauseous or something. I didn't know where it was coming from. A few years ago I drank a lot of diet soda and put splenda in everything. When I realized that artificial sweeteners were the cause of horrendous stomach pains I cut it ALL out cold turkey. But then my stomach problems returned and I had no idea what caused it. I didn't eat much dairy aside from some Greek yogurt here and there, which bothered my stomach, but so did everything else so I didn't attribute it to lactose intolerance. I didn't realize how many foods actually have trace amounts of dairy in them. For example, every time I went out to dinner I'd get stomach pains. Whenever I ate something I didn't make myself I noticed I had pains. Only when I started my diet did I realize that I only had pains after I drank skim milk with my protein shake and after I ate Greek yogurt. At no other time did I feel it. I started taking a Lactaid pill before each serving of dairy and at first it helped. I still got bloated though I just didn't have the unbearable pain. Finally I realized why am I doing this? If I have to take a pill before I can eat something, I should not be eating it!! So out went the dairy.<br />
<br />
Back to my cupcake.<br />
<br />
I realized it wasn't going to happen. Do you know what goes into a cupcake???? Butter. :( A ton of it. Do you know what butter is? Cream. I think. Either way..no cupcake. Or so I thought.<br />
<br />
How in the world did I forget about the wonderful, amazing concept of vegan baking?! They don't use dairy!! Luckily for me there is an amazing, very well known vegan bakery right here in the city!! Babycakes!! I cannot wait to walk off that stage and go enjoy a ridiculous little cupcake without taking a pill first and without suffering after.<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjerYTwEF3pCRMlvzkcYeB4VBLUk1zdDcFOI0Gwk6g8rpxFkkI0MBNo40SgMaCaIDbG5paFbvbMxFGnYdHhlUeLHKEfuEZGE_htJE68KhQcyN9v5wpSDic_bjaFK5q8mRMfhUQs3fGEl4Cm/s1600/imagesCA1UG72C.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" nba="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjerYTwEF3pCRMlvzkcYeB4VBLUk1zdDcFOI0Gwk6g8rpxFkkI0MBNo40SgMaCaIDbG5paFbvbMxFGnYdHhlUeLHKEfuEZGE_htJE68KhQcyN9v5wpSDic_bjaFK5q8mRMfhUQs3fGEl4Cm/s1600/imagesCA1UG72C.jpg" /></a></div>lindsay lovehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02515865749653286650noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-509962902196460843.post-58933833905129952672011-09-04T14:58:00.001-04:002011-09-06T22:04:31.708-04:00Back to School!Today I've been trying to get myself organized and ready to take on the semester. My first day of class is in TWO days!! <br />
<br />
I'm excited to start this semester because it's a complete fresh start. Last year I started hard school in a research focused psychology program. I found myself really unhappy in the program because I felt isolated and didn't have much oppurtunity for one on one counseling. I thought research would be a great way to help people by contributing new ideas and information to the field. Of course, that is true, but you miss out on a lot of interpersonal interaction. I realized that my heart and passion lies in one on one counseling and I transferred programs. <br />
<br />
I was officially accepted into the Counseling for Mental Health and Wellness program last semester but I only took two electives. This semester I'm diving head first into this amazing new program and I couldn't be happier! <br />
<br />
Usually I'm prepared for the semester <i>way</i> ahead of time but this time around I'm totally slacking. I haven't had the energy or patience to drive into the city. Tuesday I have to take an extra early train (I'm so NOT a train girl! I much prefer to drive down but when my classes are during rush hours I suck it up and train it) so I can get my new student ID before class. I also have to make a pit stop at th bookstore for m text books...and some more hoodies (I can't control myself around them! Warm snuggly oversized campus bookstore hoodies have always just <i>screamed</i> "BUY ME" at me!). I'm planning on making a quick trip to Walgreens after church today fo some notebooks. <br />
<br />
However, I do have the <i>really</i> important stuff covered--manicure appointment and outfit ready. I'm a total dork and plan my school outfits for the week every weekend durin the semester. I have to! I realized this in undergrad. I went to a catholic high school where I wore a uniform so choosing outfits on a daily basis was never an issue for me. For the passed 5 years I've worked at a gym so all I wear to work is stretchies. In undergrad I was completely overwhelmed by the task of picking out daily outfits. It was too much of a process so all I wore to class was soffees, stretchies and hoodies. Most of the time, though, I hit the gym either righ before or right after class so 90% of the time I was just in gym clothes. Half that time I was even still sweaty from a workout...haha ew.<br />
<br />
In grad school, especially in the city, people are just a tad more professional looking than sweaty gym clothes. Plus I only have class to days a week. I might as well dress somewhat presentable right? Besides, Dan is working close to my campus now so there will always be the chance of meeting for a bite to eat or taking the train home together. He wears a suit to work and there's nothing worse than looking like a sweaty lil bum next to a hottie business man. Not okay. I'll put in the littl extra effort on Sunday afternoons to lay out some outfit choices. <br />
<br />
Random thought....I'm on day two of no carbs and so far haven't morphed into a psychobiatchh yet. Woo hoooo :)lindsay lovehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02515865749653286650noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-509962902196460843.post-45557471520355026352011-09-03T17:10:00.003-04:002011-09-03T17:36:29.603-04:00Overcoming a Bad Day<span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; font-family: Tahoma, Verdana, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12px; line-height: 14px;"></span><br />
<pre style="font-size: 9pt; font: normal normal normal 115%/normal monospace; line-height: 1.22em; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;"><tt style="line-height: 1.22em;">Today I'm blogging from the beach. It's a beautiful day and I feel happy,
relaxed and in good spirits (which is surprising because carbs were just removed
from my diet-14 days till Showtime!-so I had anticipated being kind of cranky).</tt></pre><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjLWzKaP4Tr8ZerB02t6aKGUkxiXMGaiXJ1PW1qHhHTqV6Qe6igCDG1JmOEzmtEcBL4lPxYTl3cNYafLxIfZdiUlIIymYNOQ6hN4VDVctIgBixqW0AUEXSC_4h90qdOuLqlTdtRgZHjAFZ9/s1600/284191_2046669890843_1367280242_32405343_1729419_n.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjLWzKaP4Tr8ZerB02t6aKGUkxiXMGaiXJ1PW1qHhHTqV6Qe6igCDG1JmOEzmtEcBL4lPxYTl3cNYafLxIfZdiUlIIymYNOQ6hN4VDVctIgBixqW0AUEXSC_4h90qdOuLqlTdtRgZHjAFZ9/s320/284191_2046669890843_1367280242_32405343_1729419_n.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">love skywriting at the beach!</td></tr>
</tbody></table><pre style="font-size: 9pt; font: normal normal normal 115%/normal monospace; line-height: 1.22em; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;"><tt style="line-height: 1.22em;">Yesterday, however, wasn't so peaceful. Do you ever have those days where no
matter what you just<i> can't</i> snap out of your misery??? My morning got off to a rushed
start when I misplaced my house keys. I had just finished a tough legs session
with my trainer and had an hour to kill before work. I went to my boyfriends
apartment to enjoy breakfast and some nice alone time to relax a bit before
starting my shift. As soon as I got to the apartment I realized my keys were at
my house. Oops. So I spent the free hour racing back and forth, scarfed down
breakfast in minutes and off to work I went...a little late.
I forgot my keys and a few other things throughout the morning and my head just
felt like a cloud after an <b>explosion</b>!!! A big poof of air with little particles
floating around in no particular direction.
After work my mom wanted to go shopping so I figured a little retail therapy and
doing my makeup and getting dressed would make me feel better. For whatever
reason it didn't. Looking in the mirror, all I could see was this <i>ugly</i> girl
staring back. So i tried my best to cover her up with globs of dark eyeshadow,
liner and mascara. That didn't work.
I was just off, feeling down on myself and couldn't shake it! My mind starting
<strike>racing</strike> obsessing. I nitpicked <i>every last feature </i>and every <i>inch</i>
of my body in negative ways. I thought about possible ways to compensate for my
supposed "flaws":
<i> Maybe I need botox?</i></tt></pre><pre style="font-size: 9pt; font: normal normal normal 115%/normal monospace; line-height: 1.22em; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;"><tt style="line-height: 1.22em;"><i>
I should get like twenty layers of a spray tan</i></tt></pre><pre style="font-size: 9pt; font: normal normal normal 115%/normal monospace; line-height: 1.22em; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;"><tt style="line-height: 1.22em;"><i>
I'd look SO much better with permanent hair and eyelash extensions</i></tt></pre><pre style="font-size: 9pt; font: normal normal normal 115%/normal monospace; line-height: 1.22em; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;"><tt style="line-height: 1.22em;"><i>
Who am I kidding? I need to start wearing makeup everyday</i></tt></pre><pre style="font-size: 9pt; font: normal normal normal 115%/normal monospace; line-height: 1.22em; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;"><tt style="line-height: 1.22em;"><i>
I don't even want to eat</i></tt></pre><pre style="font-size: 9pt; font: normal normal normal 115%/normal monospace; line-height: 1.22em; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;"><tt style="line-height: 1.22em;"><i>
I'm not working out enough
</i>
When I noticed my mind going back to <b>those places</b> (the eating and exercise
obsessions) I knew I was falling into the mind game trap. Even though in the
moment I didn't believe them, I repeated some positive affirmations. I Reminded
myself that none of this nonsense is true! It's all mind games.
When I got back to Dan's apartment after shopping I was starting to feel better,
but still a little off. I sat in the other side of the room, curled up in a ball
and ignored him. Eventually I realized what I was doing and felt bad for taking
it out on him. Later in the night we ended up talking and snuggling.
He blamed my mood on my nervousness and anticipation for the show. He reminded
me that every time I have a goal for myself I borderline-obsessively put 100% of
everything I have towards achieving that goal. Being a perfectionist can be a
problem sometimes...
He was completely right! I was anxious about the show and how I would do and I
let that thought consume me. Worrying that I may not win first place made me
feel like I'm not good enough. That carried into my day and me feel not
"pretty/muscular/smart" etc. enough.
But that's not true. Those mind games are dangerous and can completely consume
you! It's important to be aware of these thoughts and know that they're
irrational. Repeating positive affirmations has helped me.
I went to bed thinking positive and reminded myself that tomorrow is a new day,
and I'm blessed to be here! </tt></pre><pre style="font-size: 9pt; font: normal normal normal 115%/normal monospace; line-height: 1.22em; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;"><tt style="line-height: 1.22em;">
</tt></pre><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgDAWfbPVMTfse3NXo_wObozHwd-85qt-wx-ZlwEWSBhwuMA1nUuJ0LYBXdHdoj1t4xHJnX8_-EeByoOUo8xo1rNL7hGQDE35EtEjIryAaV34StEUKUjITYX-hegCBOTO-Qw6TtTGzmI1X0/s1600/267596_2017804489226_1367280242_32369754_3800292_n.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgDAWfbPVMTfse3NXo_wObozHwd-85qt-wx-ZlwEWSBhwuMA1nUuJ0LYBXdHdoj1t4xHJnX8_-EeByoOUo8xo1rNL7hGQDE35EtEjIryAaV34StEUKUjITYX-hegCBOTO-Qw6TtTGzmI1X0/s320/267596_2017804489226_1367280242_32369754_3800292_n.jpg" width="240" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">no makeup...not so terrible ;)</td></tr>
</tbody></table><pre style="font-size: 9pt; font: normal normal normal 115%/normal monospace; line-height: 1.22em; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;"><tt style="line-height: 1.22em;">
</tt></pre>lindsay lovehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02515865749653286650noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-509962902196460843.post-66419472239882411682011-09-01T22:14:00.000-04:002011-09-01T22:14:00.023-04:00SIXTEEN DAYS!sixteen days....15 tomorrow. Until my first fitness competition!<br />
<br />
i have been training and dieting my heart out since <strong>MAY.</strong> this is a little under half a year that i have been eating the <em>same. exact. thing.</em> every day for six meals a day. day in and day out.<br />
<br />
the training, however, has been amazing! <br />
<br />
in the beginning, i <em>loved</em> the diet! it was clean, healthy and light and made me feel really good. i have always been a clean, healthy eater but in all honesty i defintely fell a <em>little</em> off track this past year. over the holidays i indulged literally every chance i got! in february, my sister and i planned a last minute spring break trip to miami. i had exactly two weeks to prepare. i kicked up the cardio and made sure i hit the sac before i cancelled out the day's workout with late night munching (i have a serious problem...). i think i looked good in miami, but i fell right back into that rut and drank almost every night. wine, shots, miami vices, mojitos<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgz8TLYalTo17eHOcAD2HozfbepPu-qtru5b5xo0fG7x_JJMJrc_PFpAsS4b9Z1bcHkSnrEM_N4B-Zcv-5Q5qVAQ5dAPDajJMBMKDMW-2kQY8ELEtz8kxgSNXG19wdLI9cQ1Ywmt6dZ_thP/s1600/188872_1744159648276_1367280242_32090221_5523613_n.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgz8TLYalTo17eHOcAD2HozfbepPu-qtru5b5xo0fG7x_JJMJrc_PFpAsS4b9Z1bcHkSnrEM_N4B-Zcv-5Q5qVAQ5dAPDajJMBMKDMW-2kQY8ELEtz8kxgSNXG19wdLI9cQ1Ywmt6dZ_thP/s320/188872_1744159648276_1367280242_32090221_5523613_n.jpg" width="320" xaa="true" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">my sister.."lil bitch" ;)</td></tr>
</tbody></table> the wine and snacking were out of control. after miami i was still in a kind of spring break-y party mood and hadn't yet gotten over that holiday indulgence bug. every weekend that my boyfriend and i went out to dinner we would split a bottle of wine (plus one or two pre and post dinner drinks for me...) and then on the way home we would stop at 7/11 to pick out an entemenns cake! once we got home we grabbed some forks and went to town on the damn thing. we're good all week, we work out like maniacs and eat light and healthy all week...why cant we have fun on the weekends??<br />
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiQ7yAmbXHx0msL9TYjlOkRx24jnrHDVwUJiseaOZVd9reQhyphenhyphendM_1KXBDO9aAW6VZZTvzm_000JTAr7j8WI8HGhyphenhyphenQosJIisrjDTMxvqPCoC8t3zZhtieUoiYyl0e1Y4TmOPEt8cKHalB40r/s1600/149113_1578003974488_1367280242_31802859_54339_n.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiQ7yAmbXHx0msL9TYjlOkRx24jnrHDVwUJiseaOZVd9reQhyphenhyphendM_1KXBDO9aAW6VZZTvzm_000JTAr7j8WI8HGhyphenhyphenQosJIisrjDTMxvqPCoC8t3zZhtieUoiYyl0e1Y4TmOPEt8cKHalB40r/s320/149113_1578003974488_1367280242_31802859_54339_n.jpg" width="320" xaa="true" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">martini hiding in the corner</td></tr>
</tbody></table>it was that mentality that led me to 22% body fat in may. now, that's technically not that bad, but for me (i'm pretty hard on myself) that's way, way up there. i like to stay somewhere between 16-19%. <br />
<br />
at that point things came together and i decided i was ready to compete. i got my diet and started working with my trainer and got myself back on track! a month later i was down to 12% body fat!! yeah, it happens that fast when you take out all the goodies...like way too much weekend wine and treats. :( <br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjpPpzICIBzJOkE87D3nxH5GIlNLggdU0_MgP0kQa3hz0Ptitvk3etIyf5gD5jR_f3_ouliRxfFpUSOmqBFhYyr4a36X_fZy2MeRG5Gv4s5BYYBlnbRX-l74XvkwGSWlQQrUDMGuCt2esG-/s1600/264360_2017936172518_1367280242_32370411_1999787_n.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjpPpzICIBzJOkE87D3nxH5GIlNLggdU0_MgP0kQa3hz0Ptitvk3etIyf5gD5jR_f3_ouliRxfFpUSOmqBFhYyr4a36X_fZy2MeRG5Gv4s5BYYBlnbRX-l74XvkwGSWlQQrUDMGuCt2esG-/s320/264360_2017936172518_1367280242_32370411_1999787_n.jpg" width="240" xaa="true" /></a></div><br />
In the beginning the diet was sooo exciting!! i loved it! i felt SO good to be back on my healthy track and <em>fueling</em> my body with the clean, wholesome, nutrient dense food it deserved. but now, almost five months later...i just can't wait to change it up!<br />
<br />
no, i won't be going back to wine and entemenn's, and i don't miss it. <br />
<br />
i'm craving <em>variety </em>healthy variety...not so much junk. <br />
when this diet is over, in sixteen days, i can't <strong>wait</strong> to eat:<br />
<ul><li><span style="color: orange;">pumpkin</span>!!! fortunately for me it will be deliciously right in season!</li>
<li>warm, gooey, satisfying <span style="color: #bf9000;">oatmeal</span>...steel cut, oat bran, any variety....filled with delicious fresh and frozen fruits and cinnamon and <span style="background-color: white; color: #783f04;">nuts</span></li>
<li><span style="color: #f1c232;">bananas</span> </li>
<li><span style="color: #e69138;">peanut butter</span>....and every other form of nut butter</li>
<li><span style="color: red;">apples</span>..im going to go apple picking and devour the whole orchard </li>
</ul>could there be a possible reason why everything i'm craving happens to be in the same color family? i see that i'm craving pretty much carbs and fats :) not suprised!<br />
<br />
but mostly i can't wait to get back in the kitchen and cook up some delicious new meals and treats for dan and me to enjoy on the weekends. there's nothing i love more than spending a saturday night in with my man, lighting some scented candles, cooking together, sharing stories about our day or whatever, sipping some champagne and hanging out together for the night<br />
<br />
plus, all i do is clip recipe after recipe <em>after recipe</em> and stuff them away like a squirrel for when the dieting is over...and after almost five months of this, he's getting a little impatient hah ;)<br />
lindsay lovehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02515865749653286650noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-509962902196460843.post-66324786112213729552011-08-31T22:32:00.001-04:002011-09-01T22:26:24.954-04:00Welcome!Welcome to crazy lil fit chick!<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiSV3e0nAvM-J0OnXfosqrU7nWWbQ9XAeV_ErWYzrYCjDBXa55e-TYhNJu40xXgYi39SFrM8XEkZw7gNuRVSRPp-AwOLncn6wk4QFJL7fLdboutdWdV1FXxoV2FjBNbzqAZhl3Am_TNxHFe/s1600/35079_1409883051570_1367280242_31442008_5997085_n.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiSV3e0nAvM-J0OnXfosqrU7nWWbQ9XAeV_ErWYzrYCjDBXa55e-TYhNJu40xXgYi39SFrM8XEkZw7gNuRVSRPp-AwOLncn6wk4QFJL7fLdboutdWdV1FXxoV2FjBNbzqAZhl3Am_TNxHFe/s320/35079_1409883051570_1367280242_31442008_5997085_n.jpg" width="320" xaa="true" /></a></div><br />
I'm Lindsay, I am 23 years old, I'm definitely a little crazy and I love being fit. At 5'7 I'm not exactly "lil" but cut me some slack because I'm totally new to this and honestly I just couldn't think of anything better. :( <br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgwE8Cx0ICJEhwChWUphf_9qcQFmueeJoELYujYBD6aGbsndvrxwFpWbxFCCha5pNzRSTKezU6mffjmLwYQCXnZsyXAJTwFI_ltot9WsMXdcUePUZxnfBD0gXWFWkMemWB4s853IiYK0fq5/s1600/268843_2017981053640_1367280242_32370591_6513446_n.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgwE8Cx0ICJEhwChWUphf_9qcQFmueeJoELYujYBD6aGbsndvrxwFpWbxFCCha5pNzRSTKezU6mffjmLwYQCXnZsyXAJTwFI_ltot9WsMXdcUePUZxnfBD0gXWFWkMemWB4s853IiYK0fq5/s320/268843_2017981053640_1367280242_32370591_6513446_n.jpg" width="205" xaa="true" /></a></div><br />
So why blog? Well...I love to write. Before embarking on my academic journey in psychology I was an English major. When I applied to college I knew two things: I like to read and I like to write. What the hell does one do with that? According to my mom- one declares the major " communications" before one even attends her first college fair. <br />
<br />
Unfortunately, in high school all i cared about was partying, boys, tanning and running. If i had my way I would have majored in tanning and minored in running. Needless to say my grades were sub-par and I got accepted into a whopping two schools out of the twelve I applied to. I got wait listed to one. <br />
<br />
The college I went to didn't offer communications so I declared a major in English. Classes were boring I didn't no what I wanted and I had no goals. So I started bartending and continued to party and drink and smoke...<br />
<br />
Until my 19th summer when my close friend died...in a car accident...attempting to return home after a night of partying.<br />
<br />
Omg...what was I doing? I knew if I didn't change that was my fate. So I quit the bar, got a new job at a gym and started running again (track girl throuhout high school). I had so many questions about life and death and health and I needed them answered. Suddenly I had this hunger for knowledge and I needed to learn <i>everything</i> <i></i><br />
<br />
So I switched my major from English to a double major in Psychology and Philosophy. I realized two things that year:<br />
<br />
1. I want to help people...by hearing their problems and listening<br />
2. I never want to stop learning<br />
<br />
I spent my last two years of college busting my ass at the gym and busting my ass at the library. By the time I graduated in May 2010 I ran several races including two half marathons brought my GPA up to a steady 4.0 and got accepted into three amazing graduate school counseling program.<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj8aR_v053O3mbavHgaHWU12b1KMDsCt4i0qBmSLZa2GHHUFTCX4LKYPLu_io95DYY1gJx6N6hDie6VIzXm2LjjIYxJJz84jI6Cjfn0IqrrNialBAPHwjJVlu42e7N5cSSu187Ye3DW56Js/s1600/28645_1356412914850_1367280242_31300497_1591926_n.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj8aR_v053O3mbavHgaHWU12b1KMDsCt4i0qBmSLZa2GHHUFTCX4LKYPLu_io95DYY1gJx6N6hDie6VIzXm2LjjIYxJJz84jI6Cjfn0IqrrNialBAPHwjJVlu42e7N5cSSu187Ye3DW56Js/s320/28645_1356412914850_1367280242_31300497_1591926_n.jpg" width="320" xaa="true" /></a></div><br />
Now, at 23 I'm about to start my second year of grad school, earning a Masters Degree in Counseling for Mental Health and Wellness at NYU and compete in my first fitness show!<br />
<br />
In the past 5 or 6 years I've come a long way. I've also struggled with an eating disorder, but I think I'm finally figuring out how to cope with that. This blog is my way of letting it all out: my obsessions, goals, hobbies, work outs, recipes and my overall craziness. <br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgpaIb3FdcVtv2ldF-or5BFUHd6mBvCKvuHrBEsCMFKikeb06ctPPy1_LACZlUz27N-wOJJTEr8_lLX3AZzJRFCsVYPDXTQlrRQ2U8Z1VnR9X-QdYuaLTpVlNCRIbTKxJ1kfz61c1qmNi70/s1600/269189_2027994143961_1367280242_32384479_3520589_n.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgpaIb3FdcVtv2ldF-or5BFUHd6mBvCKvuHrBEsCMFKikeb06ctPPy1_LACZlUz27N-wOJJTEr8_lLX3AZzJRFCsVYPDXTQlrRQ2U8Z1VnR9X-QdYuaLTpVlNCRIbTKxJ1kfz61c1qmNi70/s320/269189_2027994143961_1367280242_32384479_3520589_n.jpg" width="320" xaa="true" /></a></div><br />
A lot goes on in this little head of mine...I need to let it out somewhere. And, thus...crazy lil fit chick was born.<br />
<br />
<br />
:)lindsay lovehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02515865749653286650noreply@blogger.com0