Monthly Archives: July 2012

Jul 31 2012

WIAW: Summer Staples!

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Oh, hello. Didn’t see you there :)

Happy Wednesday! It’s What I Ate Wednesday time (thanks Jenn!) and I’m so ready to drool over everyone’s posts. So. Ready.

(*cue today’s pictures that decided to hang out in the left column instead of going over to the centre of the post. UGH.*)

I love this month’s theme! This week’s post is a little bit all over the place, I couldn’t possibly remember to take photos everyday … but I think there are a few summer staples in there!

Pizza. That’s obviously a summer staple, right? I pulled out my countertop pizza maker and made this one with a whole wheat tortilla, organic tomato sauce, broccoli, corn, black beans, green peppers, and feta. Olives would have been the perfect addition … but I was out. Oh well! This was still delicious – and packed with nutrients!

Pita Pit shouldn’t be considered a staple, but eating outside during the summer certainly should be! I grabbed this 6″ whole wheat pita for lunch the other day and enjoyed it at a picnic table at work. In there: turkey, lettuce, onion, cucumbers, green olives, black olives, pineapple, alfalfa sprouts, mushrooms, tomatoes, feta cheese, and tzatziki. My friends always make fun of me because I get every vegetable available, and as a result, spill all over myself while I eat. This was no different.

Eggs aren’t a summer staple. For me, they’re a daily staple. Honestly. I’ve actually considered the fact that I could turn into a chicken one day. Here’s two poached eggs on some whole grain bread (I rarely use toast for poached eggs), sliced turkey breast and MacLaren’s Imperial Sharp Cheese (MY FAVORITE!).

A small bowl of various whole wheat pastas (aka the end of several bags), organic tomato sauce, and a grilled chicken breast. Not very summer staple-y. But still delicious.

And the creme de la creme of summer staples … I present frozen yogurt. I had a crappola day at work yesterday (involving falling down some stairs oh so ungracefully), and decided this was necessary. In there: Red Velvet/New York Cheesecake, strawberries, crumbled Coffee Crisp, chocolate chips, and maraschino cherries. It was an emotional eating fest. And I wanted it that way ;)

Done! Oh, how I love Wednesdays. Can’t wait to check out some other WIAW posts later on today!

Have a wonderful day, everyone!

 

Jul 30 2012

Monday Lovin’

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Hi everyone! I hope you all had a fabulous weekend. Mine was great – the perfect mix of adventure (my Friday road trip and tenting it that night) and relaxation (I got 8 hours of sleep Saturday night plus a midday nap). A great balance of wonderful things :)

Here’s some of the things I’m lovin’ today:

  • Bath and Body Works candles, specifically my chocolate mint one. It’s my favorite! I’m a candle freak, all year round. I had six lit in my apartment last night!

  • Dallas Smith. He’s the former lead singer of Default (I was obsessed with them in Junior High), and is now a country solo artist. I’m in love with the entire album, but especially Shotgun and The Song That’s In My Head.

  • Kammie’s post from Saturday … “The Mental Nature of “Fat” Days”. Since I had bit of a busier weekend, I wasn’t as up to date with my Google Reader as usual, but I AM SO GLAD I decided to click on this post yesterday afternoon. It’s such a wonderfully honest post. I recommend reading it!
  • The Olympics! Duh. I love how the event unites the entire world. What’s your favorite event? I’m not sure I have one particular fave, but I spent a lot of time watching beach volleyball and swimming yesterday.
  • My Costco membership. Remember how I got one for my birthday? I finally redeemed the gift certificate for it a couple of weeks ago and it’s probably the best thing that’s ever happened to me. *Side note: the woman at the Customer Service desk asked me if I was fifteen years old when I asked to begin my membership. I look young. But not that young, I don’t think!

  • There’s a new frozen yogurt shop in my city. Down the street from work. Like, a 5 minute walk. Dangerous.

Enjoy your Monday! What are you lovin’ today?

Jul 27 2012

Q & A

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Question:

What am I doing today?

Answer:

Not going to work, that’s for sure! I took the day off! I’m taking a mini road trip with a girlfriend of mine to visit some pals and lay beside the lake all afternoon. I got my new Shape magazine in the mail yesterday, bought a new bathing suit (didn’t want to … had to, and I love it!), and the temperature is going to be high. That’s fantastic.

Enjoy your day! I know I will do my best, as well!

What are you up to this weekend?

Jul 26 2012

Who Doesn’t Love Chocolate Pudding?

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Yesterday = crazy busy, and I needed to work through lunch. Plus I got a sunburn. I told you I never know what I’ll be getting myself into at work! Had I known, I would have brought sunscreen.

Anyway. I missed lunch. So by the time I got home, I was staaaaaarviiiiiing. It’s a good thing I whipped up a batch of chocolate protein pudding Tuesday night!

Chocolate Protein Pudding

  • 1 package of fat-free chocolate pudding
  • 2 cups of cold milk (I used 1%)
  • 2 scoops of chocolate protein powder (I use Jillian Michael’s chocolate whey powder)

Stir together (follow the directions on pudding box). Let it chill. Eat it all up.

It’s so easy! I had planned to indulge in some of it for dessert on Tuesday evening, but ended up having last minute plans and had to let it stay in the fridge. I’m glad it was waiting for me when I got home yesterday (call it an appetizer before dinner?!). I topped it with a helluva lot of crunchy peanut butter on top. But I didn’t eat the whole recipe – oh no! It serves four. Apparently. But I’m going to eat it all myself.

Today is going to be a crazy day! I’ve been up for a while now already and am on my way to an out-of-town shoot. I’ll be sitting in the director’s chair for a live production … and needed to LEAVE our local office at 5AM. That. Is. Too. Early.

I’m glad I have leftover pudding to eat after work today too :)

Jul 25 2012

I Don’t Believe In Turning On The Oven

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Hey guys! It’s What I Ate Wednesday time!

Thanks Jenn for hosting this brilliant link up. I love being able to connect with other people and drool over get inspired by other’s meals!

Here are my meals from yesterday (Tuesday).

Breakfast:


Suuuuurprise! Another breakfast wrap. Are you tired of seeing these yet? I hope not, because I’m not tired of eating them. I added a new element to my usual tortilla yesterday … black beans. A delicious idea! Black beans + 2 eggs (cooked in the microwave with chia seeds and shredded cheese) + 2 slices of turkey bacon, all rolled up into a flax seed tortilla.

Not pictured: a piece of pizza around 11AM. I played the role of cameraman (lady? girl? person?) for a coworker yesterday morning, and he did a story at a local pizza shop. They sent a box of ‘za back to work with us! It was delicious :)

Lunch:


It’s too freaking hot to cook anything these days. I’m boycotting the oven, sometimes I won’t even touch the stove top. Honestly … the microwave and the George Foreman grill are my new BFFs. I was able to scoot home for lunch yesterday, so I decided to eat something cold. I had overnight oats prepared before I left for work, and that bowl was great! In there: an overripe banana, 1/2 cup of oats, chocolate almond milk (poured until I got a consistency I liked), Greek yogurt, and one full scoop of chocolate whey protein. I topped it with the rest of a carton of raspberries I had kicking around. Yum!

Supper:


You guys, this dish was awesome. This huge plate contained quinoa, edamame, black beans, olives, corn, sliced chicken breast, hot sauce, and cheese. I decided to throw some Greek yogurt on there and mix it all up afterwards. There was a lot of food … and I ate every last bit of it. I will definitely be making this again.

And the fitness factor for July’s WIAW theme? Well, yesterday I climbed 79 flights of stairs on the stairmaster (while watching Mad Men via Netflix, on my iPhone), then did a quick 1.5 mile hilly bike ride, and some really quick leg and ab work.

Ta daaaaaaah!There’s another rendition of What I Ate Wednesday.

Ciao for now!

Jul 24 2012

Active On The Job

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If you’re a regular reader of the blog, you know I’m a reporter. I love my job. I almost never know what I’ll get myself into each day before before I arrive at 8:30.

On some days, I’m sitting at my desk making phone calls, writing emails, lining up interviews, or doing paperwork.

Other days, I’m all over the place. I get to learn so much. And a lot of the time, I get to be active.

Like yesterday.

I am doing a profile of a nearby provincial park that has a ton of hiking and exploring opportunities. After doing a couple of interviews, my camera person (love her face) and I needed some supporting visuals. We didn’t really plan ahead and both had sandals on (live and learn), but we. walked. everywhere. With a heavy, awkward tripod. It was a workout!

The only problem? The two of us shared this for lunch on the way out:

Plus a carton of strawberries. Not enough. I almost ate my hand on the way home. Again, live and learn.

The moral of this story is that I love having a job that allows me to leave the office. Some people do well with sitting at a desk all day, but that’s not my thing. Being able to get out and explore is wonderful!

Do you have a job that allows you to be active? If you have a job that involves a lot of sitting, do you ever crave activity from 9 to 5?

Jul 23 2012

Realizations

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Things I’ve realized:

1) After spending hours in my car this weekend to drive to and from a bridal shower, I can say I’m incredibly excited for my best friend’s wedding next month. Us bridesmaids know how to have fun :) (and so does the bride!).

2) I think I need to sleep for 3 days straight to try and catch up. Lately, I seem to have two late nights in a row and then a free night. I crash so hard on my free night that I don’t end up moving in my sleep and have a sore back to deal with when the alarm clock goes off.

3) 17 Again was on TV last night. I still love that show. Yes, I’m 22.

4) I’m looking forward to getting back to the gym this morning. I went quite hard last Monday … and had serious DOMS in my legs and didn’t go back all week. I could have trained other parts of my body. I didn’t. So I had a 7 day break, and this week will be different. I’m starting things off with a run and some upper body work today!

5) I’m just all about the lists on Yellow Haired Girl lately.

6) I want it to be Friday already. Whoops. I have a crazy busy week (with a lot of work related driving each day!), but have Friday off again. I need it to be that day. I have exciting things planned!

7) I can’t stop eating sliced turkey breast, usually in my breakfast egg wraps. Delicious. Now I want to eat one. Immediately.

8) My latest TV show? Mad Men. Thank you baby Jesus Netflix. I’m really, really fresh into it … but I already love it!

Okay, enough with this morning’s list. What’s up guys?! How was your weekend? Tell me something :)

Jul 19 2012

Happy

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Things that are making me happy today:

  • Today is my last day of work this week. I used some of my many built up overtime hours and decided to spend the day relaxing tomorrow. And by that, I mean doing seven thousand loads of laundry. But at least I won’t be at work ;)
  • A full fridge. I went grocery shopping on Monday (and got a bit of extra exercise by hauling it all up the stairs to my apartment). Nothing is more satisfying then opening the refrigerator and not knowing what to eat because there are too many options!
  • Being able to watch TV on my computer. Love it. How would I catch up on my trashy television quality shows like Teen Mom and Real World without the internet?
  • Juicy peaches. I can’t stop eating them. I give myself bonus points if I happen to get it all over my shirt (spoiler: this happens every single time).
  • The serious DOMS in my legs. Hurts. So. Good.
  • This:

What is making you happy today?

Jul 18 2012

Didn’t I Just Do This?

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How fast does time fly?! Seriously, I swear I just wrote last week’s What I Ate Wednesday post. Before you know it, it’ll be Christmas! Yikes. Scary thought.

Thank you to Jenn for hosting the weekly WIAW party, and coming up with a theme this month that includes daily exercise!

Here’s what happened in my world on Monday. Breakfast:

I had a bowl of egg white oats (2 egg whites, 1/2 cup of oats). I stirred in one full scoop of chocolate protein powder and topped it with mango pieces and berries. This is a repeat offender, although a new picture. It never disappoints … and is so full of protein I’m satisfied for longer!

Lunch:


I wasn’t able to get groceries until after work, so when I stopped by home during my lunch break, I needed to get creative. I baked microwaved a sweet potato and ate it alongside a lean turkey sausage from M & M’s and a generous heap of edamame. I stirred it all together, and was quite impressed with the result. And so colorful!

Supper:

By the time I hauled all of my groceries up to my apartment Monday night, I was sweating my face off. I didn’t want anything too difficult … and I didn’t want anything too hot. Raw veggies was obviously the answer, and so was a mahi mahi burger (a new purchase!). I paired it with plain Greek yogurt, raspberries, and Love Crunch Dark Chocolate & Red Berry granola. That was another new purchase (can anyone tell I started my Costco membership this week?) and I’M IN LOVE. Holy crow. Portioning that stuff out is going to be totally necessary, so I don’t eat the whole bag in one sitting.

Since July’s WIAW theme includes workouts, I suppose it’s time to share mine! Other than hauling all of my groceries up eight flights of stairs to my apartment (I have an elevator but chose the stairs), I also hit the gym after supper. I ran a mile and a half (on a level 1 incline, just for an extra challenge) and then did an incredibly hilly 4 mile bike ride on a stationary bike. My legs were sore yesterday. Love that feeling!

Have an excellent day, ladies and gents! Thanks again Jenn for hosting this wonderful partayyyyy!

Jul 17 2012

Gentle Reminder

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I am the queen of making lists. They’re all over my apartment. On sticky notes, in notebooks, in my phone. Everywhere. There are few things more satisfying to me than crossing something off of a list. Or accomplishing something not on the list, adding it to the bottom, and then crossing it off. I know you’ve done that too ;)

I have a “books I want to buy” list, including books by Sarah Colonna, Sophie Kinsella, Mindy Kaling, and Nora Roberts.

I have a “chores I need to do” list, including sweeping the kitchen floor and wiping out my fridge crispers.

I have my “songs to download” list, including Neon Lights by Natasha Bedingfield (it’s old, but I recently fell in love) and Haley Reinhart’s new album.

My ever growing “TV series to begin watching” list, including Breaking Bad, Mad Men, and The Walking Dead.

I have the standard “there’s no food left in my house fridge and I need groceries” list (that always exists).

Today, I’m beginning a new list. It’s a gentle reminder to myself.

I’ve talked about this before … but lately, I’ve been pretty dang busy with work. To the point where I’ve allowed my gym routine to slide over the last few weeks. My body wants and craves that extra sleep, obviously, so I only get out of bed for my morning workouts maybe three times a week. I know it’s important to listen to what your body wants, but I know I also need to be active. Sometimes I’ll get myself to the gym at the end of the day instead. I really try, but it’s tough. My eating habits are still mostly okay, but could use some tuning up. I’ve been making a lot of stops at Pita Pit or Subway to eat my lunch. I tend to make healthy choices there … but eating at home is ultimately better for my body and for my wallet.

I’m not beating myself up. I know life gets in the way. It happens! But I thought it would be nice to reflect on how important is to try and carve out some time for that part of my life.

So here is my “why it’s important to maintain a healthy lifestyle even though you’re busy and it’s the last thing you want to do” reminder list:

- Exercising is an excellent release. I know I feel better when I get a solid sweat in. If I work hard in the morning, it prepares and rejuvenates me to take on the day. If I go after work, the endorphins help me destress after a hectic day.
- Buying lunch (although 9/10 it’s healthy) is not going to help me pay off my student loan/help me afford the new dresses I need to buy for weddings and the like this summer.
- Getting to the gym will help me accomplish my treadmill goal for July. I can’t get say I’ve completed it if I don’t get there!
- I’ll feel better. This is such an important point. When I don’t go to the gym, I feel … blecky. I don’t like that feeling.
- It’s how I live my life. It’s part of my identity. If I’m not eating right/doing my thang in the gym, I’m not myself! Living a balanced life has become a huge part of me … I don’t want to mess that up :)

There are so many more reasons, but the list could get overwhelming.

Why do you live a healthy, balanced life?