Wow. Another new post. I must be on a roll. Either that or I’m off work for a week.  Being off work should mean staying up late, waking up late, napping and doing absolutely nothing.  Aside from the staying up late part, pretty much none of that held true for me. But I am not complaining  since I like being productive. But it doesn’t mean that I don’t appreciate a bubble bath or spending time with my girl in between these productive moments.

It has been 3 days after my first half and even though I still feel a little sore, I definitely am feeling much better today- no more shuffling on my way downstairs ;) Good enough that I was actually able to workout first thing in the morning. I still went easy on workouts that involved my legs so I chose a few toning workouts from the Self Drop 10 Challenge featuring my fave trainers, Tone It up. I paired that with more foam rolling and some weights.

Pia and I then headed downstairs to have breakfast. Hers: Chobani greek yogurt. Mine: a hearty omelet made with farm fresh eggs from our CSA, spinach, tomatoes and turkey bacon. You might be wondering, what does CSA mean? It’s really just short for Community supported agriculture. The farm we get our meats and eggs from is Rolling Hills Farm. All the animals are grass fed, pastured, antibiotic free and humanely raised. I swear there is a difference in taste. It also makes us feel good to know that we are supporting our local farm.  I paired the omelet with my homemade whole wheat bread (recipe below this post) and coffee. Ahh, who doesn’t like coffee? After college, I used to hate coffee (maybe because my body was saturated with it) but I’ve recently fell in love with it again. I am trying to cut back a bit and drink tea instead but today was not one of those days. And since I found this little gem at the store yesterday, there was no excuse any more. I normally use unsweetened almond milk in my coffee but today, I mixed 3/4 part unsweetened almond milk and 1/4 part dark chocolate almond milk. Got your attention yet? Then two shots of espresso and a bit of stevia. Yum.

That definitely put a pep in my step and helped me for the rest of the morning. On today’s agenda was organize my closet/bedroom and switch winter to spring/summer clothes. I also put away a lot of my clothes that were bigger- I’m sure they will be of use to me at some point. Pia and I got to spend some time rough housing (her favorite) and coloring (another fave).

The rest of the day was pretty typical- make dinner, clean dishes and get the little girl ready for bed. But in between all of those, I managed to bake some delicious banana bread that was inspired by pinterest.  What better way to use over ripe bananas, right? I’m definitely looking forward to having some tomorrow. I hope you are also looking forward to something positive tomorrow :)

Recipes:

Whole wheat honey bread

For 1 1/2 lb. bread machine
1 1/4 cups water
2 tablespoons grapeseed oil (or oil of choice)
1/4 cup honey
3 1/2 cups  100% White Whole Wheat
1/4 cup flax seeds
1 tablespoon vital wheat gluten
1 1/2 teaspoons salt
1 1/2 teaspoons bread machine yeast

Put all of the ingredients into the bread pan in the order listed. Program for whole wheat bread, and press Start.

Whole wheat Banana bread

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Lightly grease a 9×5 inch loaf pan.
2. In a large bowl, combine flour, baking soda and salt. In a separate bowl, mix together applesauce and honey. Stir in eggs and mashed bananas until well blended. Stir banana mixture into flour mixture; stir just to moisten. Pour batter into prepared loaf pan.
3. Bake in preheated oven for 60 to 65 minutes, until a toothpick inserted into center of the loaf comes out clean. Let bread cool in pan for 10 minutes, then turn out onto a wire rack.

I did it! I ran my first half marathon this weekend in Atlanta and boy am I hooked! It was grueling and hot but so so rewarding in the end. It was unreal the amount of people running that race and also the amount of support from everyone-many thanks to the volunteers of the Publix Georgia Marathon and Half marathon.

My personal highlights:

Beating the time that I set for myself.  I was thinking of finishing the course in 2 hrs and 15 minutes but I finished in 2 hrs and 8 minutes instead! Even with all the uphills towards the end half (that was mean of them hahahh).

Hanging out with some good friends. My friends Kari and George drove from NC to meet with us and cheer me on. It was amazing to see their support at the finish line. It really helped push me at the end. We also got to see some sights in the city and also met another friend of ours for dinner the night before we left.

Post celebration meal: That was some really good Turkey hash from the flying biscuit

Now for some tips. Keep in mind that this is my first half marathon and I’m not a veteran in any shape or form but these things are advices, tips and tricks I’ve learned while training from books, online sources and great running friends from the Tone It Up team.

Fueling and hydration:

It is VERY important to fuel and hydrate for any long runs.  With that being said, make sure that anything you eat the day before the race and especially the morning of the race is stuff that you have tried or eaten before. If you have not had Gu (which I never had), then trying them for the first time that morning can spell disaster if you’re tummy does not like them by any chance. I trained with Sharkies organic chews so that is what I brought with me for the race. I also had my hydration bottle w/c was filled with All natural coconut water. I also stopped for water at hydrating stations during the race about 80% of the time.  We drove down from Nashville that Saturday and I made sure to drink plenty of water and coconut water throughout the day. You’ve also probably heard about carbo-loading the night of? I did eat carbs that night in the form of paella which is not the typical carb that runners usually eat (which is pasta) but I definitely made sure I also got enough protein. I normally don’t eat much carbs (except for quinoa which is more of a protein) during the night but for the week before the race, I did include more carbs in my diet. That way I don’t feel like a slug the next day if I decided to JUST carbo-load for the previous night. I’ve heard some people drink beer which makes sense to me bec it is a carb-y drink. But make sure you don’t get overboard. Having a hangover the day of your race does not bode well for you ;) I also came prepared and brought some bananas and oats for my pre-race fuel which is one of my favorite pre-long run foods. Oh, and make sure you use the potty before the race. You can do this in your hotel right before you leave but there are also plenty of porta-potties at the start line (and throughout if needed).

Gear:

As with fueling and hydration, the day of the race is not the time to be wearing any new type of clothing or gear.  It is so tempting to buy that really pretty shoes or short from the Race expo then wear them for the race for pictures but if you have not tried them on for your training runs, then I suggest you leave them for your next race. Skin chafing/itchiness while running 13.1 (or 26.2) miles is not a pretty sight. Same goes for any gear. If you didn’t train with a hydration belt or a specific type of headphones for listening to music, then don’t do it that day of the race. Having to adjust and readjust wires or belts while running can be annoying.

Rest:

Try (operative word) to get a good night’s sleep before your race. Simple but I found out that it wasn’t so. I think all the adrenaline and nerves got to me and even though I went to bed at a decent  time, my sleep that night was restless. I think I woke up twice during the night and even had a dream that I missed the race! Just get as much rest/sleep if you can.  Make sure you set your alarm bright and early for that morning. I set mine a couple of hours before the start time to give me some time to eat (which I did first thing in the morning so that it is well digested before I hit my first stride. Running on a full stomach is not at all comfortable- learned that one time while I was training- NOR is running on an empty stomach). It also gave me plenty of time to dress, relax, pin my bib and warm-up.

Training:

If you want to finish your race to the best of your ability, then training is important.  I do work full time and have a toddler at home but with some help from my family (and dedication), I was able to manage at least 3-4 training runs a week. I usually did one of them on the hilly path in my neighborhood (or an incline in the treadmill if the weather was bad or too cold), one for speed work and one day of the weekend is definitely reserved for long runs.  If I can squeeze in another run, it is usually more of an easier or tempo pace.  I alternated these runs with cross training so I usually run every other day. In the event that I wanted to get a 4th run in, I usually do that 2 days before the long run and a day after speedwork but I use an easier pace. Having a warm-up/cooldown and stretching routine is definitely important to prevent injuries. And love your foam roller. It is your bestfriend, even though you might be crying while you foam roll your sore calves or hamstrings after your long runs, you will thank it in the end. Yoga also helps a lot to increase flexibility. Strengthening your core is also very helpful.

Most important tip:

IS TO HAVE FUN! I told myself that I will run this half but most importantly, I will enjoy it. Sure it was hilly and tough but I made sure to soak up everything. I decided not to listen to my music since I still have not found headphones that will stay put on me and since I am not native to Atlanta, the paths were all new to me and it was great seeing all the neighborhoods and sights.  I also liked “interacting” with the spectators and looking at the signs.

EXTRAs:
I like wearing compression socks (they are expensive) but I feel like they help me run longer and recover easier. An ice bath (for your legs) after a long run helps a ton too! I was disappointed that my hotel didn’t have a tub so I filled a bag with ice and cold water and stuck my legs in it instead. Not as effective so I did feel more sore the next day as opposed to the time that I was home and trained for 14 miles but got a real ice bath.

There it is. I know it is a pretty long recap (and a long overdue post) but as long as it helped at least one of you, I  am happy. Now, where to next? ;)

So after a late night (late for us, considering we were 2 hours ahead of time) we decided to call it a night with a plan that we were gonna have brunch the next morning. So for those of you who have been in Vegas before know that it is the land of buffets. Before our healthy lifestyle, Joe and I would have probably hit at least 3 different buffets and gorge ourselves each time but this time, we agreed to go to just one.  I like the way I feel when I eat healthy but we also consider ourselves foodies so treating yourself once in a while for me is healthy. As long as it’s in moderation and that it doesn’t detract from your lifestyle. I actually use this “tasting experiences” to cultivate my palate and see if I can recreate those same tastes at home, and maybe even make it healthier (a girl can dream, right?). So I woke up early (from habit) and while Joe is snoring loudly (okay, softly), I decided to head down to the gym and do some yoga and use the stair master.  Yes I am on vacation, and no it’s not a compulsion but I was awake and what better thing to do with my time rather than sitting in bed and twiddling my thumbs right? And have I mentioned how much more energy (and happy) I get when I workout early in the morning? So after sweating it out, I headed upstairs to start getting ready and wake Joe up.  After some research, we decided to spend our “one buffet only ticket” at the Wynn! The last time we were in Vegas, they were just building it out so we never got to see the hotel. So this was a double trip- to check out what the “fuss” was all about and to get their brunch buffet which from the reviews I’ve read, was one of the best in Vegas.  Another great thing about being in the MGM was that there was a monorail station right in the hotel and we were able to shorten our walk a bit. I had no problems with all the walking as I’m used to running but we had to stop and get Joe some insoles for his shoes which definitely helped.  It’s funny how every CVS and Walgreens have the Dr. Scholl’s machine for custom fit orthotics, and they were actually selling a lot of them. I guess it was all that walking in high heels that I saw (none of that from me, well except at night). I digress. So how was the buffet, you ask? Worth every penny.  The only criticism you’ll get from me, is if you are a sushi lover, they have limited offerings of it but everything else was superb.  I spent most of my  calories eating most of their seafood offerings – that fish cake was soooo good- but I gotta say my favorite was the pea risotto. I ate mostly protein (even tried their prime rib which was really juicy) and veggies (salad bar, curried chickpeas) but I couldn’t pass up the pea risotto because I had a bite of it from Joe’s plate and it was divine (I think it might have had some truffle in it). They even mark the food so you know if it’s vegetarian, vegan, gluten-free, nut-free etc. Did I mention that before you got into the main dining room, you will be passing through the dessert area? They have one of the best dessert stations I have seen and we just had to try them. Good thing their desserts were small portions and Joe let me pick which ones we were going to share. And let’s not forget the mimosas. Oh they were really heavenly.  It was a good indulgence, definitely, but I didn’t leave feeling like a rolly polly ;) We were pretty lucky too since we got there early enough (in Vegas standards) and got seated quickly in the pretty orchard area but by the time we were done with our brunch, the line was snaking to the back- I’ve read somewhere that some parties (especially larger ones) have to wait for hours to get in. We decided to walk around the Wynn and take pictures then head on back down to the strip to take more pictures of the newer hotels we have not been to before.  We also headed back to H&M and got a small treat at Payard’s in Caesars. My mom definitely enjoyed the truffles we got for her. Afterwards, we headed back to the hotel to rest and relax (translation: jacuzzi).  That night, we stayed in for a light dinner as Joe went down to get a sub for him and a salad for me before getting ready to get out to Tabu for Amber Riley’s party (Mercedes from Glee). You see, this was a big deal not just because it was a celebrity party, but because I got Joe to say yes to dancing! It was a pretty small dance floor but it was great getting out there and dancing a bit and seeing Amber Riley blow out her birthday cake. But being the party animals that we are, we were in bed by 1 am. But in our defense, it was actually 3 am our time.  Stay tuned for day 3 and make sure to scroll down for pictures galore.

Wynn buffet entrance

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Day 1:

Checked in our hotel at the MGM Signature. Mind you it has been quite a few years (5 maybe?) since our last visit to Vegas and it was definitely different in terms of how many new hotels are out there. I usually am the planner between the two of us and I like scouting for the best deals out there. We did get a good price at hotels.com considering our hotel has a mini kitchen with a fridge, stove, microwave, blender, coffeemaker and outfitted with pots/pans and dishes and a sink. It also has a great huge bathroom: a separate commode (you ladies would agree this is a good thing), a glass shower and a jacuzzi tub. I didn’t think we would have a balcony which was great since it had good views of the strip, although we had to drag our chairs outside since there weren’t any patio chairs. Another plus? It is all nonsmoking and there weren’t any casinos in the property. I think this is the MGM’s residential or timeshare resort but the great part is, that it is connected with a series of walkways to the actual MGM grand so going around the strip on foot was pretty easy.

King bed, separate sitting area

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We decided to go walk around MGM grand and then out to the strip for a bit. There was a CVS and Walgreens right on the strip so we went in and got a few items (eggs, whole wheat bread, water, cheese, butter) so we can ‘dine-in’ the room whenever we felt like it and not have to call room service.  But for our first meal, we decided to try Chef Hubert Keller’s Burger bar near Mandalay Bay. There are plenty of choices to choose from whether you are a meat lover or not (they even have a Vegas Vegan burger).  Joe chose the Peppercorn burger (country natural beef, fresh and dried peppercorn, dijon mustard served on a plain bun with peppercorn cream sauce on the side). I ordered the Hubert Keller Burger (buffalo, caramelized onions, baby spinach, blue cheese on a ciabatta bun, with a shallots & red wine reduction sauce on the side) both with a side of sweet potato fries. The verdict: It was delicious and a good start to our “tasting experience” in Vegas. Aside from that, they had great service to boot- they got my order wrong the first time so they rushed my buffalo and then took off 20% from our bill.  Not bad I think.

After that, we decided to walk back towards our hotel. The good (and the bad) thing about our hotel being on the strip is that we didn’t need to rent a car and we definitely got a good amount of exercise (i.e. walking) which definitely came in handy some days after indulging a bit.  We decided to go to tix4tonight.com booth which was pretty close by and inquire about tickets to Beatles LOVE by Cirque du Soleil. They were offering discounts for that night’s showing so we grabbed a couple of Category 2 tickets for the 930 pm show for close to half off. Not bad at all. We decided to get our tickets from the Will call booth to make sure we get there on time and instead of walking all the way back to our hotel (the show was in Mirage), we walked towards the Caesars Forums shops where I immediately fell in love with their H & M store. It’s one of the biggest ones I’ve been so far. I got a couple of dresses that night and actually decided to wear one of them because it was psychedelic enough for the Beatles show- I definitely didn’t feel out of place.  As for the show itself, we have been to “O” at the Bellagio before (visually stunning!) and Zumanity (a waste of money!) so I wanted to see something a little different. I was quite surprised when we got seated to see that we were on the second row and that the whole stage and venue was pretty small so everyone got a great view regardless of where you sit. But it was quite a treat to be sitting so close (one of the cast members literally dropped almost right in front of us).  I really liked the show which incorporated a lot of the great songs of the Beatles. Definitely a fun experience and something to be remembered. Day 2 to be continued….

with one of the ushers

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Heart Krispies

1/3c honey

2c brown rice puffs

1-2 tbsp raisins

Heat up the honey in low temperature and mix all ingredients together. Pour into heart shaped molds and drizzle with melted dark chocolate (optional). Let sit in the fridge for at least a day for it to set.

Dark chocolate oatmeal protein squares

1c old fashioned oats

3/4c vanilla almond milk

1/3c honey

1/3 c walnuts

1/3 cup dried apricots

1 full scoop vanilla protein powder

dark chocolate for bottom and drizzle (1/4 cup oil, scant 1c dark chocolate chips, melted)

Pour a thin layer of the dark chocolate mixture in the bottom of each square pan and let sit in the fridge to harden.  In the meantime, warm the honey in a pan then put in the almond milk plus oats, stirring frequently so that the oats cook and don’t burn. Add in the rest of the ingredients until well mixed.  Let cool and scoop into the bottom squares.Jell

So what would be on my typical day to day list? Wake up/light stretching or a light workout/ getting ready for work/ healthy breakfast for the whole family/ getting lunchboxes packed/ taking Pia to school / WORK- which has a to do list in itself/ Pick up Pia, and pick up my mom sometimes/ run or cross train / cook dinner (big enough for left overs) nightly routine with Pia (bath, lotion, jammies), read and play with Pia before her bedtime. Then some “me” time after she is in bed- FB, watch tv with the hubby and spending time with hubby, before going to bed. It definitely leaves little time for leisure but there are always the weekends :)

None of this matters (prioritizing, planning, and putting your plan into action) if you do not have a good support system. A support system who understands and supports these things that are important to you. I am thankful that my family does. It will definitely be hard for me to cook or clean or run outside without some help from my husband and family (mom, brother) in keeping an eye on our precious daughter.  Speaking of which, I cannot wait for spring to come since little miss Pia is always excited to “run” with mommy so maybe we can do our family walks then.  I hope you have fun planning your to do lists and checking them one by one.

Action expresses priorities. 
Mahatma Gandhi

1 cup quinoa (click link to discover the health benefits of quinoa)

1 package ground turkey

3 small garlic cloves, minced

2 carrots, peeled and cut into small pieces

1/2 red bell pepper, cut into small pieces

1 package frozen green peas

1 large egg

1/2 tbsp tamari (or to taste)

salt free chicken seasoning  to taste

freshly ground pepper to taste

1 tbsp olive oil

Cook 1 cup (rinsed) quinoa in a pot of water (2 cups) uncovered for about 10-12 minutes in medium heat. While the quinoa is cooking, cook the turkey in a medium-sized pan until it is brown.  Season with salt free chicken seasoning then set aside when cooked. In the same pan, saute the garlic, carrots and red bell pepper until cooked (approx 4-5 minutes). Beat the egg in a small bowl then add to the veggies, saute for a few more minutes. Add the cooked ground turkey as well as the peas* (since I used frozen peas, I steamed it first, removed the liquid then put it in the pan).  Mix well before adding the cooked quinoa and the tamari soy sauce. Mix all ingredients together and season with freshly ground pepper.

*Tip: Quino is a staple in our house so I usually cook a big batch and refrigerate the rest so I can use it anytime :)

This made about 4 servings (dinner and leftover lunches)

Ingredients for the fish and the batter:

3 cod filets (cut into bite-sized pieces)

1/4 cup whole wheat flour

1 large egg

1/4 cup egg whites

salt and pepper to taste

a dash of cayenne pepper (or to taste)

oil for frying (I used coconut oil mixed with grapeseed)

Prepare the fish by cutting into bite sized pieces.  I love cod since it is dense and doesn’t disintegrate when battered.  In a small bowl, whisk the eggs, egg whites, whole wheat flour, salt, pepper and cayenne.  Make sure to mix well. Heat up the oil to medium heat in a medium-sized pan and once heated drop the temperature just a touch (a 4 instead of a 5).  Coat the fish pieces in the batter then fry up in small batches for about 3-4 minutes each side until golden brown. Line a plate with paper towel and pat the fish dry after frying (make sure there’s not a lot of excess oil).

Ingredients for the yogurt-lime dressing:

1/2 cup plain, nonfat greek yogurt

1/4 cup lime juice

garlic salt to taste

Whisk all ingredients together until it’s mixed well.

To assemble fish tacos: Use your favorite tortilla wrapper ( I used ezekiel wrap while husband had whole wheat), spread some yogurt-lime dressing, put some fish pieces, then top with shredded green cabbage and diced tomatoes and green chilies.

The verdict- it was yummy in my tummy (as Pia would say).  When I first made the yogurt-lime dressing, I thought it was too tangy but combined with the fish and the diced green chilies, it was well-balanced. It’s not exactly the same dressing as the one at Blue Coast, but it is a good runner up, and certainly healthier :)