Weekend Full of Events

Hello friends!

Sorry for the slight blogging hiatus.  This weekend was action packed with a lot of fun activities, and a little bit of behind the scenes blog work (more on that later this week!).

Saturday started out with my Body Pump class.  I am getting more comfortable with Pump each week, and I find myself adding in more little jokes, singing a bit more, and just having more fun with everything overall.  I absolutely love starting out my weekend with this amazing class and workout.

 

After teaching Pump, I headed over to visit Brian at an open house for the student run dental clinic that he is a part of.

I was able to meet the dean of his program as well as some of his class mates.

 

The facilities were so new. I was very impressed by how nice everything looked.

 

 

Once we were done with the clinic open house, it was time to shower and clean up for the evening.  We had not one but two cookouts to attend.  The first cookout was for Brian’s clinic group in dental school, and the second was for our friend, Tori’s, birthday.

 

 

 

 

It was a perfect night to be outside, so the cookouts were great to have as our evening plans. At the dental school cookout, everyone brought a different dish, and there was such variety!  I brought my homemade hummus along with some veggies and pita chips.

 

There were so many things to sample, I didn’t know what to pick.  The dessert table looked pretty darn tasty, so I kept my pickings pretty small in order to save room.

Celery with some corn and bean salsa, corn chips, potato salad, more veggies, cheese, and some plantains.  Yum!

 

After our food settled, Brian and I shared some goodies from the dessert table.  Not quite sure what everything was, but there was a little chocolate and peanut butter goody…that little gem was by far my favorite!

 

After chatting and hanging out for a bit, we then headed over to Tori and Kegan’s house.  We were happy to celebrate Tori’s birthday, but we were super excited to meet the newest member of their family…

TEDDY!  Isn’t he adorable!?

 

We spent the evening chatting outside, drinking a little wine and just relaxing…so perfect!

 

Sunday

I made sure to limit myself to one small glass of wine last night early in the evening because I knew that I was heading out for my long run today.  9 miles was on the agenda, it felt oh so good to check it right off the list!

 

I then made a delicious breakfast of carrot cake pancakes for Brian and I (recipe coming soon..), showered up and got ready for the day.

 

Brian and I had plans to attend Dig IN-A Taste of Indiana with Tori and Kegan.  This event showcased Indiana growers and their high quality dishes in sample sized bites in the beautiful White River State Park in downtown Indianapolis, IN.

This event was so amazing, and I can’t say enough great things about the people, the food, the atmosphere, about everything…so I will be dedicating an entire post to this wonderful event later in the week 😉

 

 

After Dig-IN, Brian and I were definitely ready to go home.  We ran a couple of errands, then came back home to prepare for the week.  We weren’t exactly starving for dinner, but we needed a little somethin’ somethin’ in our bellies, so I whipped up some veggie and cheese plates.

 

The cheese was from Trader’s Point Creamery.  Trader’s Point is an organic dairy farm in Indianapolis, IN.  They had a booth with delicious gazpacho soup at the Dig-IN event, and while we were in line I think that we just hit the lucky spot because the marketing manager just happened to be standing there and gave us some cheese to take home to sample!  You know how I feel about free things…

She didn’t just give us any cheese, she gave us some of their famous Fleur de la Terre.   This cheese was slightly salty, and had a slightly sharp flavor…so delish!  I made sure not to eat it all and save some for a recipe later in the week 😉

After such a busy and fun weekend, I am more than ready for a good night’s sleep.

Hope you all had a great weekend too!

What was one fun thing that you did this weekend?

• Attended the Dig-IN A Taste of Indiana event…can’t wait to share the details soon!

Why You Should Go to the Gym Today

 

 

Last night, I wanted something really quick for dinner.  I was tired and hungry, and those two things are NEVER a good combination.

Luckily, I had some veggie burgers in the fridge that only took about 8 minutes to cook.  These burgers were a new brand to me, Franklin Farms, and I truly loved them!

 

The ingredient list wasn’t too lengthy and the first ingredient on the list was “vegetables!”  Each burger has 100 calories, 12 grams of protein, and tasty flavor.  These little burgers are going to be hopping into my grocery cart more often!

This Morning

This morning, I woke up on the tired side of the bed.  I’ll admit it and say that I simply wanted to curl up back into my blankets and close my eyes rather than heading to the gym…but I didn’t.  Of course there are days when a little mid week break is needed, but there are also times when you need to simply push yourself just a bit and say “come on, think about how you will feel after you go to the gym…”

A little self-motivation never hurt anyone 😉

If you are lacking that little motivation to head to the gym this Friday, here are some self-motivating tips that I use when the bed sheets are calling my name:

• I like to think about how I will feel after the workout.  That energy boost and that feeling of strength and accomplishment is priceless!
• Put it into your schedule so that if you are a “list” person (which I completely am!) then you can physically cross that thing off the list.
• If I am not feeling like creating my own workout or really thinking about it, then I will go to a group fitness class so that someone else can plan my workout for me.
• The end goal is always important for me.  Am I working to build muscle?  Am I training for a race?  I like to keep whatever that end goal is in my head and think about how completing the workout will allow me to go one step closer to that goal.
• To get that endorphin high!  Enough said 🙂
• Remember how this exercise, whatever form, is benefitting your health in the long term.

How do you motivate yourself to get to the gym in the morning?

Tabata…Don’t Ya Want Ta?!

Breakfast this morning came in the form of creamy, cold, deliciousness…

I had been craving something coffee/chocolate the past couple of days, and this satisfied that craving BIG time!

Mocha Overnight Oats

Makes one bowl of oats

• 1/2 cup of oats
• 3-4 oz. of Greek yogurt
• 1/2 cup of water
• 1/2 tsp raw cacao powder (can also use unsweetened cocoa)
• 1 tsp instant coffe granules
• 1-2 packets of stevia
• sprinkle of cinnamon

Directions:

In a cereal bowl,  combine the oats, yogurt, water, cacao powder, coffee and stevia.  Stir until combined.  Sprinkle the top with cinnamon, and place in the refrigerator overnight or for 30 minutes if you want to eat the oats soon!  Remove from the fridge when ready to eat and enjoy!

Workout

After having such a satisfying first meal of the day, I was more than ready to tackle a new Boot Camp class that I began teaching this morning.

In this morning’s class, I made sure to include circuit training along with a high intensity interval training technique called Tabata.

What is Tabata?

Tabata is a form of high intensity interval training that comes in short bursts.  One Tabata lasts only 4 minutes!  It is a series of 8 intervals that are only 20 seconds of work at your absolute maximum effort level followed by 10 seconds of rest.  These short bursts of activity work the aerobic and anaerobic systems allowing the body to see gains in strength and speed.

Here is a look at the sweaty workout that we completed this morning:

It was a good workout, got the heart rate going, and the muscles working…all things that I look for when I complete my exercise for the day!

Have You Ever Tried a Tabata Workout?

• This was my first attempt at Tabata…and I think I like it!

High Protein Banana Muffins and My New Spin Playlist

Last night, I made a pretty big accomplishment….

I took the pit out of an avocado…with just a knife for the first time EVER! Now, don’t get me wrong, as I have tried and failed many times before.  Seriously, it felt great to do that!!

Brian and I then enjoyed that avocado in some homemade guacamole in meatless Mexican salads.  I used the Morningstar Farms meal starters with some chili powder, garlic powder, salt, onion powder, and pepper (all unmeasured), and it tasted so good.

Snack Time

I am so excited for my snack today.  One of my favorite things ever to make is muffins.  I can remember being a little girl using the Jiffy Cornbread Muffin mix to help my mom out with breakfast (corn muffins are a guilty pleasure of mine!).  For some reason, muffins just have a special place in my heart.

On Saturday, I scoured the internet for some high protein muffin recipes, and found tons.  Many of the recipes were similar to each other, so I took some notes, put my creative hat on and came up with a delicious banana creation.  Keep in mind, they do have a slight “protein” taste, so I love them, but Brian thinks they need peanut butter on top 😉

High Protein Banana Muffins

Yields:  10 Muffins

Nutrition Information:  Calories-63.2  Fat-2.1g  Carbs-3.2g Protein-8.3g

Ingredients:

• 1 large banana, smashed
• 3/4 cup liquid egg whites
• 1/2 cup plain, nonfat Greek yogurt
• 3/4 cup oat flour (oats ground up!)
• 2 scoops of your favorite protein powder
• 1 tsp baking soda
• 1 tsp baking powder
• sprinkle of cinnamon

 

 

 

Directions:

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.  Combine all ingredients in a large bowl and mix until combined.  Scoop batter into 10 paper lined and greased muffin tins.  Bake for 15-18 minutes.  ENJOY!

Workout

This morning’s workout was my Tuesday morning spinning class followed by some shoulder and ab work.  I have been rotating the same three playlists and switching out various songs for quite some time now in my spinning class…so I decided to create a completely new playlist.

All of the songs totally got me pumped up and working up a sweat!  I loved it.  At the end of class, I asked for suggestions for next week’s playlist…so keep your eyes peeled for another great workout mix.

On that note, it is time for me to head into work, but first…

Question of the Morning:

• What is your favorite workout song and why?

I LOVE the Black Pearl song from Pirates of the Caribbean.  For some reason, it just gets me pumped and thinking I can push through and do anything.  It also ALWAYS seems to play when I am getting tired and need that extra energy and confidence boost.

My New Favorite: Frozen Cherries!

Last night was a pretty simple and great night.

After arriving home from work, I immediately changed my clothes so that I could get between 7 and 8 miles in on my running log.  My time wasn’t that great, there were lots of stops and starts due to stop lights, but I logged 7.5 miles.

Due to a kind of wacko schedule, I have been completing my long runs in Friday evenings after work.  When it comes to working out, it is ALWAYS easier for me to do in the wee hours of the morning…so running after a full day of work is tough for me.

In order to prepare for my long run during the day yesterday, I made sure to do a couple of things thanks to some comments on a post on the Fitfluential Running Board:

• Eat well throughout the day. (I packed extra snacks so there was no chance that I would be hungry or lacking energy)
• Drink plenty of water. (I tried to drink a full large Tervis of water every hour!! Boy did I go to the bathroom a lot!)
• Get up and move around. (I tried to get up and move around when I filled my bottle each hour.)

I think all of those tips were great, and I felt much better than last week when I went for my evening run.

After the run it was time for dinner (gotta refuel!) and grocery shopping.  It was just a quick trip to the store to purchase some veggies, cheese, eggs, and Greek yogurt.

 

Then, it was time to relax…such a nice, stress free evening!

Breakfast

While at the grocery store yesterday, I had the urge to purchase something new.  Frozen cherries.  I have seen them in the stores many times, but I never thought that I would like them so I never purchased them.  Well, I saw a little recipe that Runner’s World tweeted yesterday that called for frozen cherries.  The recipe sounded delicious…so I bought some, and boy am I glad that I did!

Seriously, those little gems taste like sweet sweet candy and I could probably eat the entire bag in one sitting!! Yum!

I made sure to incorporate them into my smoothie this morning:

 

• 1/2 cup frozen cherries
• 1/3 frozen banana
• 1 cup unsweetened original almond milk
• 3/4 scoop protein powder of choice
• 1/4 cup nonfat plain Greek yogurt
• 1 Tbsp unsweetened cocoa powder
• 1 tsp instant coffee
• 1 packet Truvia
• ice cubes for thickness

The cherries gave the smoothie a creamy milkshake-like texture and it was OH SO GOOD!  I just kept mmm…mmm…mmm..ing my way through it 🙂  Thank goodness Brian wasn’t awake so I didn’t have to share with anyone 😉

Workout and Afternoon Plans

Now, I am off to practice Body Pump then teach it.  Then, Brian and I are headed out for a super secret surprise trip…don’t worry, I will tell you tomorrow!

Have a great Saturday!

What New Foods Have You Fallen In Love With Lately???

• Frozen cherries!!

Simple Things A to Z

Last night, Brian and I met with the planner at our wedding reception venue.

Right from the get-go she took us upstairs, offered us some wine and cheese and said let’s get to business.  She is my kind of girl!

The meeting was everything I needed.  Basically, we were just touching base to make sure that we were all on the same page since we made these arrangements over a year ago.  She told us we were ahead of schedule, and made me feel like we really had a handle on things!  Thank goodness!

Breakfast

I knew exactly what I was having for breakfast this morning when I woke up.

Yesterday, there were little scrapings of peanut butter in the jar, so I immediately made myself a batch of overnight oats in a jar to eat this morning.  My oats were then topped with blackberries and strawberries and totally hit the spot.  Yum!

Friday

Ok, so it is Friday, and I really don’t feel like sitting at a desk all day and doing “work” stuff…but I gotta!  So, In order to make Friday fun, I found this little survey to share the simple things that make me tick.  You can see Julie’s survey on Peanut Butter Fingers, Chelsey’s survey on Clean Eating Chelsey, or Dory’s survey on Living with Healthy Hunger.  Enjoy!

The Simple Things: A to Z

A – Almond butter.  I have to restrain myself around the stuff, because it is just so. darn. good.  My favorite varieties are homemade, Justin’s, and Maranatha

B – Brian, my fiancé.  He is my best friend, and I can’t wait to marry him!

C – Christmas. I absolutely LOVE the holidays, especially Christmas.  I love the feel in the air, the traditions, and being close with my family and friends.  Needless to say, I can’t wait for the winter season to roll around.

D – Down time.  I need to work on taking advantage of it more often.

E – Exercise.  Moving, being active, and challenging my body is something that I do, and love to do most days of the week.

F – Friends and family.  Mine are pretty awesome, and I can’t live without them!

G – Grocery shopping day.  I love to go the grocery store,  slowly go through the aisles, and pick the perfect ingredients for every meal coming in the next week.

H – Help.  I love to help out when I can and feel like I have a job and I am needed.  I also welcome help when I need it! 😉

I – Ireland.  Brian is Irish, and his family has remained in close contact with his relatives there.  I can’t wait to meet them someday!

J – Jewelry.  I love accessories and I feel that jewelry totally makes an outfit.  It doesn’t have to be the fanciest or most expensive, just something that puts a little flair of “you” in whatever you are wearing.

K – Kangaroos.  Australia was one of my favorite places to visit while I was working on a cruise ship.  I was lucky enough to feed some, pet some, and get very up close and personal!

L – Love…

M – My Mom. She just gets me when no one else does, she is a great listener, and love how our relationship has developed into my adult life.

N – Nuts.  They say you are what you eat…well, I eat a lot of nuts. 😉

O – Oatmeal.  One of my favorite breakfasts whether it is hot, overnight, in a jar, I love it all the same!

P – Planning.  I have to have my planner with me, and I love trying to schedule everything…even though that is impossible!

Q – Quiet time.  Typically I love to be loud, and around people, but I need that time to myself where I just think.  It’s nice.

R – Running. I love it because all I truly need to complete a run is me, myself, and I …and my running shoes.

S – Strawberries.  They are my absolute favorite fruit. Growing up, we would go strawberry picking each year and I would eat so many that my tummy would hurt…every single time!

T – Traveling. I love experiencing different cultures, different traditions, and just seeing how other people live!

U – Upcoming events.  I love putting things on the planner so that I can look forward to it all the way until it gets here!

V – Vegetables!  I love them so much, and they make me feel so good J  I love them raw, roasted, steamed, baked, any way you make them… I will eat them.

W – Weddings. This summer, Brian and I have attended more weddings then I think I have in my life. I love being a part of the celebration and being able to celebrate this special day in the newly weds’ life.

X – X rays…ummm…Xcellent food! (that was a STRETCH!)

Y – Yoga.  I never had a true appreciation for yoga until I began taking it in order to prepare myself to teach it on the cruise ship.  I haven’t kept up with it as much as I should, but I love the completely relaxed, loose, and free feeling I have after a great yoga session.

Z – ZZZZs… I love getting my Z’s in 🙂

What are some of the simple things in your life?

What is Paleo…Have You Tried it?

I tried something new this morning.

I had seen Clare from Fitting it all In try these a couple of days ago, and love trying new things and I was running out of eggs  to make for breakfast so I made myself a bowl of Oatless Oats.

They were surprisingly simple to make and really tasty.  In the picture above, they are just plain, but when I ate them for breakfast this morning I topped them with a bit of peanut butter, strawberries, and blackberries…oh so good!  I will be promptly adding this little meal to my list of “regulars.”

How to Make Oatless “Oatmeal” (original recipe from Fitting it all In)

Ingredients:

• 1/3 mashed banana (I took a frozen banana and thawed in the microwave so it was nice and mushy)
• 2 egg whites
• 1/4 cup unsweetened almond milk
• 1 tsp vanilla extract
• shake of cinnamon
• 1 Tbsp ground flax meal

Directions

Mash the banana in a bowl.  After the banana is mashed, combine all ingredients in the bowl until mixed will.  Then, simply place in a saucepan and heat until the texture of the mixture becomes creamy.  When you get that creamy texture, you are finished!  Simply place in a bowl and serve with your favorite toppings (nuts, nut butter, berries, fruit, or plain!)

**I made mine the night before and ate them cold in the morning…they were delish!  Highly recommended!

Why Oatless and What is Paleo?

Some of you are probably wondering why anyone would want to eat oats without the oats.  One huge reason is because the “Paleo” or “Paleolithic” diet cuts out all grains.

Now, I am very new to this whole Paleo way of eating (you may have heard of it referred to as the “caveman diet”), so I have been doing a lot of reading on it lately, and I find it very interesting!

Basically, anyone following the Paleo way of eating guidelines eats anything that would have been available to a caveman and nothing more.  So, grains really aren’t an option.  The main foods that are eaten following this lifestyle are:

• Nuts
• Fruits
• Vegetables
• Meats, Eggs, and Fish

Things to avoid are sugar, legumes (beans), and basically anything that is processed and packaged, because that’s not what the cavemen ate!  There are many web sites outlining various details and health benefits of the diet.  To me, it all makes sense and sounds like a great plan to follow for some.  I completely believe that every person has different needs and will find a different eating plan and lifestyle that just works.  So, while I think that this whole “Paleo” thing is interesting, I don’t think it is something that I want to try full-out…but I will still sample a few of the Paleo recipes here and there!

Dinner

Moving on from the Paleo diet…(that was a smooth transition…)

I made a DELICIOUS meal last night, and I can’t wait to share the recipe with you.  Unfortunately, all I can offer you right now is a little tease:

 

It was as delicious as it is pretty 😉

Workout

As for my workout today, this is my last Cardio Intervals class of the summer.  In honor of the last class, I will be doing another mixed bag workout much like last week.  Also, to show my class their appreciation I made them some little goodies.

 

The special gift is a colorful workout towel with some homemade “Luna” Bars.   Next week, I will be starting a new boot camp class!

Wedding Update!

It has been a while since I have posted anything about the wedding, but never fear…it is still on!  Brian and I are meeting with the reception venue contact tonight.  I can’t wait!

Question of the Morning:

• Have you tried a Paleo recipe?  What is your favorite?

This is my first Paleo recipe, but I plan on trying more in the near future!

*PS.  One of my co-workers owns a photography business called EBT Photography.  Recently, he has been nominated to win the Wedding Industry Experts Best Indianapolis Photographer Award for 2012.  So, share the love and click this link to vote for his company!

 

My Favorite Running Gadgets

 

 

 

 

Good morning!

Before heading to the gym to teach my final Yoga Sculpt class and do a bit of running, I started with a delicious bowl of berries, bananas, almond milk, a little bit of protein powder, cinnamon, and a teaspoon of peanut butter.  Seriously, this little bowl was so delicious, I wish it was bigger!  It was just the thing I needed to give me some fuel before my morning workouts.

Half Marathon

Recently, I mentioned that I was resuming my half marathon training.  I must say that I am a little bit nervous about this one because I had to take a break due to a lack of hours in the day, and I am coming back to training still searching for the time to run.  What I am trying to do is squeeze runs in anywhere I can, so I am going to do a short run at the gym before I teach today to focus a bit on speed, and I will complete my long run of 7 miles on Friday.

The race is September 28, and I know that if I stick with my plan and just keep logging miles I will be fine….but I am still nervous!

In the spirit of my half marathon training, I thought I would share some of my favorite running gadgets that help me plug through those 13.1 miles:

 

Garmin 305

I must say that I LOVE my Garmin Forerunner 305.  When I ran my last half marathon, I did not have a watch that logged miles for training and solely relied on pre-mapping my trails online.  With the Garmin, I feel that I have the freedom to explore somewhat new places, I love that I can keep track of my pace which allows me to be more competitive, and I can see my overall time as well.

All in all, I don’t know what I did without it!

 

Road ID Bracelet

Mom got me this Road ID bracelet for Christmas because I on the cruise ship, I would frequently go running when we stopped in various ports, and didn’t have a simple way to carry any sort of identification.  I love this bracelet because it is lightweight, simple, PINK, and it has my name, my parents information, and Brian’s information.  You can even put an inspirational saying on the bracelet 🙂  Needless to say, I no longer run without it.

Nathan Handheld Water Bottle

I love this little guy!  If it weren’t for this Nathan handheld water bottle, I would be dying of thirst on my runs over 5 miles.  It is great because it literally straps to your hand, does not leak, and is easy to just put to your lips and get some water out without making a mess or having to stop running.  Seriously, it is awesome and I highly recommend it…especially in the summer!

Spi Belt

My mom also got me this little gem.  I was having trouble when running because when I would go long distances, I didn’t have anywhere to put my phone, car key, or any other random little tid bit that may be floating around and need a place to go.  The Spi Belt is great because it easily fits my phone (which is a rather large iPhone in a big case), and even includes a waterproof pouch so that things don’t get ruined by the sweat.  It simply straps around the waist and can hold almost anything you need it to.

 

Body Glide

Last, but not least, the beloved Body Glide.  During the training for my first half marathon, I started to have some trouble with chafing during my longer runs right under my armpits and a little where my shorts would rub between my legs.   In order to prevent this, someone recommended that I use Body Glide.  It is honestly like chapstick that you put on your skin, and I was a little skeptical as to how well it would work…but believe me, it works wonders!  Now, I don’t even risk it and I always wear it!  And that little stick of body balm will last you forever.  Seriously, a great investment.

 

source

 

Now, that you know some of my favorite running tools…I’ve gotta run!  Literally 😉  Have a happy Wednesday!

Question of the Morning:

• What are some of your favorite pieces of running gear?  Favorite shoes, running top, watches, headbands, anything?!

Upper Body Workout and Indianapolis Bloggers

I have so much to share with you today!

Indianapolis Bloggers

Yesterday, I was invited to join a group called Indianapolis Bloggers.  Indianapolis Bloggers is a community of all kinds of local bloggers living in the Indianapolis area.  Being apart of this community will allow me to connect with other bloggers in my area, and it will give me the opportunity to promote various events and happenings in the Indy area in addition to earning some free swag occasionally.  Needless to say, I am very excited to be apart of this great community and can’t wait to see what opportunities come my way.

Office Arm Challenge

Yesterday, while glancing at the Twitter app on my phone, I saw that Brittany at Eating Bird Food posted a link to something she started called the Office Arm Challenge.

Like many others, I work in an office where I am sitting down for most of the day and really only take breaks to get water several times a day and go to the bathroom.  Not exactly what one could call physically demanding.  When I saw this challenge idea I thought that it was perfect for my office!  I recruited one co-worker to try this first week with me.  Maybe next week we will have more!

Tricep dips

Basically, we will be taking a 10-15 minute break once a day to do something great for our body and minds.  Seriously, I felt so much more awake and motivated to finish the day strong after completing the short workout stint.

Brittany started this with one of her co-workers so that their arms look amazing in their wedding dresses next year…so even though this is a great way to get my body movin’ during an otherwise idle business day, I don’t mind the fact that my arms will get a tad more toned while completing the challenge!

A dress is not an excuse to wimp out on push-ups

Upper Body Workout

And in the spirit of toning my arms, after my teaching my spinning class this morning I decided to complete this upper body circuit!  Get ready to feel the burn 😉

Question of the Day:

• If you sit at a desk most of the day, what do you do to break up your day and move around?

Instead of getting water out of the fountain just outside the office door, I walk to the other end of the building to fill my bottle with the cold filtered water 🙂  And now I do the Office Arm Challenge!  Thanks Brittany!

PS:  If you are looking to order protein powder, nuts, flax seed, PB2, natural products, vitamins, grains, etc then check out iherb.com!  Currently, my special code will get you $5-$10 off your first order!! Gotta love a discount 🙂  Simply click this link for the code.

Friday in a Nutshell and the Foodie Blogroll!

I had a pretty eventful Friday…here is what went on (in a nutshell 😉 )

I was invited to be a member of Foodie Blogroll!!

Foodie Blogroll is a blogging community that features different blogs each week, allows members to participate in exclusive promotions with various food companies, and is a great way for food bloggers to connect with other food bloggers. I am so excited to be a part of this community, and I can’t wait to be involved in my first promotion.

Lunch Date

Yesterday, Brian showed me just how great of a fiance he was by stopping by the hotel to take me out to an unplanned lunch date!

 

It was very unexpected, but much needed.  Panera was our restaurant of choice.  Seriously, I don’t think that I could ever get sick of that place.

 

My lunch was one of the You Pick Two combos including the vegetable soup with pesto, and the Thai chopped chicken salad…sans the chicken.  So good, I need to figure out how to make that salad at home!

 

After we were finished with our lunch, we ran next door to Bed Bath and Beyond to pick up a wedding gift for the wedding we are attending later today.  Unfortunately, we had to order the gift to be delivered to the couple, but luckily they had a coupon code that I could text to receive on my smart phone!  Gotta love savin’ some moolah 😉

 

Running

My work day ended with a meeting downtown.  Since my workout scheduled for the day was my long run for the week, I totally took advantage of this and made sure to pack workout attire.

I stopped by one of the gyms I teach at to change, then headed out along my usual path.  Sadly, I didn’t charge my Garmin last night and she died about .2 miles in…so I think I ran just about 6 miles.

 

I got pretty thirsty along the way and forgot to bring my mini water bottle, so I stopped at a hotel and creeped around until I found this little beauty.  It was glorious!

 

Dinner

After the run, I was pretty hungry and so thankful that I had leftovers from last night’s salmon patties.  Even though they weren’t perfect, they were still a tasty and quick dinner.  I just added a side of green beans and called it a day!

 

Ella’s Frozen Yogurt

The other day, Brian and I stopped by a friend’s on our way home just for a moment to say hi and see her new house.  On the way we drove past this cute little frozen yogurt shop!

 

We didn’t stop then, but I knew we would be making a trip in the very near future.  Ella’s Frozen Yogurt was decorated so cute, the toppings were displayed perfectly making Brian and me want to try each one, the staff was incredibly friendly giving us samples and recommendations, they had live music, and special discounts every day of the week! They had a live band playing outside too. Not to mention the frozen yogurt tasted delicious!

Topping Station:

 

More Toppings:

 

Even More Toppings:

 

Tara’s Creation:  1/2 Snickerdoodle and 1/2 Cake Batter Frozen Yogurt topped with granola, peanut butter drizzle and a few cookie dough bites to snack on in the car.

 

Brian’s Creation:  1/2 Cake Batter and 1/2 Strawberry frozen yogurt with cheesecake bites, butterfingers, strawberries, and peanut butter drizzle.

 

The best part about the whole thing was that it only cost $5!! Friday’s promotion is 40% off for students, and Brian and I completely took advantage of that discount.  A delicious Friday night treat!

Breakfast

This morning, I woke up pretty hungry, so I immediately ran upstairs to make myself a delicious strawberry protein smoothie bowl (strawberries, almond milk, Sunwarrior protein powder, spinach, ice and water, raw oats, and a bit of peanut butter on top).

It totally hit the spot!

 

Now, it’s time to review some Body Pump before teaching my class later this morning.  I hope you all have a great Saturday!

Question of the Morning?

• What were your Friday night plans?
• Anyone else eat some fro yo? (or ice cream??)
• What is your favorite Fro Yo topping??

My absolute all time favorite fro yo topping would be….granola!  I love the crunch, the sweetness, everything about it.  Yum!