>I’m a hot mess

>Hey guys, how the heck are ya? The lack of posting this weekend was because I worked the entire thing. Yep, 7am – 7:30pm, Saturday and Sunday. How fun, right? It actually wasn’t all that bad. I had a dinner party on Friday to celebrate my bff’s bday and now I’m parked on my couch happily enjoying my day off. Feet are thanking me 🙂

* * *

This morning I woke looking like a complete disaster. I’m just not one of those girls that rolls out of bed looking pretty…

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(More my style)

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This morning I literally stepped out of bed and into the car to drive my sister to work. I didn’t care too about my appearance because the car was parked right out front. All was clear until a coffee craving hit. I haaaad to have Starbucks. 

Now, do I go home and change, then go back to Starbucks? Orrr do I strut my disheveled hot-mess-of-a-self and lion hair? 0.22 seconds of debating later, I chose the lion. I kept thinking, if I was a celebrity and photographed I would end up in the back of the magazine under “What Were They Thinking?” or “Stars without makeup: Eeeeeek”!

What kind of gal/guy are you? Do you not leave the house without some prep work? Or do you embrace the train wreck look?

* * *

On another note, I was feeling generous when a nice homeless man asked me for money outside of Starbucks. Having only plastic on me, I purchased him a hot chocolate and spiced cake. I figured not all people like coffee (although I find them freaks, haha) and I wanted a food that he could save for later if he wanted. I walked out of the store and happily gave him the food explaining I didn’t have money on me and what did he do??? He was pissed! 

Ahhh well, I tried. What’s your approach on giving money? I’ve lived in cities for the last 8 years so being asked for money is almost a daily occurrence. I really don’t like giving money because of the fear it will be spent on alcohol/drugs and generally choose to give food. What do you think? 

* * *

After being put in my place by the homeless man, I made a massive breakfast…

Berry Pecan Protein Pancake

1 scoop vanilla protein (I used SunWarrior brand)

1/3 cup egg whites

1/2 mashed banana

1/2 cup frozen berries (raspb, blue, blackberries)

1 t flax seeds

1 T crushed pecans

pinch baking powder

pinch cinnamon, nutmeg

1 T organic maple syrup

* * *

15 mins of digesting later, I hit the road for BodyPump class. The class was great per usual, but the lovely instructor decided to sing along to most of the already lame music. Thaaaaanks! <—sarcasm

On the way home I stopped at health food Heaven to for a ginormous protein-packed salad from Whole Foods. Mmmmm.

Spinach, arugula, steamed brussels/zucchini/summer squash, roasted turkey breast, raw veggies, 1 egg, sunflower seeds, garbanzo beans, topped with a little cayenne and sea salt. So so good!

* * *

Before I go, I wanted to show y’all some nutritional info from a popular brand of deli turkey. Browse the ingredient list if you will…

Barf. Seriously spend the extra $0.40 and buy the all-natural version.

* * *

Are you a hot mess in the morning? Do you own it?

What’s your approach to giving money to the homeless?

>Cuties

>Happy Friday everyone. How ADORABLE is this picture Seth took yesterday morning on our back porch?

A great morning [off] started with a summatime favorite. What? It was 48F…

1 scoop chocolate protein (SunWarrior brand)

1/2 cup frozen raspberries

frozen banana

1 T almond butter

1 t supergreens

stevia (1 serving)

pinch sea salt

pinch xanthan gum (optional; to thicken)

h20

Speaking of other good breakfasts….

(night before)

(Even better with mix-ins)

(Sorry, I just can’t get enough!)

* * *

Last night I made a family (roomie family) dinner. Chili was on my mind alllll day (clearly I have a lot going on upstairs, ha).

Sweet Potato & Black Bean Turkey Chili

(based on Gina‘s recipe)

Ingredients:

Lean ground turkey breast (1 package)

4 medium tomatoes, chopped

3 medium sweet potatoes, peeled and cubed

1 medium yellow onion, chopped

2 cloves garlic, finely diced

black beans, 1 can

corn, 1 can

tomato/V8 juice (~1.5 cans)

2 T chili powder, more to taste

1/2 – 1 T cumin, more to taste

cayenne pepper, pinch

juice from 1/2 lime

black pepper, sea salt to taste

Directions: 

Brown turkey, set aside

Boil  sweet potatoes, set aside when almost fully cooked

Satay onion and garlic in EVOO until onions are browned

Combine all ingredients  

Cook over medium heat for ~20 mins

Add more spices to taste

(So, so good!)

* * *

Goodnight kids…

Off to snuggle this cutie 🙂

*Something to read: Check out this great article about women and the importance of heavy lifting

>Tasty greens

>Good morning errr afternoon! I woke this morning and found this gem on my camera taken by The Manfriend. I worked until 11:30pm last night and passed out hardcore.

Notice the robe? Told ya I’m always in one 😉 

* * * 

This morning I made a new version of protein-packed oats…

GREEN oats! <—And they were GOOD! 

In the mix:

1/3 cup oats, 1 t chia seeds, 1 t flax seeds (soaked in 1 cup H20 overnight)

1/4 cup egg whites

1 t peanut butter

1 t SunWarrior Super Greens 

cinnamon, nutmeg (pinch each)

stevia (1 serving)

sea salt (tiny pinch)

1 scoop chocolate protein powder (added after microwaving other ingredients)

raw cacao nibs (to garnish, *optional)

Greens!

Only 1 teaspoon and you get all of this…

And the best part? You can’t taste it! Enjoy all of the health benefits by one easy teaspoon. Mix into protein smoothies,  flavored oats, protein pancakes, etc. 

* * * 

Before work I decided to use up the remainder of our veggies before they grew mold coats. An easy peasy way to make mouth-watering roasted veggies?

Marinate them! 

“Sauce” in a bag

1 T balsamic vinegar

1 T extra virgin olive oil

1 T honey

1 t soy sauce

pinch black pepper, cayenne

I didn’t have much time so I just shook the veggies in a freezer bag to coat evenly, then lined a baking sheet with tinfoil, sprayed with non-stick spray…

And roasted for 40 mins at 425F (mixing a few times throughout cooking). Served with roasted tofu and leftover quinoa for a perfect (and filling) lunch.

* * *

At werkkk I snacked on a new ThinkThin Crunch bar (mixed nuts & white chocolate variety). 10g protein, only 3g sugar and tasted more like a candy than protein bar. Winner!

Also in line for a review? ZING bars! Thanks to the nice people at Zing that send me they’re all-natural gluten, soy, and dairy-free protein bars. Can’t wait to try them out!

* * *

One more quick snack…

Late last night The Manfriend was asking for something sweet so I made us each one of these..

Brown rice cake topped with peanut butter, 1/4 mashed banana, drizzle honey, and cinnamon. 

Sooo good!

* * *

Have a great Tuesday everyone!

~ How do you use up produce when it’s on its way out? Any creative ideas? ~

DC Restaurant Review: For Restaurant week, the Manfriend and I went on a fancy schmancy date to the infamous Palm restaurant in Dupont Circle. The verdict? Not so good. I ordered the blackened salmon with mango salsa which was extremely overcooked and dry and the flourless chocolate cake which I found to be just “eh”. How can flourless chocolate cake be just eh??? You’re asking me! Not only was our food not that great, but our waiter seemed so rushed, impatient (and rude!) even though the restaurant was barely half full (it was a 9pm on Sunday). 

Would I go back? Probably not. Do I recommend you not go? Not necessarily. Perhaps the overcooked and dry meat was due to the mass preparation for restaurant week? I’ve heard good things over wise, we just had a crappy experience.

>Weekend perfection

>Hi all, hope you had a wonderful weekend! Mine was splendid. I had quite the busy work week, so 2 days off (in a row, rather than throughout the week) was greatly appreciated.

Friday after work, I was spent. I was on the floor (hospital lingo) at 7am. I had a planned a fun drinks and dinner night with friends buuuut I was trying to peel my eyes open at 6pm. Big problemo. I tried taking a nap, unsuccessfully. Tried drinking a massive mug of coffee, also unsuccessful. I knew the only thing that would save me was a run. 

I snacked on a protein bar that the nice people at Think Thin send me to test (review coming soon).

Problemo #2: It was 27F and windy. Buuut, I went for it. 3 miles later I was back in action and cooked up dinner.

Lauren joined us for Magic Soup (!) 

(Recipe here. Side note: this version had butternut squash thrown in and was so good!)

…Followed by cocktails and good-ole girl time. Our friend Bryan was also in town and stopped over which was hilarious in itself (he is quite possibly one of the most amusing people I know).

I rolled with frozen [skinny] strawberry margaritas while the rest had what my sister has named “Crussians” (Crush + Russians). They are basically black Russians with a splash of milk. In other words, one of them will knock your socks off.

* * *

Saturday was amazing. We slept in, made brunch and watched movies and feasted on Mexican until about 4pm. I haven’t relaxed on the couch that long in a looooong time. And it was glorious. 

Feeling quite rested, I hit the pavement for a refreshing 7-mile run around Georgetown and the White House before heading to a wine party with friends. Don’t you just love weekends where you spend 100% of the time doing what you love? Nothing makes me happier than sleeping in, good food, running and spending time with the Manfriend, sister, and friends. Makes the weekend seem so much longer ❤

Before heading to the wine party, Kelsey (sister) requested I make turkey meatloaf and sweet potato fries. This meal is quite the staple in our apartment. So filling, healthy, easy, and delicious!

All-natural (gluten-free) Turkey meatloaf 

Meatloaf ingredients:

Ground lean turkey breast, 1 package

1 medium yellow onion, chopped

1 clove garlic, finely chopped

3/4 cup oatmeal (use gluten-free oats if necessary)

1/2 cup Ketchup

1 egg, lightly beaten

1 T Wocheschire sauce

1/2 t sea salt

1/4 t black pepper

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 425F

2. Combine and mix ingredients (with hands)

3. Spray baking pan (I use glass) with non-stick spray

4. Spoon-in mixture, spread evenly

5. Cover with tinfoil and bake for 40 mins

6. Remove foil, top with a thin layer of ketchup, and bake for 5-10 mins

Meatloaf pairs incredibly well with baked sweet potato fries…

Simple baked Sweet potatoes

1. Peel sweet potatoes, and cut into discs (shown below) or fries

1. Line baking sheet with tinfoil

2. Spray foil with non-stick spray

3. Place fries on foil, spray with more non-stick spray

4. Sprinkle with sea salt and black pepper

5. Bake for 15 mins at 425F or until bottoms are brown and spotted

6. Flip fries, spray tops, and sprinkle with more sea salt and pepper

7. Bake 15 mins or until other side becomes browned

* * *

This morning I woke after 11 hours of sleep (I told you I had an exhausting week) to a breakfast cookie

Combine ingredients, spread onto plate, and chill in fridge overnight

1/3 cup oats

1/2 scoop vanilla protein powder

1/2 mashed banana

1 t peanut butter

1/8 cup almond milk

pinch cinnamon, nutmeg

stevia (1 serving)

teeeny pinch sea salt

raisins, 1 T

Then headed to the gym with the Manfriend for 15 mins of treadmill sprints and BodyPump class. Muscles are still shaking!

I refueled with this new find on sale at Whole Foods this week…

110 calories for 22g protein! It tasted like a creamier version of Greek yogurt.

(I added stevia and a drizzle of organic honey to sweeten)

Have you found any new gems in the grocery store?? Lately I’m loving the ThinkThin bars, Skyr.is yogurt, Quorn meatless chicken burgers, and Zico coconut water.

* * *

The rest of the day I’m planning to relax, clean up a bit, then it’s date night with the Manfriend for Restaurant Week! ow-ow

Enjoy the rest of your day! ❤

>It’s about time

>It [finally] happend. I got a Garmin. Well my parents bought me one for Christmas. Probably because they know the “runner” I am times herself by her ipod clock and mapmyrun.com.

Today in the District it was a sunny 55F (sorry to you New Englanders) so I got my butt out of the gym and hit the pavement. I ran a [hilly!] 4 mile stretch within the popular Exercise Paracourse of Rock Creek Park.

I learned a few things about my running style as I glanced at my pace along the way. 

Flat ground pace: 7:54min/mile

Small/med hill pace: 8:10

Very steep hills: 8:31

Downhill: 8:22

I was very surprised by the downhill. In the past I’ve suffered from iliotibial band syndrome (ITBS) and a major way to reduce chance of a flair-up is slowing your pace going downhill. It’s also very good for preventing future knee issues. So ya, go me. haha.

* * *

Today I had the day off and typically would spend the day cooking up a storm. Buuuut, I wasn’t really in the mood. My meals were still pretty darn delicious, but I wanted to spend my time reading, running, or yoga-ing. Twas delightful.

Breakfast was a supa big bowl of spiced oats

(Cooked microwave style, still as delicious)

In the mix:

1/3 cup oats, 1 t chia seeds (soaked in 3/4 cup almond milk overnight)

1/4 cup egg whites

1/2 mashed banana

1/4 t vanilla extract (all natural version)

pinch cinnamon, nutmeg

stevia (1 serving)

teeny sprinkle sea salt (brings out sweetness)

1/2 scoop vanilla SunWarrior protein powder (added after cooking)

drizzle organic maple syrup

I snacked on a Raspberry Chocolate protein cupcake (also a la microwave)

Cake mix:

1 scoop chocolate SunWarrior protein powder

1/4 cup raspberries

1 T egg whites

pinch baking powder

stevia (1 serving)

tiny pinch sea salt

water to moisten (more h20 = more moisttt)

Topping:

1/4 cup fat-free Greek yogurt

stevia (1 serving)

few mashed raspberries

raw cacao nibs (to garnish, optional)

Directions:

Spray coffee mug with non-stick spray

microwave for 1 min, 30 secs

Frost

* * *

Lunch was the most simple yet delicious thing I’ve thrown together in a loooong time. Yesterday I cooked a spaghetti squash (boiled for 20 mins then scraped with fork), not really knowing what I’d do with it. And then it hit me…

Combine these simple ingredients…

Ingredients:

1.5 cups cooked spaghetti squash

pasta sauce

3T nutritional yeast (adds cheesy flavor and sooo good for you)

1 wedge light Laughing Cow Cheese

And you get the most ooey-gooey [healthified] Cheesy Pasta. Make.this.immediately.

* * *

Dinner was a childhood classic…

Egg salad topped over a whole grain bagel thin

4 boiled eggs (only used 2 yolks)

organic low-fat mayo

sea salt

paprika

* * *

While I digested dinner I parked my bottom on the couch, read for an hour, sipped a current favorite…

Water + splash pomegranate juice

….then headed to a glorious class of Bikram yoga. 20 mins into the class the power went out so we practiced by candlelight for 30 mins and it was amazing.

* * * 

Few questions..

Ever throw simple foods together and they came out shockingly fantastic?

Have you tried Bikram yoga (super hot yoga)? What’d ya think? I’m kinda obsessed.

What was your childhood favorite meal or snack?

>On the fly

>Well, I can’t get enough of my crock pot. Specifically, those apple n’ cinnamon oats. If you’re going to wake up early on a cold winter morning, it might as well be to an home filled with the scent of apples and cinnamon and a belly full of warm deliciousness. Nothing makes my lazy self happier than breakfast prepared ahead of time. Evidence here and here.

Last night into the slow cooker went…

(Click here for the easy peasy recipe)

Stomach is happy. 

* * *

Whelp, tonight is my 3rd PM shift in a row before a [highly anticipated/needed] day off. My life has been like this:

– Wake around 10am
– Eat breakfast, have coffee, read news
– Workout
– Quick lunch
– Pack dinner
– Work 3pm – 12am
– Showered and in bed by ~2am

So needless to say, meals have had to be prepped quick!

A good quick lunch (especially post-workout) is a protein smoothie. Yesterday I made this filling and nutritious one..

Chocolate covered Raspberry

In the mix:

I.5 scoops chocolate SunWarrior protein

1/2 frozen banana

1/2 cup frozen raspberries

hand full fresh spinach

1 T almond butter

stevia (1 serving)

pinch sea salt (brings out sweetness)

almond milk

ice

raw cacao nibs to garnish (*optional)

*Note: SunWarrior protein is the same price as all other store-bought proteins. It costs ~ $46 per bag but has 47 servings. So cost per serving is the same (or even cheaper!)

An extremely quick dinner (but still so good!)…

Veggie burger taco salad 
(30g protein!)

2 Morningstar Black Bean burgers (microwaved then toasted)

iceberg lettuce 

diced tomatoes 

salsa

blob fat-free Greek yogurt (tastes like sour cream) 

cumin/chili powder sprinkled all ova

* * *

Alright, it’s about time to get my workout in. I planned on a Bikram yoga class but it’s naaasty outside. It’s looking like a Jillian Michaels kinda day.

*Do you have any suggestions for packed dinners? I’m getting sick of soups and salads..*

>So much pot

>Crock pot, kids. Last week I posted that crock pots (aka slow cookers) intimidate me. After some experimenting, I’m convinced they are actually the easiest way to pretend you’re a fabulous cook.

* * *

Enter pot meal #1: Apple n’ cinnamon flax oats

Ingredients 

3 cups oats

2 chopped apples

4 cups water

4 cups almond milk (or skim, soy, hemp, rice, etc.)

2 T flax seeds

1/2 tsp cinnamon
1/4 tsp nutmeg

stevia (equal to 6 servings)

sea salt (2 pinches)

Night before: Combine ingredients, set on low, and cook covered for 8 hours

Next morning!

*Next morning: Add more water/milk if it’s too thick. I also added a half scoop of vanilla SunWarrior to my serving for some extra protein (and a tsp of peanut or almond butter) and it was ahhhh-mazing.

*To reheat a day a later: If the oats clump, whisk in some hot water and you’re good to go!

* * *

Pot dish #2: Cajun chicken and veggies

Ingredients:

2 chicken breasts, diced

2 medium sweet potatoes, peeled and diced

1 yellow onion, chopped

2 garlic cloves, peeled and finely diced

4 cups veg broth

1 head broccoli, chopped 

2 cups green beans

1 cup carrot sticks (are they called sticks? The tiny ones?)

1 T flax seeds (*optional)

1 T EVOO

1/2 T Cajun spice 

1/2 t cumin

1 t basil

1/2 – 1 t sea salt

1/2 t black pepper

Combine and cook covered on low for 8 hours

Served with a side of spiced quinoa

Spiced Quinoa

2 cups quinoa

4 cups chicken broth

1 cup H20

1/4 t Cajun spice

* * *

Two fantastic meals. And so incredibly easy. No idea why I was so scared to use ma pot. Stuuupid. 😉 

~Are you a [crock] pot chef? If yes, what do you make?? If not, why the heck not? ~

>Mrs. Crankypants

>Ahhh, a day off. Finally. I need it. Mentally. Physically. My poor feet. Ok enough whining..

Yesterday I hit the gym with the Manfriend for a spinning sesh. Since I was feeling devoid of all energy, I decided a class where someone forces tells me what to do, would be better for my current mental state. I don’t know about you but it’s much easier to follow along to someone else’s commands than to motivate myself to the same degree. And me + machines don’t mix all that well <—-snooze.

I was actually getting excited for the class until we realized the instructor was a no-show. Thanks for nothin’. Considering I prepared for a class, I purposely left my ipod at home. Treadmill ADD + no music = not a productive combo. I’ll admit, I’ve been skimping on weights this week so I did my best at a full-body (BodyPump inspired) weights workout. Twas ok, but I probably should have stayed on the couch. Just one of dem days…

For lunch, I wanted complex carbs (and COFFEE) to pump up my energy for a long night at work. Similar to last week’s PB and sweet potato combo, I made a protein-ified (nice word, eh?) version using Greek yogurt.

Salty & Sweet perfection: Baked sweet potato with peanut butter Greek yogurt (FF gr yogurt, peanut flour, sea salt, stevia) and a drizzle of organic maple syrup.

* * *

Work was fine. I really do love the time I spend on the unit. I am so fortunate to have an incredibly rewarding job. I was however, hurting last night. My feet that is. I need to remember to wear these bad boys every shift..

source

By the time I got home and showered (hospitals are dirty, y’all), I was hungry, tired, cranky, and it was 12:00am. Eeeek, there goes the whining again. I had been slacking on my veggies. Aaaand they’re on their way out (nothing irks me more than throwing out fresh fruits/veggies).

Spinach, cherry tomatoes, cukes, fat-free cottage cheese 

With a 1:1 mixture of Goddess dressing and balsamic vinegar <—-Best dressing

And some more unpictured veggies dipped in my favorite hummus…

Trader Joe’s Jalapeno & Cilantro

Note: My sister hates cilantro in almost anything, but love this stuff…

Aaaand some unpictured hot tea and dark chocolate in bed 😉

* * *

This morning I woke around 9am and made breakfast for me and our friend Cory that’s staying with us..

Blueberry Protein Pancakes (recipe here)

* * *

I have a confession: It’s now 4:45pm, and I’m still in my fleece pj’s. I’ve spent my day off cooking (dinner is in the crock pot!), playing with the pup, catching up on the news, recipe reading, and straight up reeeelaxing.

Tonight’s agenda? Yoga then dinner/wine partay to celebrate Kelsey’s (sister) last day of work. Now that’s a perfect day off in my eyes!

~ What’s your idea of a perfect day off? ~ 

>Dusty deliciousness

>Happy Wednesday. Today is day #3 of my 3-11:30pm shifts at the hospital. Thursday I’m off – and man am I looking forward do it!

Yesterday I woke refreshed at 7am and started my day. Who am I kidding? I peeled myself out of bed at 10:30, make a quick Berry Berry protein smoothie, then headed out for a run before work. This time, I did actually dress appropriately. Recently, I’ve been making it a point to run a few sets of stairs and do push-ups (I’m up to about 25 real ones) mid-run.

Yesterday it was the steps in front of the Lincoln Monument:

Do you ever stop mid-run to do crunches, push ups, yoga, etc? It’s a nice way to break up the run and get in some muscle-toning action.

When I returned, I refueled with a gigantic protein-packed salad monster.

Spinach, deli turkey (all natural version. Many kinds have gross fillers and preservatives), low-fat cottage cheese, garbanzo beans, cherry tomatoes, red grapes, Laughing Cow cheese wedge (light swiss version), sea salt, pepper, and a 1:1 mixture of Goddess dressing and balsamic vinegar.

Goddess + Balsamic = salad dressing heaven

* * *

Work was insanely busy, as usual. I snacked on a new protein bar. Ever try these?

20g protein. Kept me full til dinnah-time. Thanks to those of you that Tweeted some other all natural versions to try.

Next up:
– Zing Bars
– Perfect Foods Bars
– Clif Builder bars
– Kind Bars

Am I missing any good ones?

* * *

Last night I broke out this box that had been collecting dust in my pantry

I added cooked shrimp, peanut butter, and honey and they were pretty darn good.

* * * 

Okkkkk, I’m going to get off my butt now after RHNJ is over, head to the gym, then to work. Weeeeeeeee! <—-sarcasm

Have you recently dusted off anything in your pantry to be pleasantly surprised by it’s deliciousness? Or grossness?

>30 mins = 3 lives

>Happy Birthday to our little man, Michael! He’s one today!

Lil nugget, only a few weeks old

Who’s blossomed into quite the little yogi

 And still steals my heart, every day.

* * *

The last few days have been rough. I have been out of my beloved SunWarrior for over a week. But alas, yesterday it arrived! Chocolate aaaand vanilla 🙂 

Side note: does anyone else hate the SunWarrior packaging? I applaud the new ego-friendly bags, but mine make a huuuge mess! I end up putting them in larger zip-lock bags.

First up, a protein cupcake!

(Recipe here)

Last night I worked 3-11:30pm and I am not lying when I tell you that for the last 3+ hours of my shift, I was dreeeeaming of a protein cupcake. Filling, healthy, protein-packed, and DELICIOUS! I can’t vouch for how it tastes with other protein brands, but it is ahhhhh-mazing with SunWarrior.

* * *

As I’ve mentioned in my last post, I’ve been working like a mad woman. On days when I work 3-11, my routine is to wake around 10, eat breakfast, savor some coffee (I’d be lying if I had only one cup), catch up on the news/favorite blogs, then head to the gym. 

Since having to be on the unit (I work on a transplant floor at a hospital) at 3pm, I’ve been packing my scrubs and getting ready at the gym. I would be lying if I said that I miss my own shower. Don’t misunderstand, I have a great bathroom/shower, but something about leaving the gym all clean (and often relaxed from the sauna/steam room, in my case) leaves me feeling fantastic and ready for the day. Do those that shower at the gym enjoy it as much as me?

Leaving the gym has one drawback, however. It’s very close to my favorite salad joint, Chop’t!

Love a hearty, healthy, protein-packed salad post-workout!

Spinach, arugula, roasted turkey, avocado, tomatoes, edamame, red grapes, cucumbers, and balsamic vinegar.

* * *

Another reason, I’ve been hitting the gym a lot lately is because it’s been coooooold here! Saturday I ran an 8-mile loop (loop as in circle, as in once you’ve run far enough there’s no turning back). I’m not going to lie when I say that at one point, I started to cry because my body temperature was so low I really believed that I was becoming hypothermic. Normally, I dress much warmer (hello, Under Armour Cold Gear line) and always carry a cell-phone/debit card in case I need to call for a ride or hail a cab. But this time, I foolishly ran out the door in my regular spandex and thin fleece jacket. No hat. No gloves. Idiot.

Fuh-reezing

I completed the 8-mile loop in a sub 8-min mile, and attribute the pace solely to the fact that I wanted to get home FAST.

* * *

After getting my body-temp back to normal, I met some friends at Mai Thai, my favorite Thai restaurant in DC. Fantastic food and drinks. We chatted, ate, sipped some delish drinks then headed out for the night.

Oh, and this lovely lady was there too!

 

* * *

Ok, kiddos, I’m out. Have a fan-freakin-tastic day! But first, please take a moment to consider the following…

You can do this during a lunch break. 

30 mins = 3 lives. Worth it? 

* * *

Have you donated blood before?