Go Go Go Gurrl

Good Morning my loves! I was def. a girl on the go yesterday and I could not be happier about that. Don't you just love it when you get those things that you have been putting off FOREVER done?! I know I do.

So my day started off with some breakfast and the writing/research for my last post.

Cherry Yogurt with Sliced Banana

Whole Wheat Toast with Apricot Preserves...notice the outline for my post in the background...yes I make outlines, yes I am a teacher!

After breakfast I did some MAJOR remodeling in my house. My roommate and I are turning one of the rooms downstairs into an office for me. Because currently my laptop-ing is done on the dining room table. I wish I had a before picture of this room because it was HELL! But after literally HOURS of work, look at it now:

Here are some key points to notice about this room:

• I displayed my first book that I recieved from student teaching for my classroom library on the shelves. It is Curious George and the Fire Truck, because I did a unit on fire trucks for the whole six weeks of student teaching!
• The drawers on the shelve are animal print...so is just about anything else in our house.
• My diploma is meticulously placed on the the table. I need to frame it.
• For now I am doin it Japanese style and sitting on the floor at the table, but today my mom is supposed to be bringing me a desk.

So there you have it. The fruits of my labor!

After I finished that up it was time for some FOOD!

Turkey Wrap on Italian Herb Flat-Out

After lunch I got ready and went to work to check out a new shipment of dresses that we got in!

Which reminds me...a lot of you asked about my shirt from a few posts ago (the one with the back cut-out) and I got it from the clothing store that I work at...MAXRAVE. Currently I don't think that you can order online, but you can go to maxravestores.com and find out where the closest store to you is.

When I got done with lunch I sat down to download some new music for my runs. I had been listening to the same songs over and over for way to long. I don't know about you, but music is everything when it comes to my workouts. If I am bored with the music, I usually get bored with the workout and quit sooner. If I have something fun and upbeat to listen to and hold my attention, I can go WAY harder and longer. (thats what she said!...right Brooke?).

So here are some of the new songs that I downloaded.

1. Madcon - Beggin'
2. The Dream - Walkin' on the Moon
3. Mario - All the Above
4. Keri Hilson - Knock You Down
5. Jennifer Hudson - Spotlight (Remix)
6. Ciara - Never Ever
7. Metric - Gold Guns
8. Lil Wayne - At War
9. Lupe Fiasco - Real
10. The Decemberists - Oh Valencia

There are lots more, but that is what I have currently been playing. Quite the mix. I never just listen to one genre of music. There is so much good music out there...why limit yourself?!

Last nights dinner was spaghetti at the parents house. My mom makes the BEST spaghetti, but like they say on Sesame Street "Its a SOMETIMES food". But I think that may be just about every meal eaten at the parents. haha.

This morning I am enjoying a bowl of "Banana Pancake Oats" and a laptop full of blogs.

For those of you who were wondering "Banana Pancake Oats" is just a simple recipe, but it reminds me of banana pancakes.

• 1/2 cup Oats
• 1/2 cup Vanilla Soy Milk
• 1/2 Banana
• 1 tbsp. Maple Syrup
• LOADS of Cinnamon

I plan on a run later...gotta rock the new jams! My 5k is coming up and I really wanna run it in less than 28 min. My friend Ben has challenged me, but he claims he can run it in 22 minutes. I can't hang with that...but I think he may be lying ;)

Hope everyone is having a MARVELOUS day!

Lots of Love, <3 Ems.

5K Tips From the Pros

By "pros" I totally mean you guys! A lot of you gave some great tips a couple of days ago when I asked you to tell me some of your best advice for running a 5k. I will be running my first 5K in June (I have only ever ran 1oks) and Emily and Sam will be as well. So we all appreciate the tips! Also, for those of you who don't know, and I'm sure most of you do, Runner's World is a great website and one that I read frequently for advice and articles about just about anything you could think of involving running. So here we go...

TOP TEN TIPS FOR YOUR FIRST 5K:

1. FIND THE RIGHT SHOES:

Everyone is different, everyone has special needs when it comes to their running shoes. I know for me, a new pair of shoes made all of the difference in my running. Finding just the right shoe will lower your risk of injury and just plain make you feel better when you run. Many sports stores will have people and tools on hand to find you the perfect shoe. Take advantage of this! Check out this article for more info on finding the right shoe for your foot.

2. PLAN WHAT TO WEAR:

To avoid being stressed and rushed in the morning, you should go ahead and lay out your entire outfit (plus anything else you will need) the night before. Amy gives some good advice by saying that you should consider something different than the race shirt that they provide and I agree. Something that you know will be comfortable, fit you perfectly, and feel good on is what you should plan to wear. Also don't forget to make sure that what your wear won't get too hot (or cold) and won't cause any other major malfunctions during the race.

3. REST UP!

Of course getting good sleep is important for anything. And it is especially true for the night before running a race. To make sure that you run your best and that you are as alert and energetic as possible for the race you should take it easy the night before. Plan to take a rest day from training to prepare your muscles for the run the next day and get in bed early to ensure the right amount of sleep before the race.

4. EAT A GOOD BREAKFAST:

What you choose to eat before the race is going to be your fuel for when you run. Because of that, it is important that you fuel up properly. Exactly what to eat is completely up to you. Find what it right for you and what you think gives you the most boost in the morning. Carbs are always good before a race. My race morning breakfast of choice is just toast with peanut butter and banana. Check out THIS article on the top 15 foods for runners to get some ideas that may work for you!

5. HYDRATE! HYDRATE! HYDRATE!

Staying hydrated is a really important thing to consider when you are running ANYTIME and especially for a race. Make sure you drink plenty of water before hand. 5K races will not typically have "water stops", so it will be important to make sure you drink enough before you start running and that you will have water on hand after the race is over.

6. ARRIVE AT THE RACE EARLY:

This is another thing to do to avoid being rushed and stressed on race day, which can cause you to not run your best. Arrive at the race with plenty of time to get your number, find out where the start and finish are, and to check over the course. Also arriving early allows for time for #7...

7. STRECH AND WARM-UP:

Stretching and warming-up before the race is SO important to avoid injury. A lot of people will get so hyped up about starting the race that they will forget these two things all together. Again, this is totally customized and will vary from person to person. Know your "trouble zones" and make sure you stretch properly for those. Also know your limits...don't do so much of a warm-up that you are ready to give out before the race...but don't do so little that you jet out at the start of the race. HERE is an article about some stretching and warm-up routines that may work for you.

8. PACE YOURSELF!

This is one of the most common mistakes that first time runners make. When you are at the start of the race you just want to jet out in front as fast as you can. But this can leave you worn down after the first mile. Now your pace and keep it...even from the start. Unless you are my man Ryan Hall and can run the mile in under 4 minutes, there is no need to sprint at the start. You may see other people doing it, but believe me, you will be passing up those people later when they have given out and you are holding steady!

9. FINISH STRONG:

If you have been keeping up a nice steady pace and are not too tired by the end, you will be able to finish strong. This is where you will pace all those people who are just too tired to work harder. Again, KNOW YOUR BODY! If you are on the last half mile and you feel like you can do it...full on run that thing. Even the last quarter mile...just finishing strong in the last little bit will shave off tons of seconds in your final time.

10. MOST IMPORTANTLY...JUST HAVE FUN!

Whether its your first race or your five hundredth race. Have fun with it. Remember why you wanted to run in the first place. TO HAVE FUN AND FEEL GOOD...not to stress and worry about times and things like that. Don't worry about your time, your place, or the other runners around you. DO IT FOR YOU and have a BLAST!!

I really hope that this helped some of you girls...I know that it helped me a lot and I had a lot of fun getting tips from you guys, researching some tips, and writing this for you! Any questions are comments feel free to e-mail me!

Hope everyone is having a great Monday!

Lots of Love <3 Ems.

It's Friday!

Please watch this video as many times that it takes to get you PUMPED about the fact that is Friday. It should only take one. Unless you are a SUPER stiff, then maybe two.

I had some requests to see my SUPA-CUTE detailed back shirt actually on. And since I did party it up last night and broke out the new shirt...and had to wait HOURS for my friend to get off work, I decided it was the perfect opportunity to snap a pic!

I just love it. And those little red "dots" on my back are not birthmarks, even though thats what they look like. They are hearts. haha.

Me making the MOST serious face ever. Seriously?! I think that I was concentrating more on getting the front of the shirt then on actually smiling. haha

I'm feeling pretty good about my day/night yesterday. I worked hard and played harder! FOR REAL! Here was my day;

• 9-1030: Job Interview at a Preschool...totally rocked it!
• 11: Quickly came home packed up a Sammie and an apple for lunch and headed out the door.
• 12-4: Work shift #1 at the ol' Rave
• 415: Back home, quick snack, quick change into gym clothes, out the door!
• 430-530: 7 mile run at the gym. No pain in the knee. Kicked the treadmills ass!
• 545: Back to work at Rave for shift #2. Kept my sweaty gym clothes on, just piled on the deodorant and Love Spell. rocked it out.
• 6-930: Rave shift #2. Sold some clothes, took out the trash, swept the floors like a pro, gossiped with my manager/best friend.
• 10: Home for a quick dinner of mac and cheese and broccoli and carrots:

• 1030-1230: Showered it up, prettied it up, waited for the Britt-ster to get off work.
• 1: Roll up in the club. Rock star parking, no lines. Thats how we roll.
• 1-3: Danced the night away. Techno style.
• 3-9: CRASHED OUT!

And now I am sitting here with a lovely cup of coffee and some awesome blogs to read. WHEW!

Hope everyone is having an awesome Friday...and if your not, watch the video again. :)

Lots of Love <3 Ems.

You Suck Internet Provider.

I'm not naming any names (for fear of some sort of big corporate reparation), but my Internet provider is slackin' as of late. Can you believe that I have not been able to connect to the Internet in TWO days. AND this is the second time this month this has happened...AND when I called them they said they didn't see that anything was wrong. WHAT THE HELL?! Come on guys, I'm paying you for this. You best be giving me what I'm paying for.

Ok enough ranting, its back now. I feel like walking on egg shells though, like any false move and I will get kicked off again.

Currently I am enjoying a lovely bowl of "banana pancake" oats. And catching up on all the blogs that I have missed the past couple of days.

YUMMMSSS!!

I have been busting my butt with the substituting gigs lately! Monday I was a Kindergarten teacher and yesterday I was a fifth grade teacher...Friday is 1st (my favorite grade). Gotta make that money!!

Also, I have been taking every precaution to treat my knee. After a week off from running I tried it again on Monday. I ran 4 miles...came home iced it for 30, heated it for thirty, rubbed pain reliever creme on it, and wrapped it for the rest of the day. Tuesday there was NO PAIN! But, I still wanted to take it easy so I just worked out on the treadmill for 45 minutes. Today I'm going to see how it goes at the gym before deciding what workout I want to do.

Yesterday at work I purchased the cutest little shirt. I have this sort of "theme" with my outfits. If they have some sort of unique back to them I HAVE to buy them. Everyone now associates me with these types of shirts, it kinda like an "Emily staple". I just think that a womans back is one of the most sexy parts of the body. Its seductive, but not skanky. haha. Don't you agree? Here is the latest addition to the collection:

While catching up with the blogs, I was stoked to see that I had received an award from one of my FAVE bloggettes Dulcie. I was super excited about this award, because I just think its great!

The Renee Award is one of the most meaningful awards in blog world because it honors someone who is incredibly inspirational in her intelligent and witty writing. And by doing so, this award celebrates women’s smart, strong and inspirational spirit! It honors women who spread joy and love like an Acorn……a small package growing into a tall and sturdy oak tree which gives more acorns…………..

First of all let me just tell you guys that each and everyone of you inspire me by your witty and funny antics and also with your strong spirits. There is not one blog that I read that doesn't make me laugh or smile every single day. And all of the blogs that I read inspire me and add to my life from day to day. I just love every single one of you guys. So if I comment on your blog at all, just know that you are AMAZING and that I am passing this award onto you as well!

NOW I HAVE SOME SUBJECTS TO ADDRESS FOR SOME OF MY READERS!

First of all Sam had asked what my drink of choice was. And I just have to say that it all depends. I really like to drink red wine at the house while I am getting ready to go out or if I am just chillin with friends in a restaurant or something. If I am out partyin' it up with friends...and trying to keep up with the boys (not that I can or anything, my boys are pretty extreme) I will take shots. My favorite shot is a yagerbomb, with sugar free red bull....because regular red bull with all that sugar mixed with alcohol just isn't a good idea for the ol' tummy. Funny story...one time I got asked by a guy at the bar WHO WAS ORDERING THE SAME DRINK, if I was on a "diet"...I looked at him, then looked at his drink and said "No, are you?!" nice pick up line. Ok back to the drinks...if I want to just not really drink much and just sip on something I will order a vodka cranberry or a light beer. My favorite beer in Yuenling light.

Ok, now I feel like an alcoholic. Don't judge! But, I feel like knowing the appropriate drink for you and where you are and what you are doing is important. I know EXACLTY how much of each of those drinks I can drink without going over bored and keep track meticulously throughout the night. Because I have such a god "game plan" as far as drinks go, I hardly ever get hangovers or regret anything the morning after...except maybe the texts...umm...still working on that one.

Next order of business Miss Emily is running her first 5K and she needs our help! She asked me for some tips about running and I can think of a few AND I know there are others of you out there that have a few tips as well. In the next couple of days I wanna do a post of running tips. SO PLEASE E-MAIL ME SOME OF YOUR BEST TIPS FOR TRAINING OR JUST RUNNING IN GENERAL. I'm going to put them all together, along with some research and tips of my own and make a post for her...and anyone else that can benefit from the tips.

Now I'm off to the gym!

Hope everyone is having a happy HUMP day!

Lots of Love, <3 Ems.

Whhhatt??!!

Have I really not posted since Monday?! I knew that it had been a couple of days, but geez. I'm so sorry that I have been such a slacker.

I am still resting my knee because I don't want to mess it up even more by running on it too soon, so I'm gonna wait until its 100%. Me (being the stupid, stubborn girl that I am) decided that it would be a good idea to run 3 miles on Tuesday and on Wednesday at work, I was almost in tears by how bad my knee hurt. I have been icing it, wrapping it, resting it, giving it some good ol TLC. I just hope it gets better soon!!

Honestly, I have nothing really of interest to post...which is why I guess I have been avoiding it. But here are a couple of key points that have happened over the course of the week:

• Mike came back in the picture...sort of...in the form of some weird and confusing texts.
  
• Lucas went out of the picture...mainly because of the above mentioned...and because he is staying at school for the summer to play ball and attend summer school.
  
• I got a call for a phone interview tomorrow from a really awesome school in Charlotte, NC!! Im going to be brushing up on my interview questions all day today.
• I played pool last night, totally killed the first game...then got slaughter for the next two.
• Got tatted up

haha. just kidding, its fake. I got WAY to bored yesterday. But my sister pointed out that that would be a cool place for a tattoo, and I think I agree. I have always wanted to get a tattoo of an OWL (because that is the symbol of education) and possibly the words "carpe noctem" (thanks for the heads up Mica, yes thats what a meant...typo! haha) which is Latin for seize the night. I liked the phrase "carpe diem" but thought that was too cliche...and night goes with owls, so its perfect!

• Of course I made some wraps:

My mom bought me some groceries, so I got the good expensive kind of pickles, that I would never buy on my own :)

Since I really have nothing else to post and I just did the 25 things about myself...I thought it would be fun to do an "interview" type post next, but with different questions from you guys. A "FAQ" post, if you will. Hey, everyone else has done it...ITS MY TURN! So ask me anything! You can e-mail me or leave me a comment with your question if you would like. Whatever floats ya boat.

Time for breakfast and another cup-o-crack...errr...I mean coffee.

Lots of Love, <3 Ems.

Meeting the New Man...

Thats right, I met a new man in my life yesterday, and he is one handsome man at that!

One of my very best friends in the whole world just had this HUGE bundle of joy yesterday and I could not be happier for her. I freaked out when I got her message that her water had broken yesterday morning at 6 A.M...he was almost 2 weeks early! But everything went great and mom and baby are doing wonderfully. Pretty much my whole day yesterday was spent hangin' with the new man. I just couldn't get enough.

The proud Daddy

And the beautiful Mommy.

I just could not be happier for her and I know that her and Chris will make awesome parents. I can not wait to see what the future holds for them! Happy Birthday Lincoln Maddox!!!

So like I said before, most of my day was spent in the hospital. I stayed there until right before work at 5. I did run home to make some lunch before work though.

You guessed it...a WRAP!

I didn't get in a workout because of all the excitement today, but thats OK because my knees are still hurting a little. I think I may ice them up again and rest one more day. Any advice or tips on helping my poor knees?!

Today I am up bright and early. Why? I have no idea, but there has to be SOME reason that I wanted to get up and start the day this early. So, lets see what the day brings!! My horoscope is telling me that today I will have a brilliant idea. hmmm.

Hope everyone is having a relaxing Sunday.

Lots of Love, <3 Ems.

Another Be-a-u-tiful Day

I did it again! Another spelling lesson for everyone, that is how I have to say "beautiful" when I am trying to spell it. I think I must have slept through English in elementary school, not quite sure.

However, as the title suggests, it is another FREAKIN' GORGEUOUS day today. I may just have to break out the shorts.....or umm maybe get tan first THEN break out the shorts...yeah that sounds like a better idea.

Although today pretty, its already promising to be pretty darn hectic again as well. I HAVE to go to the hospital to see Jenie's new baby. I woke up this morning and had a text from her saying that he was born around midnight last night, and I could not be more excited to welcome the new little man into the world!

I have been trying to take it a little easy on the running this week, because my knees have been hurting a little. Nothing too bad, but I def. don't want to push it. I have been icing them and going on short runs, or just working out on the eliptical. But I do have exciting running news! On May 30th (when we are due to go to the beach in Charleston) I signed up for a 5K right on the beach! I was searching for a race that I could do while I was down there and that is the only thing going on the week. I have never ran a 5K, and honestly I'm kind of intimidated. Sure, I can run at a steady pace for a long distance, but at a fast pace in a short distance?! Im not sure. But, if nothing else, it should be really fun. Its right on the beach and it is in the evening. I also have something else exciting planned during my beach trip...but I'm gonna keep it a SURPRISE! haha.

This morning for breakfast I had some Honey Greek yogurt, with half a banana, some strawberries, and some All Bran Flakes mixed in...oh yeah and a few raisins, too.

This was nice and refreshing for the warm weather that we have been having. Did I mention that I am LOVING the sunshine?!!?

For lunch, I decided to mix it up a bit and NOT have a wrap. Instead I made a sandwich...I know, I know...big stretch right?!

Close-Up/Break-Down:

• Whole Wheat Bread
• Red Pepper Hummus
• Deli Sliced Turkey
• Spinach
• Cucumber
• Spicy Mustard

Now its time for a quick 3-mile run (outside, of course) a shower, and work. Busy, Busy Day! I do have some pretty big updates in the personal life area of Em. But, I think that will have to wait for when I have more time ;)

Hope everyone is enjoying their Saturdays and soaking up the sun!

Lots of Love, <3 Ems.

Wed-Nezzz-Day

Good Morning Loves! FINALLY its Wednesday right?! Does anyone else feel like this week has gone by ULTRA slow?! When I was little (as in last year) I could never remember how to spell Wednesday, so now everytime I write it I say to myself "wed" "nezz" "day", because that's how its spelled! haha. Hey, whatever works right? It the same with the word "beautiful"...that's a hard one too.

Anyway, no news yet on the job thing. But, I'm thinking its still too early. Most of the schools said they would call within a couple of weeks, and my Aunt said that sometimes she doesn't get calls until a couple of weeks before schools starts. But I am still hot on the job trial. I have been putting in applications ALL OVER!

More exciting news...I have a beach trip planned! OH YES! We are going to Charleston (my favorite place ever) from May 31st until June 6th. Only 39 more days...let the countdown begin!

Yesterday I got in a really good run. I decided to just start running and let my body tell me how far it wanted to go, I ended up doing 6 miles so I was happy with that.

Can I just tell you guys how much running has really helped me with my food issues?! It has been so good for me, because I am looking at food in a whole other way. During my ED I would look at food as something to be "scared" of or something that would make me gain weight...etc, etc. But now I look at food as something that fuels me for runs and makes my body stronger. I look at it as something that is working with me to make me a better running, not working against me. This is totally a new revelation and a HUGE step in my recovery. I have been so happy with what running as done for me. Because I want to be a better runner, I want my body to be stronger.

Still on the subject of running...how awesome is it that my roommate's new boyfriend is a rep for athletes, especially runners...and he just so happens to be a rep for Ryan Hall, the 3rd place finishers of the Boston Marathon! Maybe I could meet him! haha.

Speaking of food...I used the last of my Flat-Out Wraps yesterday! Time for a Wal-Mart trip today, I suppose.

This HAS to be my favorite lunch:

• Italian Herb Flat-Out
• Spicy Mustard
• Turkey
• Spinach
• Tomato
• Salsa
• Side of Soy Crisps

I had dinner over at the parents house last night because it had been a while since I visited. My mom made crab cakes and salad. Why is food always so much better when your mom makes it?!

This morning I fixed up the usual fruity oats.

• 1/2 cup oats
• 1/2 cup vanilla soy milk
• Chopped Strawberries
• Blueberries
• 1/2 Banana
• Cinnamon

Today plans are either running or cross training or maybe yoga...I haven't quite decided yet. But it looks like it may be a pretty day, so I will probably have to take advantage of that. Thankfully there are only a few days left of this rainy month. Then of course tonight is pool night.

Hope everyone is having a great Mid-week! Lots of Love

<3 Ems.

Internet Outage!

I have felt so out of the loop all day because my Internet has been down since LAST NIGHT! It just now came back on. What the heck?! Way to be on top of things, Charter. The cable was out too, so today has been a very quite, boring day around the house. On top of that it was rainy and gray outside all day, so needless to say, it has just been "one of those days".

I really wanted to get an outdoor run in today, but with the rain and cold I just wasn't feelin' it too much. I couldn't go to the gym and run on the treadmill either, because my sister has my card to get into the gym. So I just decided that a nice rest and stretch for my muscles would do me some good, so I did an hour of yoga instead. It was very relaxing and helped me de-stress from the week.

Operation "get-out-of-the-food-rut" led me to a new breakfast. I don't know though, I was really hoping that eating cottage cheese everyday would keep me kicking all the way up past the 100s. :)

• Blueberry Waffles
• 1/2 Banana
• Strawberry Preserves
• Blueberries
• Maple Syrup

Keeping with the "get-out-of-the-food-rut" theme, I fixed up a mixture of things that did not include a sandwich OR a wrap. I get so indecisive when it comes to my meals that I always end up just putting a little bit of random things together to make a meal. Why can I NEVER make up my mind?! haha.

Here is lunch:

HUGE SALAD!

• Spinach leaves
• Romaine Lettuce
• Cucumbers
• Green Pepper
• Tomatoes
• Broccoli
• Cauliflower
• Celery
• Light Italian Dressing

• Mushroom Burger
• Cheddar Quacker Oats Mini Rice Cakes

I may or may not have had a couple of pieces of Easter candy from my basket after that as well. ;)

After that I got ready and went to work. Work went well, we spent the whole night rearranging the store to look pretty with all the new spring clothes we got it. I was doing some hard physical labor in there! Climbing ladders, hammering in shelves, putting together wall displays. I felt pretty bad ass. But, now I am exhausted! Time to catch up on blogs, make some dinner, and call it a night.

Goodnight! Lots of Love, <3 Ems.

Good News and Bad News

Oh yes everyone it is officially Hump Day. For those of you lucky enough to have a Monday through Friday job you are half-way there! For me however, I havent even started this week yet! I have had Monday through Wednesday off this week, but starting tomorrow I work everyday until Sunday. That is if I still have a job!! The conflict STILL has not been settled between my two jobs. I have really only talked to Rave about this, but if Stir-fry doesn't wanna work with me on the scheduling, then it will have to come down to a choice between the two. I was literally in tears yesterday trying to work it all out. Its such a hard position to be in because one job (Rave) I'm absolutely in love with and love all the people, but make no money...and the other job (stir-fry) I'm not even sure that I will like, but will make more money. What do I do?!!

I do have some more positive news however. Today I get to go see Lucas! He is playing a baseball game at a college that is only about 30 minutes away, and he gets to pitch this game, so I told him that I would definitely be there. I have never gotten to see him play before, so it should be fun. PLUS I might just get to sneak in a pic or two, Jen! ;)

Yesterday for dinner I decided to try one of the new Healthy Choice meals, after hearing Katie talking about them on her blog.

I tried the Portabella Marsala Pasta, Here is the box:

Here's the Nutrition:

Serving size: 1 Meal (9 oz.)

Calories: 270
Calories from fat: 70

Amount/Serving %DV*
Total Fat (7 g) 11%
Saturated Fat (2.5 g) 13%
Trans Fat (0 g)
Cholesterol (15 mg) 5%
Sodium (550 mg) 23%
Vitamin A 0%
Calcium 10%

Total Carbohydrates (38 g) 13%
Dietary Fiber (5 g) 20%
Sugar (4 g)
Protein (12 g)
Vitamin C (0%)
Iron (6%)

And here is what it looks like all plated up:

Review:

It kind of reminded me of a stroganoff, which I love. But I just didn't really care for this one. There was a layer of cheese on top that just sort of got this super weird texture after you cooked it. You know the type that just adheres to your fork and won't let go?! The one thing that I did like about this was that they did not skimp on the mushrooms. At first, I was going to add a little more of my own, but after seeing the meal I decided that it looked like it had plenty! Very rarely do you see a microwave meal that has plenty of any ingredient. I will probably not purchase this one again, but I do want to try some of the others. I give it a 6 out of 10.

The salad I had on the side however, is a solid DIME!

I always stick to the "colors rule" and try to incorporate lots of different colors into my salad. Nothing is more boring then a salad full of all greens. And I am just lovin the purple cauliflower as of late.

Backtracking to lunch I had my "pre-workout" fuel. I still swear by it:

Grilled Peanut Butter and Banana with Strawberry Preserves, and a few Honey Twist Pretzels on the side.

Note: While the sandwich def. gives me the fuel that I need for a workout, I would not recommend eating pretzels with it before working out. The saltiness of the pretzels made me more dehydrated during the run, and I had to drink about 3 bottles of water in one 30 minute run! haha.

I got to the gym late, which is one thing in life that I try to aviod at all costs. Because it is a college gym the later you go the more people and the less serious they are about actually working out. I had to wait for an ET, wait for a treadmill, wait to fill up my water bottle, etc, etc. But it actually turned out to be a good thing because I got in a pretty killer workout!

• 35 minutes on the eliptical
• 10 minutes on the squirrel thing?? - i did this to occupy my time while waiting for a treadmill, but this burned almost 150 extra calories!
• 3 miles on the treadmill, average pace was about 10 minutes a mile, but I bumped it up to 9 minutes for the last mile.

Speaking of workouts, I have to go get in an early one before coming home to shower and go to the baseball game :) So, Im off!

Hope everyone is having a good "Mid-Week" Lots of Love,

<3 Ems.

Asheville!

Well, I just got home from the Asheville trip with the fam. It was fun, but slightly annoying because my mom refuses to go walk around to all the cute little shops downtown, and instead sticks to the mall. Now, I am all for shopping in any type of setting, but I just LOVE downtown Asheville, and I only got to wave at it as we sped past on our way to the mall. Oh well. Heres a pic recap.

My sister and her friend, Anothney.They look excited huh?!

My littlest sis Tatum (I call her Taber)

I think someone mentioned on another post how I look nothing like my sister, and its true. I actually have three sisters, all with curly black hair, dark skin, and blue eyes. Me? Blonde, straight hair, pale as a ghost, and brown eyes. I MAY be the milk mans baby.

Back to the pics:

Beautiful scenery on the drive up

Gorgeous mountains of Tennessee/North Carolina

Arriving in Downtown Asheville

Apparently someone is REALLY proud of their name, and sub-par graffiti skillzz.

Pilot + Co-pilot

Going through the infamous tunnel. Its like 5 miles long, but we always try to hold our breath all the way through. If my mom feels like being a jerk, she'll drive about 10MPH through it.

Old lady jammies make me jump for joy!

In other news, I was completely exhausted when I got home. Shopping does it to me everytime! But I really wanna to stick with my training schedule, and I knew tomorrow would be my rest day because I have to work 9 hours tomorrow! So, right when I got home I threw on my running gear and went for DAY #3 of training. Today called for a tempo run for 35 minutes. Since I just had a time to stick to and not a milage, I decided to run on one of my fave trails today. I have no way to track milage yet, so I have to stick to the treadmill if I have a milage goal. Anyways, usually it takes me about 30 minutes to get around the trail once, but today I was struggling to get in 30 minutes after TWICE around! I really surprised myself, because it is VERY hilly too. I walked the last 5 minutes and made it twice around in 35 minutes. I was so curious as to what the milage was, so I decided to drive it in my car for a rough estimate. Roughly, it was about 1.5 miles around...and I did twice, in 35 minutes, AND it was hilly!! I even took a pretty easy run since I was so tired. So I was pretty happy with this!

Ok...I was planning on taking a shower and getting in bed. But I just received a text from my friend saying I better come play a game of pool ASAP. And who would I be to disappoint?! So I'm off!

Hope everyone had a great day today! Lots of Love, <3 Ems.

Checkin' Off the To-Dos

Happy St. Patrick's Day everyone! I hope everyone is having a good one, and celebrating with lots of green and maybe beer?! Or not...whatever floats ya boat ;) Today has been pretty busy and successful! I started out just NOT motivated to do anything, but I turned off that negative voice and started about my day.

FIRST something new, I went to the college that I graduated from in December and met with the head of the Nutrition Program there to possibly re-enroll and get a second degree in dietetics. Not 100% sure yet, but it is an option that has come up and I was just looking into more info about it. It is definitely something that interests me, and I think that I would have more success in the career path if I had more of a range (and having two degrees is a good range). The lady was super nice and super encouraging. The next step is to talk to admissions and finical aid and see what my options there are. Its something to consider at the very least.

SECOND, I got day two of training for a faster 10K out of the way. My training schedule had me at running an easy 3 miles today, so I ran it in about 35 minutes, and then cooled down for 5 minutes. After that I did 20 minutes on the eliptical. I kept the eliptical very low paced though, because I dont want to wear out my legs. Tomorrow I am just scheduled to run for 30 mintues. Its supposed to be a nice day, so I'll probably be doing that one on the running trial that I like.

THIRD, I came home and made lunch. For the first time since fall started I was not in the mood for a warm sammie, I wanted a cold one. So that is what I had. With the last apple on the side. MAN it is time for a grocery trip. guess I didnt get everything done!

Close-Up/Break-Down:

• Wheat Bread
• Turkey
• Spinach
• Greek Style Hummus
• Cucumber
• Sprouts
• Salsa
• Spicy Mustard

After I gobbled up my lunch I went BACK to the gym for a yoga class that I noticed they were having at my gym tonight. It said it was a beginners class, so I thought it would be nice to just go and get all stretched out from my running. It was a pretty good class...but it was TOTALLY for beginners, people were not taking it too seriously and they were laughing and falling all over the place, so it was sort of distracting. I liked the teacher though, so Im going to see if she has a more advanced class that she teaches. At the end of the practice she said something SO good. It was a story and it went something like this:

"One day a farmer's donkey fell down into a well. The animal cried piteously for hours as the farmer tried to figure out what to do. Finally, he decided the animal was old, and the well needed to be covered up anyway; it just wasn't worth it to retrieve the donkey.
He invited all his neighbors to come over and help him. They all grabbed a shovel and began to shovel dirt into the well. At first, the donkey realized what was happening and cried horribly. Then, to everyone's amazement he quieted down. A few shovel loads later, the farmer finally looked down the well. He was astonished at what he saw. With each shovel of dirt that hit his back, the donkey was doing something amazing. He would shake it off and take a step up.
As the farmer's neighbors continued to shovel dirt on top of theanimal, he would shake it off and take a step up. Pretty soon, everyone was amazed as the donkey stepped up over the edge of the well and happily trotted off!"

MORAL: Life is going to shovel dirt on you, all kinds of dirt. The trick to getting out of the well is to shake it off and take a step up. Each of our troubles is a steppingstone. We can either let those troubles bury us alive or use them to get ahead, never giving up! Shake it off and take a step up.

I really took this to heart. I think that a lot of times I let things get to me and I get angry or upset when troubles come my way. But instead, I need to see those troubles as stepping stones and shake it off and use the experience to get ahead!

I just got home from yoga and now I am gonna shower and get ready to go an irish pub downtown with Britt to celebrate the holiday. Nothing too crazy tonight though, she has class tomorrow at 9 and I'm taking an Asheville trip tomorrow morning with the fam. Pics to follow!!

Everyone be safe and have fun tonight if you are celebrating!

Lots of Love, <3 Ems.

Rain, Rants, and Running...

In honor of the first day of spring break (not that I am still in school...but I do sub, so that counts right?) I made up a wonderful breakfast, worthy of a saturday morning, except it was monday...and there is nothing wrong with that in my book. ;)

French Toast with Blueberries and Maple Syrup

After breakfast I hit up the gym. There is a story behind this girlies. I have FALLEN in love with running, ok I have always loved running, but after running my first 10K and seeing that I could do it, I have gained confidence to really get serious about running! SO, I am starting a training program to help me run a faster 10K. I ran the first in just over an hour, so I want to aim for less than an hour next time. Anywho, today I started day one of the eight week training. I was scheduled to run 3 miles today and add some strength training as well. My workout today included:

• 3 miles at a 10 minute mile pace, then a 5 minute cool down.
• Series of arm workouts on the machines, 3 sets of 10 reps each.
• 30 minutes of yoga (to stretch and cool down)

Ok, I have a question for all you runners out there. I know that it is important to not overtrain and to start out slow, but I am used to getting in more of a workout than this. Can I add another form of cardio, as long as its low impact on my legs? Or is it important to only stick with the running schedule when your training? I know when I do long runs I will only do that, and I do have days on the schedule for cross training, but when I only run 3 miles, I feel like I could still do more of a workout. So what is the protocol on that?

When I got home from the gym I fixed up a quick lunch:

I was craving peanut butter BIG TIME today! This sammie includes:

• Mighty Maple PB (as seen hangin' in the back)
• Whole Wheat Bread
• Strawberry Preserves
• Sliced Granny Smith Apple
• Blueberries

And some fat free pineapple yogurt on the side:

Weird food confession: I think it is DE-LISH to dip my PB & J in my yogurt. Think its crazy?! try it!

After lunch I met the mom and little sissy to see a movie starring these boys that you may or may not be familiar with:

I must admit that I have never really been a big fan (I think I'm a little old) haha. The movie did remind me of the Beatles movies, but that kind of pissed me off. haha. I DO think the youngest one is a cutie, though. And that creeped me out a little, when I learned that he is only 17.

I came home and have been taking it easy all day! It is soooo rainy and gloomy outside that all I wanna do is stay inside with some hot tea! The only thing about staying home is that the roommate situation is growing more and more annoying with every second! All she does is pace the floor and pop a strawberry or something like that every time she gets hungry! I want to yell at her "JUST EAT SOMETHING STUPID!!". Some of you asked me if it was triggering, and it is not, just annoying. Actually it is almost the opposite of triggering, because I love coming home from the gym and eating a nice big PB & J and feeling HEALTHY and GOOD about my body, while she paces around waiting for her scheduled time to eat an apple, or like 5 shrimp. GEEZ! Also, some of you asked if she knew about my struggles and she does. actually I remained silent for a while, the whole time she made little jokes such as "Im glad im bulemic" while eating a big piece of cake, or after eating a big meal out saying "after this im going anorexic", until I finally could not take it anymore and I told her what I had gone through and that jokes like that made me very uncomfortable and offended. She stopped joking about it, but now its this! And it wouldnt be SO bad, if she would just shut the hell up about it! She wants to talk to me about it everytime Im home, and it makes me just want to leave! Right now, Im in my room with the door closed. haha. I have told her that I do not think it is healthy, but I dont think it helps. I guess I'll just have to ignore it and go about my healthy, happy lifestyle.

Sorry for the rant, I promise thats all I am going to say about it! Im off the make dinner, take a shower, and watch The City.

Tomorrow is St. Patricks Day!! I hope I have something green to wear! Anyone have plans?!

Amazing Race!

Oh my goodness guys, I just got home from my first 10K and I can not get the smile off of my face! That was one of the best experiences of my life! I was so proud of myself for finishing. Last night, they had said that it was supposed to be cold and rainy all day today. I kept thinking "oh man, I just wanna sleep in and wake up nice and warm and sit around sipping my coffee." But I just kept telling myself that life is all about stepping out of your comfort zone, because sure I would have been WAY more comfie laying around in PJs sipping coffee all morning...but then what have I accomplished?! NOTHING! This was such a huge accomplishment for me, just knowing that I was healthy enough to do this and that my body was strong enough now. I was tearing up at the end because it was that amazing! It ended up pouring the rain the whole time and being about 45 degrees. But, Im so glad that I stepped out of my comfort zone and did something that made me feel proud of myself! I even made a better time than I was expecting.

I clocked in at 1:01:35!!

Here is my half eaten pre-run fuel:

Wheat Toast with Peanut Butter and Banana

Before Pic

The starting line, courtesy of the Sis.

Blog Butt Shot #3. haha. Thats me in the gray pants in the corner!

After Shot.

My number one running tip?...Waterproof Mascara! haha. I looked in the mirror after I had finished and my face was a MESS! hey, you live and you learn.

Also, I have to tell you guys that I was feeling the blogger love the whole time! First look what came last night...JUST IN TIME!

The PERFECT thing to receive on the eve of my first race:

My water bottle from the lovely and awesome Emily! Thanks Emily, I definitely put it to good use today, and thought of you the whole time :)

Then, first thing this morning I woke up to the most encouraging and touching e-mail, from the beautiful Sam. It really got me revved up to get out of bed and get going! And lastly, I listened to the mix that included some of the songs that you girls suggested, and that really got me through the race! So, thank you everyone for your tips, good-lucks, and just being generally kick-ass peeps with your love and support! I am so lucky to a part of this awesome community of bloggers!

Lots of Love <3 Ems.