Wednesday = Wine Night?

I had an impromptu night out last night. 

I met up with some friends for some really cheap sushi. 
Cheap meaning not expensive.
Every Wednesday, a local sushi joint has this thing called "Tsunami Night," which means you get select sushi and sushi rolls at half price IF you buy an alcoholic beverage.... which is where the whole wine night comes into play, obviously.
Per usual, I failed as a good blogger and didn't take any pictures of my food.... but if you can picture a glass of pinot noir, a spicy tuna roll and avocado salmon roll... you're golden. 


And since wine night doesn't mean just 1 glass... we decided to end the night at a neat little neighborhood bar for just 1 more drink....well, we stopped because one of my friends had a second date later in the evening and needed to blow some time ... details, schmetails.
AnyWHO... the bar we stopped at just happened to have half off all wine, which is perfect, you know, considering it was wine night and all....

At this point I would love to say that I went home, made some hot tea, crawled into my pajamas and read a book... but somehow I ended up at a Mexican restaurant with a pitcher of house margarita sitting in front of me....

Don't worry.... I spent more time interrogating my friend's mystery man and his 3 friends than I did sucking down tequila... and while I did end up crawling into my pajamas shortly later, it was peppermint ice cream, not hot tea that I had... and the whole reading a book concept turned into a late night session of Facebook stalking.... which actually looks like a lot of my nights....

But on that note, time to enjoy my morning coffee and figure out what's for breakfast :)

Be Spontaneous,

Monday Evening

Mondays are those days that everyone hates, well, for the most part. They mean back to work, back to waking up early and back to the weekly grind. Blech!

For the majority of my adult life, I've liked to use Mondays as my day to jumpstart a healthy and positive way of living... getting a good workout in, eating lots of vegetables and fruits, only eating 5 hershey kisses and not worrying about "that boy" who obviously isn't into you, but you still think he'll come around.... 

While I didn't get in that good workout yesterday, I did managed to sneak in lots of healthy eating....and kitchen experimenting...

I made KALE CHIPS!

 And healthy "fried chicken":

 And some cinnamon deliciousness in the form of sweet potato:

 All together now!

My roommate gave me a weird look when I told her I made kale chips... I hate to admit that I've become "that girl" who eats the weird health food..... but err, yeah... oh well! :) 

Oh, and I'm happy to report that I only had 3 hershey kisses.... or 4... and I didn't think much of  that one boy who obviously doesn't see how amazing of a girl he's missing out on :)

Let's hope Tuesday is just as great,

Love Affair

Dear Mizuno running shoes, 

Why is it that we are just now meeting? 

Our 9 mile rendez-vous this morning went above and beyond my picky expectations. 

I see many more dates in our future.

Love,

Erin

Morning Workout Fail

I finished up my ochem class on Tuesday.... perfect opportunity to start routinely blogging, right?!

hehe...

Eh, in a perfect world.... but since my roommate, who is in recovery from a nice little stomach bug, has blogged... I think I better get on it. 

I got up this morning for a 5:30 spinning class. Wait. Scratch that.

I got up this morning and contemplated not getting up for a solid 3 minutes.

After those 3 minutes, I finally got up, threw on some clothes and sprinted out the door.

I gracefully powerwalked into the gym, signed in and looked at the spinning sign in sheet...

Me: "Oh shoot. Spinning is full, isn't it?"Cute Blonde Nerd: "Yeah, you just missed it by, like a minute."Me: "Ooookay, thanks." ....

while secretly wanting to turn around and go back home, but that would look silly, right? 

Yeah. It would. I had no music so I decided to do some "strength" training. It took about 20 minutes, but it's better than nothing, right? 

Right! Now it's time to go chug some airbone frizzle and pray. 

Happy Friday!!!

Workout Times?

So, the new job. 
My hours are a little crazy and a little sporadic. 


From what I understand, it is pretty typical for chiropractor's office to be open Monday, Wednesday and Friday and have limited hours Tuesday and Thursday. Until I get the nutrition/weight loss program off and running, my hours are going to be very unpredictable. 
Mondays and Fridays will be full days - usually 7:45 until about 6:30... with Wednesday being until about 7:30. 
Those are long days... especially coming from a 9-5 job where about 6 hours of those hours were spent goofing around on pinterest. 
Tuesdays are going to be days where I come in for a few hours and help with any insurance and/or cleaning of the office. And, for the next couple weeks, I'll spend about 5 hours at a training center, learning about the specific weight loss and nutrition program I am going to be running.... eventually, hopefully soon. 


Now, the question and main concern I have with this schedule, as would any crazed, type A marathon runner would have, is when the heck do I work out??


Tuesdays and Thursdays are no-brainers. 
It's the MWF that has me in a bundled mess of nerves. 
Especially when I can't get into a steady sleeping groove.... 


I could get up super early and attend a 5:30am spinning class at my gym on those long days... which I would LOVE to do..... however, I've yet to wake up at 5:00am and not fall back asleep..... hmmm


Or, I could wait until after work...... which is just totally not my style.... at all..... BUT, I pulled one out from left field on Wednesday and got in a run after work.....

Don't worry mom.... and roommate.... I had reflective gear, cell phone in hand and no music... perfect late night running.
I did a nice little 5 mile run and returned home to eat a quick dinner at 9:00.
Again, no worries... I salvaged my 85 year old woman tendencies and was in bed by 10:00.


Between all the holidays, it will probably take some time to get into a good exercise/workout schedule.... but, I have a job I'm in love with and I don't spend 40 hours a week plotting to eradicate all things related to jeggings and plaids... so I can deal with the after work workouts :)


Be Happy... it's Friday!

Hi Guys!


See, I told you I'd talk to you soon :)


So there are so many things to say and tell about my new job... what I do, what I wear, who I work with, when I work....and that will all come eventually, but for now...


One of my co-workers is a pretty seasoned, weight-lifter enthusiast. She mainly does therapy at the chiropractic office, and since being a former patient and spending quite a bit of time with her in the past few weeks, we've really gotten to talking about anything and everything... and one of those anything's happens to be working out. 
Her idea of working out is a quick 1-2 mile warm up then lifting. 
MIIINE on the other hand is a either a tough spin class or a 5-7 mile run. 


I know strength training is so important to overall health and well-being, but I just hate doing it. I hate it! There is nothing fun about it. 


However, in light of my new job, new experiences and just a renewed outlook on life, I've decided to, gulp, try to add strength training back into my exercise.... add consistent strength training back into my weekly exercises. Uhhhh huh.... we'll see how it goes... 


TUESDAY WORKOUT

• 50 min spin class
• Strength Training (woot woot!)
• 3 sets 12 lat pull down 45 lbs
• 3 sets of 12 dumbbell press 12.5 lbs (probably could have done 15 lbs)
• 3 sets of 12 lateral/front raises rotation 5 lbs
• 3 sets of 12 bicep curls 10 lbs
• 3 sets of 15 triceps raise
• 2 sets of 12 dumbbell shoulder press 10 lbs

Off to make lunch and head to nutrition training then chem class!


Stay Positive,

Here We Go...

Alright guys, no long, drawn out excuse for my lack of blogging...


Here is a *little recap of what I've been doing: 


*little referring to the fact that the following photos, in all actuality, probably make up 9...maybe 12% of my life in the previous few weeks: 

Here is where I spent way too much time playing with my blog.... decided to go for a different look?

Oh. 

There was also a pretty large Thanksgiving meal eaten in between all these pictures. And lots of desserts... but ya'll should have known that :)

Talk to you soon.

I promise.

New Beginnings

I realize my posts have been few and far inbetween lately....

Sure I've been busy with job interviews and studying for chemisty midterms and crapping my way through post-lab reports.... but that is no excuse for my lack of blogging.

My lack of blogging is probably, no, IS due to the fact that I've been spending way too much time either being lazy, watching TV or perusing Pinterest:

Or wishing I was either married to Brad Paisely or had Carrie Underwood's body:

(or both!)

Okay, now that I got that silly fantasy nonsense out of my system.... on to my real life news:

I GOT A NEW JOB!

Yesterday was my last day at Abercrombie and Fitch.

(Do you mind if I say that again?)

Yesterday was my last day at Abercrombie and Fitch. 

!!!!!!

After countless interviews and countless disappointments, I finally landed a job that I know I'll love and I know I'll stay with for awhile. My new job is taking me to a Chiropractic office where I'll be helping out with some administrative office tasks and rehabilitative treatments, and eventually launching a nutrition/weight loss program starting in January. 

I found out about the job 2 weeks ago, and per her usual self, my thoughtful and over-achieving roommate bought a bottle of champagne for my good great news, where we opened and drank during the Halloween Party:

Celebrations were continued well into the week with flowers from my dad:

So in midsts of all my excitement and jubilees, I do want to say that despite my dislike for my last job, I will miss the people I worked with very much. I was greeted with a surprise going away breakfast party yesterday and didn't leave without giving out many hugs. 


It was definitely an experience working at a retail home office environment. I'm glad I got the opportunity to see this side of the business world, but now I'm ready to start a new chapter in my life....


Which brings me to a few questions I would absolutely LOVE feedback from:
When it comes to weight loss programs, what type of marketing tactics have you seen or experienced that seems to work or grab your attention? 
Why do you think weight loss programs fail?




11.11.11....make a wish :)

Never Too Old for Halloween....

Hola!
How has the week been? Good? Long? Short? Hectic?
Mine's been just meh. You know...
nothing good, nothing bad, just sort of... yeah...
meh.

But enough with my use of ridiculous words... here are some ridiculous halloween pictures instead...

I feel like these pictures do justice of what went down on Halloween:

• we ate pizza and tots
• we taste-tested home-brewed beer
• we drank beer from cans from the store
• we traveled to the bars

The only thing missing is a group picture of everyone.... but since I will probably forget to either a) ask for one or b) remember to post one, here is a halloween costume recap:

• 1 nerd
• 1 walk of shame
• 1 railraod conductor
• 1 hippy
• 2 rugby players
• 1 penguin
• 1 "ur mom"

It was a lot of fun.

If I ever complain about my beer belly on this blog.... tell me to shut up and to stop drinking tall boys at the bar....

or just say that I'm living in moderation and having fun :)

All Smiles,

ooops?

After class last night I had to stop at the store for coffee and oatmeal.....
I got the coffee and oatmeal...
but I also walked out with all this:

In my defense:

1. Each bag was a dollar
2. I got NO halloween candy surprises in the mail from my mom
3. I have a roommate who is equally addicted to candy as I am

Look forward to a recap later today of my Halloween weekend.... it will be just as healthy as this one.... :)

Chocolate makes everything better,

Cinnamon Apple Oats

That's all!

Post-Marathon

If ya'll remember from like 2 posts ago, I ran a marathon 10 days ago? errr, yes, 10 days ago... and while you think I would be past my "post marathon blues" ...I feel like it's just started.

I'm attributing the delayed onset to my busy week last week.... between an ochem midterm, my best friend from home visiting, my alien brother occupying wall street in NYC and making my sister's halloween costume... there was no time to be in a funk....

Then the weekend came. With no plans and no commitments and no roommate.

I went for a premeditated 4 mile run Saturday morning that turned into a miserable 2 mile limp due to excrutiating pain in my hip... not a happy camper.
Despite my failed run, I tried my best to stay positive and busy for the rest of the weekend and week... I cleaned, I organized, I dusted, I spent time with one of my best friends.... but still felt, and still do feel, like something in my life is missing.... blah.

It's crossed my mind more than once this past week(end) that I should devote my entire life to running marathons. You know... so when I'm done with one I can just jump on the training schedule again and run another one, and just all together skip the whole post-partum running depression gig.... but then I realized that I look forward far too much to weekends full of friends, laughing and oops, alcohol and pizza...

hello friends....  :)

.....and that's probably not condusive to running multiple marathons in a year.

I'm hoping thinking that a weekend of potential halloween excitement, new fitness adventures and possible future job opportunities will jumpstart my mood.

Now if my body would just get to normal ... I could start running again!

Back At It

Alright, so enough of the lazy lifestyle. It was great for a few days while I was taking a break and recovering from my marathon, but it's time to get my ass off the couch.

The good thing about loving exercise is that you don't have to schedule, or even force yourself to do it - you just do it.
And that is exactly what I did....

I woke up early yesterday morning  and hit my gym's Friday morning spin class with my favorite instructor. It was the perfect class to end my exercise hiatus and show off my marathon t-shirt...I even managed to throw around some free weights after class..... 

• 3 x 12 overhead shoulder press
• 3 x 15 chest fly on exercise ball
• 3 x 12 front/lateral raises
• 3 X 12 bicep curls
• 3 x 15 triceps extensions
• 2 x 12 dumbbell rows (ran short on time!)

It felt good to back in the gym and add some variety to my exercise.
But it's also going to feel good when I head out for a 5 mile run this morning...


What can I say.... it's a running thing :)


Have a great fall Saturday!

Post Marathon Breakfast

I woke up the day after my marathon stiff and sore... and decided it was only appropriate to take the whole day off of work.

I used my lazy morning to make pumpkin pancakes with a banana maple syrup mixture on top:

Have a mentioned that I absolutely LOVE pumpkin?