Is There an App For That?

I cannot even begin to tell you glad I am that today is over. The day just seemed to drag on….probably because I have tomorrow off, but still! 5 o’clock took forever to get here.

I did drink my green smoothie this afternoon and it was the perfect little pick-me-up at work and enough to fuel me through my run – yes, we got to run! It was overcast and kind of gloomy, but that kept it pretty cool while we were actually running. My entire body is tight and a little sore from BodyPump, so I expected to be super slow today but I was running at about my normal pace:

• Total Time – 30:35
• Mileage – 3.26
• Average Mile – 9:25
• Calories – 292

I have noticed that I start out slow and it takes me between 1-2 miles to really get in my groove. Of course, we usually only run about 3-4 miles at a time, so I do want to try a longer run soon and see how I do.

Dinner tonight started out as a recipe I found online, which got changed to something I could make on the stovetop instead of in the crockpot, which then got changed again tonight to use up some stuff in the fridge. Sounds a little like a science experiment, right? It was a good one, at least.

 

Peppery Pineapple Pork  (Serves 2-3)

• 1 yellow bell pepper, chopped
• 1 scallion, chopped
• 1 cup fresh pineapple, diced
• 1/3 lb or so pork loin (either cooked in pan with everything or leftover cooked pork – I used leftover)
• crushed red pepper
• garlic powder
• 2 Tbsp soy sauce
• 1 Tbsp vinegar
• 1 Tbsp powdery peanut butter
• 3-4 cups fresh spinach

1. Heat pan over medium.
2. Add pepper and most of scallions (save some for garnish) and cook until crisp tender.
3. Add in pork, seasonings, soy sauce, vinegar, and pb2. Let cook until sauce is mixed together and pork is heated through.
4. Add in spinach and pineapple and let cook a few minutes until spinach is wilted.
5. Serve with grain of choice. We used Israeli couscous – nice and doughy.

 

So I think I’m having a bit of a quarter-life crisis. Random, I know, but when I was running today and just thinking about all the stuff going on in my head, the only thing that kept coming back was “I have no direction”. I have no real clue what I want to do, what I want to be, nothing. I know I don’t have to have it all figured out, but I’m 25 and I feel like I should have a better idea by now.

I know that I’m extremely thankful to have my job and I love my coworkers, but it’s not my passion. I’m thankful for my family and friends and everything in my life, but I just feel so unfulfilled some days.

Do you go through times like this? Is this just something that happens every now and then?

Maybe I’m just not ready for whatever the next step is, or maybe it’s not ready for me. Maybe being where I am is preparing me for the next thing. Maybe just knowing my upcoming trip to Honduras is  actually happening is making it even harder to live life here because I know that trip will change my life and maybe even more than the first trip did. And maybe I’m ready for it now. I don’t know.

I don’t know. I don’t know what to think. or do. or not do.  

Suggestions? Solutions? Anyone got an app for this?  Come on…I know Apple has an app for everything now. Anyone got a magic 8 ball handy?  🙂

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Not A Repeat

Well, I ended up not needing my green smoothie for a morning snack – go oatmeal! Now I know why I love you so much. I’ll probably end up having it this afternoon so I can have all that green power fuel me through my run – and let’s hope it doesn’t start raining!

I actually have a new lunch for today – great for me since I was getting tired of the bulgur stuff and good for you since…well, the same pictures 4 times in a week surely isn’t exciting.

I brought a slice of our pork loin along with some of the grain pilaf we had with it.

Plus the last of those frozen broccoli/cauliflower/carrots in cheese sauce I bought a few weeks ago with a coupon. They’re actually pretty good and at least a little different than the veggies I bring every day.

Sadly, the end of the bag was mostly microwaved mushy carrots which aren’t my favorite. I kind of ate all the broccoli around them. Good thing I have my green smoothie for this afternoon – I’m gonna need it!

And some never ending fruit. Yum. I wish I could grow my own pineapple here. But I’m pretty sure our weather is not conducive to growing tropical fruits.

I am sore, sore, sore from BodyPump, so I’m not sure what is on my 15 MMC agenda for today besides stretching. While sitting in my chair  🙂 . I really think my triceps almost just popped out of the back of my arms last night – it was crazy. But I can feel my muscle, which makes me happy.

Since it’s kind of gross today, Nick and I just ate inside and then went to Books-a-Million to walk around and use up the rest of the lunch hour – I like being able to get out of the office for at least a few minutes every day, just to have a break from sitting in my chair at my desk. I saw the new James Patterson book and I need it! I’ve read that entire Women’s Murder Club series and I’ve been waiting for his new one to come out. I think I may have to buy it for our crazy long road trip next weekend.

Do you eat at your desk and stay at work during lunch, or do you go out?

Sometimes we end up staying here depending on what is going with work, but I like to try to get out at least for a little bit. I just need that break in my day!

 

Make sure to check out the blogiversary giveaway over at Iowa Girl Eats! Happy Blogiversary!

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Jewels on my Oats

Good morning everyone! I am sore this morning – my arms, shoulders, and back are pretty tight from Bodypump. At least it’s not my legs, though. I’m hoping to get in a run this afternoon as long as it’s not pouring.

I wanted oatmeal really bad this morning, but I’m out of my favorite TJ’s nuts over raspberries mix, so no chocolate on my oats this morning  😦  Oh well – this mix was nice and fruity.

This trail mix is like jewels on my oats!

• 1 small apple, chopped and microwaved for 1:30 with cinnamon
• 1/2 cup oats, 1 cup water, pinch salt
• 3 Tbsp TJ’s Omega Trek Mix
• more cinnamon  🙂

I’m having a cup of milk with breakfast and also packed an awesome green smoothie to take with me.

 

This one has 1 cup milk, 1 small ripe banana, about 1 Tbsp flax, 2-3 cups spinach, and 1 tsp pb2.

Today is my Friday at work since I have tomorrow off – let’s see how much I can get done  🙂

 

What’s your favorite snack to have at work / during the day?

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What’s a Day Without Chocolate?

Today’s eats turned out to be very unexpected!

Like Rose today, my lunch was just not very satisfying! I was still a little hungry and just needed something else, so I ended up getting this blondie from a local coffee shop here while running a few errands at lunch.

 

This is from the same place that makes the amazing cookies. This blondie was pretty good, but they’re not as good as their cookies. Sadly, they were out of the cookies today so I got this instead. Very chocolatey!

I finished up my work project today! I got it all done and went over it with my supervisor so now I’m just working on an extension part of it that I think will go well.

This afternoon, I got in my 15 MMC and maybe a little more – one of my coworkers and I went for 15 minute walk this afternoon, and I’m glad we went when we did. It was just starting to rain here when we got back to the office, and it was pouring by the time I left work.

I did have a small snack before heading to Bodypump after work – that blondie was good at lunch, but I knew it wouldn’t hold me through the class and until we got home. Nick picked out that new Kashi Honey Sunshine cereal, so I had a serving of that with some skim milk.

 

It was pretty good – it tasted like a mix of Capn’ Crunch and Kix.

Bodypump was painful tonight. The tricep track was killer – my arms are still shaky! I am going to be sore tomorrow. I feel so strong in that class, even when it’s really hard, which is why I like it. It’s nice knowing that I’m lifting more than when I started.

I had plans to make dinner when we got home, but we decided we really wanted burgers and onion rings from old faithful down the road. We found out when we got there that they were out of onion rings! Should that even be possible?!? 

 

I got my usual buffalo burger with onion, lettuce, tomato, ketchup, mustard, plus fries. The burger was just as good as it usually is, but I was just so sad there were no onion rings. I ate all of my burger and maybe 1/2 of the fries? They were okay – definitely nothing like the onion rings  🙂  I guess today just wasn’t my day – coffee place out of cookies, restaurant out of onion rings…

I’ve got 5 minutes to get settled for LOST!

Do you ever have days when nothing goes how you think it will? What do you do?

Apparently, I eat sweets + grease  🙂  But, that doesn’t happen every day, so it’s fine. Thankfully, today wasn’t anything super stressful, but it’s still strange when things happen that you don’t expect.

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Flat is the New Hot

For me, anyways! Since I’m having the same lunch again today (curry bulgur dish, broccoli, cantaloupe/pineapple), I thought I would show the shoes I got for Honduras instead of showing the same food pics again.

I think they’ll be comfy and easy to take to Honduras  – with these for most of the days, plus a pair of flip flops for traveling, I should be good with only 2 pairs of shoes. I just need to find some of those really short socks to take with me.

I do love heels, and I have some really comfy pairs, but there is just something I love about cute flats! These are some of my favorites:

Snake print flats from Payless

Purple satin from Ann Taylor Loft

Leopard flats from Belk?

Black / white / baby blue flats from Gap

I used to have a pair of hot pink sling backs and red patent peep toes, but I wore them both out, basically. I need some new red shoes – every girl needs red shoes, right?

What is your favorite pair of shoes you have? Comfy or not  🙂

I love flats, but my sister bought me what I called “Lucy” shoes because they looked like a pair of pumps that would be on “I Love Lucy”: black and light pink polka dot, peep toe, with a bow. I loved them, but they were SO painful.  I miss those shoes, but I couldn’t wear them for very long.

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Can’t Live Without You

Good morning – it’s humpday already! I’m excited for another nice, busy day so it will fly by.

I know I had eggs yesterday morning, but it’s just not the same when they’re not runny – I think I have a problem. I just have to have runny eggs every couple of days….or more. They’re so satisfying.

I put my eggs on some oatbran this morning, and had some kiwi and strawberries on the side.

 

Plus a cup of milk

 

I was looking forward to this breakfast so much, and I’m glad I made it. It’s so filling, plus it’s fun to eat the runny eggs  🙂

Do you play with your food / eat certain things certain ways?

If I’m not weird enough already, I usually eat my oatmeal around the edges first and save all the fun toppings (especially chocolate!) for the last few bites – just to maximize the fun.

Also, with my eggs and grits or oatbran, I eat one egg at a time, but I eat around the yolk and then leave some grits/oatbran underneath the yolk so it “catches” all the runny-ness once I break it open. I don’t want to lose any of that stuff!

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Weighed and Watered

Well, our run didn’t happen, but I’ll get to that in a minute.

This afternoon was pretty good – I worked on my report and just about have it finished! I’m hoping to get it done tomorrow, and I think I’ll be able to regardless of whatever else comes in tomorrow.

I got hungry this afternoon so I snacked on a mix of dried peach, dried apricots, and a few dried strawberries to hold me over. They were so sweet and chewy – it was just what I needed, and just enough to get me home and into my busy evening.

We had to stop and fill up the car on the way home, and as soon as I got back, I changed clothes and went to weigh in for the month. Thank goodness that’s done! I don’t know how May is going to be (besides busy!) so I’m glad I got it done. By the time I got home, Nick was up working in the garden, so instead of going running, we just decided to work a bit in the garden before heating up dinner. Yeah, I probably should have gone running, but it was almost 7 pm by then and I was starving. I know I’ll get to go later this week and I’m not training for anything so no biggie.

Nick took care of the weeds in the garden and I watered the peas and tomatoes. It’s been dry + hot the last couple of days, so our little plants were parched! I watered them really good. I think we’re supposed to get some more rain this week, so I hope they perk up soon. I want some veggies  🙂

Dinner tonight was leftovers of the pasta dish, but I decided to be even lazier and just make a mountain of my meal.

I layered about a cup of green beans on the bottom of my bowl, topped it with a serving of the red pepper pasta, and drizzled it with a little olive oil, parsley, and crushed red pepper. On top of spaghetti…is it stuck in your head now?  It’s stuck in mine!

I’d been waiting for this treat all day. I had already decided that I was going to have this tonight, so I’ve been thinking about it since this morning.

It’s my first food EVER from Whole Foods – I know, right? What took me so long?  🙂 We don’t have a Whole Foods here, or a Trader Joe’s for that matter, so I miss out on a lot! Beadie was nice enough to bring me a little “Richmond” goodie bag this weekend and these chocolate chewies were included. They are so super cocoa-y and crumbly. I love the deep chocolate flavor in these. Thanks Beadie!

I’m off to pack my lunch for tomorrow and have a lazy night on the couch with Nick and Roxy.

If you have a Whole Foods / Trader Joe’s, what are your favorite things to get? I need ideas for when I do get to go  🙂

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Shoes Accomplished!

This day is just flying by – I’m hoping the afternoon will, too. It seems like the afternoons usually go by so much slower. I have a big report I’m working on for work, so I’m hoping that will speed up my afternoon a bit.

Lunch was more of my chicken curry bulgur dish and broccoli

Plus some cantaloupe and pineapple

Lunch was really good, and I’m happy to say my big breakfast stuck with me really well! I didn’t really start getting hungry for lunch until about ten minutes to 12, which is awesome.

15 MMC Update:
I totally forgot to post this yesterday! I didn’t get as much done as I wanted during the day, but I did walk downstairs to wash out my mug instead of staying upstairs (where our offices are). Plus, Nick and I ate outside and walked over to the gazebo area to eat and then I walked around Target for at least 15 minutes  – does that count?

Today I’ve gone downstairs a few times to use the bathroom instead of the one around the corner and am hoping to get outside for a bit again at lunch. We’ll see if anything else happens this afternoon. I would love to read over my info for my report while walking outside, but I’m not sure I can swing that.

In blogland news:
– Are you a super planner? Make sure to check out Tina’s plan-tastic giveaway!
– The Fitnessista is not only giving away a cookbook, but also something else that is totally worth checking out

I’ve got a busy afternoon and evening tonight-

• Monthly weigh in for WW tonight since I’ll be gone just about every weekend this month

• Run!

• Eat dinner

• Enjoy my special treat tonight – I’m looking forward to it

In Shoe News, I found a pair at TJMaxx at lunch!

I got these, I think, or they’re close to it, anyways.

Only $25, too! Sweet!

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Almost Complete Breakfast

I ran out of time this morning!  I was doing so good getting ready, but breakfast took a bit longer to make than I expected – it was really good though.

I’d say we had a pretty complete breakfast this morning, minus some fruit, but I’ll have some of that with lunch.

 

I made us some egg/egg white scrambles with spinach, asparagus, and cheese. Nick cooked up some bacon, and I had a piece of bread that Beadie brought me this weekend (yum!) and a sliced tomato.

 

I love big breakfasts. I wish I had the time for this every morning. It just starts my day off right!

Nick also made some coffee this morning, so I had that once I got to work.

 

Perfection in a travel mug.

Break is over – back to work!

What’s your favorite omelet filling?

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Target Takes up Too Much Time

Happy end to your Monday! I am so glad today is over  🙂  I think we have some plans for this weekend, and I’m excited about them. It should be a good rest of the week.

Nick and I ate lunch outside today since it was beautiful, in the 80s, and a little breezy.

I had some of my lunch dish for this week: Curry Chicken Bulgur Salad (recipe coming later)

Some broccoli – look how much prettier it is in fresh sunlight! Too bad I can’t bottle this light and take it with me everywhere!

Plus some pineapple and cantaloupe

We ran over to Target to get out of the office for a while, so by the time I got back, I didn’t have time to blog at lunch. I get so sidetracked  by everything at Target! I go in thinking “I’m going to look at this and this”, but then I end up in like 5 other sections somehow. I did restrain from buying anything today – I found some cute sandals, but couldn’t really decide if I wanted them or not, so I put them back. If they’re meant to be, they’ll be there the next time I’m there. Plus, if I’m going to buy shoes, I really need to get a pair of cute tennis shoes (the ones that don’t really look like tennis shoes) for Honduras. Any suggestions?  I think I have to wear skirts everyday, so I want a pair of comfy shoes I can wear with everything – maybe some that don’t have to be laced up?

I figured we would be running once we got home, so I packed a snack to have around 3 pm today – and it was good.

I packed about 1/2 -3/4 cup fat free plain yogurt, the last 8 raspberries, and one of my oatmeal bars that I baked this weekend. Don’t worry – I’ll post the revised recipe soon  😉 It only had one difference, but they turned out great!

Obviously, I saved the most chocolatey bites for last.

It was perfect running weather today – honestly, if there wasn’t a breeze, it would have just been hot! But we had just enough of a breeze to make it really nice. We ran about 3.25 miles in a little over 30 minutes. That’s about normal for me, but I looked and my pace on the 3rd mile was 9:11! I think that’s the fastest I’ve ever run so far! I think it’s the kelly green running gear  🙂  Maybe just because it’s my favorite color?

Dinner tonight was a tried and true recipe, with one change.

I made Ellie Kreiger’s Fettuccine with Creamy Red Pepper-Feta Sauce, but used about 1 Tbsp fat free feta and .5 oz of the cheese curds we got at the farmer’s markets last week. It turned out great! I also added some roasted garlic chicken sausages to the pasta for some protein and a bag of steamed green beans on the side.

Easy and good! I like Ellie Kreiger’s recipes – every one I’ve tried has turned out really good.

I’m off to catch up on blog before the How I Met Your Mother comes on.

 

What are your most comfortable pair of shoes?

my running shoes are pretty comfy, but I have this one pair of brown snake print flats from payless that are SO comfy! I don’t know why they’re so comfortable, but I could wear them everyday.

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