My anatomy lesson seemed to drag on and on. We’re studying the digestive system right now, and I find it to be extremely confusing.

Yes, I actually wrote “What the F?” in my notes. 

Although class was unproductive, I did get a LOT done on the Operation Beautiful book today.  My chapters are coming together!  I’m on the proofreading part of the process right now for Chapter 1 and 2.

Eats of the afternoon included bread with apple butter:

POM seeds:

Granola and milk:

And dinner was a bowl of angel hair spaghetti with red sauce, green peppers, kidney beans, and spinach.  I also had two pieces of garlic bread.

This was a collaborative effort between the Husband and I.  We were rushing around the kitchen like crazy people trying to get something together.  We both got home at 9:30!

I leave you with this lovely picture of my Maggie.  I snapped it today and every time I look at it, it makes me happy.  She looks so content in her slumber.

Doesn’t her head look like black velvet?  One of my favorite things about Maggie is her coloring.  She’s a piebald dachshund and is mostly white and black.  She has brown spots on her muzzle, eyebrows, and one spot on her butt.  I always pet her and think how crazy it was that someone paid $1,500 for her as a puppy… and then ditched her to a shelter two years later because they were tired of having a pet.  She’s a lot of work (she has mental issues; not joking), but she is so loving and pretty.

Maggie obsession session is over. 

To bed I go! 

I feel a little slow to the party, but I just discovered Skype.  In case you haven’t heard of it, a Skype is a software application that allows users to make voice calls over the Internet…. FOR FREE.  Yes, free.   All you need is a WebCam (if you want to share videos) and a microphone.  Pretty cool!

Today, I spoke to a reporter in Croatia (for free!) and I video chatted with my Dad (for free!). Can you tell I like the free part?

I wish the Husband and I had Skype when I lived in Pennsylvania, and he lived in Florida.   

To download Skype, go to the Skype website and download the free application.  And then start chatting!

Do you Skype?

We managed to squeak out the mileage at a decent pace, but I had to stop and ask her if we could walk several times towards the end.  I don’t think I’m fully recovered from my illness yet.  She said she didn’t mind, and that’s one of the things I like about running with Megan – she’s flexible. 

• Duration: 1 hour, 3 minutes
• Distance: 6.0 miles
• Mile 1: 9:58
• Mile 2: 9:48
• Mile 3: 10:21
• Mile 4: 10:27
• Mile 5: 11:37
• Mile 6: 11:12

I came home and crashed on the floor.  I only let my dogs lick my face after a run since I’m getting in the shower anyway!

I think they like the salt? Eww. 

I showered, iced my knees, and ate another Glo bar (my stash is rapidly dwindling):

Worked a little, and then I made lunch:

I had Lentil soup from Wolfgang Puck, which looks disgusting but tastes amazing:

Melon:

And about 1.5 servings of crackers with cheese:

Fit Bloggin’ 2010

I’ve been tweeting like a madwoman about the Fit Bloggin’ 2010 conference.  Fit Bloggin’ is a conference for those that blog about fitness, wellness, good food, and a healthy lifestyle. It’s an opportunity to connect, learn, grow, and network.

Fit Bloggin’ will take place on March 20, 2010 in Baltimore, and I’ll be speaking on the panel called: Beyond the Blog: Publishing Books and Other Forms of Media.  I’m excited to be on the panel, and hopefully it will help me get over my public speaking nerves before my book tour!

One of the things I liked about Fit Bloggin’ is that there are two “tracks” for the attendees, so you don’t have to listen to a panel that doesn’t apply to your goals or interests.    Panel options include:

• “Don’t write about junk science: How to critically evaluate research” OR “Blogs, Accessibility and SEO: Dispelling the Myths”
• “Getting Noticed: How to Pitch to Traditional Media” OR “Wordpress from .com to Self Hosted: An in Depth look into one of the Most popular Blogging Softwares out there”
• “Beyond the Blog: Publishing Books and Other Forms of Media” OR “Body Image and Blogging: What are we teaching our kids?”
• “Using Social Media to Reach Goals: The Power of an Online Community” OR “Making Money From Your Blog: Should You? Could You? How?”

Everyone gets to attend sessions on yoga and strength training, as well as the keynote speaker (to be announced).    Plus – there’s a cocktail party and a fun run!  The complete detailed schedule for the conference is available here.   This conference is definitely aimed at bloggers, but I think readers would get a lot of out it, too. 

I hope you join me in Baltimore!    I love to meet new people, so don’t be shy if you feel like you won’t know anyone – you’ll know me!  Tickets are $75 on the early bird special, but that only lasts until SATURDAY.  You can register here.

Are you going to Fit Bloggin’ or any other blogger conference in the future?  It’s fun to go from ‘electronic friends’ to ‘real friends’ with people!

Breakfast was amazing:

I made French Toast with a POM Wonderful twist, resulting in California Toast!

I added 1.5 tablespoons of fresh-squeezed pomegranate juice to mixed eggs + ground flax, and then cooked the French Toast like I normally would.  Then, I topped it with POM seeds, banana, and a drizzle of maple syrup. 

Nom, nom, nom.

Megan is coming over in half an hour to join me for a run.  We both need the extra motivation of a running buddy today, I think! Although we usually run in her neighborhood, she’s driving to my place today because she’s bored with the scenery around her house. 

Back on Track Month

Thank you for your feedback on Back on Track Month.  It’s helpful for me to hear that you guys “like it” when I admit my struggles with leading a healthy lifestyle.  It’s not easy, but I know it’s worth it. I love running, eating well, getting enough sleep, and feeling strong and healthy.      So… time to get BACK ON TRACK!

Operation Beautiful

There are some wonderful notes on Operation Beautiful today!  Check it out!

Things to Do:

• Eat breakfast and blog
• Run
• Work, work, work!
• Figure out health insurance
• Book plane ticket to the Fit Bloggin’ 2010 conference
• Go to the bank
• Anatomy class

See you later!

For the last two weeks, I feel like I’ve been wandering around with no purpose.  Too much TV, not enough work.  And I’ve been stretching my definition of “healthy living” and “balance” a little bit too much.   I even took a few hits of my friend’s cigarette the other night (I don’t even know why I did it). 

I woke up this morning feeling exhausted, grumpy, and a little sick to my stomach – sure signs that I am overdoing it on alcohol and sugar and skimping on sleep and exercise.  It’s all relative, but I’m not where I want to be right now.

This morning, I asked how YOU get back on track.  Half of you said you like to ease back into your routine and the other half said you throw yourself back into it wholeheartedly.   I gave your comments a lot of consideration, and I think it’s best for me to declare a Back on Track Month:

A major focus of Back on Track Month is reducing my frivolous spending. I also know I need more sleep.   Additionally, I want to stop eating and exercising like I’m on vacation.  I’ve had a major desserts (not treats) 6 out of the last 7 days.  I’ve been slacking on mileage (some due to sickness and other days entirely within my control).

One of the most beneficial aspects about blogging is that it makes me accountable.  I could declare this Back on Track Month to myself, and if I slipped up, no one would be wiser.   But I wanted to share this with you because I feel like it’s common to slack on healthy habits during this time of the year.  I bet a lot of you can relate!

Also, I think it’s important for me to acknowledge that it is not always easy to lead a healthy lifestyle.  There is no “finish line.”  I struggle, too.

Goals for Back on Track Month:

• Hit all Marathon Training and Strength Training goals
• Aim for 8 hours of sleep a night and be awake by 6:30 AM
• No alcohol except for special occasions
• Major desserts are for special occasions only
• Aim to eat out 1 night per week maximum (my bank account is rapidly dwindling now that I’m unemployed self employed)

I think it’s KEY to set goals that are tangible, realistic, and achievable.  My personal motto is “don’t set yourself up to fail.”

I have my Back on Track goals posted on my bulletin board so I can read it during the day whenever I feel like slacking.  I respond well to visual cues!

I feel better already! 

Here are my afternoon and evening eats.  I had ANOTHER Glo Bar while working:

And the Husband was in charge of dinner.  He made me a veggie burger with green beans:

And my post-dinner snack was a bowl of grapes:

Off to bed I go!  Must get in bed by 10:30 to meet my Back on Track goals.

The star of my salad was a pomegranate.  I love how POMs are so time-intensive to cut open, but in the end, you have 2 cups of arils to show for all your hard work!

How to cut open a POM fruit (without ruining your shirt).

My salad consisted of:

• Green lentils (cold)
• POM arils
• Feta cheese
• Carrots
• Lettuce

It was an unusual combination, but it worked!  I think the feta cheese balanced the salty flavor of the lentils and the sweetness of the arils.

I had a serving of crackers on the side.

I also snacked on a mini Glo Bar this morning:

The Second Annual PILE ON THE MILES 2009 Challenge

Last November, I signed up for Bobbi’s Pile on the Miles Challenge.   I’m really excited to help her host this blogger/reader challenge again!

It’s almost part of the holiday season to slack off between November and December, and then vow on January 1 to get back on track.  It’s hard to stay focused on your workout and eating goals when there are office parties, family dinners, and Christmas cookies at every turn.  But this year, let’s try something new.  Instead of piling on the pounds, let’s PILE ON THE  MILES!

Last year, Bobbi’s event had amazing results.  As a group, we piled  on 1,763.52 miles!  In third place was Lacey @ Common Objects and Everyday Events with 127 total miles; in second place was Monica @ Run, Eat, Repeat with 131.38 total miles; and the winner, Sammie @ Running With A Recipe, ran 135.78 total miles!

From November 1 to Thanksgiving, keep track of how many miles you run or walk.   We’ve created a group Google Document so you can post your miles on the spreadsheet.  Be honest! 

To ensure everyone has a chance to win, we’ll be selecting three winners this time. 

• The Grand Prize winner will be based on total mileage.
• To qualify for the General Entry category, all you have to do is pile on at least 10 miles during the month of November!
• To qualify for the Operation Beautiful entry, you must spread the Operation Beautiful love while out on your runs.  Get creative – carry chalk with you, bring post its, or write it in the sand.  But you’ve got to take a picture and e-mail it to me! 

We’re working on pulling together some amazing prizes for the winners!

Last year I piled on 67 miles as part of Bobbi’s POTM 2009 challenge.  This year, I’m aiming for 100 miles. 

The POTM 2009 Challenge is a great way to stay motivated, participate in the blog world, have fun, and be healthy during the holiday season! If you’d like to participate, e-mail me at seebriderun@gmail.com and I’ll send your the link to the Google Document spreadsheet.  You have until October 31, 2009 to enter!

• Note 1: I am double checking with Bobbi, but I’m 99% sure that you must physically RUN or WALK the mileage.  Biking, elliptical, swimming, etc is awesome, but it cannot count for this challenge because then we have to do all sorts of weird calculations.  Yes, POTM is a runner-specific challenge, but I still love all you non-runners, too. 
• Note 2:  You don’t need a blog to enter – anyone can!

POTM 2009!  Remember, if you want to participate, you must e-mail me (seebriderun@gmail.com).

My mom and I took Jamesy for a nice, long walk this morning:

We walked for 32 minutes and completed 1.68 miles.  My mom normally walks 1.0 mile every morning, but she tackles HUGE Tennessee hills.  Florida is quite flat! 

When we came home, I did some strength training.  I have been such a slacker lately with sit-ups and push-ups, and I’m determined to re-acquire my good habit of morning strength training.

I did:

• 100 sit-ups
• 40 push-ups
• Two 30-second planks
• Ten 10-second wall squats

Whew!

Breakfast:

My banana oatmeal contained:

• 1/2 cup oatmeal
• 1/2 cup milk
• 1/2 cup water
• 1 sliced banana
• Toppings:  almonds, coconut, flax

Oatmeal, I missed you!

Question for you all:

When you feel like you’ve been “slacking” on your healthy habits, how do you get back into the swing of things?  Do you prefer to throw yourself wholeheartedly into your old habits or slowly try to reintegrate the habits?  Or use another technique?

Speaking of challenges, I’m announcing an awesome month-long blog challenge (with prizes) to help keep everyone in shape over the holidays! Will announce at lunch!

Dinner:

Portion:

Pie:

Picture:

Pooped! 

I ordered the Hue Scramble #1, which was scrambled eggs with asiago cheese, bok choy, mushrooms, onions, peppers, and other veggies.  Plus Southern-style Homefries:

Boy choy tastes amazing with eggs!  I must repeat this at home.  It gave it a crunchy texture.

Plus, a buttery roll:

After our meal, we walked about 0.25-mile to the downtown farmers’ market to look at jewelry and other knick-knacks.  My mom was really impressed by the selection of jewelry and bought her friend a set for her birthday.

I ended up buying some all-natural, vegan Apple Butter.  I tasted the Pumpkin Butter, and it was AMAZING, but they were all out!  I was so disappointed – must go back next week for Pumpkin Butter!  This Apple Butter was sweet and crunchy, and it was a nice substitute.

We spent about an hour relaxing on the public picnic tables and watching all the people and doggies.  My mom and I like to make up stories about people as we watch them.  It’s a family habit to gossip about strangers (the stories aren’t all bad, though!).  It’s a fun way to pass the time.

I also played with Pebbles the Pug:

On the way home, we stopped at some stores and went on an Operation Beautiful posting spree:

That Apple Butter is screaming my name!  I think it’s time for some toast….

Hope your day is fabulous!