A note about my absence...

Hello all!

Whew. So as you might have noticed, I took a bit of a hiatus from this blog last week!! Terrible! I would like to quickly sum it up:

1. I was in the process of moving into a new place, and I am now settled in there!
2. The new place does not have internet until June 5th. Barf.
3. I got really, terribly fucking sick for a few days. I laid in bed with a fever forever.
4. My best friend moved to London.

Well, I ate Ok through most of it, with a few weak moments. I am still not 100%, but today I am feeling better than I have in a bit and I am looking forward to getting into my routine again. I miss my grubby old YMCA!

xoxox,

Robin

RR Log 05.25.10

Breakfast:
-1 egg scrambled with spinach & tomatoes
-red quinoa

Lunch:
-tuna salad: fat-free mayo, dried cranberries, salt & pepper
-seeded rice crackers

Dinner:
-quinoa pasta with chicken, broccoli, mushrooms, garlic, tomatoes & olive oil

Snacks:
-1.5 cups strawberries & cantaloupe
-rice cake with 1/4 avocado
-1 cup lemon sorbet

Drinks:
-2 cups black tea

Exercise: Aye!

Notes: See "note about my absence"

RR Log 05.19.10

Breakfast:
-steel cut oats with 1 tsp. blackstrap molasses, pecans & dried cherries

Lunch:
-roasted beets & shallots
-red quinoa
-mixed fruit: blueberries, mango, banana & kiwi

Dinner:
-gluten-free brown rice pizza crust with fennel, spinach, olive oil, tomatoes & soy cheese (minor amount of dairy in that fake cheese, realized it a minute too late....)

Snacks:
-tortilla chips
-rice crackers with hummus
-chocolate coconut "ice cream" with cashews on top (ate more than I would like you to know!!!!)

Drinks:
-1 cup black tea

Exercise: Moving. Cleaning. Moving. Cleaning.

Notes: No notes- too much going on this week! Feeling pretty good today, less allergies than before. I started taking 2 allergy pills instead of 1, spring allergies + moving dust = HELL.

RR Log 05.18.10

Breakfast:
-steel cut oats with dried cherries, walnuts & blackstrap molasses

Lunch:
-salad: mixed baby greens, radish sprouts, apples, walnuts, shallots, turkey & lite mustard vin.
-1 cup mixed strawberries & blueberries

Dinner:
-vegetable sushi
-red quinoa
-roasted beets & shallots

Snacks:
-dark chocolate! quite a bit. like, half a bar....
-tortilla chips

Drinks:
-1 cup black tea
-1 cup green tea

Exercise: Ho hum!!!! Who am I???

Notes: This week is crazy. Looking forward to finishing up with this move and being settled back into routine! I woke up with horrible allergies this morning. Moving doesn't help!

RR Log 05.17.10

Breakfast:
-egg whites scrambled with spinach, ramps & tomatoes
-carrot & parsnip puree

Lunch:
-collards
-cajun-creole spiced tempeh
-carrot & parsnip puree (finally! the last of it!!!)

Dinner:
-2 tacos al pastor (pork shoulder with pineapple)
-1 fish tostada (with cabbage, radish & avocado)
-guacamole & chips

Snacks:
-1 banana
-salad: spinach, apples, shallot, walnuts, radish sprouts & mustard vin.
-spiced mixed nuts

Drinks:
-2 cups black tea
-1 margarita
-1 fancy-pants tequila drink

Exercise: Ha ha.

Notes: Sooooo my best friend moves to London tomorrow. Major sads, Major "Anything you want to do your last night!!!" So we got tacos at Big Star, and then hopped across the street to the Violet Hour which was just the most perfect place for post-dinner cocktails and goodbyes. I stuck with tequila since I am still fuzzy on what liquors are grain-based. I ate good today- if too much. Looking forward to getting back on track, but I still have a lot of work and moving to get done in the next week!

DB's log 5.17.2010

Breakfast:
-Shredded Spoonfuls cereal with a banana and soy milk and chia seeds

Lunch:
-Ginger People green curry stirfried green beans, spinach, mushrooms, and tofu
-1/2 cup jasmine rice

Dinner:
-two kidney bean soyrizo wraps (mashed kidney beans, onion, garlic, chopped tomatoes, and soyrizo inside whole wheat tortillas)

Snacks:
-1 kumquat
-1 clementine

Beverages:
-decaf soy latte
-vitamin water

Exercise: No, unfortunately...but tomorrow morning, yes!

Notes: OMG, I'm all vegan today and it's really messing up my guts. Seriously, way too much soy today. Is there any way of trying to avoid meat and dairy without consuming massive amounts of intestinal mucus-building soy? Help.

RR Log 05.16.10

Breakfast:
-leftover grits with green onion
-2 fried eggs
-carrot & parsnip puree

Lunch:
-brown rice pasta with fire roasted tomatoes & nutritional yeast

Dinner:
-salad: romaine, tomato, hard-boiled egg, olives & dressed with olive oil, salt & pepper
-rice & pecan crackers

Snacks:
-3 squares dark chocolate
-almond butter (spoon to the jar- so bad!!!!)

Drinks:
-2 cups black tea
-1 glass champagne

Exercise: Nope

Notes: Helped our friends pack to move- it sucked not to be able to eat pizza and drink beer with everyone else- but not as shitty as I thought it would be. I didn't feel very well all day today, definitely having a lot of allergies. Everyone cut their damn grass this weekend.

RR Log 05.15.10

Breakfast:
-leftover kale
-poached egg
-parsnip & carrot puree

Lunch:
-salad: spinach, apples, walnuts, turkey & mustard vin.

Dinner:
-cajun-creole spiced tempeh pieces with creamy grits
-collard greens with onions & nutritional yeast
-fresh strawberries

Snacks:
-1 banana
-handful of cashews and peanuts
-hummus & brown rice crackers
-4 squares dark chocolate
-corn chips & salsa

Drinks:
-1 cup black tea

Exercise: Um, does working my ass off running around cleaning for 5 hours at work count? Ugghhh.

Notes: Ugggghhhhh blaaaahhhhh booooo.

RR Log 05.14.10

Breakfast:
-baked kale with olive oil & garlic
-1 poached egg
-1/2 baked sweet potato

Lunch/Dinner/Snacks: Hmmmm..... so neither of these happened as a proper meal... I got my period today and pretty much grazed all day on cashews, rice cakes, hummus, rice pasta with tomato sauce, a whole pint of chocolate coconut milk ice cream..... You know the drill. One of those days I would rather not have the whole world know about but that's how it is. Sometimes I am a gross person and I put everything I see in my face. That's how it is.

Drinks:
-2 cups black tea

Exercise: I took my dog for a nice long walk, about 45 minutes. So nice out today!

Notes: I felt good today but somehow let myself eat whatever I wanted..... I got a ton done around the house today though! We are moving next weekend, and I packed boxes and cleaned. All in all a good day, except for all that sugar!

Danielle's log 5.13.2010

Breakfast:
-irish oats with blueberries, chia seeds, agave nectar, and soy milk

Lunch:
-Whole foods hot bar, very small portions: 1 baby bok choy, lime and cilantro quinoa, sauteed eggplant, 4 cubes tofu in different culinary styles

Snacks:
-1 clementine
-handful of kumquats -zing!-
-1 apple

Beverages:
-soy steamer with one pump vanilla
-Peach Steaz Iced Tea

Exercise: went running in the morning with Dave. Did some leg lifts afterwards.

Notes: I can't remember what I ate for dinner on Thursday night! Yikes. Bad updater, the worst that ever lived!

RR Log 05.13.10

Breakfast:
-1/2 baked sweet potato
-egg whites scrambled with ramps, tomatoes, spinach & turmeric

Lunch: leftovers!
-1/2 baked sweet potato
-steamed broccoli
-1/2 chicken breast
-1/2 cup seaweed salad

Dinner:
-beef tacos with onion, tomatoes & cilantro

Snacks:
-rice cake with 1/2 tbsp. almond butter & 1 tsp. sweetheart jam (before gym)
-trail mix: 1/4 cup mixed raw nuts & 1/4 cup mixed dried fruit (cranberries, cherries & blueberries)
-rice cake with 1/4 avocado
-almond butter. mad weakness. straight from the jar!!!

Drinks:
-1 cup black tea
-1 cup green tea

Exercise:20 minutes on the treadmill, 20 minutes on the recumbent bike- using hand weights on both to get in some upper body work while walking/pedaling

Notes: I got STUCK at work late and ran out of food- I was famished by the time I got home and walked into Matt's goddamned taco party and I had no power to resist it! After dinner I craved something sweet, but didn't know what to do about it. I wasn't properly prepared for a sweets craving, especially a dairy & gluten-free one.... so I hit that jar of almond butter. Pretty hard. What a gross dinner and post-dinner snack to end an otherwise healthy day!

DB's log 5.12.2010

Breakfast:
-whole english muffin with egg white, spinach, laughing cow cheese, and jam
-small bowl Irish Oats with blueberries and chia seeds

Lunch:
-1 leftover bean burrito

Dinner:
-homemade caeser salad with grilled tuna steak

Snacks:
-2 small chocolate chip cookies
-raisins, almonds, macadamia nuts, cranberries trail mix
-1 tiny ginger snap cookie after dinner

Beverages:
-coffee
-small soy milk steamer with 1 pump chocolate
-water

Exercise: unfortunately, no.

Notes: Sugar attack....whoops! Someone brought cookies into the office and I could not resist. Feeling a-okay...looking forward to exercising once this rain lets up. I haven't been to the Y in a while, probably time to pay a visit...

Danielle's log 5.11.2010

Breakfast:
-organic whole wheat toast with scrambled egg whites
-1/2 piece toast with honey
-1/2 cup kefir drink

Lunch:
-1 banana
-6 brazil nuts and some hazelnuts
-1 peanut butter protein bar

Dinner:
-1 burrito with whole wheat tortilla, zucchini, beans, red pepper, and a little bit of cheese

Beverages:
-soy milk
-water

Exercise: Dave and I went for a 30 minute interval run (week 2 of Couch to 5k)

Notes: Wasn't feeling too good today so I stayed home. Run was good though..it was really more of a jog since Dave's legs are sore and my energy was drained. I am finally starting to stay in the upper 130s weight-wise which is great. I've decided to cool it with the meat for a while, partly due to a Runner's World article I read about the weight loss benefits of cutting out meat and MOSTLY to do with this little book I'm reading called Eating Animals. Holy. Cow.

RR Log 05.12.10

Breakfast:
-steel cut oats with 1/8 cup dried bing cherries, 1/8 cup chopped walnuts & 1/2 tsp. blackstrap molasses

Lunch:
-salad: spinach, apples, pecans, red onion, 2 slices turkey & 1 tbsp. Annie's lite mustard vin.

Dinner:
-1/2 chicken breast with tamari, ginger & garlic marinade
-1/2 baked sweet potato
-1 cup steamed broccoli

Snacks:
-1 rice cake with 1/2 tbsp. almond butter (before gym)
-1 rice cake with 1/4 avocado
-hummus with brown rice crackers and red pepper slices

Drinks:
-2 cups black tea

Exercise: 30 minutes on the treadmill, really busting it through intervals of running, sprinting & walking on an incline with weights. 30 minutes of resistance training- lots of abs, lots of free weights!

Notes: Though I had a sort of restless sleep last night, I had a lot of energy at the gym today, and in general. I can STILL smell, which is amazing. Even if it partially due to PMS I have never been able to smell this much from it. This has me wondering if this dairy & gluten-free thing might have something to it.... Anyways, it is probably too soon to say that, but I do feel good with the change in my diet! I am certainly more label-conscious than ever before. In a good way. Woo! I haven't been drinking as much lately either- this is also a change I want to stick with. To be honest, I don't even feel like drinking. If I feel that way, then I think I should take advantage of it because I am sure with summer and beer gardens upon us I'll be back on the hooch!

RR Log 05.11.10

Breakfast:
-steel cut oats with 1/2 tsp. blackstrap molasses, 1/8 cup walnuts & fresh blueberries

Lunch:
-salad: spinach, apples, red onion, pecans, radish sprouts & 1 tbsp. Annie's lite honey mustard vin.
-rice cake with 1/4 avocado

Dinner:
-11 shrimp cooked with olive oil, lime, garlic & a little vegan butter
-1/2 cup black rice
-6 stalks asparagus steamed
-1/2 cup seaweed salad

Snacks:
-dried green beans with salt dipped in garlic hummus (a little overboard portion-wise I think.....)
-5 strawberries
-tortilla chips

Drinks:
-1 cup black tea
-1 cup green tea

Exercise: Not today

Notes: Feeling Ok today- got totally stuck at work WAY longer than I expected. Uggghhhh. I had really hoped to make it to the gym, but that's alright. I definitely ate too much hummus today. Maybe I am not allowed to buy hummus anymore.... I just can't control myself around it! I guess there are worse things to be addicted to..... Anyways- I would like to report yet another day of being able to smell! YAY!

RR Log 05.10.10

Breakfast:
-sprouted corn tortilla with fried egg white, black beans, salsa & avocado

Lunch:
-leftover rice dish from last night with kimchi and marinated radishes added to it
-seaweed salad
-smoked salmon

Dinner:
-grilled vegetables & tofu (marinated in olive oil, balsamic vin. & herbs): chard, fennel, parsnip, bell peppers, mushrooms, asparagus & corn on the cob!!!!
-1/2 cup red quinoa

Snacks:
-rice cake with 1 tsp. almond butter (before gym)
-1 cup strawberries & blueberries
-handful pretzels with hummus
-10 almonds

Drinks:
-1 cup black tea
-1 cup green tea
-1.5 glasses champagne

Exercise: 30 min. on the treadmill, alternating running, sprinting, walking on an incline with hand weights, walking. 40 minutes resistance training. Rode my bike to and from work.

Notes: Spent a lot of time in the free weights section today! I did all sorts of stuff, thanks to that class on Saturday for reminding me of some good moves, and also my gym session with Andrea. I got a great workout, and switching it up is going to help me blast through this belly fat. I can feel it. It;s gonna happen. YES! So yeah, I am feeling a lot better today than I have been lately. Exercising totally kept me up today, I didn't snack as much! What an amazing dinner I had too! We grilled at our pals house (actually, our future home) and they opened a really nice bottle of champagne so I had some, and it was so good. I chose not to drink the rest of the night as we played games, but even though I was the most sober I still didn't win at Settlers of Catan OR Canasta.... I feel really great about today, especially that veggie-loaded dinner! I should mention that my lunch was also so good- probably the best lunch I have ever packed for myself ;)

RR Log 05.09.10

Breakfast:
-egg whites scrambled with spinach, tomato, crimini mushrooms & turmeric
-skillet sweet potatoes with cayenne pepper & ketchup

Lunch:
-salad: spinach, apples, shallots, 1/8 cup pecans, 2 slices turkey & mustard vin.
-1 banana

Dinner:
-rice with pea shoots, mushroom, egg & thai basil
-side of kimchi

Snacks:
-rice cake with 1/3 avocado
-granola with almond milk
-ummmm 3 rice cakes. plain. snack attack!

Drinks:
-1 cup black tea

Exercise: Rode my bike to and from work.

Notes: Went out to eat again at Urban Belly (I feel I have been there a lot lately!) I made sure my choices fit within my guidelines (no dairy or wheat.) Felling Ok today, definitely sore from that class yesterday! Seriously. Sore. Having allergies for sure this morning but could smell today, which made my dinner way way way better. Way better. I can usually smell right around before I get my period. Isn't that interesting? I try to enjoy it. It is the only time I have any idea what my shampoo smells like.

Danielle's log 5.8.2010

NOTE: DANG IT!! I'm sorry I've been so bad at keeping up with this. Lordy. I can't remember what I ate this weekend, but I do know that on Saturday we ran together and on Sunday I ran alone and for the most part I ate very healthy all weekend!

Breakfast:

-1/4 cup Irish oats made with milk, with banana slices, blueberries, chia seeds, touch of honey

-whole wheat English muffin with egg white, 1/2 laughing cow swiss cheese, touch of raspberry jelly, and spinach

Snacks:

-Luna bar (nuts over chocolate, I think it was called?)

Beverages:

-coffee

Exercise: 30 minute interval run with Dave...we sprinted hard today! Then quick 10 minute weight training workout in my living room. My arms are starting to look nice, I think!

RR Log 05.08.10

Breakfast:
-4 tbsp. egg whites with spinach, tomatoes, crimini mushrooms, tumeric & a little black rice

Lunch:
-salad with spinach, apples, 1/8 cup pecans, radish sprouts & 2 slices turkey. a drizzle of homemade mustard vin. dressing
-1 rice cake with 1/4 avocado, salt & pepper

Dinner:
-2 fish tostadas with cabbage, red onion & radish (86'd the cucumber yogurt sauce!)
-guacamole, salsa & corn chips

Snacks:
-1 banana
-2 tbsp. hummus with 1/2 cup sliced raw red pepper
-2 handfuls of pretzels ("glutino" gluten-free pretzels)
-1/2 cup granola with blueberries & almond milk

Drinks:
-2 cups black tea
-2 margaritas

Exercise: 20 minutes running interval style, 1 hour muscle-sculpting class

Notes: Well well WELL. Today started out pretty much as shitty as yesterday, but I think I turned it around for myself! I woke up at 6am (I do that without an alarm, which is kind of fucked up) and waited for the gym to open at 8. It was cold and windy as hell. Matt accidentally took both sets of headphones to work. Awesome. It almost kept me from going to the gym, but I was like, FUCK THAT, I CAN WORK OUT WITHOUT A DAMN IPOD. So I went to the gym, and realized there was a muscle-sculpting class from 8:45-9:45. BAM. I decided to do it. Unfortunately, by the time I got in there all the weight loading bars were taken, so I settled for a couple of weighted bars. Then the instructor was having trouble getting HER iPod to work! I thought- it's written in the stars today Russo.... just hang in there! Which I did. And I got a good workout! YES!!! Manifest your destiny! Sooooo then I saw some other girls in class who had pooches, similar to mine, and for a minute I thought WOW! Look!! See!!!! Some people are healthy and strong and STILL have bellies like me!!!

Then I found out they are actually pregnant. DANG!

SOOOOOO......then I went to work and it sucked. But then I picked up my be-fri from the airport and went to Big Star and had margaritas- because I can't have whiskey (stupid delicious whiskey!) Phew. Today had it's challenges, but I survived, and I feel better for it. I am so so so happy I got to the gym today. I think it saved me today. Really!!!! Well, that or the margaritas....

Danielle's log 5.7.2010

Breakfast:
-egg white omelette with asparagus
-fresh tangerine wedges and strawberries

Lunch:

-3 cookies (WTF?!?!?!)

Dinner:

-two pieces veggie quesadilla

-1 tiny roasted chicken wing

-half veggie sandwich wrap with cheese and beans

-small chocolate brownie

Snack:
-1 piece hershey's chocolate (after a very stressful moment at work!)

Beverages:
-water
-green tea

Exercise: No time, busiest stressiest day evaaar.

Notes:  terrible day at work (just like Robin had!) and my god it shows with what I ate.  Faculty meeting cookies for lunch?  Brownie and tons of cheese at dinner?  I literally came home from work at 9:30pm (yes, on a Friday night) and plopped on the couch and couldn't get up.  You are what you eat and I ate like shit so I felt like shit!  Ugh.

RR Log 05.07.10

Breakfast:
-steel cut oats with 1/4 cup mixed raw nuts & 1/8 cup dried cranberries

Lunch:
-1 sprouted corn tortilla with 1/2 avocado and 2 tbsp. salsa
-some leftover roasted kale with olive oil & garlic (p.s. leftover roasted kale is gross!! UGHHHH.)
-1/2 small baked sweet potato, plain

Dinner:
-1/2 cup black rice with 1/4 cup kimchi, 1 fried egg, seaweed salad, sesame seeds, tamari (yes, wheat -free), radish sprouts

Snacks:
-1 large banana
-1/2 cup vanilla (gluten-free) granola with almond milk & 3/4 cup strawberries & blueberries
-1 pink lady apple
-4 black sesame tamari crackers
-1/2 bar(!!!) dark chocolate (vegan/gluten-free)

Drinks:
-2 cups black tea

Exercise: sigh.

Notes: Well. Here I am my first day of my dairy and gluten-free challenge! It started off terribly- I woke up to a stress-filled text message from my boss. Then I found out he has a kidney stone, so I rushed to work so he could go to the hospital! I literally THREW food in my lunch sack- which accounts for my weird lunch. Which really wasn't that good either.... Anyways, felt Ok today except for the crazy start, if a little down. Just have a general malaise, and the crappy cold weather certainly doesn't help! Uggghhh. What a long, shitty day! I am going to have to really drag my ass to the gym tomorrow. Working out might help me work out all the negativity I am feeling right now. I can't help but wonder what part of my feelings right now has to do with going off the pill and approaching my first period off of it. I haven't felt depressed in so long, not this kind anyways, and it certainly isn't good. I just want the sun to come back out. I want my refrigerator to keep working properly (it keeps crashing on us), I want to not feel so grumpy and insatiable! I feel INSATIABLE!!!!

Gluten & Dairy Free? Me??

Today I met with Claire Mooney at Magnolia House. Magnolia house offers nutritional consultations, herbal remedies and acupuncture. I set up an appointment to have her look at my diet and point out nutritional gaps, and perhaps steer me in the right direction in terms of my personal health issues.

Of course the thing that stands out is my ongoing allergy and asthma issues. I have had allergies my whole life, and asthma since I was 23. We talked for a while about what I do and don't eat, and she asked me what my personal food pyramid would look like. This was a really good question- and very telling as it turns out! I knew I ate a lot of grains, but I thought the thing I ate the most of after that was veggies and fruits, then meat & dairy, then nuts and beans at the tiny top. When Claire looked at my food log on this blog, she pointed out that I actually eat a shitload of gluten, or wheat products. I was really embarrassed to have her look at the blog, especially since i have been eating a lot of crappy snacks lately. I was also embarrassed that I didn't realize what I was eating! When I went home later, I started to look back through the blog and realized I have been so focused on low-calorie meals, I have let myself get lazy, eating processed grains and tacos and whatever.

Claire recommended I eliminate gluten and dairy from my diet, completely, for 2 weeks and see how I feel. I was told this same thing by another herbalist/nutritionist (forgive me for not knowing the exact lingo or title for this profession!) that I met with before my sinus surgery last year.

I think I know already that this change is going to make me feel better. I am happy to be taking these steps forward in my ongoing commitment to my health and wellness, but I am currently feeling kind of down about today. I think it is because thinking about my asthma always makes me feel sad. I feel like I have so much to work on, and I have only scratched the surface by losing weight and adding regular exercise to my life. There is so much work to do, and as I have said before it is the work of a lifetime.

Claire said it seems like I have a lot of the knowledge I need as far as food goes, and that I just seem to need help applying it to myself. She also wants me to try acupuncture and herbs, she has a special herbal blend that is for the lungs specifically. She sounded very confident that we could increase my lung health and capacity, which was hopeful. I know not everyone "believes" in traditional Chinese medicine, but honestly, I have been to so many doctors for so many years and all they seem to know how to do is write me a prescription for Advair (which, by the way, is over $200 a month!) I am increasingly interested in a holistic approach, and I feel Claire is someone I can trust. If anything, I can relate to her sense of humor, which is really big for me. She also seems so healthy and strong herself, someone who might be practicing what she preaches.

So. After work today I went to Whole Foods and picked up a few things, and browsed around a little bit. Whole Foods has a lot of great gluten-free products. I re-discovered some black sesame tamari rice crackers I love, and picked up some pastas and other treats.... ahem, delicious chocolate dairy-free coconut milk ice cream....

So all in all, not a death sentence! I am excited for this challenge, and glad to be making this next step. You will probably see some changes to my food logs, most significantly the absence of Greek yogurt everyday.

I will survive ;)

xoxox,

Robin

DB's log 5.6.2010

Breakfast:
-whole wheat english muffin with egg white, spinach, and a dab of strawberry jam
-1/4 cup lowfat Greek yogurt with chia seeds, fresh mango, and a few cashews

Lunch:
-Gluten- and calorie-free NO-dles with spicy marinara tomato sauce, sprinkling of cheese
-1 piece garlic toast

Dinner:
-small caesar salad
-5 pieces quesadilla with shiitake mushrooms, spinach, queso fresco, and chevre (ZOMG! So good. Prob not that healthy, though)

Snacks:
-apple

Beverages:
-coffee
-water
-1 rhubarb sangria
-1 irish decaf coffee

Exercise: up at 6am to do interval running with Dave. Ended with a plank, a few push ups, and situps on the exercise ball.

Notes: Wow, those NOdles are cool! Absolutely nothing in them...in fact, they're clear. Got a little excessive with dinner at Lula Cafe with my best gal, Laura. After drinking that sangria and getting a little buzzed it was "look out, world! mama's hongraaaay!" Ah well.

Danielle's log 5.5.2010

Breakfast:
-1/4 cup Quaker oats with fresh peach slices, chia seeds, and a little agave syrup

Lunch:
-mushroom tofu ramen soup

Dinner:
-triple seaweed salad
-two pieces seared tofu
-tuna maki roll (6 pieces--just tuna, sushi rice, and seaweed)
-two pieces raw oyster sushi

Snacks:
-two small piece chocolate
-a few chocolate cat cracker thingies from Trader Joe's
-very small handful popcorn (it was nasty tasting)

Beverages:
-decaf latte with 1 pump chocolate syrup
-water

Exercise: poo on me I did not exercise today but I did get a LOT of walking in to make up for it.

Notes: Very Asian for Cinco de Mayo, huh? I bet my sodium is off the charts today!

RR Log 05.05.10

Breakfast:
-multigrain tortilla with black beans, fried egg white, salsa & 1/4 avocado

Lunch:
-1/2 whole wheat english muffin with peanut butter, followed by eating like 3 spoonfuls of PB right out of the jar..... oops!
-kefir yogurt parfait with blueberries, strawberries & a touch of honey

Dinner:
-3 baked tostadas with black beans, salsa, reduced fat mexican blend cheese & greek yogurt as "sour cream"

Snacks:
-3 triscuit-type crackers with artichoke & white bean dip
-4 medium shrimp (leftovers from yesterday, cooked & ready in fridge)
-2 hard shell tacos with lean ground beef, onion, tomato, cilantro & shredded cheese
-big bowl o' cereal with almond milk

Drinks:
-2 cups black tea

Exercise: 25 minutes running on the treadmill at 6.0, some ab work and light weights.

Notes: Checked out Wicker Park Fitness today with my buddy Andrea. I liked it Ok, but honestly, I think it is waaaaay too small for how much they charge! I cannot even imagine going in there during peak hours, it must be hell! I guess you are mainly paying for the location, but since it isn't that convenient to me or my new place, I think I will stick with my good old YMCA for now! Ahem. So. What's with all the beans and salsa you might be asking? Every once in a while I will get on ick and have a tub of beans in the fridge and just eat them with everything! As far as the peanut butter fiasco, I told myself I wasn't allowed to drink tonight because I ate so much damn peanut butter. Sheesh! But whoa, SNAKC ATTACKS TODAY. Pms?? Is that you????

Will drinking a slushie before working out this summer help you endure? The New York Times thinks so!

image by Robert Gant/New York Times 2010

Ever do like me and drink a smoothie in your office while at work and then regret it for the following 45 minutes after it's finished because you're so damn cold sitting in your office chair? Well apparently that effect is great if you're going for a run or participating in other heavy-duty exercise. Check out this New York Times article on the effect of slurries on athletes:

To Beat The Heat, Drink a Slushie First

Danielle's log 5.3.2010

Breakfast:
-whole wheat english muffin with 1/2 wedge low fat laughing cow cheese, fresh spinach, and egg white
-1/3 cup oatmeal with bananas, walnuts, chia, and a little bit of agave syrup

Lunch:
-half sandwich with whole wheat bread, turkey breast, lettuce, cucumber, and a dab of mayo
-a few bites chicken matzoh ball soup (blech. sorry. i always love trying new ethnic food but matzoh was so-so)
-1/2 cup dark kidney bean salad

Dinner:
-garlic shrimp with 1/2 cup white rice and 3 fried plantains
-1/2 goat cheese empenada

Snacks:
-carrot apple mango juice smoothie
-1 apple

Beverages:
-water
-coffee with a little bit of milk
-half a bottle of no-sugar chocolate egg cream soda

Exercise: got up at 6am with my man and did 30 minutes of interval running...woot! He kicks my butt at first because his legs are longer than mine so it takes a faster speed for me to keep up...but towards the end he had trouble keeping up with me! Also rode my bike to and from work, 10.4 miles. BAM.

Notes: This entire day my whole outlook was improved by getting up early and running. Also, it's amazing how in-sync you are with your partner when you exercise together. We had a very fun morning running and then making breakfast together and those positive vibes lasted through the evening. ;-)

RR Log 05.04.10

Breakfast:
-multigrain tortilla with 1/4 avocado, 3 tbsp. egg whites (fried), 1/4 cup black beans, 3 tsp. salsa

Lunch:
-1 cup cooked soba noodles with 10 medium shrimp, 4 chopped thick stalks of asparagus, 1/3 chopped shallot, 1/4 cup bean sprouts and 2 tsp. reduced sodium tamari sauce

Dinner:
-spinach salad with red onion, apple, dried cranberries, hazelnuts & mustard vinaigrette
-carrot & parsnip puree (man, I made a lot of that stuff! baby food for daaaaaays)

Snacks: SO MUCH SNACKS!!!!
-1/2 rice cake with 1 tsp. peanut butter (before gym)
-14 reduced guilt pita chips with 4 tbsp. hummus
-1/2 cup nonfat yogurt with 3/4 cup blueberries & strawberries, 1/2 tsp. chia seeds & 1/8 cup walnuts
-1 serving (33, I counted!!) Trader Joe's baked jalapeno cheese curls (DROOL.)
-1/2 cup nonfat yogurt with 3 tbsp. granola
-late night binge of 3/4 cup granola with 1 cup almond mik

Drinks:
-2 cups black tea

Exercise: 15 minutes on the recumbent bike (doesn't get my heart rate up but I feel it in my muscles and I sure do sweat!), 15 minutes summit trainer (def. gets my heart rate up!), 25 minutes on the treadmill walking fast-paced on an incline of 5-7, every few minutes would walk pumping 4lb. hand weights for 2 min. Rode my bike to and from work & the gym and took the dog for a leisurely 35 minute walk.

Notes: Man, I really need that second cup of tea around 2pm! If I wait too long I feel really sluggish. It took everything in my power to ride home against the wind today, BLAH! I plugged everything into Daily Plate again today and went a little over my calorie goal- thanks to crazy snack-attacking. I just love food. I love it. I want to eat it. I don't care. Since my stupid "calorie goal" is set to lose 2 lbs. a week I am probably doing alright anyways. I just wanna be real honest about everything I do/eat on here. Good and bad, you get it all!

RR Log 05.03.10

Breakfast:
-multigrain tortilla with 1 fried egg white, 2 tbsp. black beans, 1 tsp. salsa & 1/4 avocado

Lunch:
-spinach salad with red onion, pear, 1 tbsp. dried cranberries, 1 tbsp. hazelnuts & homemade mustard vinaigrette
-1/2 cup carrot & parsnip puree

Dinner:
-3/4 cup cooked soba noodles with 10 medium shrimp & 1 tsp. reduced sodium tamari
-asparagus baked with olive oil, salt, pepper & shallots

Snacks:
-1/2 rice cake with 1 tsp. peanut butter (before gym)
-1 tbsp. hummus with 7 reduced guilt pita chips with sea salt
-1/2 cup nonfat plain yogurt with 1/8 cup walnuts, 1/2 cup blueberries & stawberries
-1/2 cup nonfat yogurt with fresh squeezed lemon & 1 tsp. honey
-2 cups stove popped popcorn with olive oil spray and salt & pepper

Drinks:
-2 cups black tea

Exercise: 30 min. on the 'mill, interval style. 25 min. weight training. Rode my bike to work.

Notes: I logged all my food onto The Daily Plate today and was stoked to hit well under my "calorie goal." The shrimp & soba noodles was something I hadn't made before, it was super good so I am definitely going to make it again. I feel really good today, and feel like I am back on track in an effort to lose a few more pounds. I have a goal in mind, if possible I want to lose 4 more lbs! Whoa. I am going to have to work pretty hard for it, but I think I am (finally!) up to the challenge. Cardio, here I come.....

Danielle's log 5.3.2010

Breakfast:
-whole wheat English muffin with egg white and fresh spinach

Lunch:
-salmon burger with a side of fruit

Dinner:
-1/2 cup zucchini, spinach, and radish stirfried with soy sauce and toasted sesame seed oil

Snack:
-1 banana
-3 square dark coffee chocolate
-1/4 cup lowfat Greek yogurt with peaches, blueberries, and a few pecans

Beverages:
-iced tea
-green tea
-water

Exercise: 30 minutes of weight lifting at the YMCA in the morning, then rode my bike to and from work (10.4 miles total)

Notes: Got up at 6:30am to hit the gym, very proud of myself! Did an equal amount of upper and lower body weight lifting. I'm noticing the hardest part of all of these is keeping it up. When I take a (deserved) day break from exercising it makes it so easy to go a whole week (which is pretty much what happened last week--BAD). But once I'm on a roll, I'm on a roll! And g.d. it, I'm on a roll right now!

Danielle's log 5.2.2010

Breakfast:
-egg white with 1 piece whole wheat toast
-1/4 cup Irish oats with blueberries and peaches

Lunch:
-1/2 sandwich with grilled chicken breast, squash, and red peppers
-small salad with apples and goat cheese
-sampling of grape/mango/orange&apple guacamole trio with chips

Snacks:
-1 ginger chew
-popcorn with salt and non-fat spray butter

Dinner:
-1/2 tuna steak
-crispy kale with garlic

Beverages:
-water
-coffee
-crazy ass kombucha drink

Exercise: Got me a new in-house Treadmillionaire! My boyfriend, Dave, is trying to shed some pounds and so we went for a Round 1 Couch-to-5k interval run for 30 minutes, then did 20 minutes of weight training. Awesome!

Notes: First, sorry I've been so bad about updating--I'm still plugging away and feeling pretty great. I'm so excited that my boyfriend is in the same mindset as me now, it's truly a blessing. We went out and got some brand new running shoes (yay! I needed them!) and after testing them out this morning I'm pleased to say that MAN I am in better shape that I thought! When I was showing him my favorite weight training moves he could hardly keep up. I'll whip him into shape yet--and myself in the process.

RR Log 05.02.10

Breakfast:
-multigrain wrap with 1 cooked egg white, about 1/4 cup black beans, 1/4 avocado, 1 tbsp. salsa

Lunch:
-whole wheat english muffin with 1 tbsp. almond butter

Dinner:
-roasted chicken
-salad with spinach, pear, hazelnuts, red onion, dried cranberries, homemade mustard vinaigrette
-parsnip & carrot puree
-1 red potato & 1/4 onion (roasted with the chicken)

Snacks:
-1/2 rice cake with 1 tsp. peanut butter (before gym)
-1/4 cup almonds & dried cranberries
-1/2 cup nonfat yogurt with walnuts & 1 tsp. honey

Drinks:
-1 cup black tea
-2 glasses white wine

Exercise: 15 min. on the 'mill, started getting a pain in my leg so I hit the recumbent bike for 30 min. set to level 7.

Notes: The recumbent bike: who knew?? It feels like nothing at first, and then the burn starts slow.... you really feel it in your glutes. Dang. Also, there is a really fancy one and you can plug your iPod into it. BONUS! I had a good day today, feel really good that I went to the gym even if I didn't do weights (I didn't have enough time.) Good day eating-wise, except I was busy at work so lunch fell by the wayside. I did pack some snacks, so I didn't get too off-track. All in all feeling good. Yeah, good!

RR log 05.01.10

Breakfast:
-steel cut oats with sliced 1/2 banana, blueberries & 1/8 cup pecans

Lunch:
-multigrain wrap with 1/4 avocado, radish sprouts & sliced red pepper
-1 mini bagel with 1 tbsp. peanut butter

Dinner:
-salmon with olive oil and herbs
-quinoa
-kale toasted with garlic
-1 cup potato leek soup

Snacks:
-1/2 rice cake with 1 tsp. peanut butter
-1/2 cup nonfat yogurt with blueberries, dried cranberries & 1/8 cup walnuts
-1/2 apple with 1 wedge laughing cow cheese
-a handful of pretzel sticks!!!!

Drinks:
-1 cup black tea
-1 cup green tea
-3 beers (!!!!!)
-2 gin drinks

Exercise: Rode bike to & from work, ran outside(!!) for 20 minutes

Notes: I was soooooo excited to try running outside again today, thinking the cold weather was the only thing that aggravates my asthma. Wrong. While I did run for 20 minutes at least, I got really short-winded at the end, and had to call it quits and hit my inhaler. Lame. I was really feeling bad about this, because I really really really really want to be a "runner." I think I will write a post on this soon. In other news, what a LUSH tonight! I am hiccuping as I write this.