A girls’ weekend with four runners = morning run! Yay!

The four of us set our alarms and woke up bright and early to get our run on around the Mohegan Sun grounds this morning.

Unfortunately, there weren’t any actual trails around Mohegan, so we stuck to the roads as well as a few random large parking lots and a landfill.

The weather was beautiful (cool, but sunny) and we enjoyed a really nice 5.6 mile run.

Hello, my name is Tina. I wear my Spibelt extra high. I also do CrossFit, so check out my huge muscles. Did you know I can climb ropes?

Snack

Before our run, I snacked on some Fig Newtons that I bought at a convenience store at Mohegan. I needed a little something in my stomach before running.

Breakfast

After our run, we headed straight to breakfast at the Seasons Buffet. (A complimentary breakfast is included with our media passes.)

I was in the mood for eggs, so I hit up the omelet station.

I got all sorts of veggies and bacon in my omelet. The bacon was a GREAT decision. I also grabbed some fresh fruit to add to my plate.

As well as a side of oatmeal with a few raisins on top.

Now, we’re having a quick blogging session before the grand wine tasting. Ooooh, boy!! I can’t wait!

Hi, guys!

Say hello to my special visitor: Anne!! I picked her up from the airport yesterday afternoon and, of course, we needed to make at stop at Marylou’s for delicious, dessert-like iced coffees. I got Anne hooked on Marylou’s the last time she visited me.

Before we hit up Marylou’s, Anne and I headed to Whole Foods for lunch. It was way past both of our lunchtimes, so we were starving! On the menu: salad + hot bar + club soda.

After lunch and a quick pit stop at Marylou’s, we hit the road to drive down to Mohegan Sun to meet Theodora and Ashley for the weekend. Our friends at Mohegan invited us to enjoy complimentary hotel stay and tickets to their Sun Winefest. Hello, girls’ weekend! Naturally, it started with champagne.

Dinner

For dinner, the four of us headed to BALLO for dinner. I loved it so much the last time I dined there, I wanted to take the my friends to see what its awesomeness was all about.

To start, we ordered a bottle of Pio Cesare Arneis, which was the same bottle of wine that Mal and I liked so much when we dined at BALLO.

The four of us also shared a bunch of dishes: meatballs.

Fried artichokes.

BRUSSELS SPROUTS!

OMG, love these!

And a sausage pizza.

I was so hungry, everything tasted especially amazing last night.

More adventures to come! Stay tuned!

Many, many, many thanks for your kind and supportive comments on my morning post. I really appreciate each and everyone of them. I honestly wasn’t sure whether I wanted to share that part of my life on CNC, but now I’m so glad that I did. Thanks, again, guys. You’re awesome.

Breakfast

Mal and I are blowing through jars of nut butter like it’s our job around here! This is the third one in two weeks! We often have more than one jar open at a time, so it just happened to work out that we finished three different ones in a short amount of time. (Although, Mal and I could easily plow through a whole jar in one week.) I also tend to decide that a jar is ready for Oats in a Jar well before it’s really empty. I mean, check out how much peanut butter is at the bottom of this morning’s breakfast!

Ha! The whole bottom of the jar is peanut butter!

In the jar: “Oatmeal” Minus the Oats.

Workout

In addition to feeling lazy last night, I also skipped CrossFit because I wanted to save my muscles for Body Pump this morning. I haven’t take a Body Pump class in almost two months, so I wanted to see whether CrossFit has made me any bit stronger. The verdict: sort of.

I planned to use the same weight on all of the tracks that I had been using before I stopped regularly going to Body Pump, so I could see just how much my strength improved based on how challenging (or not) each track was for me to complete.

On the warm-up track, I sort of laughed to myself because it was soooo easy. But, I didn’t increase my weight on the squat track because I wanted to see if it was challenging or not. Well, I’m glad that I didn’t up my weight because the squat track was a totally different animal. It was really hard!! My legs were burning by the end, so I was worried that maybe CrossFit wasn’t making me that much stronger. But, when the chest track came along, I found it challenging, but I was able to do every single rep with good form. I didn’t miss a single one, which I probably would have in the past.

When we got to the dead lift track, the weight was much too light for me. I actually felt sort of dumb doing the moves because it was obvious that I didn’t put on enough weight. I was flinging the bar up in the air on the overhead presses! Apparently, all of those deadlifts and push presses in CrossFit are making me quite a bit stronger!

The tricep, bicep, lunge, shoulder, and abs tracks were also challenging, but, like the chest track, I was able to do every single rep with good form, which, in the past, I would have missed a few to rest. I wouldn’t say these tracks were necessarily “easier,” but I was better able to power through and stay strong until the end. That means I’m stronger, right?

It seems that CrossFit is making me stronger, but today’s Body Pump workout made me realize that I need to mix up the type of exercise I do. (Hello, SAID Principle!) CrossFit definitely varies our workouts, but the type of training is still quite a bit different than Body Pump, so I’m going to try to keep Body Pump in my regular exercise rotation.

Snack

I’m eating a late lunch today, so I snacked on some leftover roasted Brussels sprouts after Body Pump to hold off my hunger until then.

Reminder: Fitness Reimbursement

Did you know, depending on your health insurance plan, you might be eligible to receive a fitness reimbursement to cover the cost of your gym membership or other qualified fitness services and products? Awesome, right? My health insurance is the biggest piece of crap, but it still reimburses me $150 per year! Be sure to check out your health insurance plan to see if you’re eligible! You like money in your pocket, right?

I’m off to pick up my special visitor from the airport! Woohoo!

P.S. Don’t forget to enter my giveaway to win a BOSU Ballast Ball Giveaway!

It’s never a dull day in the Haupert house!

I live with the two biggest clowns ever.

So, I haven’t been totally truthful with you guys about my life lately. Not because I have something to hide, but after my ex passed away last summer, I’ve been hesitant to share the really personal details of my life. But, at my grandfather’s funeral on Monday morning, our priest used his sermon to emphasize that every moment of life is precious, and I wanted to remind us all of that.

Last Thursday morning, my grandfather passed away, suddenly and unexpectedly. He was only 81 years old and in good health. He still shoveled snow and mowed the lawn, he was constantly taking on new home improvement projects, and worked his part-time job of assessing houses. He was happy, healthy, and full of life. Even on the morning of his death, my Grampie woke up, drank his coffee, and read the sports section of the newspaper like he normally would. But, God had other plans for him, and he suffered a massive heart attack that he didn’t survive.

In the past 5 months, Mal and I have lost 4 people close to us, which has completely changed our perspective on life and living. Life is too short to be anything but happy and grateful. Today, please tell your family that you love them, hold your children tight, give your friends an extra hug (the next time you see them), and treasure every moment. You never know what’s going to happen, and God may choose to take away someone you love earlier than expected. The words just aren’t coming together for me this morning, but the point of this post is to remind you how precious and uncertain life truly is.

Sorry to give Friday such a sentimental start, but it’s something I’ve been wanting to share with you guys, and I think it’s a really important reminder for all of us. Every moment of life is precious.

Dinner

I felt super lazy last night, so I blew off CrossFit. I also didn’t feel like cooking, so I threw together a huge salad, topped with a can of tuna mixed with TJ’s salad, roasted Brussels sprouts, green olives, and balsamic vinegar.

It was a really filling dinner.

After dinner, I finished off the batch of Cherry-Walnut Almond Flour Cookies. There were five cookies left, and they had no chance against me.

Question of the Day

Tell me about a special moment that you experienced this week!

Don’t you hate it when your stability ball rolls around and wanders away from you while you’re trying to workout? Well, the BOSU Ballast Ball PRO stays put! It’s a weighted stability ball, so it won’t roll away and it’s more versatile than a traditional stability ball because you can use it as a total-body training tool.

Constructed of high-quality, burst-resistant material, it has a six-sided design for proper alignment and positioning. With the BOSU Ballast Ball, individuals can perform exercise progressions and dynamic drills that aren’t possible on a regular stability ball. The product is translucent light blue with white multi-dimensional material, and includes a foot pump and workout DVD. Product can be inflated between 55cm and 65 cm, 6.5 lbs.

To enter: Just leave a comment on this post about your favorite exercise to do on a BOSU or stability ball. I’ll randomly pick a winner on Monday morning.

Good luck!

One of the best perks about working from home is afternoon cuddle time with my favorite pug. How adorable is this dog?!

Murphy often spends much of the day sitting in my lap while I work at my computer. I’m sure it’s terrible for my back, but he’s so darn cute, I just can’t say no. Plus, he keeps me warm!

Breakfast

I woke up craving a warm, creamy bowl of oatmeal, so I whipped up a batch with rolled oats, a banana, egg whites, hemp milk, ground flaxseed meal, and cinnamon. I also added two spoonfuls of peanut butter to the mix.

Lunch

After breakfast, I headed to NuVal for a few hours. I was there during lunchtime, so I packed a meal to take with me.

Today’s lunch: veggies + roasted garlic hummus.

And a single-serving of sunflower butter.

That I spread on a Protein Pancake.

It was a tasty lunch and much more satisfying than I thought it would be. I always sort of worry about being hungry before a workout, but this one did the trick and kept my stomach happy for hours.

Workout

After NuVal, I headed straight to the gym to get my run on. (I knew if I stopped at home, I wouldn’t want to go!) On the agenda: 12 x 400m with 90 seconds rest in between on the treadmill.

For the rest intervals, I walked at 3.5 mph, which worked out to be approximately 0.10 mile, so I just used that distance instead of trying to do the math in my head for 90-second rest and 1/4 mile intervals twelve different times. The more tired I get, the more difficult simple addition becomes for me! Anyway, here’s how it all worked out on the treadmill.

It took me a little over 50 minutes to finish the 5.2-mile workout.

Snack

After my workout, I came home and immediately took a few swigs of coconut water (to replenish my muscles) and then hopped in the shower. After that, I snacked on a toasted Banana Walnut Paleo Muffin with melted butter and a large spoonful of Teddie peanut butter that went directly from the jar into my mouth.

I’m kind of pooped after that treadmill workout, so I’m debating whether to skip CrossFit or not tonight. Plus, a special visitor is visiting tomorrow, so I should probably stay home and clean the house.

Enjoy the night, friends!

P.S. Here’s a super cute/funny photo for the pug lovers!

Good morning! Happy Thursday! Let’s get right to it!

Dinner

While I waited for dinner to cook last night, I snacked on some raw veggies with hummus, which I’ve decided is the best I-need-food-ASAP-snack ever for me. It’s nutritious, delicious, satisfying, and quick! Every time I cut up a (crunchy) vegetable for a recipe/meal/snack, I add the extra pieces to my veggie Tupperware container, so I constantly have fresh ones to snack on. It works great.

On the menu for dinner: a grilled Dr. Praeger’s veggie burger.

And sweet potato fries with ketchup.

For dessert, I enjoyed four Cherry-Walnut Almond Flour Cookies. Mmm! I love these cookies so much!

Healthy Eating Plate

Remember last June when the the USDA reshaped the food pyramid into a circle, calling it MyPlate? The plate was divided into four sections (fruits, grains, vegetables, and protein, with a separate circle for dairy) and was designed to help Americans build a “healthier” plate. I blogged about MyPlate in early June and most of you guys agreed it wasn’t the best guide to healthy eating.

Well, Harvard researchers also questioned the USDA’s idea of “healthy” eating and created their own Healthy Eating Plate.

The Healthy Eating Plate is based off “the best available scientific evidence and was not subjected to political and commercial pressures from food industry lobbyists.” It emphasizes a plant-based diet focused on vegetables, whole grains, healthy fats, and healthy proteins.

The plate is divided into six sections: vegetables, fruits, whole grains, healthy proteins, healthy oils, and water (which includes tea or coffee), and each of these categories offers specific recommendations.

Harvard addresses specific shortcomings in each category of MyPlate including the fact that the grain category doesn’t specify that whole grains are healthier than refined grains, the protein section doesn’t value healthier proteins over red and processed meats, and potatoes count as a veggie. Additionally, the USDA recommends dairy with every meal, doesn’t include advice on healthy fats, and fails to warn against sugary beverages [source].

The Department of Nutrition at the Harvard School of Public Health created a great side-by-side comparison of the Healthy Eating Plate vs. the USDA’s MyPlate. It lays it all out nice and neat.

Question of the Day

What do you think of Harvard’s Healthy Eating Plate? Is it better/easier to understand than the USDA’s MyPlate?

I had a serious craving for cookies last night, so I took to the internet to search for a recipe. I bought a brand new bag of almond flour the other day, so I Googled “almond flour cookies,” which turned up my friend Evan’s Almond Flour Chocolate Chip Cookies and, boy, did they look delicious! I didn’t have any chocolate chips on hand (and I was too lazy to run to the grocery store), so I swapped them out for dried cherries and walnuts.

I wasn’t sure what to expect baking cookies with almond flour, but Evan’s recipe assured me they’d turn out well—and they did! Holy deliciousness!

The flavor of these cookies is slightly sweet and sort of buttery with a soft, doughy texture and a little chew and crunch from the dried cherries and walnuts. I’m a big fan of these babies. I’ll definitely make them again!

Ingredients:

• 1 1/2 cups almond flour
• 1/4 cup butter, softened
• 1/4 cup sugar
• 1 egg
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 1/4 teaspoon baking powder
• 1/3 cup dried cherries
• 1/3 cup chopped walnuts

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 375*F.
2. Combine all ingredients in a large bowl. Mix well until batter is blended evenly.
3. Roll batter into 1-inch balls and place on a greased baking sheet.
4. Bake cookies for approximately 12-15 minutes.
5. Remove cookies from baking sheet and allow to cool on wire rack.
6. Eat and enjoy!

Makes 12 cookies

Speaking of almond flour, I’m hosting a giveaway for a bag of it on Trading Up Downtown this morning!

Holy moly! My inbox exploded today! So many emails, not enough time!

I reply to every reader email that I receive in my inbox, so it might take me a little while to respond, but, I assure you, you’ll eventually get a reply from me. Obviously, I love hearing from you guys, so keep those emails coming!

With that said, I’m going to start replying to reader emails in blog posts again, like I did with Three Questions Thursday. You guys seemed to find this blog feature helpful, so I decided to bring it back. Here are a few reader questions with my replies!

I am starting early in 2012 to accomplish my goal of a running a half marathon. I just signed up for my first one, for late April. Now I am trying to figure out what training plan to follow. There are so many different ones online, and then some that you have to pay for. What would you suggest for training for my first one? Is it worth paying for one or do you have a plan you would recommend?

I love SmartCoach from Runner’s World for training plans. It’s totally customizable, so you can select your distance training goal, average weekly mileage, intensity level, plan length, and even the day of the week you want to do your long run. And, the best part, it’s FREE!

In one of your previous posts, you mentioned 2 NASM CPT apps that you used.  I was just wondering if you would recommend one over the other if you had to choose between them? I am planning to take the exam in March but I’d rather not buy 2 apps.

I mentioned the NASM Personal Trainer and NASM Exam Prep apps in one of my previous posts. Both are good, but if you just want to purchase one, I’d go with the NASM Exam Prep app because the questions are much more challenging and varied, which will better prepare you for the exam. The NASM Personal Trainer app was developed by NASM, but I found the questions to be pretty easy and not entirely representative of what I saw on the actual test.

I notice that you like your coffee (me too!) and that you use soymilk in your coffee and iced coffees. I’m just wondering, what do you sweeten it with? Stevia, Agave, Truvia, sugar? I have to sweeten mine and just always trying to figure out the best way health and calorie wise.

I actually don’t sweeten my coffee. I just add soy milk to it. Occasionally, however, I’ll buy the vanilla-flavored soy milk, which adds a good amount of sweetness.

Snack

My Overnight Oats in Jar didn’t satisfy me for long because my stomach started to grumble only a couple of hours later, so I nuked some frozen edamame in the microwave for a mid-morning snack.

Lunch

A little while later, I threw together a quick lunch: egg salad made with two hard-boiled eggs, a mashed-up avocado, and truffle salt on a toasted whole wheat English muffin.

Yum! It tasted so delicious—even better than regular old egg salad made with mayo. Plus, of course, adding avocado was a much more nutritious way to eat it!

Snack

My egg-avocado sandwich held off my hunger for quite awhile, but I grabbed a banana to eat as an afternoon snack. Sometimes, I just need a little something to hold me over until dinnertime.

I’m off to cook dinner and then relax.

Enjoy the night, friends!

Worst blog title ever? Probably. But, it tells you exactly what this post is about! Ha!

This morning, I woke up to the sounds of “ooohs” and “aahhs” coming from the bathroom. (I promise this story is rated PG!) I recently bought a new memory foam mat for our bathroom, so Mal made sure to let me know just how good it felt on his feet when he got out of the shower. Even at 6:11 in the morning, my husband is a total goofball. What a way to start the day!

Breakfast

Hello, hemp milk. Long time, no see!

Back when I first started CNC, I used to drink hemp milk all of the time, but, for some reason, I stopped buying it. It’s sort of expensive (less so at Trader Joe’s, which is why I bought it), but it’s so good for you.

According to Dr. Andrew Weil:

Hemp seeds contain a three-to-one ratio of Omega-6 and Omega-3 essential fatty acids and other nutrients include magnesium, phytosterols, ascorbic acid, beta-carotene, calcium, fiber, iron, potassium, phosphorus, riboflavin, niacin and thiamin.

Hemp milk also contains 10 essential amino acids, making it a good vegetarian source of protein as hemp protein does not contain phytates, enzyme inhibitors found in some soy protein that can interfere with the absorption of essential minerals. Hemp protein may also be more digestible than soy protein because unlike soy, it doesn’t contain oligosaccharides, complex sugars that can cause flatulence if not properly broken down during digestion [source].

Hemp is some nutritious stuff! I really want to incorporate it again into my diet. Besides seeds and milk, are there other hemp options out there? Hemp protein, right? Anything else?

For breakfast, I made Overnight Oats in a Jar with rolled oats, hemp milk, chia seeds, walnuts, and raisins. I also added a second scoop of peanut butter to the mix.

Tabata Coach

The other day, I received an email from Motion Traxx about their new Tabata Coach album, which looks really cool. I love Tabata workouts because they’re quick and dirty and burn some serious calories!

Tabata Coach features music with audio cues that guide you through various movements, including Jumping Jacks, High Knees, Squat Jumps, and Mountain Climbers, which reminds me a lot of my CrossFit workouts. I figured Tabata Coach would be a great option for those of you who want to try CrossFit, but don’t have a location near you or the funds to become a member. You can buy the Tabata Coach album on iTunes or Amazon.

P.S. Greatist recently released a list of the Top 60 Must-Read Health and Fitness Blogs for 2012, and Carrots ‘N’ Cake made the list! Woohoo!