Wahoo! Welcome to the weekend! We made it!

Lunch

I ate lunch while I worked away at my desk. I actually don’t mind eating my lunch at my desk, especially if it gets me out of work a little bit earlier!

For lunch, I started with a homemade salad of arugula, grape tomatoes, cucumbers, carrots, red bell peppers, celery, black-eyed peas, and black olives. It was delish!

Then, I had a couple of Oatmeal Raisin Cookies that I whipped up this morning in honor of Cookie Friday. I may or may not have eaten a couple with breakfast, too!

Lunch also included a container of Fage yogurt to which I added a few squirts of agave nectar.

Mid-afternoon, I made myself a mug of sugar-free hot cocoa from the office stash.

And, when I got home from NuVal, I munched on an Uncle Jerry’s pretzel. There’s also some cantaloup in my future– just need to cut it up after my conference call.

Ask Me Anything

I hope you guys enjoyed Ask Me Anything! This is my very last answer post.

Your picture looks like your bellybutton is pierced, is it? Also, any tattoos?

Yes, my bellybutton is pierced. I actually don’t really like it, but it has a fun memory tied to it. (I got it done in Scotland.) I don’t have any tattoos.

Do you ever get self-conscious taking pictures of your food?

When I first started blogging, I was self-conscious about taking pictures of my food, but now that I’ve been doing it for over 2 years now, I don’t give it a second thought.

Do you ever get sick of eating oatmeal?

Hardly ever.

What crowd did you hang out with in high school?

I went to a really small high school, so I hung out with a lot of different crowds. But, if I had to pick, I’d say either the smart kids or the soccer girls. If you ask my husband or my sister, I was part of a dork crowd. They still make fun of me.

Are you happy with your decision to switch jobs? Was it as great as you thought it would be?

Yes and yes. I’m still juggling a million things, but I really enjoy what I am doing. I also respect the work that NuVal does, so it’s nice to work for a company that I believe in. Plus, part of my job includes blogging. What more could I ask for?!

Have you traveled outside of the country? If so, where and when?

Yep! I did quite a lot of traveling during my semester abroad in York, England. While there, I visited Ireland, Scotland, Prague, Amsterdam, Belgium, and Italy. I’ve visited Montreal a number of times and Victoria, British Columbia last summer. Mal’s family has an apartment in Paris, so I also spent 2 weeks there in June 2006. And, I spent the first couple of years of my life in Italy. My family was stationed there when my dad was in the Army.

Did you have any other long-term boyfriends before you met and fell in love with Mal?

Yes, I had one other high school boyfriend, and, in college, I had a couple of long-term relationships.

Have you ever been recognized by one of your readers?

Yep, a number of times, actually. Usually, readers recognize me in the Boston area, but there was one time someone recognized me in Seattle. That was weird.

What type of camera do you use?

I actually use two cameras. My “fancy” camera is the Nikon D40, which I use for special occasions and when there is good lighting. My everyday, does-all-the-work-for-you camera is the Canon PowerShot S90, which I absolutely LOVE! I originally bought it because the lighting in my old apartment was terrible, but this camera has been my savior, especially when dining out. A good example of its low-lighting capabilities is when I went to Drink. It was SO dark inside, but I was still able to take a number of photos without the flash. The camera seems to pick up on even the smallest sources of light. It’s awesome!

I know you don’t count calories, but do you have an approximate break down of how you spread out your calories during the day?

It depends on the day. But, generally, I split-up my meals and snacks like this:

• Breakfast: 500 – 600
• Snack: 100
• Lunch: 400 – 500
• Snack: 100 – 200
• Dinner: 500 – 600
• Dessert: 200

Do you and Mal plan to have kids?

Yes, we plan to have kids. But, not for awhile. Basically, Mal and I want to be settled before we start thinking about children. I realize that there is never really a “right” time to start a family, but our lives are too crazy to add baby into the mix. Some days, we can barely handle Murphy– and you can’t put a kid in a crate when he’s driving you nuts! Plus, most of our friends aren’t even married– let alone thinking about kids– so (Quinn said it best), I don’t want to be the first changing diapers!

If you didn’t see your question answered, be sure to check out my FAQs, Weight Loss Q & A, and my previous responses to your Ask Me Anything questions. The answer may be there!

Is there such a thing as the Mid-Week Blues? If so, I think I have ‘em.

For some reason, the middle of the week is really tough for me. It’s only Wednesday, but I feel like it should be Friday– yet, Friday is still so far away. Boo! Why can’t we have 3-day weeks?!

Anyway… enough of that!

Lunch

So, I liked my lunch a lot today!

I started with Crofter’s Superfruit Spread + Barney Butter on a whole wheat Sandwich Thin. I also had some almonds on the side.

Then, I munched on some celery and carrot sticks.

And a big ol’ Gala apple. (I miss my Jazz apples, but the Galas were on sale this week.)

Good lunch. Very satisfying.

I also had a piece of yummy pumpkin bread that someone in the office baked. I just couldn’t resist– it had a light frosting glaze on top. Mmm!

Ask Me Anything

Tomorrow is the last day for Ask Me Anything! Friday will be my final post with answers.

Boston has so many yummy pizza places… which is your favorite?

Considering how much I love pizza, this is really bad, but I don’t have a favorite pizza place! Isn’t that terrible?!? Bostonians, if you have a favorite pizza joint, please let me know!

Do you ever get drunk after a few drinks? I notice you never drink that much, but sometimes you mention having a headache the next day. Do you ever let loose?

This comment actually cracked me up because I definitely like to enjoy a drink or two… or three! In the past, I’ve written posts about VinoVoyage, Harpoonfest, Pub Golf, and my college days when I let loose and drank like a fish. I even won the Blogger You Would Most Want to Make You a Cocktail at the Foodbuzz Festival last fall! Nowadays, I don’t get drunk all that often (I hate the way I feel the next morning), but I still enjoy a 2-3 cocktails each week.

I find I’m struggling to stay on a healthy diet while living with a B-O-Y. If he buys Milanos and opens a bottle of wine … I want Milanos and glass of wine. Have you ever struggled with this while living with Mal?

Yes, of course! For instance, I never ate potato chips until I lived with Mal, but now, I LOVE Kettle Backyard BBQ chips in a weird, sort of obsessive way!

What works for me is keeping Mal’s unhealthy foods separate from mine. Out of sight, out of mind! Mal has his own cabinet where he keeps all of his junk food. So, in my mind, this cabinet is “off limits” to me, so I’m not tempted and I usually forget that his snacks are even there. Plus, I have my own cabinet where I keep my healthy stuff.

P.S. A lot of your questions have already been answered in previous Ask Me Anything posts, my FAQs, and/or Weight Loss Q & A section. Check to see if your question has already been answered in one of these places.

The rumbling in my stomach started early today. By 10:30, I was already thinking about lunch. I dug into my apple and chugged some water, which sort of did the trick– well, at least for a little while.

I waited until noon to dive into my lunch. My stomach was relentless this morning! My appetite has been so weird lately! I guess, I’m just going with it!

I started with an arugula salad with grape tomatoes, cucumbers, red onion, carrots, mushrooms, chickpeas, and BBQ Honey KooLoos for some added crunch.

Lunch also included a container of pineapple Chobani mixed with Uncle Sam cereal and chopped walnuts, which was an awesome flavor and texture combination. So good!

Today’s lunch ended up being very filling. Yay!

Grocery Shopping Questions

I’m going to keep Ask Me Anything open until the end of the week, so be sure to ask your questions sooner than later. If you want to see all of my responses so far, they are categorized here. My FAQs also provide a lot of answers to your questions.

I’ve received a ton of questions about grocery shopping, saving money, etc., so here are some helpful links:

• Check out what I buy at the grocery store every week over at Trading Up Downtown: Shop, Trade, Save.
• You can also check out my money-saving tips, including my Grocery Shopping 101 series: Before You Leave the House and At the Grocery Store.

Feeling Puzzled?

Check out this fun online puzzle that the folks at OpenSky created. If you complete it, you get a coupon!

Quick tip: If you click OK, the coupon just goes away. Be sure to click on “click here” when it pops up.

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Mal and I are going to a wine tasting tonight with some friends. I’m really looking forward to it!

I know that some dogs really hate baths, but Murphy doesn’t seem to mind them. I wouldn’t say that he loves baths, but he doesn’t hate them either. Murphy just chills in the sink while we wash and rinse him. He’s a good boy like that!

Ooooh, that’s the spot!

Be sure to get the mud on the back of my leg!

Baths taste delicious!

Drying Murphy after his bath was very entertaining! Towel + pug = playtime!

I think Murphy won the drying-off game in the end. Look how wet Mal got during bath time!

Snack

Before dinner, I ate the final piece of Baked Banana Oatmeal with a little peanut butter spread on top. I had no appetite all morning long, but as soon as the afternoon hit, I was ravenous!

Dinner

For dinner tonight, I made a dish with lots of leftovers for quickie weeknight meals since Mal and I are busy on both Monday and Tuesday night this week. I consulted my favorite cookbook for a recipe: Real Simple Best Recipes.

I decided on Lasagna-Style Baked Ziti, which turned out so well!

As usual, I made a few changes to the recipe:

• Added 1 cup chopped mushrooms
• Substituted crumbled blue cheese for mozzarella (forgot to buy it)
• Mixed in an 1/4 cup of Parmesan cheese
• Only used 1/2 jar of marinara sauce

The crumbled blue cheese was an interesting flavor for this dish. Mal really wasn’t a fan, but I loved it. When it comes to cheese, the stinkier, the better!

This meal was so, so, so satisfying. The combo of whole wheat pasta + veggies + ground beef was very filling. Love that!

For dessert, I baked a special treat: Bouchon Bakery Oatmeal Raisin Cookies!

Chef Thomas Keller developed our exclusive cookie mixes to re-create the delight of the cookies offered at his award-winning Bouchon Bakery in California’s Napa Valley. The easy-to-use mixes get their extraordinary flavor from premium natural ingredients.

The Oatmeal Raisin mix includes Nielsen-Massey vanilla, Indonesian cinnamon, and three types of raisins. Making a batch of these cookies was so simple– just combine all 3 mixes with butter and an egg.

The end result was one of the most amazing oatmeal raisin cookies I have ever tasted!! Seriously! I had no idea a packaged cookie mix could taste so delicious! Holy, holy, holy yum! Thank you, B & C!

I made myself a plate of 3 cookies, but I’ve already eaten 2 more. Mal has eaten at least 6 or 7 cookies! Mmmmm! Excellent cookies! Worth every calorie!

I decided to be proactive and not let these cookies sit in the house with me all day long tomorrow. So, I sorted the cookies into 3 Tupperware containers: one for me, one for Mal, and one for Mal to take to school with him. I put 2 cookies in my container, 4 in Mal’s, and the rest for Mal’s colleagues. I LOVE these cookies, but I know myself, and I cannot be trusted around them! I’d probably eat them all!

Ask Me Anything

And, here’s a few more answers for Ask Me Anything:

My boyfriend and I are thinking about adopting a pug. We’re going to meet some at a rescue just to get a feel for their personalities, but I was hoping you could tell me a little about the shedding. Does Murphy leave hair everywhere?

Yes! Murphy sheds like a mo-fo! I didn’t think a dog could shed so much. My mom bought him a Furminator, which seems to help the fur issue a bit.

Why does Murphy wear a harness all of the time?

Murphy wears his harness when he’s walking or playing outside. (I’m paranoid about him running into the street!) When he’s chilling at home or sleeping, he doesn’t usually wear it.

Do you usually wear two sports bras while working out, or do you find that the ones you mentioned are supportive enough?

Yep, I’m a two sports bra gal. But, the Ta-Ta Tamer with a cheaper sports bra (like from Old Navy or Target) usually provides enough support (even for running).

Carrots n Cake and KERF are my favorite food blogs. How did you two meet and are you planning on getting together any time soon?

Kath and I met through the blog world. We first met in August 2008. Kath’s blog was one of the first that I ever read. In fact, she was the one who inspired me to start my own.

We don’t have any immediately plans to get together, but we’ll definitely see each other at the Healthy Living Summit this summer!

What sorority were you in?

Gamma Phi Beta.

The dog park was bumpin’ today! There were so many people and pups, out and about, enjoying the beautiful weather. It was great! I hope that this wonderful weather sticks around a little bit longer. It really makes me look forward to spring.

Murph had a great time at the dog park today. He met two other pugs, a couple of Frenchies, a hyperactive Boston Terrier, and a bunch of “big” dogs. Murphy loves to play with all types of dogs, but once a big dog decides to chase him, he runs away like a little wussy with his tail between his legs. It’s actually sort of funny! But, not surprisingly, Murphy has a ton of confidence around the dogs that are his size (or smaller).

Snack

Before we left for the park, I snacked on an apple with a spoonful of peanut butter on the side. I <3 apple slices + peanut butter!

Lunch

After spending well over an hour at the dog park and running a couple of errands, I was soooo hungry for lunch. I walked in the door and immediately started throwing together a big salad.

In the mix:

• Spinach
• Romaine hearts
• Tomatoes
• Carrots
• Cucumbers
• Mushrooms
• Sliced almonds
• Chick peas
• BBQ KooLoos

The BBQ KooLoos were a fun addition to my salad. The company sent them to me a few week ago to sample– KooLoos are crunchy little soybean-flaxseed balls. I don’t think they’d be very satisfying as a snack by themselves, but as part of salad or other dish, they’re a yummy addition.

Snack

Mid-afternoon, I added some Barney Butter to a piece of leftover Baked Banana Oatmeal for an afternoon snack. Delish!

Breakfast

(working backwards)

For breakfast, I made myself an egg sandwich with Swiss cheese, buffalo sauce, and spinach on a whole wheat Sandwich Thin. It was an egg-cellent egg sandwich!

And, as always, I enjoyed a glass of iced coffee with vanilla soy milk with breakfast.

Murph is a muddy mess after the dog park, so I’m off to give him a bath. He sort of smells! Eww!

Ask Me Anything

Here’s a few more answers to your Ask Me Anything questions:

When you eat out, do you tell the staff you are a blogger?

No, I never do. But, I’ve been asked by restaurants to visit, enjoy a meal, and write a review on my blog, so in that case, they know I’m coming!

Does Mal call you Tina or Christina?

Usually, Mal just calls me T. But, he’ll use Tina if he wants to get my attention. No one really calls me Christina, except for my dad and my friend, Matt. My mom calls me Christine for some reason.

How do you deal if you have overdone it on a meal? For instance, we went to Hooters last night and let’s just say I had my fair share of wings and fried goodness. Now I can’t quit thinking about it. How do you move on and not beat yourself up?

Oh, I have been there! Typically, I make sure that my next meal is super healthy– lots of fruits, veggies, whole grains, etc. I’ll also try to fit in a good cardio workout, which, of course, burns calories, but also makes me feel a million times better. And, finally, I make a mental note of how I could better deal with such an indulgent meal for the next time I am faced with a similar situation. Live and learn, right?

Is Mal always as happy as he seems? He’s always got a huge smile on!

Yep, usually he is! He’s a total optimist! (I’m the defensive pessimist in our relationship!)

What’s been your favorite job you’ve had so far (not counting the full-time work you seem to put into your blog)?

My favorite job was working as barista at Starbucks in high school and part of college. I worked with really cool people, and I loved making espresso drinks behind the bar. Plus, I love the vibe of coffee shops. I always talk about going back to Starbucks someday. Hmm?

Oh, my husband. How I love him so!

This morning, Mal made us fried donuts for breakfast. Yep, that’s right. Fried donuts. As a kid, Mal loved them, so this morning, he tried to recreate one of his favorite childhood treats.

The fried donuts were very delicious– crunchy and crispy on the outside, but light and soft on the inside. Mmmmm!

With breakfast, I also had a fried egg for some added protein and staying power.

On the side, I had half of a pink grapefruit.

All together with an iced soy latte.

Feel Great Weight

My newest post on Health.com is about my Eat It, Don’t Move challenge to eat the items in our pantry before the big move: How to Make the Most of Your Pantry (and Stick to Your Diet!)

Ask Me Anything

Here are some more answers to your Ask Me Anything questions:

What kind/brand of sports bra do you wear?

My favorite sports bras are Lululemon’s TaTa Tamer and Under Armour’s HeatGear Shaper Bra.

How do you run on the treadmill for so long and not get bored? I would get bored so easily!

Check out my ideas for running/walking on the treadmill and my treadmill workouts.

How does Mal really feel about being married to a blogger? He seems the type (well, based on how you talk about him) to support you in whatever makes you happy, but does he ever get annoyed about having certain parts of his life made so public?

Yes and no. Mal is very supportive of my blog and he sees all of the wonderful opportunities that it has afforded me. But, we’ve definitely got into our fair share of arguments about it. If you’ve seen the movie Julie & Julia, the big blow-out with between Julie and her husband was basically a real-life scene from our life. Mal could definitely relate!

How often do you walk Murphy? I’m thinking of getting a small dog but I live in an apartment. Do you find it hard to live with a dog in an apartment?

Murphy goes for at least 3 walks a day. Two of them are shorter (15 – 20 minutes) and one is longer (45 – 60 minutes).

Personally, living in South Boston, I found it sort of difficult to have a dog. There wasn’t a lot of green space to let Murphy run around, and I was always worried about him getting off leash and running into the street. But, now that we are in the ‘burbs, Murph will have plenty of room to stretch his little pug legs.

How did you start writing for Health magazine?

My gig with Health was 100% luck and good timing! I emailed Health to inquire about some freelance work and, at the same time, they were looking for someone, who lost weight and maintained it, to contribute to their Feel Great Weight program. A few of the Health editors were readers of my blog, so I think that helped too!

Question of the Day

Growing up, what was your favorite not-so-healthy treat?

Tonight’s blog post title pretty much sums up how I feel about kale chips. They rule!

I don’t know how I could have ever forgotten about kale chips!?! I haven’t made them since May 2008, which is totally crazy, right? Where has my mind been?!

Along with a hefty serving of kale chips, I also had some carrot sticks with dinner. Hooray for a double serving of veggies!

When Beth and Corey visited, they mentioned that they try to eat two servings of veggies with dinner every night. I love this idea, so I’m going to try to incorporate it into my eating habits as well. Small, everyday changes add up!

And, finally, I enjoyed a small onion hamburger that my wonderful husband cooked up.

For dessert, I enjoyed a Reese’s Peanut Butter cup. Yuuuumm!

I seriously considered eating a second peanut butter cup, but I stuck to my guns and brushed my teeth instead. I’m really trying to keep it together around sweets.

Ask Me Anything

The questions just keep coming! Here are some more answers to your Ask Me Anything questions:

Did you have to convince Mal to get Murphy, or did he want a pug as much as you did?

I don’t think anyone in the whole wide world wanted a pug more than me, but Mal was on board with getting one, too. As soon as Mal saw Murphy’s adorable pug face at the breeder’s home, he was hooked. M & M are pretty much in love now.

How is it that you eat the same amount of calories now as when you were trying to lose weight?

Before losing weight, I ate about 2,500 – 3,000 calories per day. So, when I reduced that amount to 1,800 – 2,200 calories and started exercising more frequently, the weight came off. I continue to consume 1,800 – 2,200 calories per day, so I’ve maintain my weight for almost 6 years now.

You have written about your mom, family, special occasions, gatherings with them, but I am curious if you have a close relationship with your mom. How often do you speak on the phone, have mother-daughter times?

My mom is pretty amazing. I have so much respect for her and what she has done for my sister and me over the years. Growing up, my mom worked long hours at two jobs to support our family financially, but, at the same time, she never missed a soccer game, dance recital, or other important event in our lives. Somehow, she did it all!

My mom and I used to talk on the phone a few times a week, but now that she reads my blog everyday, we only talk about once a week. Although, I’m pretty sure she just reads my blog to see photos of her grand-dog.

My husband is also a teacher, so I have to ask… Mal seems to be around a lot during the day. How is he able to swing so much time off?

It’s Mal’s February vacation, so he has the whole week off.

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Mal just broke out a bag of Giant Salted Cashews that the folks at the Superior Nut Company sent me to sample. I’m off to snag a handful… or two! I LOVE cashews!

Last night, Mal and I stayed up until almost 1:00 AM unpacking and organizing our new place. We were on a roll unloading boxes and putting things away, so we totally lost track of time. But, to tell you the truth, I probably would have stayed up all night long, getting stuff done, if I didn’t have to work today.

It’s getting there!

Breakfast

For breakfast this morning, I had a big bowl of banana oats. I was starving when I woke up!

In the mix:

• 1/2 cup oats
• 1/2 cup non-fat milk
• 1/2 cup water
• 1 banana
• 2 scoops of Barney Butter
• Chia seeds

My stomach is SO FULL now. That bowl of oats is sitting in my stomach like a rock.

I’ll also probably grab an iced coffee with vanilla soy milk on my way to NuVal.

Ask Me Anything

Here are some more quick responses to your Ask Me Anything questions:

Murphy is the cutest dog! When did you get him?

We got Murphy in August 2009. He’s about 8 months old.

About how many calories do you think you consume in a day?

I eat between 1800 – 2200 calories per day.

How many calories did you eat a day when you were counting calories and trying to lose weight?

1800 – 2200 per day.

How do you seem to eat such indulgent foods (cookies, cupcakes, cheesecake, etc) so often but not gain weight?

It’s all about portion size. I eat small portions of indulgent foods.

Do you blog everything you eat each day or are some snacks left out?

I pretty much blog about everything that I eat. Every once in awhile a couple of random bites don’t get documented, but I really try to show everything.

Question of the Day

I just realized that our kitchen doesn’t have a microwave!

Would you be able to live without one?

Phew.

That was a lot of work! Our place is in complete and utter shambles, but we are packed and ready to go for the big move tomorrow.

Mal and I just spent the last 5 hours packing 90% of the crap stuff in our apartment. We ran out of boxes, so we’ll just have to wing-it with the last 10%.

Apparently, I have a lot of shoes. They filled up an entire suitcase!

Mal and Murphy were hard at work all night.

We are even ready to go on the breakfast front. I made sure not to pack the ingredients for banana oatmeal with nut butter. Moving is tough work– I need start my day off on the right foot!

The movers will be here bright and early. Time to hit the hay! I can’t believe tonight is our last night in Southie!

Ask Me Anything

Keep ‘em coming: Ask Me Anything!

Do you and Mal split the household chores (cleaning, laundry, etc.) evenly? If so, how do you decide who does what?

Yep! We split all of the household chores 50/50. We both prefer different tasks over others, so we do the ones that we “like.” For instance, I don’t really mind doing the laundry, so I do most of it. Mal, on the other hand, volunteers to take out the trash and clean the tub, which are things that I don’t really like to do. For bigger” chores like grocery shopping and walking Murphy, we share the responsibility evenly.

Can you explain why you suggest having a separate checking account than one’s spouse?

Mal and I never fight about money. We have a joint checking and savings account, but we also have our own accounts to buy whatever we want. It works for us– and in 4 years of living together, we’ve never once fought about money.

What makeup do you put on your face? Do you wear any foundation?

I use Sephora Tinted Moisturizer and bareMinerals. Check out my 5-Minute Face post for more details.

What happened to your hip? How are you dealing with your injury?

Check my FAQs under the Fitness heading.

Do you or Mal have Boston accents? Mark Wahlberg style?

Nope, neither of us have a Boston accent. But, I do say “wicked” every once in awhile!

This morning, I had my Lose the Dough check-in at Healthworks. Tara, my trainer, took my stats and measurements, and then snapped this gorgeous photo:

Blah. Worst photo ever! I look like I just woke up. Direct quote from my husband: “I’m not going to lie, you don’t look good.” (His comment actually cracked me up! )

Anyway, here are last month’s stats:

• Weight: 129.8 pounds
• Body Fat: 21.0%
• BMI: 22.2
• Waist: 26.25 inches
• Abdomen: 27.5 inches
• Hips: 36.75 inches

In comparison to my starting point, my numbers went down in every category. Yay! This surprised me quite a bit because I didn’t change too many aspects of my lifestyle– I actually thought that the numbers would stay the same.

Looking back on the past month, these are the things that I think “worked” for me:

• Adding more strength training to my weekly workouts
• Cutting back on alcohol
• Eating smaller portions of dessert

So, I guess trying a little bit harder seems to be working. Hopefully, I can keep it up!

A lot of people have asked me if I have a goal weight in mind for Lose the Dough– and I really don’t. I just want to feel strong and look more toned. My core is already stronger and my hip is a million times better.

Ask Me Anything

Here are a bunch more Ask Me Anything responses!

You and Mal seem so great together! What would be your number one piece of relationship advice?

I actually have two pieces of advice: laugh with your partner multiple times a day and have separate checking accounts.

You mentioned that Mal has a blog, right? What is it?

Mal does not have a blog. He’s really not into them.

I recently read that you spend about $300 per month on groceries. I would absolutely love to know how you manage this while still eating healthy! I am a nutritionist and spend much more then $75/wk! Would you consider posting about shopping on a budget?

Check out some of my posts over at Trading Up Downtown:

• Grocery Shopping 101: Before You Leave the House
• Grocery Shopping 101: At the Grocery Store
• Shop, Trade, Save
• Save Money by Reorganizing Your Fridge

Do you monitor your heart rate while working out?

No, I don’t use a heart rate monitor.

Any suggestions for a beginning runner?

Yep! Check out my Running Tips.

How much fresh produce do you buy at a time and how do you keep it so fresh?

I typically buy enough fresh produce for one week. I keep the majority of it in the refrigerator to help it last longer. You can see my recent shopping trips over on Trading Up Downtown.

Do you take the time to edit your photos? How long does it take you to write a blog post?

I don’t edit my photos. I just upload them to iPhoto and put them into Ecto. It takes me anywhere from 15 minutes to an hour to write a blog post.

How old is Mal?

He’s 27.

If you could live anywhere, where would it be?

San Francisco.

Do you ever get sick of Boston and its weather?

I don’t really get sick of Boston– it’s a wonderful city– but the winter is depressing, frustrating, and never-ending.

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We just dropped Beth and Corey at the airport, so now we have a lot of packing to do! The movers are coming at 8 AM tomorrow morning! Eek! Better get cracking!