So… remember those 3 miles that I planned to run today? Well, Fran had different plans for my afternoon. (Mal and I went to the 12:30 CrossFit class this afternoon.)

Who is Fran, you ask? Fran is THE baseline measurement for CrossFit. It’s also one of the hardest WODs. Check this out:

“Fran”

21-15-9

Thrusters (95#, 65#)

Pull-ups

It’s only two exercises, so you might not think it’s all that tough, but the combination of the two exercises, coupled with the number of reps and weight, is absolutely killer—you need some serious strength and endurance for this one!

I actually didn’t even do the prescribed Fran weight (65 pounds) for women. In fact, I didn’t even do the Level 1 weight (45 pounds). I used 35 pounds and a green band for assisted pull-ups, and Fran was still a frickin’ challenge for me. I even needed to stop multiple times during the workout to catch my breath and rest my muscles. I ended up finishing in 5:55 and my body felt like Jello from head to toe. Holy crap, Fran kicked my butt. There was no 3-mile run in my future.

And… I have one more goal for 2012: do a Level 1 Fran.

Lunch

After CrossFit, I came home and threw together a quick lunch: 1 egg + 2 egg whites, tomato slices with salt + pepper, carrots sticks + garlic hummus, and a clementine.

Now, I am glued to my computer for the rest of the night. I have lots of catching up to do!

Enjoy the night, guys!

Super Bowl Sunday!

If you’re like me, I don’t care at all about the game, but I do care quite a bit about the Super Bowl food! On the menu for tonight: buffalo chicken dip, ham and cheese calzones, and beer! Super Bowl parties always seem to have lots of food that is “unhealthy” for your body, but, at the same time, so very “healthy” for your soul! Can’t wait!

In preparation for tonight’s caloriefest, I started my morning with a healthy breakfast of scrambled eggs, sliced tomato with ground pepper, and piece of whole wheat toast. 

My eggs are actually a blend of 1 regular egg mixed with 1/3 cup of liquid egg whites, which is why the color looks so light. 

Oh, and, of course, my morning included coffee with agave nectar and oat milk. 

I also have a trip to the Y on the agenda for this morning. I’m thinking about going for a long run on the treadmill. Gotta get a head-start on those buffalo chicken dip calories!

Breakfast was an easy decision today. Nope, not oats! Last night, I had brainstormed a cheesy asparagus egg white omelette, so when I work up this morning, I was excited to try it out! 

Ingredients:

• 1/2 cup liquid egg whites
• 4-5 spears of steamed asparagus, chopped
• 1 (heaping) tbsp cottage cheese
• Swiss cheese to taste

This photo makes my omelette look teeny-tiny (weird angle, perhaps?), but it was super filling and is sitting in my stomach like a rock now! 

Also with breaky, iced coffee with chocolate soy milk and agave nectar.

Coffee drinkers: I’m tellin’ ya, you gotta try chocolate soy milk in your coffee. It’s so incredibly sweet and creamy! My iced coffee is almost like a coffee milkshake this morning!

For sweet treats, I had a dark chocolate Adora disk and a handful of Zoe’s granola.

No matter how hard I try, I just need something sweet after every meal. I swear this habit is genetically programmed into me!

I’m off to do wedding stuff with my sister this afternoon. All of her bridesmaids are coming to get measured for their dresses, and my sis is making her final decision on the style. I think she is leaning toward a long, dark plum, v-neck style dress for us. Sounds pretty, right? I’ll try to snap a pic this afternoon! 

Vote for My Pizza

My Autumn Maple Bacon Pizza is still trailing the leader, but the 3rd and 4th place pizzas are catching up now! GAH! Please remember to vote: http://boboli.gwbakeries.com/football/enter.cfm

I felt like I needed to jazz-up my oats this morning. I wanted something new and different, but also hearty and filling. I mentally inventoried the ingredients in our cupboards and refrigerator, and what I came up with was liquid egg whites!

When the blog first started, I used to add egg whites to my oatmeal every morning for some extra protein and staying-power. I’m not sure why I nixed this addition, but I’m glad it’s back!

In the mix:

• 1/3 cup dry oats
• 1/4 cup liquid egg whites
• 1/2 cup Zoe’s granola
• 1 cup vanilla soy milk
• 2 scoops of Barney Butter

I’d love to hear what you guys add to your oats. What are your favorite oatmeal ingredients and add-ins?

Treadmill Rut

The other day, I received a question from a reader about my treadmill runs; I thought I should share my response on the blog.

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

A: I rarely get bored on the treadmill. To keep me interested while running/walking, a few things come to mind…

• Have a plan: I almost always utilize some sort of cardio workout to guide my treadmlll run. I use fitness magazine workouts all of the time. Of course, running/walking workouts work best, but other cardio workouts work well, too. Some of my favorites: 
  • 45-Minute Treadmill Workout
  • Not a Boring Treadmill Workout
  • 3-Mile Challenge
  • 30-Minute Treadmill Run
  • Fitness NYC’s 3′s and 5′s Treadmill Challenge

  
  

• Interval workouts! Similar to above, change-up speeds and inclines to keep it interesting! Interval workouts also increase your caloric burn!




• Play games: You can assign a distance, time, intensity, or speed to just about anything. For instance:
  • Try rolling a dice before heading to the gym; the number you roll is the number of miles you run/walk.
  • Base your run/walk duration on the time you arrive at the gym or begin your workout. For example, if you start exercising at 5:47 PM, your workout will be 52 minutes (5+47). (Of course, this game doesn’t always work, but it’s fun when it does!)
  • If you have access to a TV while on the treadmill, pick up the pace during commercials with music, a jingle, or theme song.

    
    

    
    

    
    

• Schedule your workout around your favorite TV show: Set a specific time to hop on the treadmill to watch your favorite TV drama or sitcom. Television shows work great because they are 30 or 60 minutes– the perfect amount of time for a treadmill workout!