Good morning!
I’m so glad it’s Thursday because I have a fun day ahead. It involves spending a few hours at NuVal, getting free bagelsΒ at Bruegger’s, and then meeting up with my friend Jen for a media event followed by an overnight stay at a Boston hotel. It’s all good stuff today, and I’m excited!
Breakfast
I’m on a real oatmeal kick lately. I thought about making Protein Pancakes this morning, but I really just wanted a bowl of Super Creamy Oatmeal with a big scoop of Teddie, so that’s exactly what I made.
Sorry my breakfasts haven’t been too exciting lately, but my taste buds won this morning.
Pandora Workout Stations
Remember those cool Pandora workout stations? Well, here are some fun facts about them:
- In the first 25 days for 2012, workout stations accounted for approximately 10% of all genre stations created on Pandora
- The average listener with a Pandora workout station will listen for roughly 48 minutes a day
- 78% of listeners with a Pandora workout station listen to it on a mobile device
- Pop, Hip-Hop and Dance-themed stations are the most popular within the workout genre on Pandora
I’m a dork. I love fun facts.
Three Questions Thursday
Here’s the next edition of Three Questions Thursday!
My boyfriend and I are planning to do the Bay to Breakers race (a 12k) in San Francisco in May, and I want to be able to have my iPhone with me to take pictures and get in touch with people once the race is over. I noticed that you wear your Spibelt on longer runs to carry a few things; do you like it?
Yes! I LOVE my Spibelt! It’s definitely part of my βcan’t run without itβΒ gear for my long runs. At first, I thought wearing a Spibelt strapped around my waist would be annoying, but it’s surprisingly comfortable to wear. It barely bounces around when I’m running, even when it’s really full. Even then, I don’t notice it after a couple of minutes of running.Β
I mostly wear my Spibelt to carry my GU and iPhone (for listening to music, snapping pics, and getting in touch with people after races), but I also sometimes carry my ID, chapstick, cash, and house key in there. If you’re doing a long run/race and want to carry your iPhone, I highly recommend a Spibelt!
I have tried a thousand times to food journal, but never keep up with it!! Just wondering if you food journal? If so, do you use a regular notebook or something specific? Do you have any tips for keeping track?
I don’t journal my calories anymore, but I did while I was trying to lose weight as well as on and off for my first year of maintenance.
As for tips, check out these two posts that I wrote about food journaling and blogging:
- Want to Lose Weight for the Long Haul? Start Writing!
- Want to See the Scale Move? Make Some New Friends
Since freshman year, I have gained about 15 pounds and am having the hardest time losing it. Part of my problem is during the week I workout every day and eat healthy; however, on the weekend, I like to drink and eat not-so-good-for-me foods. I know that you said that you also had this problem previously. I was wondering if you had any tips?
Do I?! This is one of my favorite topics to write about! Here are some of the posts I’ve written about balancingΒ my splurges and unhealthy eats during the weekend and otherwise:
- 6 Ways to Keep the Weekend From Wrecking Your Diet
- 4 Skinny Tricks for Enjoying a Diet Splurge Guilt-Free
- How to Splurge Without Damaging Your Diet
- Go Ahead and Indulge! 3 Sneaky Ways to Plan for Diet Splurges
- 4 Ways to Cut Calories at the Bar (but Still Be the Life of the Party!)
Gnawin’ Forever Dog Toy Giveaway
Thanks to everyone who entered the Gnawin’ Forever Dog Toy Giveaway! Here’s your winner:
Joy Ulrich
Our dog chewed up and destroyed (in mere seconds) our four year old sons self made, self wrapped, Christmas present to dear mom & dad. It was a popsicle stick frame with an ever so sweet picture of him in the middle. Note: lots of glue and glitter and stickers were adorning the said popsicle stick frame. Broke his heart. BIG alligator tears. We spent an hour piecing it back together, wrapping paper and all!
Congrats, Joy! Please email me at tina@carrotsncake.com with your full name and mailing address to claim your prize.
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And I’m off!
See ya later!
48 Comments
That comment from Joy to win the dog toy seriously broke my heart! Aww, her poor kids! I can just picture their sad faces, I am glad she won! π Sometimes just having simple foods like oatmeal and peanut butter reminds us how good food can be just on its own! We don’t even need fancy toppings…at least not all the time!
@jana @ newly wife healthy life: awww yes totally agree! I don’t have a dog, but imagining the child’s face is tear-inducing indeed.
And when I crave something bad in the morning, it’s always pancakes/protein pancakes and oatmeal. It’s so satisfying you know?! π
I love your place mat!! π
Have fun in Boston today!
I have been living on toast with soynut butter and jelly – so simple but it is exactly what I have been wanting for breakfast.
For question 2, I would advise downloading an app which records cals/food intake that you can instantly plug into as and when you are consuming. After all, who doesn’t always have their phone on them and recording is very discreet!
Enjoy the free bagels! What a great way to start the day! Can’t wait until I’m back in oatmeal mode for breakfast. I’m limiting grains at the moment and the longer I go the more those bowls of oatmeal are beginning to look like chocolate chip cookies… OK not really, but they sure look good!!
Hmmm I had creamy oats with pb today too! YUM π
I picked up my free bagels this morning – awesome deal!
I’m seriously thinking of driving over an hour to Andover to get 3 free bagels. Is that crazy?? π
@Angela @ Happy Fit Mama: Ha! Do it! Are there any other errands that you can run on the way? Then, it’d be worth it! π
I saw that about the free bagels. There is a Brueggers about 20 minutes away from my work. I was going to get them but it’s not worth the drive for me sadly.
Free bagels? Jealous! Love the questions today, always helpful!
I agree with you, I also journaled my food when I was trying to loose weight. Whenever I feel myself slipping into unhealthy habits, I try to journal for a few days to see exactly what I’m eating
@Rebecca @ Naturally Healthy and Gorgeous: Same here!
Man, I can’t imagine not journaling my food, it’s just so automatic for me now. I don’t eat anything for the day until I’ve planned out my whole meals for the day. It keeps me in line. The Mr doesn’t do it that way, it’s enter it at the end of the day if he remembers and then “yay!” or “oops!”
wooo didn’t know about the free bagels, although I can’t eat em I might surprise my roommates with some! Thanks π
Lucky you, looks like you’ve got a fun day planned! Don’t worry about having a boring breakfast. I pretty much have the SAME thing everyday because I just love it that much! I’ll give you three guesses as to what it is…………..!
@Stellina @ My Yogurt Addiction: Pancakes? Eggs? Just kidding! π
Haha! Close, but no cigar π
Thank you for the tips on balancing my splurges because that is something I am always working on. I work so hard to eat well during the week and then ruin it all on the weekends.
I see nothing wrong with following your taste buds and going for the oatmeal. I’ve had a few mornings like that as well lately. π
Oooh, lots of good questions addressed in this entry! And thanks for reminding me to pack my spibelt when I go to my mom’s this weekend!
I don’t know if this is helpful or not, but I keep my food journal as a separate Twitter account. A few of my friends are doing it too, so we keep each other motivated (and don’t annoy our other Twitter friends with our food and workout updates). Since I always have my phone on me, it’s easy to update on the go.
@Carly: Great idea! π
I have been loving the Pandora workout stations lately! I have been using them in the group fitness classes I teach and the participants love the variety. I think the 80’s pop the other night was a real winner.
Have fun at NuVal today! I actually just recorded a testimonial for them on Tuesday! A camera crew came out from Chicago and we spent the afternoon chatting about NuVal, chopping veggies, shopping at HyVee and running. Can’t wait to see the final product!
@Kier @ Life {and running} in Iowa: Cool! Let me know when the video comes out! π
Hi Tina – Love your blog! Newly married & moved to Boston last month. Looking for a running buddy to train with for the “Run to Remember” half in May. Do you have any ideas? So appreciated; would love to make some new friends here!
@Patty: That’s a great half! I might run it this year too!
I’m not sure what part of the city you live in, but check out this list of running clubs in the area: http://marathonsports.com/pages/clubs I’m sure you can find some running buddies! π
Beacon Hill –
Thanks a bunch for the recommendation!
Thanks for bringing back three questions thursday! I love to see the questions people come up with, and of course your answers!
Awwaa..I’m glad she won that giveaway. Sounds like that dog really needs a good chew toy!!!! π
Perfect timing!
Thanks for this post! I am going out tonight to a 3 course dinner (app, main and dessert) .. thankfully it is a vegan menu but I am still here at work at 10:20 am worried about what to eat the rest of the day as to be able to enjoy my splurge… not to mention I am meeting my brother in law’s new girlfriend..
I really appreciate all your tips
WHAT! How am I just learning about Pandora workout stations!?!? I love that!!
Thanks for the helpful tips…and sounds like a fun day…enjoy!
Those are some really helpful tips Tina! Have a fun day and enjoy the hotel!
Very jealous. I wish there was a Brueggers near me. I love their bagels!
I always wake up with the intention of trying a new breakfast, but my cravings for oatmeal almost always win. Oh well, can’t fight our cravings! π
It’s funny that the journal question was asked, because I just started to track my food that way. I felt like I was consuming more calories than I should, so I started to journal my food. π So far so good! It is a great way to track what you are eating and want to drop a few pounds.
I agree–journaling is great at the beginning, but the second it becomes an obsession with calorie counting and such, it can be a dangerous slope (that I unfortunately went on).
Have a FUN day!!
My bootcamp instructor puts on the pandora workout stations EVERY TIME we workout! It’s so funny because I can guess what songs will come next now π
The third question was really helpful to me. My problem is a little different in the sense that I can’t bring myself to splurge at all because I’m worried that I’ll go overboard and not look back to my healthy eating/lifestyle (I’ve had a tendency to do this in the past). I’m definitely going to use some of these tips to change this. Everything is ok in moderation, right?
My new weekend drink is the Skinny Girl Sangria. So good.
@RunEatRepeat: I love your goal of drinking more! π
I love my Spibelt!! Don’t know how I ever ran without it. π
Great question on the last one, I think splurging on the weekend (to an extent) is what makes the weekend that much more better than the week! Also why I like reading your blog – to see how other people splurge and balance out in the end
Hi Tina! I was just curious where you received those Pandora Workout Genre Station stats from? I am in ad sales at Pandora in Chicago, so was so excited when I saw this π Thanks!
Someone from Pandora sent them to me! π