WIAW: A Day in the Life of a Sometimes Healthy Girl Part 3

\ by

Am I the only person that struggles with writing an opener every single time I sit down to type a post? I know that blogging is supposed to be more casual, but as a (former) trained writer, my brain is trained to put a lot of emphasis into the whole “intro/conclusion” thing.

Here are my typical “go-to’s”:

I usually belabor the opening sentence for a good 30 minutes, and yet, it always ends up being one of the above. Since blogging is supposed to be “conversational,” maybe I should create you all the way I normally greet my friends, with an exceedingly large, loud and drawn out “Helllloooooo,” just to ensure my presence is known. The BF can tell you all about it. He gets it every time I enter our house and just LOVES it.

So, there you have it, a 180 word look into the over-analytical brain of a Sometimes Healthy Girl. But, you didn’t come here to read about my rambling thoughts. It’s “What I Ate Wednesday” (WIAW), and you’re here to check out my eats from the previous day. Tuesday was a bit hectic, so there were a few Sometimes Healthy Snacks on-to-go, plus a dinner full of veggie substitutions and finally a drool-worthy dessert.


You may be wondering how my life is so hectic…considering the whole job thing. I always enjoy reading blogger day-in-the-lifes (and have written some of my own in the past), so for your reading pleasure, here is WIAW: Day in the Life of Sometimes Healthy Girl

5:30 AM: Wake up for no reason at all, so get up to quickly use the restroom.

Dog notices that I am up and decided to take advantage of my early potty break by whining until I let him out for a potty break of his own. Feed him and can’t get back to bed.

6:00 AM: Brew up a cup of coffee and use up the last of my Girl Scout Cookies Coffee-Mate creamer. Feel an unreasonable pang of sadness as I throw away the bottle. Consider mixing some water with the last drop to make it last longer.

Say it 'aint so!

Say it ‘aint so!

I noticed it was no longer in the grocery store last time I checked so that means just a week after I discovered this “special edition” creamer, it appears to be off the shelves. How did I miss the boat on this amazing creation? Our time together was short, but oh so sweet. Oh well, I guess I’ll just have to drown my sorrows in their seasonal Pumpkin Spice flavor. Continue Reading →

Posted in: WIAW \ Tagged: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,

WIAW: Protein with a Touch of Honesty

\ by


Happy Wednesday everyone! I hope you’re enjoying the fall weather as much as me. 

You may notice a bit of a change to the design of my blog today. I was aiming for a clean look, with more white space and an emphasis on the pictures. Please let me know what you think – always looking for constructive criticism!

Anyway, it’s What I Ate Wednesday (WIAW) again, and today’s post features a reoccurrence of one very important part of my diet: protein. I’ve been slacking in the protein category these days, so I’ve been making a conscious effort to up the daily intake. I’m going to finish off this post of mouthwatering eats by sharing with you something that happened to me recently that has affected my life in a pretty major way. Protein with a touch of honesty ya’ll.


 

My day started a 4:15 AM, because my jet-setting BF needed a ride to the airport. He has been traveling a lot these days, but his schedule should calm down soon. I miss him…but I love having the chance to indulge in foods he hates, like spaghetti squash and tofu.

Getting up at such a crazy hour requires a large caffeine buzz. Enter Dunkin Donuts.

Oh, no you didn't Coffee-Mate!

Oh, no you didn’t Coffee-Mate!

Nope, your eyes are not deceiving you. That right there is Girl Scout Cookie Creamer from Nestle. I saw it in the store the other day and literally almost jumped for joy. And guess what? It’s also available in Thin Mint.

The flavor was on-point, evoking the nostalgic Samoa cookie (my favorite) with every sip.

Continue Reading →

Posted in: Life Changes, WIAW \ Tagged: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,

WIAW: Veggie Packed + Cheese

\ by

Oh, hello everyone! Notice anything different about the blog? Nope, probably not.

I spent about 10 hours between yesterday and today trying to navigate the murky waters of moving to self-hosting, and I’m still not there. Basically, most of my issues are coming from not being able to export everything from WordPress.com. In case anyone is interested or wants to help me (PRETTY PLEASE), I’m using Bluehost. I’ve done a lot of research at this point, but if you’ve experienced similar issues, I’m all ears! I’ve heard that this process is easy….so far, I’d have to disagree!

But, let’s move on from the frustrating technology issues in my world. After all, it’s What I ate Wednesday (WIAW)! Talking about food is MUCH more fun. The BF was out of town yesterday, and as I’ve said before, whenever the cat’s away, the mice will play. For me, that means eating lots of veggies, since the BF is more of a meat n’ potatoes kind of guy.

I know, I’m such a rebel.

Let’s start with my ultra-gourmet breakfast.

Breakfast of a Sometimes Healthy Champ?

Breakfast of a Sometimes Healthy Champ?

A Fiber One Wrap filled with honey and a couple of dark chocolate chips + Chobani. This breakfast clearly contained the most important food groups for an active Sometimes Healthy Girl: carbs, protein and chocolate.

I’m currently obsessed with both of these products. The Chobani Mint with Dark Chocolate Chips is delicious and tastes like a healthy Thin Mint Girl Scout Cookie. The Fiber One Wraps are light, but carby and filling at the same time. We usually run out of these in less than a week because the BF likes them too.

Continue Reading →

Posted in: WIAW \ Tagged: , , , , , , , , , ,

WIAW: In a New York State of Mind

\ by

Whenever I’m in NYC, the week seems to fly by a little quicker. I don’t know how I actually lived and worked in this city for almost 4 years!

I’m back upstate for a day today, but heading back to the city tomorrow to get in on some Fashion Week action! For all the time I lived in the Big Apple, I never even stepped close to Fashion Week. It should be an interesting experience, and hopefully I’ll have a few stories to share on Monday.

But, it’s ‘What I Ate Wednesday” (WIAW) time, so let’s talk about my eats. We’ll start in NYC and make our way back to the Hudson Valley by dinner!

The weather was unbearably humid and heavy while in NYC, so I wasn’t able to run in Central Park as I had hoped. So, I fueled myself for another workout at the Ritz Carlton with breakfast + a view.

I could get used to this little view.

I could get used to this little view.

That right there is some delicious hotel coffee and a half eaten Starbucks Morning Bun (I forgot to take a picture until halfway through). Whenever I’m staying in a hotel, one of my most treasured morning routines is walking downstairs and making myself a cup of coffee. It just feels so luxurious not to have to brew it myself.

It’s the little things, my friends. Anyway, after breakfast, I walked a few blocks to the Ritz to get in a quality workout before an exhausting day of running around the city.

Continue Reading →

Posted in: NYC, Uncategorized, WIAW, workouts \ Tagged: , , , , , , , , , ,

WIAW: When Melted Chocolate is the Worst Part of your Day

\ by


Another Wednesday, another chance to share my meals from the day.

But first, I’m happy to say that so far I am really enjoying studying for my NASM certification. While there’s so much to learn, the information is so interesting to me that sometimes it doesn’t even feel like I’m studying!

My head is about to burst with new workouts I want to try. Check out this new workout, which really illustrate my whole POV when it comes to fitness: “Fit Fitness into your life” and not the other way around. (Please ignore the mess in this picture)

Pull...then squat!

Pull…then squat!

After i got home yesterday, Cole was feeling a bit rambunctious and kept following me around with toys. He was pulling so hard trying to get the toy back that I actually had to plant my feet to keep from falling over.

So, I decided to squat. Pull toy 3 times and squat for one minute (unless dog gives up) Doggie Play Time Exercises, coming to a gym near you.

But, it’s WIAW, so let’s talk eats. For breakfast, overnight oats made a triumphant return to my life last night, and the BF even requested that I make a jar for him.

OOIAJ for Two

OOIAJ for Two

On Monday night, I filled 2 mason jars with about 1/4 cup oats, 1/2 cup almond milk, 1/4 cup dry figs, 1/2 banana 2tbsp of PB2 and some cinnamon. The result?

Continue Reading →

Posted in: Uncategorized, WIAW \ Tagged: , , , , , ,

WIAW: Replenishing After HOT Yoga

\ by


Happy “What I Ate Wednesday” (WIAW)! We’ll get to the food in a minute, but first I want to cover off briefly on fitness. As you may recall, last Friday, I mentioned that I had written a post up that had somehow magically deleted.

The post was all about forcing myself out of my “fitness comfort zone” while in Boston and taking a class that I knew would be very challenging for me. I’m still going to publish that post (eventually), but in the meantime, I’m very proud to report that I ventured out of my fitness comfort zone yet again to take a 90 MINUTE hot yoga class with our German visitors.

Check out those sweat marks. HOTTT

Check out those sweat marks. HOTTT

And yep, your eyes are not deceiving you…the BF came to the class too! Clearly, out of town visitors have a big influence over us. I made sure not to sit right next to the BF because I knew I might break out laughing in the middle of the class as we admired each other’s graceful movements.

I’ve taken yoga about 6 times in my life (including 4 times for a story I wrote back in Chicago), and to put it bluntly: It’s just not my thing. Besides an extreme lack of flexibility, I generally have a hard time relaxing and focusing for long periods of time. That’s why running and circuit training are my workout “drugs of choice.” But at the same time, when I drag my restless body to a yoga class, I always feel a sense of accomplishment at the end of the class that is very different from finishing a long run or lifting a certain amount of pounds.

This class was no different, and once we made it through those 90 minutes I stated, “It would be easier for me to run 10 miles then take this class again!” Now, that’s a quality workout. I have a few more thoughts on the actual class, which I’ll share later in this post, but let’s jump into the eats for this WIAW.

Breakfast was a Chobani Coconut Yogurt, topped with blueberries, figs and slivered almonds.

What's Cho Flavor?

What’s Cho Flavor?

Continue Reading →

Posted in: WIAW, workouts \ Tagged: , , , , ,

WIAW: The Boston Backstreet Boys Edition

\ by

Hello from Beantown!

Good morning Boston!

Good morning Boston!

I could not be having a better time exploring this city, and even though I’m excited to go to the Cape, I’m actually sad to be leaving tomorrow. This edition of (What I Ate Wednesday) WIAW will feature all of my great eats from Boston, blending together Monday and Tuesday. We ate a couple of meals with the BF’s coworkers. Apparently, it’s not professional to snap pictures of your food at a business meal. So, though the meals were delicious, I decided to spare my BF the embarrassment and NOT take pictures.

Lots to cover, but first, just wanted to say thank you for all of the comments on Monday’s post. It’s always intimidating to share such a personal story, but it almost felt therapeutic to get in touch with my emotions on this difficult topic.

But, back to Beantown food.

Breakfast: All You Can Eat…You bet Ya!

I love staying at hotels, and this particular visit is very fun because I’m with the BF and dog. The location of the hotel, Boston Park Plaza, couldn’t be better. It’s an old historic hotel, located in the Back Bay area of Boston, right next to Newbury Street (Boston’s Rodeo Drive) and the Boston Commons, a park that Cole and I are currently obsessed with.

My favorite part of hotels is exploring their gyms and all-you-can eat buffets. I know, I’m weird. While the buffet at Boston Park Plaza was a bit pricey, I still enjoyed being able to fill my plate to the brim and then go back for seconds…and thirds.

All you can eat? I CAN eat a lot. Can you?

All you can eat? I CAN eat a lot. Can you?

Turkey, cheese, eggs, cottage cheese, fruit, randomness, deliciousness. I was one full and happy Sometimes Healthy Girl.

Continue Reading →

Posted in: WIAW \ Tagged: , , , ,

WIAW: Shameless Reality TV

\ by

Oh, hello everyone. And happy Wednesday to all! It’s time for another edition of “What I Ate Wednesday” (WIAW), and, as a bonus, I’m serving it up with a little discussion about one of my favorite guilty pleasures: shameless reality television. I watch it. You watch it. We all watch it.

No sense in denying it. Let’s embrace it and talk about our favorite shows!

But first, let’s talk breakfast. Yesterday I threw together a delicious combination. I cut a wheat pocketless pita in half and topped it with honey, bananas and some dark chocolate chips.

Simple n' Easy

Simple n’ Easy

Sweet, savory and filling. This is the perfect breakfast for when I’m in a rush or running late.

Continue Reading →

Posted in: WIAW \ Tagged: , , , , , , , , , ,

WIAW: Ramen Noodles and the Bachelorette

\ by

Disclaimer: This Wednesday’s eats may not be the most exciting food you’ve ever seen. Hey, I wasn’t even that excited to eat the food (except the ice cream…ice cream always excites me).

I happened to tune into the Bachelorette last night (I know, I’m a day late) while eating my ice cream, and, for once in the franchise’s history, I actually thought it was the “most dramatic episode ever” (finally got it right, Chris Harrison!).

The most dramatic.episode.ever.

The most dramatic.episode.ever.

I always wonder how much I have in common with my loyal SHLB readers, and something tells me one thing that most of us share is a love for cheesy reality television.

So, let’s talk food. Then, let’s have some deep thoughts on The Bachelorette.

Breakfast yesterday was a cheesy egg white wrap. I used Flatout Wraps as the base and topped with generous amounts off eggs n’ cheese.

Mmm. mmm. good.

Mmm. mmm. good.

It was definitely a filling way to start my day!

Continue Reading →

Posted in: WIAW \ Tagged: , , ,

WIAW: The Time My Parents LET me Cook Dinner

\ by

Usually I’m in a pretty cheerful mood on Wednesdays. The week is halfway over, and I get to share my wacky eats from the previous day.

However, today, I’m leaving Omaha, and whenever I’m here for a long time, I have a hard time saying good-bye. They say home is where the heart is, and sometimes I think that my heart will always stay here. Maybe, one day, if the stars align, I’ll make my way back to the heartland for good.

In the meantime, let’s move on to a much more entertaining topic: Tuesday’s eats. The highlight of this WIAW will most certainly be the dinner that I cooked for my parents, but let’s start with breakfast.

Coffee Routine

I have a specific morning coffee routine when I stay in Omaha. Around 6 or 7 in the am, I get in my car and drive to Caribou Coffee at Hy-Vee. I love  the coffee at this place, and even more so, I enjoy the service. The people are just so warm and friendly! They represent everything I love about the midwest.

On Tuesday, along with my coffee, I ordered the Raspberry White Chocolate Scone that I had been eyeing since last week.

Creamy coffee and a scone? Don't mind if I do!

Creamy coffee and a scone? Don’t mind if I do!

It was a bit rich for breakfast, but hey, it was my last day in Omaha, so I decided to go crazy! Continue Reading →

Posted in: Nebraska, WIAW \ Tagged: , , , , , ,