Dietitian on the Run

February 2, 2012

Around the .Coms

If you’re an “ist” reader – DCist, LAist, Gothamist (NYC) – you may remember that at one point they would round up stories from “Around the ists”, bringing together the top headlines from cities around the world in one quick news-filled post. Today, we’ll venture around the .coms.

Happy Reading!

Fitness: Patagonia – The Cleanest Line
Confessions of Yoga Non-Believer
“…if one more person said to me, “Ooh, have you ever tried yoga? You—should—really—do yoh-gaa,” I’d tear up their smelly yoga mat bit by bit and shove the pieces up their Pranayama-breathing nostrils.

But I had to admit defeat. I was desperate…”

At-home Gourmet: Washingtonian’s Well+Being
Three-Course Vegetarian {Valentine’s Day} Meal for Two

My recipes for a fruit n’ nut salad appetizer, and sweet potato, fennel & eggplant lasagna are featured as the bulk of this stay-at-home dining date. Top it off with Mark Bittman’s {tofu} Chocolate pudding.

Tricks of the Trade: The Sweet Life
Twitter for You and Your Organization

“We are all trying to get our names out there — whether that means an organization we work for — or our own networking within the blogosphere.

8,000 followers later…”

Wisdom & Truth: Tiny Buddha
Make Your Moments Count

“I am by no means wealthy, but I’ve finally realized my pennies are only as valuable as the priorities they allow me to honor. We never get to know how much time we have left; we only know we can choose what we do with the time we have now.”

In Other News: Washington Post
Punxsutawney Phil Says…

If we get another 6 weeks of this kind of DC winter – 70* yesterday, 50s throughout the weekend? Count me in. Sing it, Phil!

——

What .coms have you been reading up on lately?

My daily morning news sources – Daily Beast’s Cheat Sheet (thanks to D!), Huffington Post’s Health/Fitness & the Facebook Newsfeed – they all bring something different to the table. I get a dose of “real” news, a dose of food & fitness (my kind of news!) and a dose of what the friends consider worth sharing.

2 Comments

Filed under DC, in the News, random, recipes

Tagged as News

February 1, 2012

Sauté: Pile the Pizza

I blame the current streak of continuing to cook and create in the kitchen entirely on Betty. It’s her fault; I think she wears that accusation proudly.

The things we’ve been dining on aren’t exactly Betty-style recipes (but they’re D-approved, so that counts for something). Yet, apparently when I open and read a cookbook, suddenly my hands start chopping and the water starts boiling, the seasonings just jump right in, and minutes later we have something worth calling a meal!

Yep. It’s that easy.

The first example of this happened on Saturday night, when I had a few hours to myself at home and a lot of ingredients that needed some attention. See: Roasted Cauliflower & Leeks with Arugula Pesto.

Next up: filling the it’s-been-too-long-since-homemade-pizza! void.

Sautéed Mushroom, Fennel & Cherry Tomato Pizza

1/2 fennel bulb, chopped
1 c sliced mushrooms
1/2 c cherry tomatoes, halved
1 Tbsp olive oil
Pizza dough*
Marinara / Pizza Sauce
Shredded Mozzarella Cheese
Freshly grated Parmesan Cheese (optional, but recommended!)
Dried oregano (or fresh, if you’re fancy)

*We used the garlic & herb dough from TJ’s. Two thumbs up!
Always leave fresh dough out for 20-60 minutes before rolling and forming into something resembling a circle. It’s much easier to work with when it’s at room temperature.

Preheat the oven according to the dough’s needs – in this case it was 425* (if I remember correctly). Meanwhile, prep the veggies (chop, wash, rinse) and heat the oil over medium in a sauté pan. Start with the fennel, and add in the mushrooms after 2-3 minutes. Season with salt/pepper to taste, and dried oregano. Stir frequently to prevent burning; sauté until they’re both softened. For the last minute, add in the cherry tomatoes.

Roll out the dough, top with sauce and shredded mozzarella. Add a generous layer of the fennel, mushroom & tomato mixture. Top with freshly grated parmesan. Bake for 8-9 minutes (or until dough is cooked through and the cheese is melted).

The “licorice-onion” takes a mild flavor turn when cooked and mixed with some friends. The combination of these three, plus the bonus of sautéing to get the best texture out of them all was a complete success. We dined happily!

13 Comments

Filed under dinners, food, in the kitchen, lunches, recipes

January 30, 2012

Roasted Cauliflower & Leeks with Arugula Pesto Pasta

As of late, there is one single factor that will motivate me to create in the kitchen – ingredients on their last leg, vegetables that may not live to see another crisp, fresh-feeling day.

Last week I purchased fennel, leeks and cauliflower to get the wheels turning. These aren’t frequent fridge visitors in our kitchen; a new ingredient means that I must make a new recipe, right? Exactly.

Leeks were part of a list that was intended to create a Cassoulet, but that hasn’t happened yet. I can’t even recall the last time they stared at me from the fridge; who does this vegetable pair with? Where should it go? What does it taste like??

I sliced away, and made the assumption that this can be roasted, just like anything else. I also made the assumption that it can be friends with cauliflower, because that was to be roasted as well. Add in a blend of herbs, spices and oil, and you’re bound to have some sort of kitchen success!

Roasted Cauliflower & Leeks

Heat oven to 400* and prepare a baking sheet with oil (spray or rub).

Slice 2 leeks; remove one head of cauliflower from the stalk, and cut into smaller florets. Combine in a bowl, and season with flavors of your choice!

I went with cayenne pepper (perhaps a bit too much…), nutmeg & cumin. I loved this blend, but could’ve gone a little lighter on that kicker. Add in 1 Tbsp olive oil, and mix well.

Roast for 35-40 minutes total – stirring at least every 10 minutes to prevent burning (see picture below – I could’ve done a few more “stirs”).

Arugula Pesto Pasta

Meanwhile, get going on the rest of the dish!

Linguine Noodles (I made ~4 servings worth)
3 cups fresh arugula leaves
1 Tbsp Olive Oil
1 tsp Low-Sodium Soy Sauce
Salt/Pepper, to taste
2 Tbsp Chopped nuts (walnuts or pecans)– optional
1-2 Tbsp freshly grated parmesan cheese – also optional, I skipped it this time, but it’s part of a traditional pesto recipe

Cook pasta as directed. While it’s boiling, put the remaining ingredients in a Food processor and pulse until smoothly combined.

Once the pasta is cooked (al dente, of course), drained and ready to go, combine it all into one bowl.

This has {hopefully just} a hint of spice from the roasted vegetables, but a settling, simple pleasure in the taste of arugula pesto-coated noodles.

An entirely new dish to our kitchen’s repertoire, and an entirely new way (for me) to use leeks,cauliflower and arugula (love that peppery leaf!). This is definitely filed under “experimental win!”.

What have you experimented with lately?

Any tips for leek-using to share? Next time it will either go in that cassoulet, or into a soup.

14 Comments

Filed under dinners, food, in the kitchen, recipes, weekends

Tagged as cooking, recipes

January 27, 2012

Betty Says: Measure. Cook Rice

Rice did not make a good first impression with me; it bubbled over once or twice (I have to watch this pan? Boring.), tasted either too dry or way too moist, and it did this to my pan:

Multiply that by at least ten, though. The pan was sacrificed, and there wasn’t even a good spoonful of rice to show for it.

From there, I learned my first tip: spray that pan! PAM it, or if you’re not a fan of oil via aerosol, just put a drop on a paper towel and spread it around. The other thing you should do is refrain from burning the rice. That helps immensely. (Image source)

I avoided cooking this fluffy grain for at least a few years after destroying at least two pans. I was also of the Mitch Hedberg opinion, “Rice is great if you’re hungry, and want 2,000 of something.” Only on rare occasion did I crave 2,000 of anything.

The next very important lesson that I learned with rice: measure {very} carefully. This didn’t really fit my care-free (read: reckless) kitchen personality, and I chalked up my lack of rice-cooking-skills to failure. I can’t cook rice very well– that’s something I can live with.

Fast forward two years, and suddenly I’ve decided to buy long-grain brown rice in bulk from Whole Foods. I also bought some “Wild Rice”, because that sounded more interesting. By the time we moved in August, I was tired of having two containers of rice taking up space, so they were combined.

It’s been housed in one large glass container for five months now, and Betty finally inspired me to give it another try. Chipotle may have had some influence here, too – their burrito bowls with rice get me every time!

In the very first section, Cooking Basics, I realized I’ve been breaking a cardinal kitchen rule for a long time – dry vs. wet measuring cups.

Those on the left are intended for dry ingredients only*. The cups on the right are meant for wet ingredients only. I know this rule, but I cave entirely out of laziness sometimes (wash more than one set of measuring cups? Tough life.)

*Also referred to as Graduated Nesting Measuring Cups (you know, because they can all sit inside each other, “nesting”).

Alright, Betty, let’s have your rice tips!

Measure the water and rice carefully – in their respective dry/wet specific cups!
Do NOT STIR while it’s cooking. Risotto is the only exception.
When it’s done cooking, fluff with a fork to separate the grains.
“Perfectly Cooked Rice: the grains are fluffy and separate from each other.”
My addition (I can say this, because I think she would agree): add a little bit of butter or oil, once it’s done cooking. I add either 1/2 – 1 Tbsp butter or 1/2 Tbsp olive oil before “fluffing”. It adds just the right amount of flavor and texture!

Last night, I cooked 1.5 cups of dry rice (yielding ~3 cups cooked*).

1.5 c dry brown rice
3 c water
Salt/pepper shakes
1 Tbsp butter

Bring water to a boil. Add rice and stir gently to separate it around the pan (vs. the lump it sits in when you dump it out of the measuring cup). Reduce heat to low, cover and simmer for 35-40 minutes (check the rice after about 30- 35 minutes and assess!). Once the water appears to be all absorbed, remove from heat, add in oil/butter, fluff with a fork and let sit for ~5 more minutes before serving.

For our stir-fry, we sliced and sautéed 1/2 yellow & red pepper, 1/4 yellow onion and 1 c of mushrooms. Add in a little bit of low-sodium soy sauce (~1 Tbsp) and any seasoning you’re craving. Ours also had chopped tempeh, but add in your protein of choice! Mix with the rice, and voila! Dinner is served.

*I always make this in batches, because it’s rare that I want to spend 40-45 minutes tending to rice. Leftovers are a bonus!

What are your rice-cooking tips? Anything you would to our list?

Favorite rice dish (Leftovers = needing ideas)?

{“Fluff” word-usage count: 5}

12 Comments

Filed under food, in the kitchen, learning, recipes

January 26, 2012

Eggplant: A Fruit, More than a Hue

To get things started, the eggplant would like one thing to be clear – it is actually a fruit. However, similar to its fellow nightshade family member, the tomato, it’s often treated in meals as a vegetable (how often do you cover an apple in breadcrumbs, marinara and parmesan?).

This elongated pear-shaped fruit-vegetable doesn’t land in my grocery basket very often; I cooked with it for the first time in a college Food Lab, perplexed by its firm outer layer, yet squishy, mealy inside.

What is this large purple tube?

Grouped with tomatoes, potatoes, peppers and even tobacco, the nightshade plants are grown in the shade of the night. They produce alkaloids – one of which is nicotine – and have therefore been studied as pharmaceuticals. They’re actually a defense mechanism for plants; by design, they protect plants from insects that would normally eat them. In some human cases, these compounds can cause adverse reactions, but cooking has been shown to reduce the amount of alkaloid.

Toxic worries aside, this plant has plenty of beneficial, healthy attributes. Yes, it has plenty of nice qualities, too…

It is made up of almost 95% water. You can’t drink it, though.
One cup of cubed/chopped eggplant has only ~20 calories, 3g of fiber, and 10% of the Daily Value (DV) for manganese.
It is rich in phytochemicals, some of which are being studied in relation to cardiovascular health – nasunin is an antioxidant phytochemical found in eggplant skin, and is believed to protect fats (lipids) in brain cells.
The best season for eggplant growing runs from July – October. Perfect for Farmers’ Market grabbing!

In the world of foodies, it is a versatile “fruit” for cooking and meal-creating. One of its more popular roles is that of a chicken substitute for “Eggplant Parmesan”. It’s the base of ratatouille, and Betty says it can be boiled (5-8 minutes, until softened), steamed or sautéed (5-10 minutes, with oil or you know, Bett’s favorite, butter).

One of the most popular dishes searched on this site is the “Pasta-less Eggplant Lasagna”. Recently, I threw it into a lasagna that also had the regular noodle, cheese, vegetables layers.

*****

The eggplant and I are still getting to know each other. I’m a sucker for the deep purple hue, and the creative push it gives me when I have it sitting on my counter, staring at me. I’m also a sucker for this Trader Joe’s red pepper eggplant dip, which has be convinced that the flavor isn’t always masked by the odd texture.

Are you an eggplant fan, or connoisseur? Do you have an eggplant favorite to add to the recipe list?

Sources:
What are nightshades and in which foods are they found?
16 Facts About Eggplant
Eggplant Nutrition Facts

18 Comments

Filed under food, groceries, learning, Nutrition, recipes

January 24, 2012

Breaking into Betty’s Kitchen

Before taking a semester “off” from school for an internship, and moving into my very first apartment (out of dorm life!), my Mom gave me a cookbook.

My first cookbook; this one will teach you how to do everything from boiling water to baking a loaf of bread from scratch.

I have flipped through this book a few times, and love seeing the note left at the beginning – “Merry Christmas, Heather! Happy Cooking! Love, Mom & Dad”. My college roommates used it to make homemade frosting, baked coconut shrimp and roasted meat with potatoes. I generally kept things simple, and had a tendency to modify Cooking Light recipes, make a box of mac n’ cheese with some steamed broccoli, or just throw some chicken breasts in the sauté pan.

Betty and I didn’t spend time together very often, but she’s always been around. She has survived at least seven moves, always gracing my kitchen with her signature red binder and plethora of untouched knowledge.

Recently I’ve started to realize that I make a lot of simple mistakes in the kitchen; our food tastes just fine, but if I paid a little bit more attention to details, it could taste that much better. If I splash cold water on the freshly cooked pasta in the strainer, it cools down. If I take the eggs out of the pan just before their done scrambling, the residual heat will do the rest. If I actually bake things in the center of the oven, the cook time will be sufficient.

Betty and I have a lot of catching up to do! I learn best by taking notes, and marking pages that I want to turn back to. I learn by doing, and sharing. Betty and I will also be compromising; many of her recipes call for sour cream, lard, stick after stick of butter, and random thins like packaged soup mixes.

I plan on going through every single page of this book, hoping you’re up for some reading & learning, too! I’m taking notes to remember the things that stand out, and marking an “H” next to recipes that I want to create, and/or modify.

Then, I’ll share them here, with you.

Betty will join me in the kitchen, teaching me some of the basics and eventually delving into the tricky things I have yet to attempt. She’ll inspire me to be innovative, remind me to keep the pantry stocked, and continue to help me appreciate the art of creating things in the kitchen.

I have a list started of ideas for posts, and queue of “H” recipes waiting for their turn. I hope I also have your company, and taste-buds for testing!

Next week, my first lesson will be a refresher on the Cooking Basics & a few appetizers to keep our hunger at bay {Yogurt & Spinach Dips}.

Do you own the Betty Crocker Cookbook?

Any cooking basics, or types of recipes that you’d like to see featured?

Fun fact: I’ve actually been to Betty Crocker’s Kitchen. While I worked for Small Planet Foods, we visited the GM headquarters and got the full tour!

25 Comments

Filed under about me, food, learning, Nutrition

January 23, 2012

11 Things, Twice

On Friday, Marlene tagged me in the “11 random things” meme. (Rebel that I am, the rules aren’t being followed verbatim.)

{Write} 11 random things {about yourself}

I always turn on some background noise if I’m home alone – music, morning news, NPR, etc. Usually I prefer the first, but the latter makes me feel smarter.

I’m the middle child – older brother, younger sister (good balance, yes?).
I’ve always stood behind the belief that birth order says a lot about your personality.

I didn’t know one single thing about football until I went to college. My east-coast friends taught me something new during almost every game – it took me almost two years to really “get” it all. When games garner this kind of spirit, it’s hard not to want to love it:

The first tape that I remember listening to over and over (and over)? Amy Grant. Baby, I’m the lucky one…

The first boy-band I couldn’t get enough of was N Sync. Justin Timberlake still holds a top spot.

I was certified to use a chain-saw for a summer-job. We used them almost every day, and my arms haven’t been that toned since.

I almost chose to be an Architect major in college. I completely nerded out at the building museum this weekend – love it all.

I’ve been asked how I “know English so well”, or “speak without an accent” when I say I’m from New Mexico. NEW being the obvious key-word there. NEW, as in, United States.

I lived in Florida for one semester during college, as a College Program Intern at Walt Disney World.

I cried when the Live News coverage showed Joe Paterno getting fired in November. My heart broke for him (opinions of the situation aside – haters, not today), his family, and the 61 years he had dedicated to everything Penn State.

I was teary yesterday morning when I read this news…

…and looked through these photos. He’s a legend. His last chapter has been written, and his legacy will always surround us.

****

Whew. Now, onto Marlene’s questions….

1. What is your favourite pair of non-running shoes?

Currently: my Nine West brown boots. Any other season: comfy flats.

2. What are you wearing right now?

Black ‘lounge’ pants & a T-shirt from the LOHAS conference.

3. What is the first thing you would do if you won the lottery?

Travel! I’d book tickets to Europe & an island.

4. Are you named after anyone/anything?

Not that I know of.

5. What is worse – being too cold, or being too hot?

Being too hot – I can’t handle the suffocating feeling of being overheated. When you’re cold, layers help and eventually it’s numb (painful, yes, but numb).

6. What is hanging on your walls at home?

As of a few weekends ago, a lot of things! We finally decorated:

7. What is the last thing that you took a picture of?

Vegetable Lasagna & arugula salad.

8. Who is the last person you spoke to on the phone?

9. Where did you go on vacation as a child?

We traveled somewhere new almost every year; we went to Walt Disney World about every other year.

10. What is your favourite TV show?

The Big Bang Theory! Gah, I laugh out loud every single time I watch that show. I love it. Modern Family is a very, very close second.

11. How many pieces of jewelry do you wear regularly?

Three or four – earrings & a watch or necklace.

******

Alright, that was a lot of me. Play along if you want to – consider yourself tagged, or answer a few of your choice questions in the comments!

11 Comments

Filed under about me, random

January 20, 2012

Food Flashbacks & Favorites

Also known as “Random Friday Facts”, a la Katie.

I remember hearing about the Jack-in-the-Box hamburger disaster at a young age, therefore I never ordered hamburgers as a kid. I always went for the chicken – sandwich or nuggets. Good thing I didn’t know about salmonella or campylobacter.

I prefer the texture of instant vs. rolled or steel cut oats. I still get the fiber and whole-grains, plus they cook faster – win, win.

I have never broken a bone (thanks for keeping the milk stocked up, Mom!). I did crack my head open and break my nose in the same year, though (age 2). Good times.

I deemgrapefruits the best winter produce option – they’re not only refreshing and delicious, but they also provide a little ‘tropical’ element to the season. As kids, we ate them by cutting in half and digging in with a spoon. Now, I peel it like an orange and eat the slices.

My first memory of my Dad cooking for us involved breakfast, and “toast with a hole & a pickle on top”. I was confused by all of the above, but still tried it. When I realized the egg was runny, all hope was lost.

My first favorite vegetables were bell peppers and cooked green beans. Peas were the first vegetable I hated. That last sentiment still stands.

I grew up in New Mexico (i.e. green-chile capital!), but didn’t order Mexican food in Mexican restaurants until at least high school. “Oh, I have an American option? Yes, I’ll take that crap.” I missed out on years of delicious food!

I despised tomatoes; the disgust for their runny middle & tasteless meaty texture ran deep (but of course I loved ketchup & salsa – totally different). My Dad once challenged us to eat half of a fresh tomato, a requirement if we wanted a cotton candy stick at an amusement park. That challenge took up a good half hour of that day. The cotton candy was totally worth it, at the time.

I didn’t really appreciate, or even enjoy, peaches until I lived in Colorado (i.e. 24 years old). That fuzzy skin will get ya.

I thought I hated strawberries, raspberries & blackberries (this was a decision made in my head, not by any real taste test). Once, I ate a brownie with fresh raspberries in it and I spit them out. My matured taste buds are appalled by all of this.

****

How have your food preferences changed?

Flashbacks welcomed!

19 Comments

Filed under about me, food, Nutrition, things that make you go Hmmmm

January 19, 2012

Butter (Alone) Won’t Give You Type 2 Diabetes

The famously endearing Southern cook, Miss Paula Deen, finally shared a little something other than a pie recipe – she has Type 2 Diabetes. She’s had it for three years. She’s now coming out as the spokesperson for Novo Nordisk (pharmaceutical drug, marketing and research company).

…..is anybody shocked? Of course not.

Did everyone already hear this news 10 times over throughout the past 48 hours? I know; {hand-raised} me too.

I’m not here to share a snarky opinion about Paula, her recipes or her decision to get paid by “Big Pharma”. To be honest, I heart that deep southern drawl and her consistently friendly, upbeat, fun attitude. I sort of love that she adds a long “Y’allll” to the end of everything, flashes her pearly whites more often than not, and calls people “Honey”. I wish her the best in the management of this life-long disease – it’s not an easy diagnosis to take on.

But, there’s an opportunity for education, and it appears she’s decided to skip that route.

“Honey, I’m your cook, not your doctor. You are going to have to be responsible for yourself.”
-Paula Deen, herself

Well, Ms. Deen, that’s the issue. There still seems to be quite a disconnect between what we eat, and how it effects our health. That is a problem. You are a cook, you are in the public eye, and the way you eat is not too different from how many other Americans dine.

She’s since been criticized for not giving up butter, or her deep fryer. It’s highly unlikely that those two things alone led to the development of this chronic condition. Her high-fat, high-sugar, ‘southern-style’ recipes certainly played an big starring role, but the big picture comes together with a few outlying puzzle pieces.

Type 2 Diabetes is still being researched intensely in all respects. It accounts for 90-95% of all Diabetes cases in the United States, and yet we still aren’t entirely sure how people “get it”. We do have a few things figured out, though.

Did you know that…

Type 2 Diabetes Mellitus (DM) was once called “Adult Onset” Diabetes – almost all cases were reported in adults, not children. Well, childhood obesity spiked and suddenly we’re seeing kids being diagnosed with Type 2 DM. Now it’s referred to as “Non-Insulin Dependent DM”.
- It develops as the body becomes resistant to insulin. The pancreatic cells still produce insulin, in most cases, but the body doesn’t utilize it effectively or efficiently. This is the difference between Type 1 & Type 2.
It occurs slowly over time; people could have it for years without knowing.
The top 3 risk factors (before genetics) are – Low activity level, poor diet & excess body weight around the waist (i.e. fat distribution).
Increased body fat makes it more difficult for your body to use insulin correctly – this is applicable to people who are overweight or appear to be at a healthy weight.
Many Type 2 DM patients can control the disease with improved diet and increased physical activity alone. No drugs needed! Even some people who take medications have been able to improve their lifestyle, through diet and exercise, enough so that they can be taken off of medication. Examples in the spotlight – Biggest Loser contestants.

Hopefully you learned something new! As this disease becomes increasingly prevalent in the American population, I think it’s important to know where the prevention (and management) opportunities exist. Type 2 DM is not a death sentence by any means, and it’s not necessarily a pill-a-day-for-life.

There aren’t a lot of things that I feel “preachy” about, but I suppose this falls into that category. Save money on pills; cook healthier meals, fight your genetics and incorporate some exercise into your day. You are responsible for the choices you make every day – just you.

Paula can choose the medication, continue to cook with her southern charm, and hopefully her health will stable. If nothing else, you’ve got options with her recipes, as her son changes ‘em up. And you’ve got a few more facts in your brain that will hopefully keep your blood sugar from spiking!

21 Comments

Filed under Dietitians, food, in the News, Nutrition, what to eat

Tagged as Diabetes, health, Paula Deen

January 17, 2012

Crave Novelty: Switch it Up

In switching between radio programs this morning, I randomly heard a piece of news* that claimed our brains “crave novelty”. Those of us that respond to new things – events, adventures, life changes – with an open mind and optimistic attitude are essentially building on an innate tendency to seek these opportunities out. Even those who are slightly more adverse to change feel a rush from breaking out of the norm – it can be something as small as taking a different route to work during your daily commute (whether you walk, drive, ride, etc), or something as big as moving to a new city (that? Oh, yes, I’ve done that…).

*I use that term lightly, as this came from the Kane Show. Entertaining? Definitely. Educational? Not so much…

As evidenced by my inability to stick to any training plan 100%, or the fact that we’ve moved across the country twice, or the handful of entirely new workout “trends” that I’ve given a fair trial to in the past year, I crave novelty. I crave a challenge, and generally reject routine. I do like a few things to be the same each week; I usually run between 25-30 miles, go to yoga 2-3 times, and participate in quick mini tabata sessions at work (we have fitness breaks!). But, if I see an open door and an opportunity to run through it?

Well, why not?

Our time in Colorado introduced me to a new meaning of the word “adventure”, and I’m forever thankful for that. I met Yoga (and a lot of kickass people that teach in Denver!), Ryder bikes & had a brief date with Pure Barre. We sought out new trails, my glutes realized that riding a road bike has nothing to do with running-leg strength, and my lungs met 14,000 feet.

This year won’t be any different! So far, I’ve tried out two new yoga studios (Down Dog Yoga with Anne P, Boundless Yoga on U Street), found out I can hike in my ‘backyard’, and proceeded to use that knowledge to take our Saturday morning group for a 9 mile trail run that same week (i.e. 3 days ago).

Luckily Kate & I tackle quite a few hills pretty much every time we venture out for a neighborhood run, so the legs weren’t too shocked by this random gesture. But the group seemed to welcome the change, and we all got in a great workout for it. Success!

I not only crave novelty, but I remind myself to seek it. The muscles respond to new challenges with strength; they’re better for it. Your mind will embrace something refreshing, vs. treating a workout as the ‘same ol’ routine’.

What is something New that you’ve wanted to try? What’s a new challenge that you’ll add to your agenda?

Say it here, we’ll keep you accountable!

9 Comments

Filed under challenges, DC, Exploring Colorado, Goals, new things!, training

Dietitian on the Run

Around the .Coms

Sauté: Pile the Pizza

Roasted Cauliflower & Leeks with Arugula Pesto Pasta

Betty Says: Measure. Cook Rice

Eggplant: A Fruit, More than a Hue

Breaking into Betty’s Kitchen

11 Things, Twice

Food Flashbacks & Favorites

Butter (Alone) Won’t Give You Type 2 Diabetes

Crave Novelty: Switch it Up

DOTR via E-mail

Archives

Categories

Blogroll

Share this:

Share this:

Share this:

Share this:

Share this:

Share this:

Share this:

Share this:

Share this:

Share this:

DOTR via E-mail

Archives

Categories

Blogroll