Up and Down

I really enjoyed reading your comments on yesterday’s post, “Who Are You?”  Thank you so much for taking the time to weigh in on how you identify yourself. And I completely agree that we are all a unique mix of things. I’m not just a runner but also a wife, daughter, yogi, teacher, friend, cook, baker, blogger and much more.

That said – HAPPY WEEKEND! There are not even words for how grateful I am that it’s finally here. Last week was grueling for me. I tried not to complain too much on the blog but I really struggled with mental and physical exhaustion. Last week was full of highs and lows and left me feeling very drained. I am just ready to be back to my normal routine and feeling like myself again.

I have neglected to share what I’ve been eating lately. That’s mostly because we had so much planned last week that we were not able to cook at home much. It was tough for me because cooking is one of my favorite ways to unwind. I’m looking forward to menu planning for the week tomorrow and doing lots of cooking next week!

Lunch yesterday came from the depths of the freezer and thanks to a swag bag I received a while ago.

Morningstar veggie burger on whole wheat with colby-jack, spinach and avocado. Barbecue Pop Chips on the side. The Pop Chips were part of my Metro Fitness swag bag. I had never tried them before and Brandon and I were both extremely impressed! They are made from ingredients that I recognize, have no preservatives or trans-fats and are overall a much better option than your traditional potato chip. We’ll definitely be picking some up at the store because we like to have a salty/”chip-like” type of snack around.

We decided to stay in for dinner and a movie last night. I made my go-to comfort dish – chicken parmesan.

I’ve been making chicken parmesan since college and it’s one of the dinners that Brandon requests the most. We had a salad and bread on the side. One of my tips for pasta night is to have your side salad on your dinner plate. It helps control the pasta portions!

We watched The Lovely Bones last night and I couldn’t hang. I knew it was a bad idea because I couldn’t even make it through the book. So disturbing. Halfway through the movie, I kind of tuned out and started Tweeting and then spooned on the floor with Sullie for at least 30 minutes. Yes, spooned. She is the BEST cuddler ever.

I made baked oatmeal for the first time this morning for breakfast.

I’ve seen it on friend’s blogs and decided to finally give it a try. I flavored mine with pumpkin, banana and dried cranberries. The verdict? Eh…I prefer normal oatmeal but this was a fun change. I just didn’t love the thickness/denseness. Brandon poured milk over his and seemed to really enjoy it.

I stayed in my pj’s until 11:30 a.m. working on blog stuff and drinking coffee. It was lovely! I finally got motivated to do this…

My first post-marathon run! It was a beautiful, crisp fall day and I couldn’t resist taking Sullie out for an easy run. We covered 2.5 miles and it felt great. No weird pains and my legs felt pretty strong, all things considered.

Lunch options were limited.

Sunflower butter and banana on whole wheat with half of an organic pear on the side. Lacking veggies but oh well!

My afternoon consisted of a visit with the amazingly talented Ariana and an ashtanga workshop. I have been seeing Ariana at Varji & Varji for brow waxing since we moved to Charlotte. Not only is she brilliant with brows, she is also personable, fun and beautiful. I love catching up with her during my monthly appointments!

Check out those brows! 😉 Charlotte ladies, I cannot recommend Ariana enough. Go see her! (I realize this is a glowing endorsement – it’s just because I love her so much!)

I was 20 minutes late to my yoga workshop because the only time Ari could see me was right before. Oops. Bad yogi. Priorities??? I’m participating in this eight-week ashtanga immersion at my studio. I pretty much missed the first two weeks due to the marathon but I’m ready to get serious about the next six weeks. On Saturdays we have a lesson about ashtanga and then practice.

I had a HORRENDOUS practice today. I was a mess on my mat. It was seriously the worst yoga practice I’ve had in months. I really labored through the series and kept forgetting things that I know and have been doing with no problem for months (you commit the ashtanga series to memory and practice at your own pace). I didn’t get frustrated with myself though – I accepted it and I’m moving on. There are many, many more yoga practices to be had and I know my body is still recovering.

And now it’s sushi time. See y’all tomorrow. Hope you’re having a fabulous weekend!!!

P.S. Tomorrow is World Run Day. Get out there and run!!!