Meals for Miles

wineglass training, week 2

Posted on June 17, 2013 by Kelly

Thanks for all of the great comments to my last post! It helped me realize how important it is for RDs like myself to speak up about all of the misleading health and diet information floating around the internets and mass media, and it definitely won’t be the last time I do so!

I have today off since I’m working this coming Saturday at the hospital, and it’s nice to have an extra day to get things done after a fun and busy weekend. This whole life-after-grad-school thing is kind of awesome, and I’m excited that having time to see friends and do things that don’t involve studying or writing papers is going to become the “norm” around here. I think I did a pretty good job balancing life/work/running this week, and ran some solid miles during week #2 of marathon training. Quick-ish recap:

Wineglass Training Week 2

Monday – rest, 50 minutes easy yoga
I always like to do some yoga on my rest days because it’s like an hour or so of forced stretching. My hamstrings and calves have been pretty tight, and they always feel so much better after yoga

Tuesday – 7.5 miles, 1, 2, 3 x 2 workout strength (abs, arms)
This is one of my easier workouts – 1 minute on, 1 off, 2 on, 2 off and so forth x 2) but holy hell it did not feel very easy. I know it was my first workout in a loooong time and post-injury, but by the second set I was struggling. I didn’t finish the second “3″ and it took me a while to feel better on the recovery job, but it’s a tiny step in the right direction and I can only get better from here (right?)

Wednesday – 8 miles easy with Betsy, strength (abs)
My favorite run of the week due to the presence of my training buddy, the legs actually felt ok after the workout and we kept the pace pretty easy. After work I met Susan and some runner friends for a screening of Spirit of the Marathon II, which I liked but not nearly as much as the first one.

Thursday – 7 miles easy, strength (abs, legs)

Friday – elliptical, spin class, strength (abs, arms)

Saturday – 10.5 miles with 5 x 30 second strides, strength (abs, arms)
This run started out pretty slow and I was a little cranky, but by the time I looped around the bridle and headed out of the park to the Hudson the legs felt better. It was the first time I’ve run along my favorite stretch of the Hudson River path in Riverside Park, and felt so good to be back out there. By the time I got back to the park I felt great, and towards the end of the run did 5 sets of 30 second strides to help loosen my legs up and prep them for more speed work in the coming weeks.

After the run I did some strength stuff, showered and ran some errands before meeting some of the “runner army” for a fun day of baseball watching at Citi Field.

I am and always will be a Yankee fan, but being in any ballpark makes me pretty happy.

Photo courtesy of Erica

Sunday – 7 miles easy, strength (legs, abs)
Got this run done pretty early since I still work at the running store on Sundays, and was gifted with a shiny new pair of Asics during my shift.

We never really know when we’re going to get free shoes, so it was a super nice surprise! Especially since I’ve been wanting to try the new Cumulus 15s for a while. After work I met my friend Jo at our favorite spot to catch up over a plethora of vegetables, and it was a perfect way to end the week.

Total: 40 miles

So far, so good. I’ve been keeping up with strength stuff and feeling pretty strong during my runs, aside from some tightness here and there (a trip to Dr. Levine for some ART today will help that, I’m sure).

Question: Did you see Spirit of the Marathon II? Thoughts? Current running shoe?

Posted in marathon training, Running | Tagged long runs, marathon training, running, running buddies, speedwork, wineglass marathon, workouts | 3 Comments

five reasons not to “juice cleanse”

Posted on June 13, 2013 by Kelly

Certain things tend to consistently drive me crazy – ruffly running skirts, sparkles or running a race “easy” – but despite my own opinions on this (mostly) superficial stuff, to each her own. If you’re running in the first place, then I say do what makes you happy, I’ll do what makes me happy, we’ll laugh, maybe run together sometime and have nice lives filled with miles.

Most of the time I am a big fan of “you do you, I’ll do me” and think it’s a waste of time worrying about what other people are doing or thinking. But it has recently come to my attention that people both in the blogosphere and not are advocating for “juicing” or “juice cleanses.” I don’t really ready most of said blogs (related: what the hell is a “healthy living blog”???), but I do know that none of them are written by nutrition experts. Nor are any of the people I know of who have done the whole “juice” thing. This isn’t a coincidence – I know a lot of RDs, and not one of them would ever a). do a juice cleanse or b). tell a client to do a juice cleanse (myself included, obviously). And I am going to tell you my top five reasons why.

1. They do not “detox” the body – we (as in all humans) have one liver and two kidneys (obviously there are exceptions here), and one of their most important jobs is to filter toxins out of the blood and get rid of waste. Will you pee more if you go on a juice cleanse? YES! YOU ARE DRINKING JUICE ALL DAY. Will that pee contain more “toxins” than usual? Nope.

2. They are missing key macronutrients – there are three big macronutrients that should be consumed on a daily basis – protein, fat and carbohydrates. Juice contains little to none of the first two, and by doing a prolonged “juice cleanse” you’re depriving your body of stuff it needs. I can’t emphasize enough how important protein is, especially if you’re a runner. Our muscles need protein for rebuilding and repairing, and if they don’t get it our runs will suffer.

3. They are lacking in fiber - an important part of whole fruits and vegetables is fiber! It is either removed or broken down during the juicing process, and this can affect regularity, blood sugar and satiety levels, to name a few.

4. They will not make you lose weight – sure, in the short term maybe you’ll lose some water weight – you’re peeing a lot and may be consuming less calories than usual. Your weight will normalize once the cleanse ends. Juices often have a ton of sugar, so you could also be consuming just as many or more calories than usual.

5. They will not cause better nutrient absorption – there is no hard evidence to support the claim that vitamins and minerals in juice are absorbed more or better than whole fruits and vegetables. Period.

In a nutshell, there is absolutely no research supporting any benefits to the outrageous claims certain companies and people make regarding juice cleanses. It’s such a fad – a very lucrative fad – and because of this more companies seem to be jumping on the bandwagon and increasing the popularity, not the credibility. Again, there is a reason why none these cleanses are endorsed by RDs.

real food!

So ok, I’ve just bashed juices a lot. Do I think they have any place in the diet at all? Yes, sometimes. If you are like my Dad and think the only vegetable in existence is a potato, then I will tell you to make some juice with fresh fruits and vegetables because it’s better than not eating any at all. The same goes for picky kids. Fresh juice – that is, made at home from raw fruits and vegetables – can be a great supplement to the diet, but it shouldn’t replace meals or real, whole foods.

So that is my two cents. I know this whole fad is going to continue and maybe get bigger, but that doesn’t mean you have to keep believing the BS.

Now tell me – what do you think?

Posted in Nutrition, Ponderings | Tagged dietetics, juice cleanse, nutrition | 22 Comments

wineglass training week 1

Posted on June 10, 2013 by Kelly

Since Wineglass is in 17 weeks now, I guess it’s safe to say I’m “training,” even if that means a bunch of easy miles and some cross training for now. The leg feels great, but I’m still trying to semi-smart with mileage increases. That said, I’m also not wasting any time trying to get back into my grove.

Here’s how last week went down:

Monday – spin class + elliptical, strength (core, arms)

Tuesday – 6.4 miles easy, strength (core, legs)

Wednesday – 7.25 miles with Betsy, strength (core)
I couldn’t imagine a better partner to run Wineglass with, and am always amazed at the amount of things Betsy and I manage to chat about over a handful of miles – nutrition/dietetics, training, life things – running buddies are the best.

Thursday – 6 miles, strength (core, glutes)

Friday – spin class + elliptical, strength (core, arms)

Saturday – 9 miles easy, strength (core)
The Mini 10K was in the morning, and it was the first in five or so years I hadn’t raced. Sadz. I made up for it by running early and semi-stalking the pros – Desi Davila, Stephanie Rothstein, Neely Spence – pre-warm-up. Seeing those inspirational ladies definitely fueled the fire for my own training!

Sunday – 6.75 miles easy, strength (core, legs)

Total: 35.35 miles

Right now, cross training is still important since I can’t run every day just yet, and I actually really like the spinning classes at my gym. The music and instructors are decent and it’s a nice change in pace. That said, once the mileage creeps up spinning will have to take a backseat to the bridle path, and I am more than ok with that! I’ve also been working on strength every day, and instead of doing some random crunches and lifting like previous training cycles, I’ve been using the Nike Training Club app to focus on specific areas and alternate days. It takes a little more time, but hopefully it’ll pay off in the end!

It was pretty perfect running weather last week – rare for the (sort of) beginning of summer. I have a feeling the heat will be back sooner rather than later, and I’m definitely down for a summer full of sweaty runs.

Summer also means lots of my favorite seasonal foods and meals, like fish tacos:

baked cod, avocado, salsa, jack cheese, sauteed kale/bell pepper/onion on corn tortillas

And froyo:

toppings with a side of froyo

What about you – favorite seasonal meal or food? Do you cross train during marathon training?

Posted in marathon training, Running | Tagged 16 Handles, Avocados, Cross Training, fish tacos, marathon training, running buddies, wineglass marathon | 7 Comments

“healthy eating”

Posted on June 7, 2013 by Kelly

The other day at work I received a consult to provide nutrition counseling to a patient on one of my floors. As you can imagine, this is a big part of my job and a standard practice. I love talking to patients and teaching them things they can do with their diet that can help them feel better.

Anyways, this patient happened to be 94 years old. I always get nervous when my patients are that old - will they be able to hear me? be “with it” enough to talk? on their deathbed? – you never know. But this lady in particular was definitely “A&O x3″, and calmly eating some fruit when I visited her after lunch. We talked about what she had been eating and I encouraged her to eat regular meals, snacks and some Boost here and there to make sure she got enough calories and protein. Her response was priceless:

“I’ve been watching my figure since I was 13, and now you’re telling me to eat more??”

Yes my dear, being 94 allows you to pretty much eat what you want. We laughed, but her comment made me think a little about all of the times we may say no to that cupcake, french fry or whatever else because of that old myth, “A moment on the lips leads to a lifetime on the hips.”

I don’t know about you, but I hate that saying, and I hate it when people confuse “healthy eating” with following a strict diet of any kind or depriving themselves of “bad” foods. I consider diet restriction to be just as unhealthy as excessive intake or soda drinking – all have negative effects not only on the body but the mind. There are so many different ideas of what “healthy eating” should look like, and a lot of them drive me crazy (I’m looking at you, juice cleanse and paleo fads). But I also think it is still somewhat of a relative term, because people like and need different foods to keep them healthy and happy. My own personal philosophy is something like “eat mostly plants, lean protein and low fat dairy but leave room for some cookies.”

and sometimes burgers and beer

Instead of providing my little old patient with nutrition counseling, I wanted to pull up a chair and ask her to school me on what she’d been doing for 94 years, because clearly it was working pretty well for her.

What about you? What’s your “healthy eating” philosophy?

Posted in Nutrition, Ponderings | Tagged dietetics, heathy eating, nutrition | 12 Comments

it’s supposed to be fun

Posted on June 5, 2013 by Kelly

Now that I can run again, I’m really, really eager to get training. Wineglass is in 18 or so weeks, and when we’re talking marathon training that’s (arguably) about the time to get started. This makes my brain spin out of control with the questions: when should workouts start? long runs? how high should the mileage be? Ahhh. I love thinking about all that stuff, but at the same time I know I can get myself into trouble if I don’t take this whole coming back from injury thing seriously.

Last week I probably ran a little too much. Every mile was awesome, fun and pain-free – so easy to get carried away and try to pick up right where I left off mid-marathon training in April (~60 mile weeks? Yeah, no. ). Six weeks of no running was definitely long enough for me to realize I don’t want that kind of setback to happen again any time soon.

So here is where I come up with a brilliant plan to come back from injury and BQ in the fall. Only not so much. This is weird and very un-Kelly-like, but I don’t really have a plan right now other than “have fun and run a bunch but not too much.” Ok.

post ~8 mile sweat-fest #WeRunNYC style

Before I got injured, I was on the verge of burnout and not really taking time to enjoy running. Each run was starting to seem like more of a chore or job, something to suffer through so I could check it off the list. But let’s be serious here – there is no point in this lifetime where running will ever be my job, or really anything more than a hobby. Sure I have lots of running-related goals and probably always will – striving to achieve them is one of the things I like most about the sport. But sometimes I get too stuck in serious mode and the whole “this is supposed to be fun” thing flies out the window.

I think this mindset stems from my time as a gymnast, when I took my training 99.9% seriously all day every day. It took 10 years to realize having fun was ok too, and the decision not to pursue collegiate gymnastics in favor of having a life was one I’ll never regret (and there are many ridiculous stories to prove it).

still got it, though

I think there’s a perfect balance between fun and serious when it comes to competitive sports, and even in my old age of 31 I struggle to find it. Being the first time I don’t have to study/do homework/etc. in years, this summer should be a good test in my abilities to balance fun and serious in life and running.

I still have lots to figure out, but if this morning’s run – 7 miles with Betsy, bridle looping and chatting away – is an indicator of how this summer is going to go, I am definitely down.

Oh yeah – Happy National Running Day!

What about you - how do you balance fun and serious with running/life/other sports?

Posted in marathon training, Running | Tagged running, wineglass marathon | 6 Comments

the running!

Posted on May 31, 2013 by Kelly

When I headed to Buffalo last weekend, I was a little apprehensive about a few things – going camping (bugs), turning 31 (really?), my grandparents getting older (sad) – and also about my goal of Trying a Test Run. I didn’t know if the leg would start to hurt or how I’d feel, and let me tell you nothing is worse than the runner’s “walk of shame” back to point A after failing to complete a planned running route due to injury or pain.

there were real live cows during camping, which were cool

Camping turned out to not be so bad – my sister and I went on some hikes, hung out (i.e., drank beer) with our Dad and made some killer s’mores. All of my grandparents are doing pretty well, and that’s definitely a blessing.

Turning 31 still kind of sucked, but I’m ok with it as long as I don’t actually say the number out loud.

my sister turned the same age as me because we are twins

And the running! There’s a running route I really like in Buffalo (or, the ‘burb I grew up in) along the Niagara River, so I headed there on Saturday morning without a set plan in mind other than to make myself take walk breaks. No matter how good I may have felt, my body hadn’t run in 6 weeks and needs to get used to running again (especially the leg!). I ended up taking walk breaks about every 10 minutes, and it felt SO GOOD to be out there again. I forget how natural running feels sometimes.

I ended up running twice, and the leg remained largely pain-free except for a little soreness immediately following the runs. Needless to say, I returned to NYC on Tuesday afternoon with visions of bridle path frolicking in the near future. Two pain-free ~6 milers later, I am going to go ahead and say this recovery is going swell and I can’t freaking wait to start training for Wineglass. Although I guess technically, training starts now? #bringit

Question: How long are your typical marathon training plans? I am curious

Posted in marathon training, Running | Tagged marathon training, running, wineglass marathon | 3 Comments

what’s next

Posted on May 24, 2013 by Kelly

Graduation was earlier this week, but I wasn’t able to attend due to work and such and it all seems very anticlimactic. Regardless, my MS, RD status is pretty much final and that feels damn good. It’s also pretty awesome to leave work without a class to go to or homework/studying to do once I get home. I have been waiting years for this.

But, I’ve never been good at “relaxing” or “downtime,” and already am feeling tiny urges here and there to figure out what’s next. The ink is barely on my diploma, let alone starting to dry, but I can’t help feeling a little lost. All of a sudden The Goal I’ve been working toward for years is achieved, and there is no more constant working-toward-the-goal-full-steam-ahead-and-go. I am likening this weird time period to that which occurs directly following a marathon – you spent months training and looking forward to one particular day, you kill the race (ideally), and then it’s over. After a few days on a high, the whole “post-marathon blues” sets in when you realize there is (even temporarily) no goal to focus on.

I know eventually the feeling will subside as I start to focus on new career goals and actually start having more of a life. I’m in the midst of developing a really long list of “what’s next,” and so far it includes both career, personal and general life stuff. A lot of it is things I wasn’t able to do until now – figure out how to become a certified sports dietitian, do it – or didn’t have the time to do – um, date? – and now is the time to do it all.

As far as marathons go, there’s one I should be running this weekend. I haven’t been thinking much about it, but since I’m still going to Buffalo to visit family it will definitely be on my mind at least a little. Perhaps that’s why I did this the other day?

After marathon plotting with Betsy and Susan the other day, Betsy and I decided to go for it on October 6. I know a ton of other NYC folks are running the Wineglass Marathon, so it should be super fun and hopefully as fast as everyone says (Susan, if you want to not go to Germany for some other marathon and pace us to a BQ, that would be ok). I also registered for another race yesterday, because hey, a girl’s gotta have options. Or just run two marathons in one month?

I guess that brings me to my actual running. The leg has been feeling a lot better and I’ve been doing some baby test runs here and there. Running shoes will be accompanying me on my trip to Buffalo this weekend, and although they will not be running 26.2 miles on Sunday, they will most certainly not be gathering dust in a corner either. Wish me luck.

Ever run Wineglass? Tell me about it. Or about your fall racing plans?

Posted in marathon training, Nutrition, Running | Tagged dietetics, injuries, nutrition, wineglass marathon | 12 Comments

MS, RD: 5.5 later

Posted on May 20, 2013 by Kelly

I suppose I shouldn’t get ahead of myself with the “MS” since graduation hasn’t happened yet and I haven’t gotten my final grades, but I’m going to anyways. On Wednesday night at approximately 8:28 p.m., I finished my last final, walked out of the Silver Building and onto Waverly Place pretty much feeling like I could fly.

so long, NYU

The exam proceeded my final research presentation on Tuesday, which I think went pretty well. Regardless, the important thing is that I’m finally DONE.

When I started the nutrition and dietetics program at NYU five and a half years ago, I liked nutrition and thought it would make a cool career. There were (many) times when I wanted to quit, throw in the towel and stay in an unfulfilling but fairly stable job. For a long time, there was no end in sight. But the “like” I had for nutrition at the beginning developed into a hardcore passion I could never give up on, and let’s be serious, once I start something and say I’m going to do it, you can pretty much bet I will stick with it (see also: currently injured from overtraining).

The past couple days I’ve thought back to when I started the program (which included many prerequisites, 40 Master’s credits and a dietetic internship) at the very young age of 25. The happenings of the last 5.5 years have shaped who I am more than any other chunk of time in life, in mostly good ways. Here are a few things that come to mind:

A tiny bit of traveling fit in during breaks between semesters helped get me out of the “NYC bubble” and remember that life existed outside of Manhattan.

Napa, San Francisco, LA, Boston, London, Dublin (unpictured)

I was promoted a few times at my old job, and with each one I realized more and more how the career wasn’t for me. I was pretty miserable – especially toward the end – but truly believe my time in PR prepared me for professional challenges that will inevitably occur during my career as an MS, RD.

One plus to work promotions ($$), I was able to move into my very own apartment in NYC – a dream pretty much since I knew what NYC was.

I also got injured a bunch of times… Achilles tendonitis x2, ankle sprain, plantar fascitis, IT Band Syndrome x 4, hamstring strain, the current stress fracture/tendonitis situation. A nice variety, if you will.

But I still managed to run three marathons – NYCM 2010, NYCM 2011, Philly 2012 and set a sweet PR during the ladder.

3:42:58, soon to be crushed (I hope)

And there was that time I almost died. While I wouldn’t wish what happened to me on anyone, I’m pretty thankful for everything the whole experience taught me about me.

A lot more racing and PRs happened – 10 half marathons, 16 10Ks (and I hate 10Ks!), a bunch of 5 milers, 4 milers, 15Ks and a 5K. Training and racing while working full time, going to school and during my dietetic internship wasn’t easy, but I think having something outside of work/school to focus on helped me stay sane.

happy place

Halfway through my program, I started this blog; mostly because I wanted an outlet to talk about running, school and food. I didn’t know you could actually meet normal, nice people via the interwebs, but am so happy to have lots of amazing running buddies now.

Then I took a leap of faith (and massive student loans), quit my job and completed the dietetic internship last year. Life as a full time student was weird, and life as an unpaid intern was weirder. But, I learned a whole hell of a lot, all of which prepared me for the long-awaited job as an RD.

But first, I passed the RD exam. Then after a very long couple of months, I got a job as a clinical dietitian.

Way back when, I always set the goal to “be an MS, RD by the time I’m 30.” It seemed pretty doable, and 30 seemed so far away. And so old. Well, I wasn’t quite there when I turned the big 3-0 almost a year ago. However! I am not a year older quite yet, so I think this means I made good on my goal/wish/pipe dream. This also means there may be a birthday coming up, but I reserve the right to live in denial for as long as possible.

since we are twins, my sister also turned 30, although 8 minutes after I did. Damn her.

During various milestones throughout the years, I’ve usually accepted praise with some hesitation because there was always something else to do afterwards – get more A’s, get into the dietetic internship, finish the dietetic internship, pass the RD exam, get a job, finish my Master’s, qualify for Boston, PR by X amount in X distance.

This time is different, because I actually accomplished The End Goal. It’s funny though, because now that I’ve finally made it to the end, it feels like just the beginning

Posted in Nutrition, Ponderings, Running | Tagged dietetics, grad school, marathons, nutrition, RD, running | 10 Comments

little inspiration

Posted on May 14, 2013 by Kelly

One of the things I love about my job is interacting with patients, whether it be teaching them things they don’t know about nutrition, listening to their stories or trying to help them feel better. Even being yelled at or mildly threatened – it’s all part of the experience. Pretty much every day I leave the hospital remembering a certain patient or two who either made me laugh, broke my heart or grossed me out. Last week was no exception – the patients I saw ranged from young to old, with conditions like severe COPD, anorexia nervosa, metastatic cancer, bedbugs, elder abuse; you name it, I saw it.

Park Ave: unrelated, but lovely

But the person I can’t forget about from last week was one I met at my other job – the standing Sunday running store gig. Sometimes I wish I had a full “weekend” of no work, but for the most part I like working on Sundays. This past weekend, on Mother’s Day, a small family came in to buy shoes. The little boy was probably about 6 or 7, thin and completely bald. His mom needed new shoes, and while she and the boy went to the bathroom the dad and I started chatting. They were from Indiana but hadn’t been home in months due to cancer treatments at a hospital here for the little guy. The doctors had just found something new and he needed more radiation as soon as he was healthy enough. I told the dad what I did for a living and we talked about what his son eats and doesn’t eat (dietitian mode, what can I say), and what a long road it’s been for them. And then the dad said, “But you know, even after all this time and all of the treatments, he hasn’t complained once.”

Tears sprung to my eyes as the little boy and his mom came back to try on shoes. While we tried to find her the perfect shoe I became totally mesmerized by the tiny, little guy who sat quietly by his parents’ side and confided to me that while he didn’t like ice cream, he loved chocolate chip cookies, and that they had plans to go to the playground for a little bit after his mom got shoes. I couldn’t help but wonder how often he didn’t get to play or have friends or do normal kid things because of his cancer and treatment. I had such an urge to hug this little guy, feed him some cookies and PediaSure (dietitian mode) and take him to the park myself. Both of his parents had a weary look in their eyes that said “we’re exhausted and so worried, but if he’s got a good attitude about this then we better have one too,” and I kind of wanted to hug them too. Needless to say, by the time the family left my heart was a little broken and I asked myself a question that now pops into my head all too often - “Why does life seem so unfair for some people?”

I think one of the big reasons why I haven’t talked or really thought much about my injury lately is because it doesn’t seem like a big deal compared to all the other things I see on a daily basis. It’s a bump in the road, and that’s all it is. Now more than ever it makes me crazy when people whine and complain about the most ridiculous things (especially via social media) “ruining” their perfect day(s). Sometimes we all need to take a step back and be thankful for what we have, realize we are being ungrateful assholes, and get on with life (which is pretty great).

I had to take the day off work today to present my final research project this afternoon at school. After that, I’ve got one final tomorrow night. The light at the end of the tunnel is blinding

Posted in Nutrition, Ponderings, Running | Tagged dietetics, running | 14 Comments

kale, new workouts and other things

Posted on May 11, 2013 by Kelly

I am beginning to wonder if my body remembers how to run. It’s been 4 weeks now, and aside from the few times I’ve had to jet across the street to avoid being hit by cabs, I haven’t run a step. I haven’t even been tempted to try (so unlike me!) because I can tell the ankle/foot/leg is not quite ready. But, progress is happening. I decided to take a break from all of the medical BS that was going on before and just let the LE (lower extremity) do it’s thing and heal. And it just might be working.

The LE doesn’t hurt at all during spinning and elliptical, but still gets pretty sore from walking and if I make a random quick move. I’ve set a secret-but-not-anymore goal of being able to run by the time my marathon happens, even if it’s just a few miles. This just so happens to be pretty close to my birthday too, and I can’t imagine starting a birthday without a run, even if I have no interest in celebrating whatsoever (#old). Aside from the occasional yearning for the bridle path, I’ve been dealing with the injury pretty well. I think it helps that I’ve been super busy finishing school stuff and working, and that I really, really love my job. Every day and every patient is different, and I feel constantly busy, challenged and fulfilled. It’s awesome

the air cast totally matches the lab coat, yeah?

I’ve also been trying to keep things interesting at the gym, because I pretty much hate the gym and it pales in comparison to running in the park. I downloaded the Nike Training Club App to find some things to supplement the usual spin/elliptical routine and it’s awesome. I may not be a fan of their shoes, but I like Nike for developing this app and making it free. There are tons of workouts to target specific body parts, and they are HARD. Or maybe I just think they’re hard because I’ve been primarily running for God knows how long and not exercising other muscles. I’ve made it a goal to do at least one of the targeted workouts every day, so hopefully when I do get back to running I will also be beastly strong (heh).

Last weekend I also spent a little time in the kitchen. After seeing this delicious-looking recipe in the most recent issue Runner’s World I had to make it (also almost made up for the multiple pages devoted to “color runs”).

Quinoa Kale Salad with Fresh Apricots (via Runner’s World)
Makes 3 large servings or 4 normal servings

Ingredients
1 cup quinoa
2 cups water
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 teaspoon ground cumin
1 1/2 tablespoons course-grain Dijon mustard
1/3 cup plain low-fat kefir
1/8 teaspoon ground black pepper
Pinch salt
1 tablespoon olive oil
4 cups finely chopped, washed kale
1 can (15 to 16 ounces) kidney beans, rinsed and drained
1 1/2 cups pitted and diced fresh apricots (about 4 medium) or 1 cup dried apricots, diced
1/4 red onion, coarsely chopped
1/4 cup fresh cilantro

Instructions
Heat a large saucepan over medium heat. Add quinoa and toast until fragrant and slightly darker in color, about 2 minutes. Add the water, cover, and bring to a simmer. Reduce heat to medium-low, and continue to simmer until water is absorbed and quinoa is cooked, about 20 minutes. Cool quinoa to lukewarm. Make the dressing by whisking the garlic, cumin, mustard, kefir, pepper, and salt. Slowly whisk in the oil. Place remaining ingredients—kale, kidney beans, apricots, onion, and cilantro—in a large bowl. Add quinoa and the dressing. Toss to coat and serve.

I followed the directions pretty closely for the most part, but reduced the amount of olive oil and probably included more kale (obvi). This made three big servings for me, but you could also get four smaller servings and have something else with the dish like a piece of fish or chicken. The good thing about the recipe is that it has a good amount of carbs and protein via the quinoa and beans, so it makes a decent entree for vegetarians/vegans or side dish for meat eaters.

This weekend is the last one I will ever spend doing schoolwork EVER IN LIFE. I’m pretty sure that a week from now, I won’t know what to do with myself.

Tell me: What do people do when they have free time? Also, do you do core or targeted exercises in addition to running? What kind of stuff? Ever tried the Nike app?

Posted in Nutrition, Ponderings, Recipes, Running | Tagged dietetics, injuries, kale, recipes, runner's world, running | 9 Comments