Exercise
Here’s Round 2 in the Aveeno & Bliss Beautiful Change Challenge. The first challenge was a stretch for me, but this one? I got this! Today’s challenge is all about putting a fresh foot forward with food and fitness. {How’s that for f-words?}
Ever notice that it’s easier to stick with a healthy diet when you’re being consistent with your gym routine and that it’s easier to workout when you feel good from skipping the junk?
If only it were that easy. Oh, but wait! It is!
Here are the tips I’ll be focusing on this spring to revitalize my food & fitness focus:
Focus on Food & Fitness
1. Make fitness a priority. It’s so easy to let everything else come first. I always think everything else has to be done and that the world won’t end if I don’t workout. But you know what? Eventually it adds up. Exercise not only makes you physically healthier, it provides such a boost when it comes to mental health. I’m a much happier, more patient person when I fit in fitness, I just have to remind myself of that as each day happens.
2. Fitness first. To make the above realistic, I know if I don’t workout in some way in the morning, it’s not going to happen. It doesn’t have to be huge, just something to get moving.
3. Schedule workouts in your calendar. I’m not talking about just penciling them in or writing down a time. Write down what workout you’re doing. It’s up to you how specific you are, but I know if I plan exactly what I’m going to be doing, I’m much more efficient with my time and much more energized to get going.
4. Prep ahead. This one’s hard because it means you have to find a little extra time to start with, but once you do, it’s so helpful. The number one reason people turn to fast food and carry out is because they’re too tired or too busy to cook. Stay a step ahead of the problem by preparing your meals in advance. Stock the fridge and freezer so you can have a meal in minutes.
5. Load up on fruits and veggies, especially veggies. It doesn’t matter what kind of “diet” you follow- fruits and veggies will always be king. They’re full of vital nutrients, antioxidants, fiber, vitamins, minerals, and more. Make it a priority to fill at least half your plate with nature’s candy and you’ll have at least one foot in the door to good health without much effort. Smoothies are always a good way to go to sneak in a little extra here and there, just be sure they stay healthy- not loaded with junk like ice cream. 
I know, I’m a party pooper.
A note from a Aveeno, the sponsor of the Beautiful Change Challenge:
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Disclosure: Compensation was provided by Aveeno via Glam Media. The opinions expressed herein are those of the author and are not indicative of the opinions or positions of Aveeno.
So how do you keep a focus on food and fitness? Will you be doing anything differently now that spring is here?
Travel
This weekend was a foodie’s delight. (Although I would expect nothing less from something called Foodbuzz Festival.)
Yes, there were educational sessions, but the food is much more exciting to see 
Foodie Stop #1
The Ferry Plaza Marketplace.
When you hear about something over & over again, you have to check it out yourself. It’s a rule.
Allie & I obliged.
There were samples right & left. Dried pears. Almond bark. Pluots.
Sigh. If only we had more time. And more suitcase room.
Foodie Stop #2.
The Foodbuzz Tasting Pavilion at the Metreon.
Roommates Laura & Raya! (Kaitlin’s off to the side. Silly 50mm.)
aLLiE!
So. Much. Good. Food.
Ice cream, sweet potato fries, soup, cupcakes!
I would do a lot get my hands on some more Bison Honey Basil beer & Annie the Baker’s famous cookie dough balls.
Foodie Stop #3.
The Foodbuzz Gala Dinner at the Ferry Building
A cocktail hour followed by a glamorous three-course meal complete with wine pairings.
Cocktails & appetizers.
Food, glorious, food.
I’m full all over again just looking at the pictures.
Race
Packing for an event that lasts 24 hours provides the opportunity to forget a lot of things.
Packing for a bike ride that lasts 24 hours results in a very odd assortment of those things.
Tomorrow begins my 24 hour bike riding event, aptly named 24 Hours of Booty. It’s a fundraiser to raise money for the fight against cancer. [Is “fundraiser to raise money” an oxymoron?]
‘24 hours’ is kind of misleading- I’ll be volunteering at packet pickup for 5 hours today, volunteering to help with set-up tomorrow from 8-12, then the ride is from 1pm to 1pm…aka 33 hours of my life will be about 24 Hours of Booty between now & Sunday.
Since I’ll be otherwise occupied, I started packing this morning. It’s the oddest collection of things I’ve ever packed for any athletic event- ever, ever.
Bike Ride Packing List
Let’s see…there’s:
– A tent (in case by any chance I get to sleep)
– Multiple changes of clothes (sweating in 90 degrees for 24 hours? Gross.)
– Deodorant (see above)
– Water bottle, Camel Bak (gotta hydrate!)
– Bike lock (I doubt I need this—who wants to steal my bike? It’s the other people that should watch over their fancy schmancy bikes when I’m around ;))
– Tape (In hopes I can hold my crummy knee together long enough to ride)
– The Stick (because it’s the best thing since sliced bread foam rolling)
– Ice pack (noticing an injury theme yet?)
– Band aids
– Sunglasses
– Bike shoes
– Bike gloves
– Spare tubes
– Brush-ups (which I just happened to have in my suitcase- awesome)
– Headlight/tail light (so crazy 2am drivers can see me)
– Watch (so I can count down the hours? Maybe I should leave that at home….)
– Sweaty bands x2 (my absolute new favorite headband…see below)
So I’m pretty much obsessed with headbands. My head of hair gives new meaning to the word “fly aways”, and I can’t stand having hair in my face- especially when running.
I literally always travel with an assortment of options:
I’ve tried Bondi Bands (which I like for winter but not summer), Under Armour elastics, Lululemon (which I like for daily wear but not sports), and now Sweaty Bands.
Lisa from Sweaty Bands sent me 2 to try out. I think she might secretly know me because I’m in love with the patterns she picked for me- the pink flowered one & the polka dot one, both above. Some of you saw the flowered one at HLS & asked about it!
They have both thick and thin bands, and they both have a velvety underside that keeps the band in place but doesn’t tug at your hair. I’ve pulled them on & off over & over and they’ve yet to stretch out. I’ve been wearing the thin one to workout in (& hide a bad hair day), & the thick one is perfect for biking. (My helmet hair isn’t quite as bad when I have it on;)).
So hopefully having them this weekend will help me stay looking at least a little bit fresh & not like a disaster….ha.
I’ve also got a couple snacks packed, but luckily we get 3 meals (& midnight pizza!) while we’re there (& it looks like they have veggie options!) so we won’t starve- phew!
Have you ever done a 24 hour (or longer) event? Do you have any words of wisdom for me?! What am I forgetting?!!!
HLS
1. The food not only rocks, it’s healthy too. Plus vegetarian & vegan options galore.
The Arnold/Orowheat lunch was stocked with veggie options like marinated tofu, grilled veggies, and quinoa edamame salad. Proving yet again there’s more to veggies than salad. (That lemon bar was divine as well.;))
The Athenos snack break offered more than just feta- veggies, pita chips, and hummus too. (I didn’t even know they made hummus- it was fantastic, especially the roasted red pepper. Shocker I know since that’s my favorite hummus flavor of all time.)
2. Breakfast includes making your own cream cheese recipe.
You picked fresh ingredients & chefs mixed them into your choice of regular or reduced fat cream cheese at the Thomas’ breakfast.
I’m not even a cream cheese fan, but this was such a cool idea I had to go for it.
My mix included shredded carrots, sundried tomatoes, jalapenos, walnuts, green apples, & capers. Don’t knock it til you try it. It rocked.
3. Nobody blinks when you take a picture of a “Chicago Works Out” stamp on the sidewalk
Cool, no? 😉
4. Healthy samples get snatched up faster than you can say probiotics.
Attune bars & granola, an alternative to eating yogurt for those ever-important probiotics. I even won a bag of apple cinnamon granola- score!
5. This many people get up before 8am to run or walk.
That’s more than just a handful of people ready to get their fitness on. Pretty great if I don’t say.
My knee injury had me bummed out yet again when I realized I’d be with a group of fitness enthusiasts and automatic running buddies and wouldn’t be able to take advantage of it.
But look how many people wanted to walk!
Nothing like an hour long pre-breakfast stroll through a gorgeous city to get your blood pumping. 🙂 The only thing missing was an iced coffee.
Perhaps adding a morning walk to my non-running recovery routine wouldn’t be such a bad thing?!
For more Healthy Living Summit posts:
How to avoid baggage fees
Beer tasting at Goose Island
My 1st taste of RAW food!
The good, bad, & ugly of a chip company
Post-cocktail midnight sushi
Folding in half at the spa (aka yoga)
Best dinner EVER
Chicago by foot…and picture
Do you exercise or eat healthy on vacation, or do you say the heck with it, it’s vacation?
books
Mmm oats and coffee, now that’s a nice morning:)
And now for your Sunday morning reading pleasure, another book review.
I’m a little late on the bandwagon, but I finally read In Defense of Food by Michael Pollan, author of The Omnivore’s Dilemma, which I also have not read. You might know him better as the guy who said, “Eat food. Not too much. Mostly plants.”
I figured that part made sense, so I guess I’ll read the book and see what he has to say. I can say first of all, you can probably skip to page 147 and start reading there. That’s where he starts to explain the whole eat food-not too much philosophy. Up until then, although informative and a slightly interesting history, he was mostly just bitter.
After reading The Omnivore’s Dilemma, my brother in law cringes at the word “corn”. I don’t know why entirely since I haven’t read it, but Pollan stumbles upon the topic briefly in this book. He points out that two thirds of the calories in the American diet come from four crops: corn, soy, wheat, and rice. (A lot to do with feeding animals cheaply and government subsidizing, but I’m not getting into that.) That only leaves a third of the diet for everything else! Fruits, veggies, dairy, protein! That’s a lot of good stuff to fit into a third.
I was pretty shocked to read about the decline in nutritional quality of foods like apples and milk due to economizing the business of agriculture. By finding cheaper ways to grow and raise things, more “calories are produced per acre, but each of those calories may supply less nutrition than it formerly did.” I’d love to learn more about that concept.
Now on to his “eat food” philosophy- for the most part he makes pretty good, fairly unbiased (sometimes) points here, but I thought I’d comment on a few.
–Eat food. Yup, that’s a good start 🙂
-Avoid food products that make health claims. I don’t think so. Yes, there may be marketing behind this and it’s shouldn’t be taken as face value, but my oatmeal makes a health claim- says it’s good for my heart. And it is. And I’m not going to stop eating it.
–You are what you eat eats too. Simple but overlooked. I like it.
-I forget what “rule” it’s under- something about eating how other cultures do- but a reminder that if you adopt a habit from another culture you have to adopt it in context too. (Don’t just eat corn because they do in Latin America- they use it to pair with beans to make a complete protein in a vegetarian meal)
–Have a glass of wine with dinner. ‘nuff said, I’m not arguing there 😉
-Eat meals. 1/5 of eating done by 18-50 year olds takes place in the car. Yikes.
-He says we should go back to snacks being taboo. I disagree. I’m pro-snack. Call me a rebel.
Hmm that’s enough. I’ll leave something for you to read in the book and form your own opinion in case you haven’t read it yet. 😉
I do think it’s a pretty one-sided view, but it’s his book, so his prerogative I guess. I have to say the title was pretty much the take home message, I could have done without the rest for the most part. I was expecting more from something that was trying to hook me with this:
Despite all that, although I didn’t care for a majority of the beginning and I do have a few bones to pick with Pollan, I am interested in hearing what Omnivore’s Dilemma has to say.
Have you read any Michael Pollan books? If you did, what did you think?
