Just call me Strawberry Shortcake

Hi bloggies! Happy Saturday! I hope your weekend is off to a great start J Thanks for everyone’s comments on yesterday’s posts…it sounds like a lot of you chow down just as quickly as I do!

Last night after posting I headed to my friend Molly’s birthday party. Molly and I grew up together; our parents were best friends and we both ended up at NYU!

 

Please excuse my bra in the second pic. It was Halloween, and clearly I was following the Mean Girls slut rule.

The party was at her friend’s apartment in SoHo and was a TON of fun. I had a few Blue Moons and Peronis but stopped myself before I got to that tipping point from silly to sloppy. There was obviously some snackage going on there, as well…one drink and those pretzels and Tostidos didn’t stand a chance.

I got to bed around 2:30 but woke myself up by 8. Once I get into a sleeping pattern, my body just doesn’t want to sleep in! After yesterday’s oaty adventure, it was back to cereal for me:

Nature’s Path SmartBran with frozen strawberries and almond milk

I dawdled around for a bit kind of doing homework and kinda reading blogs before heading to the gym for a strength workout. Following Gina’s plan, I did:

-10 minute warmup on the elliptical (10 resistance, 10 incline)

Superset 1:

-       12 overhead presses (20 lb on the machine)

-       12 saxon side bends on each side (5 lb weights)

-       20 jumping jacks (I omitted the burpees because of my knee)

Superset 2:

-       1 minute plank

-       10 renegade rows on my knees on each side (5 lb weights)

-       20 mountain climbers

Superset 3:

-       10 incline stability ball bicep curls (7.5 lb weights)- these were HARD!

-       10 stability ball tricep extentions (10 lb weight)

-       1 minute high knees

                        Repeated x3

Even though Gina’s Winter Shape Up Challenge is almost over, I plan on starting it from the beginning again, this time using her intermediate/advanced level moves rather than the beginning ones. I’m starting to get arm muscles for the first time in my life and I want to keep getting stronger!

I came home and made myself a vegan grilled cheese for lunch. By tweaking Mae’s humnut recipe just a little, I was able to come up with a great spread for my sandwich! I mixed 2 T nutritional yeast, 2 T Yorgos Vegetable hummus, and 1 T EVOO (instead of 2 T water). After mixing it awhile, it took on a really thick but creamy consistency, kind of like Velveeta cheese! I spread it on to some Ezekiel bread and added a sliced tomato before grilling. Finished product:

With steamed baby carrots topped with EVOO and S&P, sliced strawberries and two dates

This afternoon I spent awhile trying to figure out my future sister in law’s bachelorette party. I never realized how much effort it would take! We’re torn between NYC and Atlantic City at the moment, so I had to look up hotel rates/restaurants/transportation for both. After catching up on my emails and doing some homework, it was snacktime! Today’s was more like a meal, though…nothing wrong with that!

PB&J Oats: ½ c steel cut oats, 1 c almond milk, 1 sliced banana, frozen strawberries warmed in the microwave and smashed, Naturally More PB

Despite this being the third serving of strawberries I’d eaten today, it was delicious! I can’t wait until berries are back in season…they’re just not as good frozen! I made a big snack today since I usually eat dinner early, around 6, and we’re going to a Mexican restaurant to continue Molly’s birthday celebrations at 8. I needed something with staying power! I’ve also consumed an Ezekiel pita with organic salsa while writing this…feeling snacky, I guess!

Today Karen from Fitness: A Journey, Not a Destination awarded me with the Honest Scrap Award. I’m supposed to fill out a list of my “bests” and then pass this award onto five other bloggers. Here goes!

Best Meal Ever: My birthday dinner this year at Candle 79 was not only a perfect meal, but the company made it truly memorable. I definitely want to make it back there soon!

Best Sleep Ever: Comes from being outrageously tired, both body and mind! I love crawling into bed and falling asleep before my head even hits the pillow. You wake up so recharged!

Best Cup of Coffee: A café crème from a French café. Coffee + cream = heaven!

Best Romantic Moment: This isn’t really a “romantic” moment, but it will always hold a special place in my heart. Last summer when I met Mike, we were going to college 7 hours away from each other and were both trying not to think about what would happen when the summer ended. We were in the car one day when the Blink-182 song “Going Away to College” came on, and without saying a word he took my hand and sang the whole song to me (let’s just say he’s no Josh Groban). It was the best song I’ve ever heard J

Best Childhood Memory:  Making a diorama on the Titanic for my second-grade book report. My dad and I made the whole thing together, and I just remember it being so much fun to spend time with my daddy making something I loved so much!

Best Moment of Life: Hmmm, this is a really hard one! I’d like to think it hasn’t happened yet! As old fashioned as it sounds, I can’t wait for my wedding day and when my kids are born (so excited to be a mama down the road!) But up until now, it would probably be my high school graduation day. I LOVED my high school, so it was very bittersweet, but we were like a class of 82 sisters who had been together since 6^th grade. It felt like we had all accomplished something so incredible!

Best Moment of Revenge: I’m too much of a pushover to seek much revenge. I do have some good karma stories, though…I don’t want to post them because I feel mean relishing in someone else’s misfortune, though!

Best Thing You Have Ever Done for Someone: This year for father’s day, I made my dad a scrapbook of old pictures and quotes. The look on his face as he read it was one of the best things I’ve ever seen in my life; I was so thankful to be able to give him something that meant as much to him as what he means to me.

Best Life Changing Moment:  Transferring to NYU this year was probably the best life-changing decision I’ve ever made. I won’t go into why I disliked my old school so much, but suffice to say I made the decision to go there for a very silly reason. Making the switch to NYU felt like the first time I made a big decision independently and followed what my heart told me to do.

Now for the 5:

1. Katie at Healthy Diva Eats

2. Marina at A Veggie Girl (And her cat)

3. Lizzy at Healthy Bites Conquer Athlete Appetite

4. Anna at Spectacles

5. Jessica at The Process of Healing

Thanks so much for the award, Karen!

Well chickadees, I’m off to get ready for my evening out! Have a great Saturday night!

PS- Checkout Averie’s and Stef’s giveaways!