Tag Archives: fitness

You Were Right

“Well, you were right.”

It’s not my favorite thing to mutter to my well-meaning boyfriend, but sometimes you just have to suck it up and do it anyway. Today was that day. I was so excited about my Mile/Day Challenge and I completed it on Feb 1 only to wake up the next morning with a sore throat. Jay told me I needed to cool it on the gym so I didn’t get sick and I actually took his advice. It was Saturday, after all. Sore throat again that evening. No gym on Sunday. Stayed totally vegan and barely drank at the Super Bowl party (win!) and again no gym because of the throat on Monday. At this point, I’m fretting that I made a promise to the Internet (because that sounds sane) to run a mile per day, and I just couldn’t let the Internet down! Of course, this is code for making a promise to myself and not wanting to let myself down, but that sounds so much more depressing.

Anyway, I worked a super long day today and made sure to eat great. I got to the gym around 7:30 PM and spent time on the elliptical and treadmill. (One Modern Family + one New Girl = Gym Time) I got home, felt super excited/nervous about a meeting tomorrow and sought reassurance from Jay that I am, as suspected, completely awesome. To further calm my nerves, I did the only other relaxing thing I know besides bubble baths: I cooked.

I dry-fried tofu cubes, sautéed some veggies, and made a peanut butter coconut sauce while the rice was cooking. I pulled out the slow cooker and threw in chickpeas, fingerling potatoes, onions, peas, and more and started a slow vegetable curry we can have for dinner tomorrow. Then I made rice…again. At this point, Jay walks over and tells me everything will be great and steals a few tofu bites before dragging me out of the kitchen. And that’s when it hit me: coughing, wheezing, throat hurting. I felt like my lungs were on fire from breathing in so much dry, cold air. I pouted my lower lip and I had to admit it.

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“Um, babe…?”

“Yes?”

“My throat hurts and, um, I know you said not to work out… Well, you were right. “

He smiled. He gave me a squeeze. He asked if there were leftovers.

Holiday Wish Lists

It’s long been a tradition in my family, and many families over America, to create wish lists for Christmas. Obviously, there are many practical benefits to this. It can spark ideas and inspiration or just give you a sure fit if you’re not feeling creative. I mean, if you’re spending money, you want the recipient to like what you got them, right? Of course, many people see down sides to registries and the like as well, and I understand that, too. I struggle with the “Is my gift unique and special enough?” question every time I purchase something of a wedding registry. But then again, they want it, I can get it, shouldn’t we both be happy? Anyway, I guess I’ve never really figured out what the right balance is with wish lists and registries for Christmas or weddings or birthdays or showers, but I still use them. And at the request of the family, I still make them for myself.

So, here are some of my favorites from my wish list this year:

  • Baking and Kitchen Tools: I have started baking things way more than I used to. Mostly hearty and savory items like breads and biscuits, but also some other things like pies and streudels! This is all very new to me and I will be the first to admit that I am the worst at measuring things and being precise. When I cook, I throw things together and I use my eyes and hands to measure cups and tablespoons.

Biscuit Cutters - Williams Sonoma ($16.95)

EatSmart Precision Pro - Multifunction Digital Kitchen Scale

EatSmart Precision Pro Multifunction Digital Kitchen Scale - Amazon.com ($25.00)

Emile Henry Couleurs Pie Dish - Amazon.com ($43.94)

  • Cookbooks: These really stood out to me.

Plenty: Vibrant Recipes from London's Ottolenghi - Barnes & Noble ($21.21 online)

Ancient Grains

Ancient Grains for Modern Meals - Barnes & Noble ($18.94 online)

  • Fitness: I’ve been getting more and more into a healthy, fit lifestyle and I’ve had my eye on a few of these things for a while.
Polar FT7

Polar FT7 Heart Rate Monitor - HeartMonitors.com ($119.99)

Running Capris - Target

C9 by Champion Running Capris - Target ($22.99)

  • From fashion to photography, here’s a few extras:

My Kind of Folk Dress - Modcloth.com (Sold Out, naturally)

…and many more… but it’s time for me to run off to a surgery. (Yep, you heard that right… another one.) But I’ll be back to you soon.  Hope you have great luck finding things for everyone on your lists! Merry Christmas and Happy Holidays!

DO YOU USE WISH LISTS?