Hi!
I have been a hungry, hungry grasshopper all day long! My body is so crazy…the second I start upping my workouts, my appetite grows to that of a 200 lb man. Does this happen to anyone else?? hehe 😉
Running was good today…I did a solid 5K in 27 minutes outside in the grass. I was going to go to that trail, but in the end I ended up staying around my house because I was by myself, not familiar with the trail routes over there yet, and my RoadID hasn’t come in the mail yet. I like to be safe! 🙂 It was bright sunny and hot outside…thank God for my camel bak! As annoying as training in the heat can be, I do think a lot of it is mental. Note that I’m not saying go run a marathon when it is 95 degrees outside, but when you have hydrated yourself properly all day long, running in the heat (75-85 degrees) should be doable. Personally, I always force myself to pace slower than I usually do so I don’t get worn out quickly. Running too fast in the heat can lead to some major headaches!
When I got back, I immediately stretched and iced. And then about 30 minutes later, I made a blackberry recovery shake!
This was just 1 cup of frozen blackberries blended in the Vita Mix with a half scoop of vanilla protein and a half cup of Silk Light Vanilla. Simple and delicious! I also snacked on leftover raw veggies throughout the afternoon while I got caught up on emails and blog reading 😉
Yummy bell pepper and jicama….my two favorites!
I was STARVING by the time dinnertime came along. And by dinnertime, I mean 4:00. Oh, my life. Sigh. Dinner was very simple tonight:
Hey, sometimes you just gotta have Annie’s Mac & Cheese, you know? Nothing like a big bowl of creamy hot carbs! I added a half cup of chickpeas to my Annie’s to add a little more bulk to my bowl and increase the protein. It actually was a pretty yummy combo and something I have never done before but will be repeating in the future!
I also had a monster sized salad with organic greens, sliced grape tomatoes, jicama, 1/2 of a red bell pepper and cucumber drizzled with Annie’s Balsamic dressing.
However, even after eating all this food I still was quite hungry!
So, I brought out the secret hunger weapon that works like a charm every time……..
No, I did not eat the whole jar with a spoon. Rather I cooked a packet of Nature’s Path instant oatmeal and topped my oatmeal generously with chocolate peanut butter goodness—
[sigh of contentment] The hungry, hungry caterpillar is FINALLY satisfied! =)
Since my dinner tonight was rather boring for blog purposes, here are my Valentine’s Day veggie plants!! For those of you that are new readers, Ryan bought me some zucchini and buttercup squash plants for Valentine’s Day…..he knows I would rather have something I could eat than just look at! 😉 Anyways, I planted them immediately in the huge clay pots that they came with and its been only a month, but they are huge already! The zucchini says that it takes 48 days to harvest so by this time next month maybe I’ll have a baby one!
Zucchini:
Buttercup Squash:
Crazy parsley:
Pretty flower:
Whew! Long post! Thursday tomorrow…one step closer to Friday!
Check out Dexter’s new bed…..my lunchbox.
Emily
March 18, 2009 at 3:51 pmI am so bad with plants! Somehow I always end up killing them. 🙁 Yours look great, though!
Courtney (The Hungry Yogini)
March 18, 2009 at 3:51 pmLOVE your dinner. Looks yummy! I have been a carb-aholic myself lately…something must be in the air!
Enjoy your evening!
K
March 18, 2009 at 3:53 pmA bowl of cheese and carbs is PERFECT! I love growing my own veggies – it gives me a sense of pride!
Awww Dexter!
Hallie
March 18, 2009 at 3:58 pmI wish wish wish I could grow my own veggies/herbs, but my condo just doesn’t get enough natural sunlight to support anything but a few random houseplants…and BF takes care of those or they’d be gone too! We have a balcony, but it’s covered and just doesn’t get enough sunlight. Makes me so sad…but I do belong to a CSA so that’s kinda like having someone else grow the veggies for me (actually, that’s exactly what it is!).
Sarah (lovINmytummy)
March 18, 2009 at 3:59 pmWay to feed that appetite. I bet tomorrow you won’t be nearly as ravenous. My hunger always ebbs and flows…and then ebbs again!
I am so glad you’ve been able to enjoy some pain-free runs! Enjoy the rest of your night, dear!
VeggieGirl
March 18, 2009 at 4:10 pmGreat run and HELL YES FOR CARBS!! 😀
LisaR
March 18, 2009 at 4:18 pmhaha! I saw the picture of Dexter and instantly thought that was MY cat! I had to do a double take! He looks identical to him and he finds the strangest things to sit in too! So cute!
Erin
March 18, 2009 at 4:22 pmI am so having a similar day!
My appetite is out of control when I run (which I did today) and I have literally eaten all afternoon. I am so tired of eating! I never thought I’d say that.
And I also brought out that nut butter 🙂 I just found it and its woooonderful!
Runninduff
March 18, 2009 at 4:24 pmWorking out makes me a huge PIG! Its horrible..and contradicts all the hard work i do in the gym. OH WELL! haha
polly
March 18, 2009 at 4:38 pmYAY for warm carbs. 🙂
Also yay for a good run in the HEAT and for that purple smoothie and Dex in the lunch box. Bob (my chubby cat) loves to lay on things, his favorite being the yoga mat bags of my students when they come over. He is part of the atmosphere I suppose. 😉
Love you, dear and massive hugs!! xxoo
RunningWithin
March 18, 2009 at 4:47 pmMmm, I love Annie’s! I like to mix it with French Cut Green Beans like my Mom did when I was little. Dexter is SO CUTE! I really would love a pet, but I’m single, live by myself, work FT, go to school PT, do you think a Cat is ok? How was taking care of Dexter by yourself when you were going to pastry school?
Love your blog as always! : )
Adi (oatonomy.com)
March 18, 2009 at 4:54 pmLove the zucchini plant, that is a GREAT gift!
Bec
March 18, 2009 at 4:58 pmlove the colour of that shakes, it looks good!
fitforfree
March 18, 2009 at 5:12 pmIf you haven’t tried parsley in a wrap, I highly recommend it!!! Your plant looks lovely 🙂
Cole
March 18, 2009 at 5:30 pmI’m so jealous of your summer-like weather!
And I know how it feels to be constantly hungry. Some days I feel like I’m hungry every 30 seconds. But yeah, making sure I get enough carbs in definitely helps.
RuntoFinish
March 18, 2009 at 5:48 pmwow your plants look great!! i’m afraid to try some cause I have a black thumb. my kittie looks like yours and totally sleeps in everything!
Run Saraaah
March 18, 2009 at 5:54 pmWhat a great idea – adding chickpeas to Annie’s – I always find I don’t have enough protein on Annie’s dinner days.
Graze With Me
March 18, 2009 at 6:05 pmIsn’t it amazing how you could bring in any new item into your house and the cat will find it within minutes? I brought groceries home the other day and not 2 seconds after dropping the paper bag onto the floor there was a cat IN it…apparently it’s their house, we’re just guests….who feed them. 🙂
life coach jen
March 18, 2009 at 6:49 pmDexter is adorable! My cats get into the Scrabble box when we’re playing and they usually try to help me blog, too!
Mmm, that Annie’s looks so warm and yummy. Chick peas are a good idea, I never thought about adding beans to mac and cheese, but I have added baked tofu before.
Mariposa
March 18, 2009 at 6:52 pmi love dex in the lunchbox!!! my cat likes to sit in crazy spots too! cute cute cute!
brandi
March 18, 2009 at 6:52 pmthe shake is gorgeous!
i love dexter’s new spot 🙂
Kailey (SnackFace)
March 18, 2009 at 6:54 pmYour plants look great! I think mac n cheese is necessary for everyone’s sanity! Haha I love your dinner and afterdinner snack! Have a great night/ Thursday (when I know you’ll see the comment, lol)!
Sarah (Tales of Expansion)
March 18, 2009 at 6:58 pmthe belly wants what it wants!
your plants are coming along beautifully! i’m excited for them to grow real veggies.
and great idea to add chickpeas to mac & cheese. i bet it was delicious.
Erin
March 18, 2009 at 7:01 pmAh, Annies’ mac n chz. I had it for dinner last night and some leftovers tonight. Posted about it on my new blog. Yummm.
Sharon
March 18, 2009 at 7:03 pmOh wow, awesome idea with the chickpeas!
Lisa D
March 18, 2009 at 7:09 pmI wouldn’t call that a boring dinner! And yes I get super HUNGRY when I work out more! That chocolatey-peanut buttery oatmeal looks like it would do the trick though!
Lauren
March 18, 2009 at 7:47 pmThe blackberry shake is a gorgeous color! Cats are adorable (and often strange) with the places they choose to lay down – ours likes the cable box b/c it’s warm 🙂
jamie
March 18, 2009 at 7:52 pmi came across your blog when I was doing research on Sunday…I love reading about they healthy-organic foods that you are eating and posting about! So great…I love especially reading about the things you are mixing into your blends…I’m a hopeful juicer!
Red Head, Yellow Dog
March 18, 2009 at 7:59 pmgood job keepin those plants going!! I definitely do OT have a green thumb.
I was soo hungry today too!! no idea what was going on! I also went on a run in the grass! (darn joints don’t tolerate the sidewalks like they used to! who knew 22 was old?)
Susan
March 18, 2009 at 8:19 pmI’m so jealous you can grow plants!! I’ve tried countless times and failed, I even killed a cactus!! I have hungry days like that all the time too, and oats & nut butter usually do the trick!
Oh She Glows
March 18, 2009 at 9:11 pmhaha the picture of Dexter cracked me up- I had to show Eric and he laughed too 🙂
Thanks for reminding me that I need to buy some herb plants!!!
sue
March 18, 2009 at 9:13 pmLOVE all the carbs 🙂 and i’m so jealous of your plants- they’re doing so well!
EatingRD
March 18, 2009 at 9:40 pmWhen I work out a lot all I want to do is fuel like crazy. I love Annie’s too! I like to mix in some sauteed veggies, tofu and some herb goat cheese just to give it a little somethin’ somethin’ I want to try to start my own little veggie garden, how fun!
-kristen
Fit Mommy
March 18, 2009 at 10:17 pmLove the idea of chickpeas in Mac N Cheese. Wondering if my kiddos would eat that?!
Wondering if that Smuckers PB is at regular grocery stores??
Caroline
March 18, 2009 at 10:49 pmI am the same way–my appetite explodes if I have tougher workout than usual.
Love the smoothie in a stein:)
cat
March 18, 2009 at 10:52 pmdude, i am telling you — eating all that sugar is what makes you so hungry! for the medium distances you seem to run, ONE date with almond butter would easily suffice as simple carb fuel. i am REALLY not trying to judge, but i encourage you to try eating a slightly lower carb/sugar diet for a couple days and see how it affects your hunger levels.
Sara
March 18, 2009 at 11:00 pmI LOVE Peanut Butter & company…their cinnamon raisin peanut butter is so yummy. That’s a good idea to try it in oatmeal.
I know what you mean about appetite and working out…this week I’ve been going through the same thing. With training and the high mileage days, I’m not quite sure what to do with my calories. If I eat until I’m full (healthy food of course!) it puts me well over my calorie budget…and since I’m still trying to lose the few pounds I’ve recently put on, that makes me wary. But I HATE feeling hungry! Very difficult to balance some days.
Laura
March 19, 2009 at 3:05 amSome people munch on lollies and chocolate all day, which is definitely too much sugar consumption. You eat healthy balanced meals with lots of fruit and vegetable goodness; I don’t think you need to worry that you’re consuming too much sugar, Jenna. I would guess that you’re hungry because you’re very active and probably have a rocking metabolism!
Meg
March 19, 2009 at 4:53 amWow I can’t believe how big there are !
I can’t wait to start a garden this year. Herbs and zucchini for sure!
Sarah W.
March 19, 2009 at 6:44 amcats are SO silly!!!! they think everything is theirs!!!
ooh that pb&co choc pb is on my grocery list this week! and graham crackers!!! I think hubby will appreciate that!
Beth
March 19, 2009 at 6:50 amYour plants look so happy! My boyfriend just got me a whole bunch of little pots of herbs for my birthday. I’m super excited because cooking with super fresh herbs right off the plant is so much better than anything you can buy in the store, but I’m afraid of killing them!
I’m a new reader of yours, and I love the blog! 🙂
Diana
March 19, 2009 at 7:04 amThat Shake looks amazing! Good fo you for being safe with your runs! Smart Girl!
Diana
Anne P
March 19, 2009 at 7:17 amha, i’m the same way. everyone is always like… you are ALWAYS eating!! i’m like well, i exercise a lot!
Beadie @ What I Ate Yesterday
March 19, 2009 at 7:26 amHooooray for Annie’s Mac n Cheese.
And yes, my appetite does increase when I increase exercise. I always think it is my imagination but maybe it isn’t.
Dexter is cute, as always. 🙂
Danielle
March 19, 2009 at 7:38 amI wish I had the room to grow veggies! Can’t wait for your first one to start growing!
Shannon (The Daily Balance)
March 19, 2009 at 7:49 amThose plants are ADORABLE . How exciting! Can’t wait to watch them grow 😉
Sarah
March 19, 2009 at 8:26 amI’ll have to try adding the garbanzo beans to mac ‘n’ cheese! Sounds like an interesting combo! I definitely turn to the PB jar after dinner when I’m not quite satisfied… love it!
Jessica
March 19, 2009 at 8:40 amJenna, I have recently gotten back into running and i’m having severe shin splints. I know you had them at one time but now you don’t seem to anymore. How did you treat them? Is it just rest? And what kind of stretches do you do to stretch the calf muscles? I researched shin splints and I noticed that most websites said that stretching the calf muscle is extremely important. I really love running and this pain really upsets me. I don’t want to continue running with the pain because I know it’s only going to hurt me in the end. Thank you so much!
jenna
March 19, 2009 at 2:44 pmJessica,
I definitely STILL HAVE shin splints. Granted, they are not as painful as before, but they are something I always think about and I no matter what I do, they are still there. I wouldn’t be running if it was as painful as it was last fall (I couldn’t even get out of bed without limping), but because I think that I have gotten a hold of them more, I am going still. Note that I am not saying that running through the pain is the answer…I really don’t have “pain” when I run…just soreness that seems to fade away as I get into the run’s rhythm. However, if I press my fingers into my shins I can still feel pain. Getting new shoes and stretching has helped a TON. Also, just building more cardiovascular endurance (through biking) has helped. I just think some people are more prone than others….there’s always something! Last fall when it was so painful that I could hardly walk, I took a two month break from running ALL TOGETHER (i didn’t run ONCE) and just did yoga for awhile. That helped greatly even though it sucked to be forced to quit for a little while.
The things that REALLY helped me are in this order:
1. SHOES—good shoes. I think my Izumi Pearl Infinities might just be the key to success……I love them sooo much and they are made for overpronators like me (leads to shin splints). They are very stable and have a lot of support.
2. STRETCH—I stretch all day, everyday. All day..really! I stretch my calves on the stairs at work and stretch my shins constantly. Its the first thing I do and the last thing I do everyday.
3. BIKE—biking reallyyyyy helps me shins not only feel better but also it strengthens them! Its non-impact and feels so great to me.
4. STRENGTHEN— Do shin taps with your feet or do what I do, lay down on your bed and raise your legs to 90 degrees. Make big circles with your feet until you can’t stand it anymore. The stairmaster also helps strengthen.
You are supposed to ice but I’m really bad at it. Get good shoes (ones that are made for people that get shin splints) first and then work from there. Also, don’t go to fast. It took me months to be able to run 3 miles without stopping. Seriously. MONTHS. I say I do a 5% increase weekly but its more like a 12-25% increase. Go super super super slow. Good luck!
Candi
March 19, 2009 at 9:02 amFit Mommy,
I’ve actually been able to find Smuckers PB at Walmart…in a bigger container than the grocery stores…and for less $$! Plus, Dark Chocolate Dream is carried there as well.
Fitzalan
March 19, 2009 at 9:06 amJust healthy tasty eats. Just reading about your getting out and running in 75-85 degree weather makes me green with envy. Because I want spring to appear, I want my knee to heal and I need to not be at work during all the hours that the sun is up.
sweets&sweats.wordpress.com
Alison
March 19, 2009 at 9:13 amGreat idea adding the chickpeas to the mac an cheese!
Danielle
March 19, 2009 at 10:35 amYou have made such progress in running the past few weeks, totally and completely inspirational. I will most definitely be thinking of you when I’m out there struggling tomorrow :). Thanks for being you!
Trish (girlatgym)
March 19, 2009 at 12:38 pmPlants don’t stand a chance with me – I can’t seem to keep them alive. And awwwww!! Very cute cat!
Heather McD (Heather Eats Almond Butter)
March 19, 2009 at 2:20 pmJenna, when I was running a lot more, I probably ate 2200+ calories. Now, with just yoga, I’m content with about 1800. Running will seriously increase your appetite.
Good idea to add chickpeas to your mac & cheese, and CHECK OUT that crazy parsley. Your plants are looking great. How exciting that you’re growing your own food!
Meredith (Pursuing Balance)
March 19, 2009 at 3:58 pmI have that pink plate!!! Love it 🙂
Jessica
March 19, 2009 at 5:05 pmThank you so much!!!! I’ll try everything you suggested, i really appreciate it! It’s nice to know i’m not the only one who struggles. I love your blog by the way!! 😀