Hey guys!
I hope everyone’s Monday went well. I had a pretty productive day over here…lots of fresh produce from Costco and a watermelon the size of…me!
Only after I sliced it up did I realize it wouldn’t all fit in the tiny fridge..…oops. I ate more than my share this afternoon! 😉
To further my research on electrolyte balance, I read a great article in the latest issue of Runner’s World about running in the heat. It had some great pointers…tomorrow will be judgement day!
Dexter read along with me:
A lot of you recommend coconut water, which is GREAT but unfortunately I can’t afford to keep stocking up on it. I agree coconut water is a much more natural sports drink than…blue gatorade…but at the same time, I have to look at how much I get for my dollar. They don’t sell coconut water at my grocery store so it requires an extra trip to Whole Foods, which naturally I don’t mind but there’s no way I can step in a Whole Foods and drop less than $100 so the place is off limits right now 🙁 Sad.
I snacked on some Trader Joe’s trail mix + a plum—
And dinner tonight was straight out of my Eating Well Diet Cookbook!
(plus some Murphy-Goode)
Anyways! Dinner was golden fried chicken with spicy refried beans (page 168 for those of you that have the cookbook!). I altered the recipe a bit by adding some flour and cayenne pepper to the chicken before I “fried” it in a small amount of canola oil. It turned out awesome…but my favorite part by far was the beans! How could they not be good with onion, jalapeno pepper, cheddar cheese and salsa in them?! Plus, its so much better make your own refried beans…no extra fat!
I had half of a champagne pear cupcake for dessert 😉
And now feel stuffed like a spring chicken!!!
Tomorrow I’m waking up at the crack of dawn for a leisurely 3 mile run outside. I’ve hydrated myself like crazy today and plan to have some gatorade before I go. I will report back on any differences I feel and hopefully I won’t spend all the rest of the day on my couch with a splitting headache like Saturday!
Time for bubble baths, pajamas and books.
G’nite!
MJ
August 3, 2009 at 8:44 pmYou may need the electrolytes but not necessarily the sugar in Gatorade (might even upset your tummy if you’re working hard in the heat). Suggest you also check into Camelbak Elixir tablets (since you use a Camelbak), Nuun (works in a bottle, don’t know about Camelbak) and there may be one other similar product but the name escapes me right now.
from Camelbak’s site:
A sugar-free effervescent tablet, loaded with electrolytes, designed specifically for a CamelBak hydration system. Elixir dissolves easily in water and won’t leave a sticky residue if used in a reservoir. Use one tablet for every 24 oz of water. Sold in an easy-to-carry portable tube. Only 10 calories per serving.
review (check Camelbak site for purchase also)
http://www.thefinalsprint.com/2007/05/tfs-review-camelbak-elixir-electrolyte-tablets/
If you’re willing to carry a bottle you could mix in powdered Ultima electrolyte replacer is good (stevia!), I especially like the lemonade flavor.
Rebeca
August 3, 2009 at 8:48 pmYour dinner looks fab… hope your run goes well 🙂 and hey blue gatorade is delicious so go for it lol
Amelia
August 3, 2009 at 8:55 pmHahaha that watermelon cracks me up! Good luck with the run tomorrow. Hope your hydration experiments worked. I’m the same with coconut water. It’s amazing, but sooo expensive. 🙁
april
August 3, 2009 at 8:55 pmDinner looks yummy! Especially that cupcake 🙂
Amanda
August 3, 2009 at 8:57 pmYour plan for hydrating sounds great! Not sure if you have ever tried chocolate milk after a workout (or choc. amazing grass?) but it is my fav post-run recovery “snack”.
Susan
August 3, 2009 at 9:14 pmGood luck with the run!! I’m actually doing the exact same thing – up at dawn to run 5k! Let us know how the Gatorade works out. I do coconut water once a week for my long bike rides, but it’d be nice to start using some more affordable stuff!
Recipes for Creativity
August 3, 2009 at 9:17 pmNo clue on the electrolyte thing, but good luck with it tomorrow! Dexter is just darling, I love the pics of him!
Kristin @ Iowa Girl Eats
August 3, 2009 at 9:22 pmOooomg – that watermelon! You crack me up 🙂 Have a wonderful, relaxing night!
Courtney (The Hungry Yogini
August 3, 2009 at 9:23 pmMmm, yummy dinner. And I love the wine chugging photo…No judgement =) You should have seen me last night!! Oopsie!
Good night girl, and enjoy your run in the AM!!!
LK- Healthy Delcious
August 3, 2009 at 9:23 pmomg that watermelon is huge!!!
Katie
August 3, 2009 at 9:24 pmahhaha how funny! I did the exact same thing with a watermelon I bought today. I actually ended up giving some of it to my dog after I had eaten all that I could…good luck with the run tomorrow!
Spotty Prep
August 3, 2009 at 9:24 pmThose beans do sound fantastic!! And the cupcake 🙂 Excellent eats tonight!!
Rachel in NC
August 3, 2009 at 9:25 pmHave you looked for coconut water in the hispanic section of your grocery store? I found cans of it that are almost 3x the size of a Zico container and they only cost $1 each.
Pam (Highway to Health)
August 3, 2009 at 9:31 pmThat watermelon is gigantic.
I agree about the coconut water – it is too expensive. Have you tried Blue Powerade Zero? There is no HFCS – still not all natural but the best one I can find so far.
Heather @ Health, Happiness, and Hope
August 3, 2009 at 9:33 pmWow, that watermelon is HUGE! I can only imagine your fridge right now. 😉 You should totally try it in some green smoothies!
Good luck on the run tomorrow!
Allie Katie
August 3, 2009 at 9:35 pmGood luck in the AM! I saw Murphy Goode today on a menu and I thought of you! I still wish you’d gotten the gig, but what an amazing experience! Have a great night!
Leianna
August 3, 2009 at 9:36 pmHoly watermelon…thats funny that it couldn’t all fit in the fridge. Too bad you just are forced to eat some!
Katie
August 3, 2009 at 9:37 pmI just cut up a giant watermelon too. I love to throw it in my vitamix and make a yummy watermelon drink. I usually freeze and just blend it by itself, or add a little scoop of chia seeds. If it’s freshly cut, like tonight, I add a little ice so it’s cold. I love a big cold glass of watermelon juice after a long workout or mowing the grass!
Whitney
August 3, 2009 at 9:38 pmhaha, I love that watermelon pic! So cute. And blue gatorade is def. the best flava eva! eva, eva.
Emily
August 3, 2009 at 9:38 pmThat watermelon IS huge! Wow 🙂 The epitome of summer.
Have a great run tomorrow morning!
Danielle J.
August 3, 2009 at 9:39 pmHoly yum! Is it too late to get a copy of that cookbook?!
Enjoy your run tomorrow! I hope your headache stays away, too.
Taylor
August 3, 2009 at 9:40 pmYour night is alot like mine…. bubble baths, pj’s and reading! Minus the wine 🙁 Enjoy your night!
janetha
August 3, 2009 at 9:40 pmtoday is national watermelon day 🙂 good work on celebrating! (it is also grab some nuts day…)
Carolyn
August 3, 2009 at 9:43 pmWow! That is a huge watermelon. I guess I need to take advantage of my BJs membership and buy in bulk.
Help Meghan Run
August 3, 2009 at 9:48 pmGood luck tomorrow! 🙂 I was successful in avoiding headaches with my last run, so hopefully you will be, too.
MarathonVal
August 3, 2009 at 9:57 pmI feel ya about the price of coconut water…. why do they have to sell it in tiny little non-environmentally friendly packaging… it would be great if Costco would just sell this stuff in bulk already!
Andee (Runtolive)
August 3, 2009 at 10:00 pmI love watermelon, but I can’t control how much I eat in one sitting and I end up feeling so bloated from all the water! Love the dinner idea, my boyfriend would love that! Have a great run tomorrow
Frannie
August 3, 2009 at 10:05 pmI had to laugh when I saw that you eat the Trader Joe’s Temptation Mix… I love it! Unfortunately, I plowed through an entire bag in a couple days – so I told myself no more. When I saw that you eat it (and manage not to gorge on it), it encouraged me to give the mix another go. Except this time I portioned it out into little baggies – so far so good 🙂
Rachel
August 3, 2009 at 10:08 pmYou could throw some of that watermelon in the freezer if you have room in there! I slice mine up (thin-ish) and freeze the pieces, and then when I’m ready to eat I let it sit and defrost for 10 minutes or so and it’s like a popsicle!
Raya
August 3, 2009 at 10:09 pmI also read that article in Runner’s World…how much the heat affects him is crazy! And totally agree with you about the coconut water being pricey…I just stocked up today at Whole Foods and was cringing at the cash register. Gatorade here I come!
Lele
August 3, 2009 at 10:28 pmThat is some melon! Today is actually National Watermelon Day 😀
Nicole
August 3, 2009 at 10:41 pmHaha! All I could think of when I saw your pic with the watermelon is the movie Dirty Dancing – “I carried a watermelon.” Too funny! That thing is humungo!!! Funny that you mentioned coconut water…I just noticed that they were selling Zico at my yoga studio today. Haven’t tried it yet – it was $3 for a tiny bottle 🙁
Hannah Hawley
August 3, 2009 at 10:48 pmI totally recommend going into Whole Foods once in a while to get that coconut water, bring in cash, just enough to get that coconut water. Leave credit cards, debit cards, check book etc, all at home!
Or, maybe you can order a flat at a time, go in and just pick up a flat of the coconut water, again, only bringing in enough cash to pay for the coconut water.
Sophia
August 3, 2009 at 10:57 pmholy cow that is a HUGE-ASS watermelon! And for some reason I always LOVE it when you go all southern, hee hee~
Brynne
August 3, 2009 at 11:03 pmThat watermelon looks amazing! I’m craving it so bad right now!
Meg
August 3, 2009 at 11:07 pmIf you can find an asian market in your area, they usually have canned coconut water CHEAP (about 30 cents a can!).
Island Girl Eats
August 3, 2009 at 11:07 pmHow did you even carry that watermelon? It is HUGE!!!!
Chocolate Shoestrings
August 4, 2009 at 12:56 amHi Jenna,
One natural and cheap option for running hydration is diluting grape juice in water and adding a tiny bit of sea salt in it. Both grape juice and sea salt can be bought in bulk for really cheap. I actually got this idea from a pro triathlete, and my boyf and I tested it out on a really warm run this weekend. It tastes just like a raisin, and was really great. Hope this helps
Rebecca
August 4, 2009 at 1:10 amThat watermelon is HUGE! I had a watermelon martini today. I wish I just had a slice of watermelon instead! 🙂
Lainie
August 4, 2009 at 1:33 amYour dinner looks so good! I hope your run goes well tomorrow…hopefully the blue gatorade will help you run extra fast 🙂
Jessica
August 4, 2009 at 3:59 amyeah coco water is too expensive 🙁
love the cupcake, it looks divine!
dexter is so cute as always.
-muffy
Christie @ Quit Your Diet
August 4, 2009 at 5:58 amThat chicken looks great and so does the cupcake!
Smart water is also great for rehydrating, it is pricey but not as much as coconut water.
Emily Eats
August 4, 2009 at 6:32 amThat watermelon sure is something! Wow. We don’t get them that big here.
I don’t know if this is of any use but my boyfriend stopped drinking gatorade when we also didn’t have a steady supply of coconut water, so he would mix up water with some sea salt and lemon juice and drink that instead – it kept him going through the whole game 🙂
jessinnyc
August 4, 2009 at 7:16 amOh my! That is a huge watermelon. I hate to admit it, but gatorade tastes better than coconut water. I guess a little high fructose corn syrup isn’t so bad every now and then. 😉 At least that’s what I keep telling myself.
leslie
August 4, 2009 at 8:04 ami know the difficulty of the whole foods temptation all too well. budgeting definitely sucks, but it won’t last forever. hopefully in a few years, we’ll both be able to drink all the coconut water we want! 😉
hope you had a great run!
crgilvr
August 4, 2009 at 8:27 amNuun works really well for me and is relatively inexpensive. My stomach does not deal well with sugar in any form and Nuun works fabulously for me. As Run Faster Mommy has noted, it tastes horrible if you’re not hot and sweaty but great when you are.
Sarah
August 4, 2009 at 8:39 amHaha, that is one ginormous watermelon!
Can’t wait to hear how your run goes…I pretty much give up running outside in the summer because of the heat, its just so uncomfortable.
britt
August 4, 2009 at 8:46 amha! that watermelon is as big as you are.
dinner looks delicisious! did you make the cupcake?
Tina
August 4, 2009 at 10:13 amI just bought (4) 12 packs of coconut water on Amazon, they were giving an extra discount of 35%, so I got (48) 17oz. containers for $72. I guess it was roughly about half off the price I usually pay minus gas for going to the health food store. Since its just about the only thing I drink anymore-I thought it was a really good deal!
elizabeth
August 4, 2009 at 11:02 amchampagne pear cupcake?? delicious!!!!
coconut water is the best-and i can actually buy it at my Star Market (sometimes known as Shaws) for 1.50. have you checked out your local grocery store? also buying a young coconut from an ethnic grocery is always an affordable and delicious way to get the “water” plus then you also get the “meat” which is great in smoothies or to make “pudding” out of!!
Margie
August 4, 2009 at 1:48 pmI sometimes use SmartWater. It has electrolytes too but it is not cheap which sucks. I live in the Tampa area also. That cupcake sounds like the one I tried last month. This gourmet cupcake store just opened a couple of months ago and I had to try a couple. The owner insisted that I try the pear one and they were soooo good! But I really loved their “death by chocolate” cupcake! That place is addicting if it is the same one you go to. My hubby tried to make me go last week but I resisted because I would have walked out with half a dozen!
Beth @ CrossBorderCravings
August 4, 2009 at 2:29 pmI will be very interested to see how this goes for you! I’ve been feeling super drained after hard work-outs lately and I wonder if that has something to do with it?? I’ll be checking for your analysis!
Stacy
August 4, 2009 at 5:09 pmI have to throw in my vote for Nuun. I have been using it for a couple of months now and absolutely love the stuff.
The champagne pear cupcake looks divine. Did you make it? That is a recipe I would love to have!
Hope you have a wonderful day Jenna!
Charlotte
August 4, 2009 at 7:53 pmI just posted about shopping at Whole Foods on a budget!
Angie
July 2, 2010 at 10:21 pmYour Dexter looks just like my Stewie. That is so cute! I’m glad I found your blog.
Ashley Smith Mikkelson
May 25, 2011 at 8:50 amThis is completely random, but in a photo above with you in the kitchen, it looks like you have a tattoo of a peacock on your wrist?