Brazilian Soup

You want this recipe!! Its amazingly delicious and super easy to make.


But before we get to that, I'll ramble on for a little bit. Don't worry, its worth it to get to the recipe.

Its the final countdown to my half marathon! Saturday is approaching quickly and I'm excited about it. I only hope I haven't been taking it too easy this last week. Yes, the week of the race should be a restful one- I have 2 short runs planned. I also took it somewhat easy last week too, since I had completed my 12 mile run the Saturday before last.

Speaking of my 12 mile run, it went smoothly! I decided to test out drinking Gatorade, since they will be handing it out along with water on the race course Saturday. I broke the 12 miles up into 4- 3 mile loops so I could swing by my house a couple of times.

I'm so glad that run went well, because up until then I wasn't sure if I could finish the half marathon in the time I have as my goal. I was able to finish 12 miles in about 1 hour and 57 minutes, although to be honest that does not include water breaks. They are quick water breaks, but I do stop my watch when I stop for water/Gatorade, because I'm stopped in my driveway. Its my thought that it probably evens out with the amount of time I spend stopped at intersections- you know, trying not to get hit by cars. I definitely want to finish the 13.1 miles in less than 2 hours and 15 minutes. I'm really hoping to finish closer to 2 hours and 10 minutes, or less. It will be hard but I will be trying my best!!


Ok ok-- On to the recipe! 

I came across this recipe on Pinterest, and here is the direct link, thanks to foodandwine.com.

Its light yet filling at the same time. Full of flavor and a little bit of heat. And its healthy!

Brazilian Soup with Chicken or Shrimp

 Serves 4

2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
1 onion, chopped
1 green bell pepper, chopped
3 cloves garlic, minced
3/4 cup long-grain rice
1/4 teaspoon red-pepper flakes
1 3/4 teaspoons salt
1 3/4 cups canned crushed tomatoes in thick puree (from one 15-ounce can)
5 cups water
1 cup unsweetened coconut milk
1 1/2 pounds medium shrimp, shelled and cut in half horizontally
1/4 teaspoon fresh-ground black pepper
1 tablespoon lemon juice
1/2 cup chopped fresh parsley or cilantro

Variation Instead of the shrimp, use one pound of boneless, skinless chicken breasts (about three), cut crosswise into quarter-inch strips. Cook for the same amount of time.  

1. In a large pot, heat the oil over moderately low heat. Add the onion, bell pepper, and garlic and cook, stirring occasionally, until the vegetables start to soften, about 10 minutes.
2. Add the rice, red-pepper flakes, salt, tomatoes, and water to the pot. Bring to a boil and cook until the rice is almost tender, about 10 minutes.
3. Stir the coconut milk into the soup. Bring back to a simmer and then stir in the shrimp or chicken. Simmer, stirring occasionally, until the shrimp are just done, 3 to 5 minutes. Stir in the black pepper, lemon juice, and parsley or cilantro.

I chose chicken instead of shrimp because its cheaper. I also used cilantro instead of parsley because I absolutely LOVE cilantro and I think it adds a lot more flavor.


I also love a touch of acidity in my food. Throw a squeeze of fresh lemon juice just before you eat this soup. Trust me!




I divided this soup into 4 servings and ate it for lunch all week.

Nutrition information:

Calories- 320

Carbs- 34

Fat-10

Protein- 26

Calcium- 5

Fiber- 4

9 miles, 10 miles, 10K!

Well kiddos, if you keep up with me on Facebook (I figure most people who read this blog do), you know what I've been up to.



Last week was 9 miles. I ran 3- 3 mile loops. I took the advice given to me, which was to drink more water, and that helped tremendously! As much as I don't like to run circles over and over, I'd much rather do that and be able to stop at my house to grab a drink of water. I just stick a water bottle out in my driveway. Pretty easy.



And let me tell you... running loops around my own neighborhood was the best idea I had, considering what happened today. Today I ran 1- 4 mile loop and 2- 3 mile loops. I wish I could say that 10 miles went as smoothly as 9 miles did. I won't go into detail, but I ended up needing to make a pit stop. I was still about a mile away from my house. Needless to say, mile 7 ended up being my fastest mile :P





After that, I still had 3 miles to go. Those 3 miles were rough, and the slowest, but I still completed them. And no side pain!


My feet, after running today <---------
They feel pretty good right now!









Backing up, Sunday I participated in a 10K run. My training schedule suggested running a 5K, 10K or both during training. I signed up sort of last minute for a zoo run and I loved it! Maybe my favorite race so far. Very well organized, sweet t-shirt, nice race course, good after race refreshments (including one free beer per runner!), plus it was at a zoo so you could take time after to look at
animals.


Its probably the best I felt during a race too. I beat my previous 10K time by almost 2 whole minutes
and I still had enough juice left to sprint to the finish line.






I only have 2 more long training runs to complete before my half marathon... Only a month away now! 

I did it!

Training for a half marathon is hard!


Duh, Michelle. That's what you're probably thinking.

Each week I have to run more and more and I find myself almost dreading it, wondering what I got myself into. Doubt sets in. Can I really finish a half marathon? Not just finish, but finish with very very minimal walking. I'm talking no walking unless I absolutely HAVE to. I hate having to take walk breaks.



Today I ran 8.1 miles in 1 hour and 21 min. I'm pretty proud of that. Never ran that far before. Never ran for that amount of time before.

The thing I'm mad about is the walk break I had to take when I had less than a mile left. LESS THAN A MILE! What the hell happened? I got this twisting pinching in my lower right abdomen at around 7.15 miles. It turned into a stabbing pain and I had to walk. It hurt to breathe and I almost panicked. I got upset which made it worse! It felt a little better with walking but once I tried to run it immediately came back.

At about 7.45 miles I decided to suck it up and run. At 7.7ish miles it got better and I was feeling great again. SO mad though! That messed up my time! That stabbing pain hits me once in a while and I really wish I knew why. Sometimes it hits me at 2 miles, sometimes at 5. Thankfully, it doesn't happen during ever run.



Anyway, I ran a nice 4 mile loop so that I was able to stop at my house for a drink of water halfway through. My legs felt great, which is why I was so mad about the pain in my side.

I had mixed feelings about this run. I was excited to try out my new shoes, but I was worried about running longer than I ever had before.

Yes, its a pretty much a no-no to just go out and run that far in brand new shoes. BUT I realized that my other shoes were a big mistake. Looking at them, I'm not even sure what type of shoes they are, but they are definitely NOT made for running. They kill my feet. On runs longer than 3 or 4 miles, they leave giant blisters on my pinkie toes, and they rub the backs of my ankles raw. My feet just don't feel good at all after running in them.


My new shoes are definitely for RUNNING. I made sure of it. And I got them on sale! And they're so pretty! And I felt like I was running on clouds!


Well, not really. But my feet feel great right now!

Here's a link if you're interested in the shoes. I bought mine at Shopko yesterday.



Until next time everyone! I'll let you know how 9 miles goes next week.... Yikes...

Back on Track

I'm back!


I've been fairly busy lately and that's my only excuse for not writing lately. Finding a routine with my new job has been tricky, but I think I've gotten it figured out.

Having a job where I work during mealtimes has been an adjustment. I can't very well take a lunch break in the middle of the lunch shift. Coming home at 9pm and trying to cook dinner at that time doesn't work very well either. I've adjusted to eating just before work in the morning and trying not to order food after my shift more than once a week. If I work the dinner shift, I've entrusted the cooking of dinner to my crock pot.

Going out to eat is such a treat for me, its hard to say no, but I feel a million times better when I cook something healthy. So hopefully now that I'm back to eating like normal and not eating out all the time, these few lbs I've gained back will fall off...

In other news, I finally got a bike! I live so close to places like the gym, my work, and the bank that it seems silly to drive sometimes. I took it for a test run to the gym the other day and it works just fine. Haven't been able to take it to work just yet- too hot yesterday and it's going to be rainy today. Only problem with it so far is the kickstand is broken off.







I've been busy training for an upcoming race. I signed up for my first half marathon coming up on November 2nd. A race like this requires a good training plan. I've heard good things about Hal Higdon Training plans, so I've been following this plan.

This is the first race I'm nervous about. I've only run at most 7 miles at a time, and a half marathon is almost twice that length. Sometimes while I'm running I wonder what I was thinking, signing up for this race?!?! But I'm signed up and I'm going to do it.


That's it for me! Time to get ready for work :)

Falling Off The Wagon

It happens to everyone. Thankfully, I did not fall far!


I believe it all started when I started my new job. I have a new routine that I'm still getting used to. I've been at my job for over a month now so I really don't have any excuses now. The struggles I've been having come down to the fact that I'm not home during the day anymore so just like everyone else in the world, I have to re-work my personal life around my work schedule. Unfortunately, my work schedule is not set like I was used to, so its harder to plan ahead when I don't know until the week before what days I'm working!


As I said, my routine has been thrown off. As a result, I have been eating out more and not working out quite as much as I was before. Not a huge deal, but the eating out is something I really try to keep under control. I love love love eating at restaurants. Since my schedule is only put out weekly, I can't plan my menus bi-weekly like I used to. Since I wasn't planning meals, it was easier for my husband and I to go out. Plus, my new job is at a restaurant, so double temptation for me! My strength training has not been up to what it was either. I gave myself a little slack because I just started a new job...


Add all that together over the course of a month and a half, and you get a 4-5 lb weight gain. Boo!! If I had been keeping up with my normal routine, I would tell myself to take my measurements because it could have been muscle gain. Gain muscle= lose inches. But I knew that wasn't it.
I was hoping that being on my feet at work would offset some of those extra calories, but its easier to eat more than you burn when you eat out more. Restaurants add all kinds of sneaky calories that you might not realize. Most things are cooked in butter or oil. Even something that sounds healthy might not be what you think. That's why the food tastes so good ;)



Sad story! But the obvious plan for me moving forward is to menu plan weekly. I'd rather not shop every week, but looks looks like I'll have to. I'm lucky that my work schedule allows me to get up at a reasonable hour and have time to get to the gym or go for a run before work. I don't have to get up before the sun so I really can't complain!!



The moral of the story is: Recognize that little setbacks such as a small weight gain are not the end of the world. And life will change! Try to get ahead of the game if you can and put together a plan before the change sets in so that you don't fall back into bad habits. Hopefully I will take my own advice next time.

My First 10K

Well I did it! I finished my first 10K race on July 4th. My first official 6.2 miles.


My main goal was just to finish in under an hour. That means I'd have to run just a little faster than 10 min per mile, or 6 mph. Which was completely in line with how my training was going but ultimately, I really wanted to finish closer to 55 minutes.

I did meet my main goal. The time they called as I was crossing the finish line was 59:07. Yes!!!!












The run was not easy at all. I got up early enough to eat something and let it settle, to use the bathroom, and get up to the run in time to get my goody bag- bib, t-shirt (most important!), flyers for other upcoming runs, and free water bottle!

I think my downfall was grabbing a banana that morning. I wanted something quick and easy, but it was not easy on my stomach. Eating it an hour before running I figured would give it time to digest. But about a half mile into the run I could feel that stupid banana sitting in my stomach.


Ugh.


It was a pretty warm morning, the run started at 8:30am. My GPS watch did not catch a signal in time for the race to start, so it was about .15 miles off the entire time.

Despite the banana, I did pretty well until about mile 4-5.The course went out on country roads, then turned around and came back. The turn around was not good. The sun was in front of you at that point. There were no clouds in the sky, so I felt the sun sapping my energy. There were a couple rolling hills too, and so by mile 4 my legs felt like they were trudging through molasses.


I wanted to walk SO bad but I felt like I had my husband on one shoulder and Jillian Michaels on the other. He was saying- Don't you dare start walking, keep running!! And she was saying- Unless you faint, puke, or die, keep moving!!



In the end, I made it without walking. According to my GPS watch, my mile times were as follows:

Mile 1- 9:19
Mile 2- 9:28
Mile 3- 9:37
Mile 4- 9:43
Mile 5- 10:12
Mile 6- 9:33


You can see I got slower and slower. I definitely felt drained of energy, and for that I blame the banana. I gotta remember- stick with what you know works! Usually I eat a bowl of cereal or an english muffin with peanut butter in the morning before running or working out.







At the end of the day, I'm pretty proud of myself. I want to give a shout out to my mom and husband for being there at the race to support me. They got up early and hung out in the heat for an hour waiting for me to finish.

I have my sights set on completing a couple more 10Ks this year, and moving on up to a half marathon. I also want to complete a mud run soon too!!

Run Run Run

Hello friends!


I realize I've been MIA for a couple of weeks now. Just a bit of writer's block I guess.
I would like this blog to be primarily about fitness and health, but since I'm an expert in neither, I wasn't sure what to write! Who am I to give advice and tips to anyone? I'm just a regular person, not a personal trainer or nutritionist or physical therapist.

From now on, you'll find me writing more about my day to day experiences when it comes to fitness and health. I'll post about my successes and failures, any good recipes I come across, any good articles I've read...



Let's begin!



Sometimes, running just feels amazing. Like, better than usual. It was that way for me on Saturday. My training schedule said 6 miles. I haven't run that far in a long time, so I was nervous that it wouldn't go well. I've struggled the past few weeks because I've been switching my focus from weight lifting back to running. My body needed some time to re-adjust. As a result, some runs just felt draining. I had to take walk breaks and my legs just felt like they didn't want to keep going. I may have been pushing too hard though.

I'm pretty competitive with myself and don't like to back-track. If I was able to run at a certain pace, the next time I better a least run that fast or faster. It doesn't work like that when you take a break! You have to build back up.

By the time Saturday rolled around, though, I had finally been back in the swing of things long enough and I was able to enjoy my 6 miles, for the most part. My legs and lungs kept up with each other and I felt like I could run all day. Unfortunately, I've been struggling with a piercing side pain that tends to show up toward the end of some of my runs. Saturday around 4.25 miles AND 5 miles I had to stop and walk because of this pain. It isn't just a side cramp. Its a screaming pain just under my right side rib cage. If I try to run through it, I just can't because even shallow breathing makes it feel like I'm being stabbed!

BUT I walked for maybe 10-20 seconds, tried to take some deep breaths, started back up, and I was able to finish within my time goal of an hour. Six miles in 59:55 to be exact. Which is right around a 10 minute mile. Slower than I like, but for a long run that I'm not quite used to yet, I felt like a million bucks and I was pretty dern proud of myself.

Today though, was a little more typical. I ran 4.5 miles in 42:51, but my body was just saying- Heeey... why are you doing this... I wanna lay down!!
I wasn't in pain and I wasn't too tired to go on, but my body just wasn't really into it. I said- Shut up, we're doing this. 
No terrible side pain today so no walking breaks, which I'm thankful for!

If you're interested here are my times for today's run:

Mile 1- 9:31
Mile 2- 9:23
Mile 3- 9:32
Mile 4- 9:40
Mile 4.5- 4:44

This is more like what I'd like my mile times to be right now. I'm hoping to get down under 9 minutes by the end of the summer.

New shoes. Its best to go to an actual shoe store and get fitted properly, but I found these on clearance, and I'm hoping they work out for running shoes. I bought my last pair off the shelf too and haven't had any issues. I haven't had any foot/knee/back problems when it comes to running, except for a couple little blisters on my pinkie toes. So we'll see!

I'm training for my first 10K run which is next week on July 4th. I made up my own training schedule, based off another schedule I found on a running website. I used the schedule last fall. I'll talk about that another day though.

My goal is to finish the race in under an hour. Since I was able to run my 6 miles in just under an hour, I think I will be able to finish the 10K (6.2 miles) in under an hour as well. Those last .2 miles are the tricky part, but I usually run a bit faster on race day due to adrenaline and excitement :)


That's all for today! Thanks for stopping by!


-Emerald Eye