Sweet Tooth

Discovered a new love.  Amazing!  These taste like coconut and fudge just laid themselves right down on top of a delicious, chewy granola bar.  Since I LOVE sweets and get dessert cravings quite frequently this is my new go to post dinner delight.  However, I am having to regulate myself so that I only eat 1 a day. 

Kashi Dark Chocolate Coconut
Deliciousness for only 120 calories!

How amazing does that look?
When you open the wrapper it smells like you just took the lid off a can of hot fudge.

Other than that in truth I am not really feeling that great.  I started to feel bad on Tuesday, but was hoping it was just allergies.  Then yesterday I noticed my lymph nodes were swelling, but I had night class and once I started my run I didn't want to stop (hence why I am a distance girl and not a speedy one).  So today I came home from work with my nose running, head pounding, and body aching and went directly to bed for almost 2 hours.  Here is the problem (and probably why it took me 2 months to get over bronchitis this winter) - I hate rest days.  I have discovered they are a necessary evil, but when I am in a groove I don't want to stop.  Since I don't feel great and have worked out the last 3 days I am forcing myself to take a rest day.  I am only allowing myself to run 1 slow (9-10 min) mile, to keep the streak going, and then I am going to walk the rest of my 5 mile loop because I like being outside and ten minutes outdoors doesn't cut it.  I know I am going to have to make myself stop because I am going to want to run the whole five mile loop.  However, I am telling myself it is better for my body if I rest until these puffed up lymph nodes calm down a bit.  
Lesson I need to learn: There are more ways than just exercising to be healthy Abby, and taking care of yourself when you are sick is one of them

Then it is in for the night to read a book in bed.  T gave me Insurgent and I can't put it down, I want to know what happens.  I love kids' books and was intrigued enough by the first one to ask her to let me borrow the second.       

Runner's World Summer Run Streak-
Day 4 = 1 miles (plus walked 4)
Total = 16 miles 

Nude Bathroom Invasion

I was really worried about keeping my Run Streak going since today was my first day of night class.  It meant I'd be leaving early for work, have a very short break between work and class, and then not get home until almost bedtime.  However, I was determined to squeeze a run in.  Even if it was just one mile I had to keep the streak going, no excuses!  So I was super excited when my meeting downtown went super fast and I ended up with a little extra time before I had to leave for class.

Running along the battery.
Gorgeous view of the Charleston Harbor.

Apparently the Confederates fought naked.
Now that would make battles more interesting.

One of my favorite parts of my Southern relocation.
Streets lined with Live Oak trees.
(You know, as opposed to dead oaks.)

I'm sure this will be my next home.  HA
I do love this city though.
Still cannot believe I live somewhere people pay to visit.

Then, I took Charleston to a whole new level of class.
First, I found a public bathroom.

Then, after running in the almost 90 degree heat...
I realized I was literally dripping sweat, it was falling in pools.
I couldn't make that impression in my first night class.
However, I had somehow forgot my face (body) wipes,
but I had this in my running bag.
With no towels handy I tried to find the one dry spot on the shirt I had just run in.
Then stripped butt naked in the bathroom stall, clothes flying, sweat dripping, and tried to clean myself up.
I would be embarrassed, instead I'm looking at this as -
 Holy Sh*T I'm killing this run streak no matter what it takes.
(The other people in the bathroom my not have felt the same way,
I got lots of crazy looks when I emerged.)

I was hitting the delete button on this picture,
but then decided why not let you see the true me.
30 min after my nude bathroom incident:
 I'm still sweaty, still red, and not very alive (and obviously unable to take a self portrait).
Hope my professor likes stinky people!

Runner's World Summer Run Streak-
Day 3 = 3.5 miles
Total = 15 miles 

Battered & Bruised

Good thing I ran 10 miles yesterday because my parents made delicious Memorial Day food.  Woohoo!

We ate outside because it actually wasn't Swamp A** Sweltering.

Corn on the cob, BBQ ribs, fresh tomatoes from their garden, and delicious fruit.

Plus for dessert my dad made me delicious gingerbread cookies.
I think these should be eaten all year long, why relegate them to just Christmas time?

Then today it was back to work and after that practice.  I realized I have not revealed my double workout life to you all yet.  In addition to running I also play attempt rugby.  I'm not very good, but I have fun and I like the girls and they keep me around (probably because not many grown women are willing to voluntarily let themselves get tackled without squealing like a lunatic).  We practice once a week for about an hour and a half and then have games about twice a month.  It's fun, a great way to meet people, and doesn't cut into my running too much.  However, it also explains why I was super sore all weekend running and don't feel 100% yet today.

Numerous rugby bruises.

After our game Saturday I am discovering more everyday.

I now have to show my students rugby videos at the start of the year so they don't think I'm getting in fights.
However, most adults at my school don't know I play.
I have one little dude who loves to wait until I'm covered in bruises and the principal walks by and then go,
"So how bad did  you beat her up?  You get in lots of fights Ms. L."
I get lots of strange looks then.
P.S.- He is hilarious and feisty.  Love him.

Rugby is also a super dirty sport.  Notice the nice sock line.

Now time for my favorite shower game -
What is a Bruise? vs. What is Dirt?
Gotta scrub hard to find out.

Getting ready to take off after the ball.

2nd place in the tourney.
Very close game, we lost by 1 extra point conversion.
I laid in front just so you all could find me;)

Why I play (even though I stink) - Fabulous People!

After rugby we got a super late start on our run and then Beryl decided she wanted to play.  Between the fact that I had already exercised at practice, it is late and near my bedtime, and raining day 2 wasn't as amazing as day 1.  However, the streak is still alive!

Runner's World Summer Run Streak-
Day 2 = 1.5 miles
Total = 11.5 miles

When I took my hair out post run Beryl had beaten it to a pulp.
Please notice the chunk sticking straight up so high that the picture cuts it off.
This picture, as awful as it is, doesn't even do justice to how epicly ridiculous it was.
80s Mugshot

And so it begins...

Woke up today at 7:30 with the full intention of starting the Runner's World Summer Running Streak right away.  I am way excited to have something to get me back into it as getting restarted has been hard.  Plus I've never done a run streak before and I love a good challenge.  However, then I used my super hero power - sleeping - and hit the snooze button until 8:00.  I swear I dominate that snooze button like no other.  Maybe I was so tired because at almost midnight my creepy, smelly roommate was in a screaming match on the phone about whether Batman and the Dark Knight are the same person, with his mom!  I only know this because I could hear it through the wall and it kept me up.  Oh how badly I wish I was joking and that this wasn't really my living situation.  (Side note: My teacher pay keeps getting cut while my HOA, groceries, gas, etc. keep increasing.  I had two options: go into extreme credit card debt or find a roommate.  All my friends and friends of friends already had places so I chanced it on roommates.com.  At this point I am almost longing for an extra couple thousand dollars in credit card debt.  Yikes!)

Then I just couldn't get myself going so I ate breakfast in hopes that would motivate me and spent forever downloading dozens of pictures of the cutest little guy ever.  My (only) nephew Jackson just turned one and I am whipped.  He will soon learn that I am such a sucker for him and I will be getting phone calls for toys and money.  Well, as soon as he masters that whole talking thing.

Little man LOVES water!

His grandma is Korean and had a special outfit mailed in for his birthday.

Always so happy.

Forget presents from now on I'm sending tissue paper.  It's his favorite part.

Then next thing I know I realized it was 9:30 and I was exhausted from a busy day and not much rest so I decided it was nap time.  I set my alarm for an hour, but I really should be a paid professional napper.  I am amazing at it.  I ended up crashing until 11:00 and then reading some of a book T lent me while having lunch.

Then I admired my new running purchases.  I don't let myself buy run clothes very often because I pretty much live in them as it is, I don't need any more to add to my (I Refuse to put on Real Clothes) laziness.  However, I have been having some severe issues with my running capris.  I am having to pull them up constantly and am uncomfortable for entire runs.  T told me I may need to buy them even tighter or smaller so they don't fall off.  Since I cannot buy clothes online because I must try them on first I headed to Dicks.  (Did I ever tell you about the time C tried to find the store hours by Googling www.dicks.com?  On my computer!  You don't want to know how long it takes to get rid of those pop-ups and viruses.)  Well I normally don't let myself go in there because it is like happy Abby runner sensory overload.  I want everything and I want it right then.  One half of me is saying go for it new running clothes are good for you, and the other half remembers that I cannot afford to pay my own bills without living with The Creep.

I tried on about a dozen different pairs of running capris and picked the best two.  Both a size smaller than I had before, maybe T was right.  I tend to wear Nike's a lot because when I was bigger and first started running they had the only XL pants I could find that I didn't feel horrible in so they have always been my fall back capri brand.  Then I found a pair of Reeboks on the sale rack, tried them on, and loved everything about them.  The cut, the fit, the fact that they will be my only pair of non-black capris (look at me branching out) that by the time the lady told me they were accidentally placed on the rack and not really on sale I was sold.  I felt a bit guilty buy new run clothes, but both pair were a size smaller than my others so maybe it was warranted.

While they are the same size the black Nike pair are way smaller.
We shall see how they both work.

So I whipped out the new clothes and got ready to go streaking in the tropical, sunny, noontime, SC weather.  Wow, humidity!  It was rough.  You step out the door and are sweating before you hit the sidewalk.

Or you just live in The South in May-August.

I pushed myself though.  I was going so slow and super sore, but I wouldn't let myself quit.  I'm very happy I didn't, today was my first double digit run in about 4 months.  Woohoo!

Wore the new Reebok capris today.
They held up great.
However, I was so sweaty everything would have stuck to me.
We will see when it gets colder out and they don't suction to me from sweat how they do,

I don't usually buy shirts with writing on them.
However, I'm on a new bright color kick.
Plus I am "Running for My Life."
I'm running for my health and I'm running forever!

 Runner's World Summer Streak Day 1 = 10 miles  

Deliciousness

This is one of my favorite recipes and was the perfect dinner for tonight:

Healthy Chicken Enchiladas

Only 230 calories & 2 grams of fat per enchilada

19 grams of protein so you feel full

Grocery List:

1.5 lbs boneless, skinless chicken breasts

1 large green pepper

1 large onion

1 large tomato

1 can condensed tomato soup

1 can Campbell's Healthy Request Cheese Soup (has less fat & calories than normal)

2 cups salsa

10 tortillas

*optional - 2 jalapenos, sour cream, guacamole

The tomatoes looked great, but small, so I got 3 little ones.
The peppers & onions looked horrible and I didn't have time to run to a 2nd grocery,
 so I made due with yummy precut ones.
Normally I don't buy these because they're more expensive.

These are my favorite tortillas.  They are so soft and delicious and less than 90 calories each.  

I always get the Healthy Request Cheese soup.  It tastes the same to me and is way better for you.

Chop up the chicken and onions.
Cook on the stove top.
I use a huge wok since I tend to spill (a lot).

I like spicy things so when I am cooking for myself I add 2 jalapenos.
If I am taking these to a party where not everyone loves the heat I leave them out.

Chop up the green pepper and throw it in with the chicken and onions.

Cut up the tomato and set it to the side in a large bowl.

Once the chicken is no longer pink pour the chicken, onion, and pepper mixture over the tomatoes.
Pour the can of tomato soup on top and stir.
(It keeps everything moist and delicious while it bakes.)

Now make the sauce.
Dump the cheese into a small bowl and add 2 cups of salsa.
I love salsa so I use lots.
(This is me using the leftover cheese soup can so I don't get more dishes dirty.)

Stir salsa and cheese soup together.
You can use whatever salsa you like.
My dad makes super thick & chunky homemade salsa that is probably about a medium, it is my go to.
However, if that isn't available I use store bought and it is still fabulous!

Add the mix to tortillas.  It should make 10.
Sometimes I end up with 9, sometimes 11.  No big deal.

Carefully place enchiladas in baking dish.  (I use one large and one small dish to make them all fit.)
I spray mine with olive oil cooking spray first so nothing sticks.

Dump sauce on top and spread it out.
Place in oven for 25 minutes at 400.

Ta-da.  2 dishes full of this amazingness came out.

I knew they were perfectly done because the very edges were just a bit brown.

If I'm serving these at a party I have sour cream and guacamole to put on top.
Sometimes I even go wild and sprinkle shredded cheese over the top of them while they are baking.
Then as a side dish I do black beans, rice, or corn.
However, today it was just me and I was craving fruit.

I love that this dish is so healthy -  230 calories, count me in.  Plus the fresh taste of the chicken and veggies is delicious and the sauce is so much lighter than what you find when you go out to eat.  I worked at a Mexican place for about 7 years through HS and college and invented this dish years ago when I was craving Mexican, but wanted something healthier than what the restaurant had.  I make this pretty frequently because not only do my friends and family love it, but it is easy to do, and makes 10 good sized enchiladas.

P.S. - They freeze well.  I now have 3 in my fridge for this week and 6 more in individual containers in my freezer.  Way healthier and yummier than store bought frozen food.  I just take one out of the freezer, defrost it, and heat it up when I am busy and still want a great dinner.