Crashing to reality

So last Monday, the Monday after the wedding, I logged into MyFitnessPal only to see this on the home screen:

It looks like the Bollinger girls had a good time.

I didn't eat much the whole wedding weekend (or really, the entire week), and I really didn't drink much (seriously!), but I felt I was running on nervous energy the entire time. And then last week I was so tired and hungry. I was headed for the crash.

I sat down with my planner this past Sunday and mapped out my food and workouts:

I still like doing things the old-fashioned way - on paper.

Let's catch up on my half-marathon training. On wedding week, I did a 9-mile walk on Sunday, a 4-miler on Tuesday, then nothing on the scheduled Thursday (4 miles) or Saturday (6 miles). There was, however, some of this:

The two moms showing the kids how it's done. (Ignore my sock tan line.)

Last week I did the 4 scheduled miles on Monday, 4 miles on Thursday, and then since I missed a 6-miler the previous weekend and that Catholic guilt is hard to get over, I did 7.5 on Saturday. And I pretty much felt like crap. I can get a good endorphin rush from my shorter walks, but I'm still waiting for it on the long ones. (My friend Mark suggested that I dedicate each mile to someone special. I tried it, but I think I need more practice. I kept getting distracted.)

This week I only went 3.6 on Monday; it was supposed to be 4 but I started way too late - the heat and humidity got to me. Which brings us to today: 4.0 miles and I felt absolutely great. I could have easily gone longer. Good thing, since I have 11 miles on the calendar for Friday. THAT'S RIGHT, ELEVEN MILES! ON FOOT! It wasn't too many years ago that I thought that was a long BIKE ride. Maybe I shouldn't use all caps until I actually accomplish it.

I got an email from my friend Marcy, and in it she said that I was "so good at being creative with meals and eating healthy".  Do I ever feel like an imposter!

PBJ, apple, and milk. Creative? I think not.

Oh, and here are a few things you haven't seen before. You can be thankful I spared yet another photo of oatmeal with a glob of peanut butter in it.

Seriously. Breakfast on 9/2

Today's breakfast

Lunches:

Costco rotisserie chicken salad, cucumber and tomato salad with balsamic, veggies and hummus. And a Kombucha

Mushroom, feta, smoked salmon, and spinach omelet with berries and some rosemary-olive oil bread

Guess what opened in Omaha?!?! (I'm really not digressing; still talking about lunches here....)

That's right, a Bravo at Village Pointe. You should know that I really don't like chain restaurants, but I do love this one. Ever since we discovered it in Des Moines, when we can think of nowhere else to go, (which isn't often, thanks to Emily) we end up at Bravo. Dwight and I needed to run some errands on Labor Day so we decided to indulge:

Chopped salad and the ever-so-healthy lobster bisque

I did try a few new recipes. I made Chicken Spinach Pita Pizza from the Abs Diet Cookbook. It was pretty good, and a great way to use leftover chicken. I used a Flat Out Wrap instead of a pita. The cookbook called this a snack, but it definitely was enough for dinner.

I also tried, upon Emily's recommendation, Pasta with Shrimp, Artichokes, and Feta. While really good, I was a bit underwhelmed (sorry, Honey) as it tasted pretty much like a recipe I make already. The next time I make our family favorite, though, I will add shrimp and artichokes!

My favorite new find is one I forgot to take a picture of, but if you click on this link, Iowa Girl Eats is a much better photographer than I am. I made the Key West Grilled Chicken (actually, I mixed the marinade but Dwight grilled), the Mango Salsa, and the Cilantro-Lime Cauliflower Rice. The "rice" was a pleasant surprise - I think it goes to show how much texture plays a part in food. While it was just shredded cauliflower sauteed in canola oil with some salt, pepper, lime juice, and cilantro, it had the texture - and almost flavor - of rice. We served it to company, and either they were really good liars or they loved the meal. I think it helped that we served fun-size candy bars left over from the hotel out-of-town gift bags that we made for the hotel guests. Those things are going to be a challenge. I have them wrapped up and stored in the freezer in the garage. At least I'll have to work for it if I want one.

TTFN