Since the last week in March, I've run three times a week every week with only one or two weeks of only running twice. Pretty good for an exercisephobe! I've been in a running rut lately and have been dreading it like I haven't dreaded it since the first and second week that I started. This could be because I feel like I'm getting no where fast in my progress or because we switched last month from running after work to running at 5 a.m. Plus I'm still trying to convince myself that the 10 degree temperature difference between morning running and after work running is worth it.
So I took six days off in a row for the first time since March with the goal of starting this week with a fresh, positive new outlook.
And then the alarm went off this morning. After knocking half a glass of water onto the power strip by my nightstand, promptly shorting out my phone charger, lamp, backup alarm, and fan, I strapped on my shoes and went to meet Patient Friend, desperately hanging onto my positive attitude.
It was not a good run to start my new attitude.
I got a mile, walked a tenthish of a mile, and about a quarter mileish after we started again, Patient Friend's punkass husband scared the living daylights out of us with what I can safely call an dead-on exact vicious dog bark. After we finally stopped crying like little girls (just kidding... kind of), we walked the rest of the way home.
*sigh*
Thursday will be a better run though! ...Solely because it can only get better than today.
Since it's an easy dinner again tonight, I plan on tackling soft pretzels for the hubs for the first time after dinner. They're not my thing, but he's a HUGE fan. We'll see how it goes!
Tuesday, July 7, 2009
Monday, July 6, 2009
Ginger Steak Salad
I met Patient Friend for a pedicure after work which was much needed after my weekend of watching movies and not going running.
Again, shifty eyes.
After a reeeeally boring day of eating for dinner tonight I decided to make this recipe from PW for Ginger Steak Salad. I made the marinade and the dressing last night and used bagged salad greens, so all I had to do tonight was grill the steak! The marinade and dressing are pretty similar and involve a combination of soy sauce, olive oil, garlic, lime juice, ginger root, jalapeno and a dash of sugar. Yummm. I love anything with ginger and this was the first time I'd used fresh ginger root.
I also decided to use my cast iron skillet for the first time since the wedding to grill the steak. It didn't get as seared on the outside as I would have liked, but otherwise came out great!
Now I just have to figure out how to clean this thing...
I cooked the steak about a minute and a half on each side and the steak was about 3/4 in thick. Don is a freak though who likes his steak medium well (I know, I know - it's embarrassing, really), so I kept his on for another 30 seconds on each side. After I took the steak out of the skillet, I sliced it, threw it on the salad greens and was done!
For anyone keeping score, if you make the dressing according to the recipe for two people it's a splurge at about 180 calories per serving. (Two tablespoons of sugar seemed like a lot though and next time, I'll try cutting out half of it. And save an extra 50 calories per serving.) I had half of my 5 oz steak for about 280 calories and about 30 calories worth of salad greens. Total for dinner was approximately 490 calories! Here's the rest of my day of eating, just for laughs.
B - mini bagel, cream cheese, coffee creamer - 195
S - apple - 80
L - leftover chicken bake - 390
S - fat/sugar free pudding - 80
D - ginger steak salad - 490
TOTAL: 1,235
Perfect! AND I'm not even having a glass of wine tonight. *pats back*
Run tomorrow morning (for real this time) at 5am! Off to get ready for bed.
Again, shifty eyes.
After a reeeeally boring day of eating for dinner tonight I decided to make this recipe from PW for Ginger Steak Salad. I made the marinade and the dressing last night and used bagged salad greens, so all I had to do tonight was grill the steak! The marinade and dressing are pretty similar and involve a combination of soy sauce, olive oil, garlic, lime juice, ginger root, jalapeno and a dash of sugar. Yummm. I love anything with ginger and this was the first time I'd used fresh ginger root.
I also decided to use my cast iron skillet for the first time since the wedding to grill the steak. It didn't get as seared on the outside as I would have liked, but otherwise came out great!
Now I just have to figure out how to clean this thing...
I cooked the steak about a minute and a half on each side and the steak was about 3/4 in thick. Don is a freak though who likes his steak medium well (I know, I know - it's embarrassing, really), so I kept his on for another 30 seconds on each side. After I took the steak out of the skillet, I sliced it, threw it on the salad greens and was done!
For anyone keeping score, if you make the dressing according to the recipe for two people it's a splurge at about 180 calories per serving. (Two tablespoons of sugar seemed like a lot though and next time, I'll try cutting out half of it. And save an extra 50 calories per serving.) I had half of my 5 oz steak for about 280 calories and about 30 calories worth of salad greens. Total for dinner was approximately 490 calories! Here's the rest of my day of eating, just for laughs.
B - mini bagel, cream cheese, coffee creamer - 195
S - apple - 80
L - leftover chicken bake - 390
S - fat/sugar free pudding - 80
D - ginger steak salad - 490
TOTAL: 1,235
Perfect! AND I'm not even having a glass of wine tonight. *pats back*
Run tomorrow morning (for real this time) at 5am! Off to get ready for bed.
So this is what insomnia does to a person...
I attempted to start a blog last year sometime. And failed miserably as evident by my single post. I'm starting again with three goals:
1.) I hope this is a good tool to hold me accountable for meeting my running goals. (What? No, I didn't just bail on my friend for 5 a.m. running because I can't function on 3 hours of sleep. Psh, don't be ridiculous. *shifty eyes*)
I started running (jogging, trudging, plodding, dragging - call it what you will) from ground zero three and a half months ago and it's been a tough road. I have absolute zero natural athletic abilities. ZERO. And I think that's part of the reason running is so incredibly difficult for me mentally and physically. I started the Couch to 5k program with a good friend and patient soul, bless her, but that 9 week program was not meant to be. Said patient soul has come up with a new and revised plan to get there by September. It's frustrating and embarrassing that what so many people can, if not easily, accomplish seems virtually impossible to me. THREE MONTHS LATER. Dammit, I was supposed to be done four or five weeks ago!
*sigh*
That said, I have lost weight and I do feel good about what I've accomplished. Obviously, I have a love/hate relationship with running.
2.) I've fallen more in love with cooking and baking over the last year and would love a place to share my triumphs in the kitchen. I recently made my first cake from scratch and my next goals include soft pretzels (active yeast! yikes!) and risotto this week.
Yes, I do realize that my love for Goal Two makes me hate Goal One even more because I do not see the weight loss results that may occur by omitting cake, pretzels, and risotto.
I try to balance out said goodies by eating normal, healthy, and balanced meals 90% of the time.
Okay, 85%.
3.) I've come a long way in transforming our former-fraternity house, but still have a ways to go and would like to be able to look back on all of the progress that I've made to motivate me to keep going.
I have a good life, a good husband, and a good job. I'm just trying to take advantage of all the goodness as much as possible!
Kate
1.) I hope this is a good tool to hold me accountable for meeting my running goals. (What? No, I didn't just bail on my friend for 5 a.m. running because I can't function on 3 hours of sleep. Psh, don't be ridiculous. *shifty eyes*)
I started running (jogging, trudging, plodding, dragging - call it what you will) from ground zero three and a half months ago and it's been a tough road. I have absolute zero natural athletic abilities. ZERO. And I think that's part of the reason running is so incredibly difficult for me mentally and physically. I started the Couch to 5k program with a good friend and patient soul, bless her, but that 9 week program was not meant to be. Said patient soul has come up with a new and revised plan to get there by September. It's frustrating and embarrassing that what so many people can, if not easily, accomplish seems virtually impossible to me. THREE MONTHS LATER. Dammit, I was supposed to be done four or five weeks ago!
*sigh*
That said, I have lost weight and I do feel good about what I've accomplished. Obviously, I have a love/hate relationship with running.
2.) I've fallen more in love with cooking and baking over the last year and would love a place to share my triumphs in the kitchen. I recently made my first cake from scratch and my next goals include soft pretzels (active yeast! yikes!) and risotto this week.
Yes, I do realize that my love for Goal Two makes me hate Goal One even more because I do not see the weight loss results that may occur by omitting cake, pretzels, and risotto.
I try to balance out said goodies by eating normal, healthy, and balanced meals 90% of the time.
Okay, 85%.
3.) I've come a long way in transforming our former-fraternity house, but still have a ways to go and would like to be able to look back on all of the progress that I've made to motivate me to keep going.
I have a good life, a good husband, and a good job. I'm just trying to take advantage of all the goodness as much as possible!
Kate
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