Sniffles No More

Hello everyone!!

It’s been a week since my last post, and well, I truly wanted to post but for the last week I was battling a cold. The only thing that I could possibly blog about would have been tissues, nyquill, sneezes, and soup. I thought I’d spare everyone the boredom and take a little blogging break! A week later and my cold is DONE (thank god!).

Now that I feel better, I finally feel like I can resume my normal workouts, eat a wider variety of foods, and go back to the regular flow of life.

Yesterday I ventured out for a run for 1/2 marathon training. My schedule called for a 4. 5 mile run which is the farthest distance I’ve gone in quite some time! I missed my training run with the running group Saturday because I was still feeling iffy, so I decided to run alone on Sunday. The temperature was a brisk 21 degrees! It was hard for me to adjust to the cold temperature for the first five minutes, but I eventually warmed up.

In the beginning of my runs in the cold, I try to inhale through my nose and exhale through my mouth. Now, I don’t know if there is any proven science behind this, but your nose helps to filter, moisten and warm the air making it less harsh on your lungs. I try to do this type of breathing at the beginning of my run to get my lungs used to the cold air!

Sunday Runday!

Overall, I was pretty happy with my pace! Since I hadn’t been training because of my cold, I was worried that I’d go too slow. I was pleasantly surprised to see that I was going at a sub 10 min/mi pace! My goal is to continue training at around this pace.

I hope your week is off to a great start!

-Anjali

MIMM #1

Hi Loves!

Today is Monday, and I have decided to participate in my first “Marvelous in My Monday” (MIMM) post!

MIMM was started by Katie from Healthy Diva! MIMM is way to share all of the ways your weekend and monday were marvelous. This is a great way to start the week on a positive note. I’m so excited to participate in this celebration, so let’s get started!

Today is marvelous because it is Martin Luther King Day! It’s a day to celebrate diversity and equal opportunity. Take a moment today to reflect upon this blessing & give thanks to the individuals who helped pave the road for unity and peace.

Another reason today is marvelous is because I don’t have school today!! Although Monday’s aren’t that busy this semester, it’s nice to know that I have the entire day to get work done at my leisure!

Now onto share some weekend highlights!

The weekend was low key, and you know what? I was absolutely okay with that! Sometimes you just need a slow paced weekend to collect your thoughts, rejuvenate, and organize.

My morning run on Saturday was a success and challenged me to go beyond my limits! How marvelous 🙂

Saturday night was by far one of the most memorable nights of the weekend! Our neighbors, invited myself and my roommates over for a lovely vegetarian dinner! I didn’t have my camera on me, therefore I couldn’t snap a picture of the amazing dish with butternut squash & chickpeas. I MUST get this recipe..so amazing. The night was filled with laughter and lovely conversation. I feel so blessed to have friendly and supportive neighbors.

Sunday was marvelous because I got to spend some quality time with the roomies! Annie, Laura, and I decided to venture out for a walk. What started off as a stroll in the neighborhood, quickly turned into a 4 mile power walk along the Ohio River! Annie is a speed demon and pushed Laura and I to pick up the pace!

Follow the leader!

I can honestly say, my heart was a pumpin’ throughout the entire walk! Having girl talk + good company made the time go by quickly. The day was gorgeous and the view was incredible!

It was the perfect way to spend a Sunday afternoon 🙂

How is your Monday Marvelous??

-Anjali

Up to the Challenge!

Happy weekend my loves!!

It is a gorgeous day in Cincinnati, and I hope that wherever you may be you are finding yourself with a beautiful day as well! This morning I woke up bright and early at 6:45 a.m. for first run with the running group! Although I didn’t need to meet them until 8, I wanted to get up, hydrate, eat & digest. My go to pre-run breakfast is a simple one, but it works to fuel me up! I toasted a slice of Ezekial bread and topped it with peanut butter, honey, and a few banana slices. When the mileage increases, I usually add another slice but since today’s run was only 3.5 miles one slice was enough for me! Everyone is different in regards to pre-run meals so keep that in mind! I’ve just found that this meal digests well before my runs!

The Run

My intention for the run was to head out with the 10:00 min/mile pace group, however they were gone by the time I got to the meet up spot! My only choice was to go with the 9:30 min/mile group and under! I must admit, I was nervous! I knew that I was capable of running a 9:30 min/mile, but I wasn’t sure if I’d be able to keep that pace the entire run. Once we got going, I quickly became comfortable with the pace. If it weren’t for running with a group, I would have never challenged myself! The 3.5 miles went by really fast and I felt great afterwards! I plan on continuing challenging myself by sticking with this group! You’ll never make progress if you don’t step out of your comfort zone 🙂

Post- Run

I got home, and was ravenous! The first thing I did when I got back was to test out Nuun hydration tablets! I bought nuun at the running store the other week and was excited to try it out. Nuun tablets turn your water into a sports drink without sugar! It’s loaded with electrolytes and turns your water a little fizzy. I tried out the tri-berry flavor and LOVED it!

It was really good and is a great alternative to drinks like gatorade or powerade! I’ll definitely be incorporating nuun into my 1/2 marathon training hydration!

Next up was breakfast + coffee!! I kept it simple with 1 egg and 2 egg whites scrambled topped with hot sauce & a side of grapes.

I have to say, getting up early on a Saturday and getting my workout in before 9:00 really made me feel like I was going to be productive with my day. I even got some studying in! It’s amazing what you can accomplish when you set your intentions.

Hope you all are having a wonderful weekend!

xoxo,

Anjali

Love me Some Oats!

Hello my lovely friends!

Long time no blog! Hope you enjoyed the spaghetti squash recipe! It is honestly one of my favorite meals to make.  Speaking of meals…I got a little creative in the kitchen tonight and tried to re-recreate one of my favorite meals my mom used to make when we were kids! No word on how it’ll turn out, but I’m keeping my fingers crossed that it will be a success! 😉

While we’re on the topic of food (my favorite subject), I’m back on an oats obsession for breakfast. Last week I was rockin’ the egg breakfast, but this week I’m LOVING the oats. For the past two days I’ve been enjoying overnight oats. Overnight Oats are made the night before and are SO creamy and delicious. They are perfect for busy mornings because all you have to do is grab them from the fridge and devour! If you’re curious about these “overnight oats,” I posted a recipe for overnight oats back in August!

yum!

Workout Update

As I’ve mentioned before, I will be running the Nashville 1/2 marathon on April 27th with my sister! To train for the race, I have decided to join the same running group that I trained with for my 1/2 last October. I love the support, camaraderie, and accountability that comes with being a part of a running group. Although the long runs are early in the morning, the feeling of self-accomplishment that comes from finishing these runs is unlike anything else! I definitely will be posting all about my training in the upcoming weeks!

Hope you all have a great Humps day!

-Anjali

Simple Spaghetti Squash

Happy Friday!

I’m so glad the hectic week is over and I can take the weekend to relax & live life! The other night, I posted a simple meal of spaghetti squash with marinara sauce & black beans I made on Twitter and many of you asked me for the recipe. To be honest, I made this recipe one night when I was craving a combination of spaghetti and chili (odd…right?) I pretty much threw together some simple ingredients and voila…one of my favorite meals was made:

Let’s Get Started, shall we?!

“Spaghetti” Marinara w/ Black Beans

Ingredients

1 Spaghetti Squash

1 can of black beans rinsed & drained

1/2 yellow onion

1 clove of chopped garlic

Marinara Sauce (to your liking)

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 375 degrees.

2.Take a large knife and poke holes all over the spaghetti squash. Place the squash in the microwave for 4 minutes (enough to soften it)

3. Take a large knife and cut the spaghetti squash in half length wise. Scoop out the seeds and discard them.

4. Place the squash cut side down in a glass dish with about 1/2 inch of water & cover with foil. Put in the oven for 50 minutes.

5. When there is about 10 minutes left, sauté the onions & garlic in a pan with olive oil. After 2 minutes, add the black beans. Add the marinara sauce to the pan and let simmer.

6. When the squash is done, take a fork  and shred the squash. It will shred into little noodles!

7. Put the shredded squash in a bowl and pour the sauce on top.

8. Enjoy!

**I baked my squash so that the noodles came out a bit crunchy. If you like softer noodles, leave it in the oven for another 5-10 minutes.**

I hope you enjoy this recipe! It is so simple to make and makes great leftovers as well! Try it out & let me know if it satisfies your spaghetti craving 🙂

-Anjali

Comfort in a Bowl

Hello Friends!

Can you believe we’re already 1/2 way through the week! With the new semester beginning and the work load piling up, I tend to lose track of time. Regardless, it’s time for another blog post 🙂 Although I’m busy with school, I’m finding that updating my blog is a way to reflect and relax.

After getting home from an 8 hour day at school last night, I was exhausted and somewhat feeling nauseous. I had intentions of roasting up some veggies and making chicken, but the thought of it made my stomach churn a bit. Instead, I listened to what my body wanted and turned to the ever so delicious and comforting tomato soup! As a child, my mother would make Campbell’s Tomato Soup with grilled cheese for a comfort meal. As an adult, when I crave that comfort, I turn to Trader Joe’s for their amazing Organic Tomato and Roasted Red Pepper Soup! During my latest TJ’s haul this past weekend, I ended up grabbing the low sodium version without realizing it. The taste was great but my favorite is the regular version. I ended up mixing the soup with 1/4 cup of quinoa to add in some protein. I found this was a great way to make the meal heartier!

mmm soup!

This soup is so creamy and full of flavor. It’s perfect for when you’re craving that bit of comfort! Not pictured is a side of mashed avocado on top of a slice of Ezekial Bread. PERFECTION!

Morning

This morning I had the pleasure of sleeping in a tad bit extra! The only school commitment I had started at 1 and ended at 3:30, so I woke up at 8:30 and enjoyed the morning. I made my way to the kitchen to make 2 eggs over easy and a side of avocado + black coffee.

My go-to breakfast in the past week has been eggs. I get a certain food-kicks, but hey what’s wrong with that! Eggs are great sources of protein and full of omega 3’s. And yep, I’m not afraid to eat the yoke! A whole egg won’t kill ya my friends! Sometimes I’ll combine 2 egg whites and 1 whole egg for a yummy wholesome breakfast. Do what works for you!

The next part of my morning was not the most pleasant…but it was necessary in my eyes. Since national news have been reporting that Flu Epidemic is at an all time high this year, I knew it was time that I face my fear of needles and get vaccinated. Since I have asthma, I’m at a greater risk for the flu. I not only wanted to protect myself, but also the little kiddos I’ll be working with this semester!

I ended up going to CVS pharmacy to get the vaccination. I had my reservations about getting it done at the pharmacy, just because I’ve always gotten vaccinated by nurses. However, I quickly realized there was nothing to fear! The pharmacist was great and the walk-in trip to CVS was very convenient. I’ve been rocking the band-aid on the shoulder/bicep look all day and I’m not ashamed 🙂

It’s not so bad!

Workout

In the morning, after breakfast I completed Tone it Up’s new toning routine “Love Your Total Body” and their “MalibootyA” workout. They are both toning routines and leave you feeling tight and toned! In the afternoon, I made a trip to the gym for some light cardio. My left ankle has been feeling a bit off in the past couple days so I decided to lay off the treadmill and hop on the elliptical, bike, and row machine. It was a bit on the lighter side, but I knew it was what my body needed! Sometimes I think it’s best to be attentive to your body’s needs. I knew my ankle needed a break, so a break it was given!

Well, that’s it for me folks! I’m currently nomming on one of my favorite dinners: Spaghetti Squash! I want to post a quick and easy recipe soon on how I prepare it! Seriously so good!

Have a great night!

-Anjali

Monday in Motion

Hey there friends,

The first day of the new school semester has come and gone, and to be honest, I feel a sense of positive energy around me as I start classes, begin practicum work, and dive into school work. The beginning of the semester always means you can start on a fresh page 🙂

Monday morning’s alarm came way too quickly, but I hopped out of bed and got ready for school. I packed my gym bag the night before, so I it was super simple to grab it and go on my way out. After my first school committment in the morning, I had 6 hours until my next class. I was one sleepy gal, but I took a glance at my gym bag in the back seat and decided that I was gonna crush my cardio. And by crush my cardio, I mean I completed Tone It Up’s latest cardio workout called “Crush Cardio”.

I’ve completed many a Tone It Up workout, but this was one of the most intimidating ones to date. The sprinting intervals and the amount of reps made me nervous. For a moment, I thought that I wasn’t going to be able complete the entire workout, but then I paused and took a moment for a self “pep talk.” It went a little something like this: You can do this workout. You are capable of finishing anything you set your mind to. Just press start, and you have nothing to lose!”

^^ Yup, I know it may sound corny, but it worked for me. I hopped on the treadmill for an hour for a total of 5.5 miles and felt absolutely fantastic afterwards! I even filmed another vlog! Check it out down below:

After a great first day back, I came home to an even better evening. My roommate, Annie, made dinner! Annie, Laura (other rooms), and I sat down for some wonderful conversation and a glass of wine.

3 big glasses of sauvignon!

Yes, those are ice cubes in our glasses. Trust me, my wine tasting professor from undergrad (yes—I did take a wine tasting course for college credit…don’t judge 🙂 ) would cringe at the sight, but hey, you gotta do what you gotta do!

I finished the night off by flipping back and forth from the Bachelor & the Biggest Loser. Not a bad Monday if you ask me!

Have a great night everyone!

-Anj

 

Back to the (513)

Good morning beautiful people!

I hope you are all enjoying your weekend. I for one, am trying to soak up the last moments of Winter Break before the semester begins tomorrow. These last three weeks have been a much-needed break from the throws of graduate school. I’ve spent these weeks relaxing on the couch, hanging with the family, catching up with old friends, reading (for fun!), and visiting my boyfriend in California! Now that these three weeks are over, it is time to start prepping for the busy week ahead.

After driving four hours back to Cincinnati yesterday, I decided that I should hit up the grocery store for essentials since my cabinets were completely empty. Since I’m participating in Tone It Up’s #loveyourbodychallenge I wanted to stock up on lean, clean, and green items! If you want to participate in this challenge, head on over to Tone It Up and sign up. It is full of inspiration, great workouts, and prizes! If you’re interested in what kind of goods I bought from the grocery store, check out my Grocery Haul video!

When grocery shopping was said and done, it was about 8:30, but that didn’t stop me from whipping up a yummy dinner! I opened up my new favorite cook book, “Super Natural Everyday” by Heidi Swanson.

I love this cookbook. It is full of amazing vegetarian & vegan recipes. I ended up making the recipe that is on the cover: White Beans & Cabbage. It incorporated, cannelini beans, cabbage, and potatoes. I made enough for leftovers, and let me tell you..it was so yummy that I’m sure it’ll be gone by today! Here is how my version came out.

Bowl of deliciousness

Just looking at this picture makes me drool a bit 🙂 . My favorite part is the crunchiness of the cabbage. mmm yum!

Well, it’s time to get the day rolling! I’ve got a big day of textbook shopping (ick), a trader joe’s trip (hooray!) , a massive clean of the house, and a trip to the gym.

Have a great Sunday everyone!

-Anjali

Reviving the Blog

…And I’m BACK!

Happy 2013 everybody and thanks for taking the time to visit my blog! It has been since October since I’ve last blogged and so many events have occurred since then that it is hard to sum it all up! Last time I posted, I was gearing up for my 1st 1/2 marathon. My intention was to recap the entire experience, but when I returned from the race, my mind was full throttle in mid-term week. From there, I sadly lost my blogging mojo. I let school & anxiety engulf me for the remaining weeks of the semester. After having a few weeks off from school to reflect and gather my thoughts, I have officially decided to REVIVE my blog! I have truly missed sharing my experiences and connecting with this community.

So rewind to October 2012:

My 1/2 marathon was AMAZING! I ran the Columbus Nationwide 1/2 marathon on October 21, and it was honestly one the best experiences of my life. I felt strong and confident crossing the finish line and was so grateful to have my mom and best friend, Alyssa cheering me on.

Pre-Race Picture! It was chilly that morning!

Post-Race! Was so happy to have completed the race. Hard work pays off!

Since the race, I have decreased my running mileage but have continued to run 1-2 times per week. Although I was busy with school, I made the effort to complete workouts at the gym and at-home dvds!

I will however need to jump back on the running train in the next few weeks as I start training for my 2nd 1/2 marathon! I am officially signed up for the Nashville Rock’ n Roll 1/2 marathon on April 27th! My sister and I will be be race companions, and I could not be more excited. It has always been a dream of mine to complete such an accomplishment with my sis by my side!

I look forward to blogging about my training and my daily musings. Thanks for stopping on by and helping me revive this blog o’ mine 🙂

xoxo,

Anjali

Vlog update!

Hello friends!!

Once again, I have taken a long hiatus from blogging. This seems to be the trend with me lately. I feel like there is a lot to be said, so instead of a lengthy post I decided to update a vlog! Forgive me for the i-phone video camera, baggy eyes, the background vacuum cleaner!

As I mentioned in the vlog, my half marathon is next Sunday. It’s hard to believe that after months of training, it is almost here! I feel prepared and ready to run. This week’s workouts will be on the lighter side to save my energy for the race, but I’ll still be running!

Have a great start to the week everyone,

Anjali