Lately, I’ve been…

Struggling to get through my job with the lifestyle I am living. For those have you who have followed my blog before, you know I have been traveling for almost 2 years now, almost weekly. It’s tough man!! I am on the tail end of this position and am supposed to be moving into a new role in the fall which requires NO travel. But man oh man getting through these last few months feels like torture!! waaaah. ok complaining aside. My last couple of weeks have been travel-packed.

Starbucks is my friend on the road. Recent obsession: Granda Soy Cappuccino. YUM Also discovered these RAW granola bars that they sell there… delicious!

Brunch at Mercer Kitchen in NYC on the weekend… a great idea: Order Eggs Benedict but substitute the ham for Smoked Salmon… Hollandaise on the side. a great healthy alternative!

I attempted to give Memphis food a shot this trip– I put health aside and went for some legit southern cooking… Little Tea Shop

Threw in a salad every now and then when I felt like I was going to burst…

Back to the southern cookin’….

More cappuccinos. Love them these days!

Oh right and that thing called exercise. Lots and lots of walking! Beautiful walks around Memphis at sunset….

Hopefully I’ll be able to blog more regularly this weekend/next week.

Hope y’all are doin well!!

Slurring my Words

I started the day today earlier than I have in long long time. I woke up at 5:30 for none other than a workout. The feeling of waking up and getting a workout done is one of my favorite feelings, and I think it is worth doing if possible. As soon as the alarm went off I did NOT want to get up. But I said to myself “see how you feel once you are at the gym and if you dont want to stay, you can come back”. Of course, I stayed!

After my long elliptical workout, I headed to the Club Lounge of my hotel and quickly fueled up with this breakfast:

A hearty piece of wheat toast with strawberry jam, a hard boiled egg, another on the side, and some fruit. Coffee too!

I ran around at a client all morning like a chicken with my head cut off. I was so busy and SO hungry by the time it was lunch time that I was literally slurring my words. Does that ever happen to you? Just before lunch, I grabbed an apple from my bag so that I could get something in my system.

Lunch was at Bread and Company. I ordered 1/2 a curried chicken sandwich and a cup of the Turkey Chili. It was delicious!

At around 5pm I went back to the Club Lounge to grab some appetizers while I continued to do work. I picked at the various fruits, veggies, dried fruit, cheese/crackers, etc.

And for dinner ordered room service. Garden Salad + Hummus Plate. I only ate about 1/2 because….

I wanted this! Starbucks Ice Cream Sundae from the room service menu. Yes please.

It was the perfect size… not too big, not too small.

Today was one of those days that I got so frustrated with traveling. All I wanted when I got back today was to cook something for myself. I was too tired to go out and search for something in my rental car and in an unknown city and the room service menu is not the greatest i’ve seen. However, I tried to stay positive and look at the good decisions I was able to make (aka a long workout, relatively healthy choices).

Tomorrow I’ll have a pretty laid back day in terms of work so hopefully I can explore the city a little!

Goodnight

Goodnight Nashville

Hello! Hope everyone had a great start to the work week.

I started the week on a great foot: I got up at 6:15 to go for a jog/walk for about 30 minutes before going to work. I knew I had a busy day of traveling and wanted to squeeze in a workout first.

The plus side of waking up so early was that I also had time for a homemade breakfast! I had egg whites, feta cheese, an entire zucchini and mushrooms, olive oil all mixed up. 1/2 an apple on the side.

 

Mid morning I enjoyed a sliced mango (unpictured) which I was trying to get rid of before my week of traveling… it was SO sour. Eeek!

For lunch, I ordered from a place our company orders from on Mondays and got a turkey sandwich with lettuce tomato and mustard on rye. I ate it at the airport before my flight boarded.

 

 

I then took what felt like a 5 hour flight to Nashville. Usually I have Internet on my flights but for some reason my flights to Nashville never have it. I just don’t know what to do with myself anymore on a plane without Internet (pathetic!!).

Mid flight I had a snack of a banana and peanuts

 

 

And then once at the hotel, my colleague and I went to the Club Lounge where I had a make shift dinner of the appetizers. I had a total of four plates of this:

 

 

Veggies with Ranch dressing, fruit, hummus and pita, cheese and crackers.  Also included were banana chips, smoked almonds and dried fruit. It was satisfying!

 

Ok SO tired. I want to get up early for a workout so I am off to bed. Enjoy your night!

 

A Brooklyn Adventure

Hello there! I am going to be attemping blogging again since work has slowed down a bit for me and I miss it!

I am still traveling a lot for work (almost every week) but I feel like I have a better handle on it all and want to share my foodie experiences with you guys since I know you appreciate it.

Today I woke up and ventured out to Brooklyn. I just wanted to get a better feel for the neighborhoods and since I had a free morning and wanted to get some good exercise in, I thought today would be the perfect today to wander.

I got my favorite coffee for the subway ride over:

 

And once I was there, I ordered my new favorite breakfast: Egg and Cheese on a Biali. YUM!!!

 

I walked around for hours which included a trip to the Brooklyn Flea Market. I had heard a lot about this so decided to venture over there. There were 3 levels of various booths ranging from vintage records and trinkets to chocolates and coffee.

 

 

By 1:00 I was ready for lunch and also ready to come back “home” to Manhattan. I was looking for 3 things: good food, Wifi and a bathroom. I ran into Earthmatters which filled all of my needs! I am not sure how long this place has been open, but I would highly recommend it. It has a market of organic food plus a lunch counter. I chose the option where you pay one flat price for a bowl and get to fill it with whatever fully organic salads/dishes you’d like.

I chose several veggie dishes and a pesto chickpea salad. Small pieces of bread on the side.

And a little afternoon pick-me-up: Cappuccino!

 

An early dinner rounded out the day…

 

I sauteed Chicken Sausage from Whole Foods, with chopped butternut squash, 1/2 an apple, olive oil and a little maple syrup. It was a delicious mix with a touch of sweetness. On the side, some raw veggies and Trader Joes hummus.

Dessert

I recently got a new camera and the file size on my pictures is way too high so I need to figure out how to avoid that. Sorry if these take way too long to load! Tomorrow I am off to Nashville for the week and should have some good foodie adventures down there. See you there!

Firing Up

Hi blog world!

Long time no talk…

Today is a big day for me. I signed up for the NYC Half Marathon. Actually, I signed up about 6 weeks ago but got put in a lottery and found out this morning that I was denied. I was so bummed out that I decided to sign up through a charity, Team for Kids. I need to pledge over $1000 but I have my heart set on it.

It has been my goal to run a half marathon for years now and this is my third attempt. I’ve backed out twice now but I am really feeling it this time. And how are you ever supposed to be able to accomplish a goal if you don’t keep on trying right?

Anyway, I thought it’d be fun to get back into blogging while training for the race, because I’m sure there will be plenty of healthy meals, interesting workouts, and emotional ups and downs!

So to start things off right…

Oatmeal in front of the fire today Yes we have a fireplace in our NYC apt. Nbd.

 

Old fashioned oats, water, chopped up Granny Smith apple, cinnamon, peanut butter.

 

Bad iphone pic!!

Anyway… We’ll see where this journey takes me this time. If you’ve read my blog in the past, you know that I travel almost every week for work. So when I say journey, I mean journey! I will be running/training in many cities and in very different weather conditions. I’m pumped about the challenge, definitely nervous, but mostly just excited.

Glad to be back in the blog world!

Charlotte and Back

I just got back from Charlotte and am so happy to be in my own bed. Charlotte is such a cute city and although I was there for work, I did actually have some time to explore with my friend Melissa who was traveling with me. It was almost 100 degrees each day though– we were shvittzzing!

Before leaving for Charlotte, I spent Fathers Day at the Yankee Game with my Dad, Mom and Sis. We had an awesome time and even witnessed Extreme Makeover Home Edition being taped. It was about a woman who lives with her 6 siblings who all have downs syndrome and she devotes her life to taking care of them. They are building a new home for her and her siblings– it was very moving!

I only really got one notable food picture. We went to Dean and Deluca for lunch one day and I designed an amazing sandwich:

Grilled portabello, sundried tomatoes, grilled asparagus, tomatoes, mozzarella and pesto mayo on whole wheat… Grilled. YUM!!!

And then of course after two days of travel and eating out, I came home tonight and craved nothing but a big bowl o’ veggies…

So after a quick walk to the grocery store I put together spinach, carrots, cucumbers, tomatoes, a chopped apple, leftover tofu, lotsa goat cheese and some raisins….

…. with a little Annie’s buttermilk ranch dressing on top.

Raisins in a salad are *key*. Loved it!

Off to bed so I can wake up and run my mile in the morning. I worked out both days in Charlotte which I am pretty proud of. Monday did about 25 minutes on the elliptical and walked around the town a lot. And today woke up and did some walking on the treadmill to wake up, then about 25 minutes of strength training. Hopefully my mile will be easier tomorrow! We shall see..

A Beauty from Leftovers

Mornin!

Last night I knew I needed to save money and stay in and cook dinner from food I already had instead of going out. My friends were headed to the Meatball Shop but I forced myself to say no this time (pat on the back) and was happy I did. I cooked a simple dinner of leftover rice, tofu made on the skillet and baby brussels from a frozen package. Threw on some real goat cheese. BBQ sauce on the side.

For dessert, a serving or so of Ciao Bella Mango Banana Sorbet and some chopped up leftover chocolates from Amanda’s bday (a mini snickers, some reese’s malts, a Dove White Chocolate)

My sister called me last night and said… “ok i have these leftover ingredients, what do I do with them for dinner?”. She had broccoli & already cooked sweet potato. Immediately, a scramble came to mind because I love sweet potato in egg scrambles. We talked through it over the phone as she made it We added corn, sweet potatoes and broccoli to egg whites and sprinkled it with cheddar. She also added garlic. On the side, just for the blog (and because I encouraged her to add a side), she put some bloobs and a nectarine. She also has a ridiculous camera… look how good her pic is!! I’m so proud, Jenna, so proud..

Most exciting is that my sister is currently, as I type, moving in to an apartment in NY just 5 or so blocks away! She will be here for the summer working at the W Hotel in Times Square.

Anywho, we all went to bed pretty early last night and woke up refreshed this morning. I slept like a baby! I haven’t had coffee the last couple of days and I have been sleeping SO well. I think I may be on to something..

This morning, I woke up, went out to a Bodega around the corner, bought some fruit and made a concoction:

• Over a cup of fruit (melon, grapes, kiwi, mango, oranges)
• Ciobani Plain Yogurt
• Granola from Whole Foods
• Almond Butter
• Honey

Now I’m going to head out for my run, then get ready for the Yankee Game for Fathers Day! I’ll be going straight from the game to the airport- am going to Charlotte for a couple of days for work.

Have a great last day of the wknd!

A Mile A Day….

I’ve been wanting to get back into running lately but have found myself extremely OUT of running shape. I’ve been doing a lot of walking, some elliptical, a couple of gym classes, but running shape is different. Therefore, I decided to committ myself to a mile a day to start. It’s a distance that gets me moving but doesn’t intimidate me. Today was Day 2 and it was easier than Day 1! I hope to keep upping the mileage as I keep getting used to it again.

To fuel my big, bad, bold 1 mile run I made pancakes for brunch:

 

I used a Whole Wheat Pancake Mix from Whole Foods and just added a little bit of honey, oil, egg whites and water. I followed the recipe, made them super small, and ate half of the little guys + saved half of the pancakes in the freezer for another time.

Topped with drizzles of real maple syrup and almond butter. Side of a nectarine and nonfat greek yogurt mixed with cinnamon and honey.

After the run + shower, I reluctantly went to work. I have a big presentation on Monday and had to go in the office for some prep today. For a light lunch, a salad with avocado + mozz with Honey Dijon dressing and some lemon juice (so random i know.. i had a weird craving for lemon juice on my salad):

Hopefully tonight will be a mellow night- last night we were out pretty late for my friends bday. By the way, for any New Yorkers reading this, I mentioned we were going to Aquagrill for dinner– it was OUTSTANDING. Such great seafood and a cool restaurant all around!

Hope everyone is enjoying this HOT Saturday!

Not the Usual

Hellooo!

I have 20 minutes left at work and what better way to waste them away than blog!?

Last night I got served dinner in **first class**(hehe) on my flight home. I can’t believe I am sitting in first class.. totally unnecessary but hey, i do think i finally deserve to get upgraded after all of my traveling!

I opted for the chicken pasta salad (not bad), with a side of fruit, a brownie and some breadsticks which I dipped in a single packet of Justin’s Almond Butter that I brought from home.

Ate it all

This morning I woke up and actually made breakfast before work which is unusual. I was just in the mood.

Egg whites, spinach, farmer’s market goat cheese, and some farmer’s market strawberry Rhubarb jam on the side. Delicious!!

For lunch, I ventured off the usual path and picked up a wrap from the Pump , an extremely healthy restaurant in the city. Their whole premise is healthy protein + healthy carb + healthy fats + veggies. Short, simple, steamed, nothing fried, all wholesome and just straight up healthy.

I got the wrap (whole wheat low carb) and added in:

• baked tofu
• lentils
• lettuce
• tomatoes
• hummus
• zucchinni/squash

Blurry picture but amazing satisfaction.

Snacks at around 3:00–

Tonight is one of my roommate/best friends birthdays. Happy birthday Amanda!!!

We will be going out here:

www.aquagrill.com

Can’t wait for some amazing seafood… Have a great Friday night!

….And We’re Back!

Hi guys! I’m back! I took a blog hiatus for a couple of months– things got busy at work, I was trying to figure my life out and was focused on other things. However, I have been really missing the blog in the last couple of weeks and decided why not start it up again? I keep reminding myself that the blog is whatever I chose for it to be and there are no rules about how often I need to post, if I want to take some time off of doing it, etc. But for now I’m back!

A small recap of the last couple of months-

- I have traveled a lot for work and sort of gave up on trying to be so healthy all the time. It is just so hard sometimes! But, I know deep down that I am much happier, healthier and more productive in my entire life if I take care of myself. The blog helps me with that, and that is one of the main reasons I am back in action.

–Also, I joined the Equinox on NY! I am really excited about it and have been going when I can. Expect to see some visits there on the blog

– I took a trip to Chicago with my friends and LOVEd it. It was my first time there ever!

– My sister was in Thailand all semester and is finally home and living in NYC for the summer. So get ready for some sisterly bonding.

Why Did I decide to start my blog again Today!? Because look at this breakfast I had at the W Hotel n Atlanta:

Plain yogurt, Berries, Banana, Granola, Drizzed in Honey. As soon as I saw the presentation, I knew that today was the day. How beautiful huh? I also had some really strong coffee with it.

At the airport, I grabbed a large garden salad with light Italian dressing for lunch

And a really weak turkey wrap with turkey and lettuce. That’s it. Ugh. Plain Jane.

Snack in the Delta Crown Room while I waited for SIX HOURS for my flight (don’t ask). Carrots and hummus. I resisted all of the other really good looking really unhealthy snacks for the first time in months. I’m proud

I just got caught up on The Bachelorette on ABC.Com (thank god for that website). How do you keep yourself entertained in the airport? I have another 1.5 hours left but am sort of running out of ideas.

I’m really really glad to be back blogging again. Just so you know, I have been reading all of your blogs even though I haven’t been commenting!  Thanks for reading mine even though I disappear for months…