'Easy to Make' Healthier Snack Choices

Since I have been running so much more these past few months I have been HUNGRIER! 

When I first started to increase my weekly mileage I started craving sugary treats. I was giving in to things like Reese's Peanut Butter Cups, Almond Joy Bars, handfuls of chocolate chips and baking cookies by the dozens.

Needless to say these are not particularly great ways to fuel and active body.  I soon realized I needed to do better... and when I started eating more protein, the sugar monster released its hold on me.

I am still hungrier - and I should be with all the calories I am burning - but I am making better snack choices.  They are more nutritious and also more satisfying.  And they are ones that I have put together myself.

Here are some things I have been loving lately:

Salted edamame

Natural chunky peanut butter on a rye cracker

Laughing Cow cheese on rye crackers

 

Hard-boiled eggs

Kale chips with parmesan cheese

Low fat 'faux' hummus

Hot crab and artichoke dip

Occasionally I do still want and enjoy something sweet.  Here are some of my choices:

Sliced banana with cinnamon and melted natural chunky peanut butter

Smoothies with protein powder, all kinds of freggies, and chia seeds and/or ground flax seeds

Dark chocolate chips, dried cranberries, walnuts

Baked apple filled with dried cranberries, cinnamon, agave nectar

Protein packed cookies

Lemon and chia protein ballz

This is not a complete list by any means.... but I hope you might get an idea to make something healthy for yourself instead of grabbing a candybar or an icecream cone.

What is your favorite health snack to make for yourself?  I would love to have more ideas.

Thanks For the Advice and Encouragement #PROOF

Today we ran 8 miles - it was the quickest 8 miles that we have run yet.  I don't know why 8 miles is a hard distance for me when 9 and 10 don't seem to be.  Perhaps because I think I should be able to go faster cause it is only 8 miles and I push harder to do that.

But we did get it done in 98.5 minutes and that is 9.5 minutes faster than the first one we did in September, and it is is 3.5 minutes faster than the one we did towards the end of March.  So, I am really happy about that.

W3 R98.5 @20/1 W4
stretch 15 minutes

It was an out-and-back route today and we did the first 4 miles in 48 minutes. So the 50.5 minute second half is not bad cause it included that hill.  I told The Captain when we were finished today and starting our cooldown walk, that I am never running up that hill again.  EVER.

My left hip started aching at about the 5 mile mark and really didn't give me a break.  We did a 20 minute/1 minute run/walk pace today in order to remember to have a drink every 20 minutes, and the ache did stop when I walked, but as soon as I started running, it started up again, too.  I was determined not to let it get me down.

I was pretty glad we only did 8 miles.  And since then I have done about 15 minutes of stretching,  have drunk lots of water, a recovery drink, and hot spicy chai, eaten a banana and a high-protein lunch, tolerated a cold shower on my legs and then enjoyed a steamy hot shower... and now my hamstings are tight and my legs feel like lead.    I think I will have an epsom salts soak before bed.

Today, for the first time, I wore one of the handful bras that I won several weeks ago, to run in. I love them but hadn't tried them out during a sweaty run.  I am so glad I finally tried it because I could barely tell it was there.... and that is the best thing I can think of to say about a bra.

Thanks so much to everyone who left me a comment on my last post where I reached out and asked for advice.  Your comments made me realize that I am not alone in feeling a bit run down at this point in my half marathon training... and that I have put in enough miles already to be able to complete the 13.1 mile run on race day.  I appreciate your encouragement so much. 

I had been feeling a bit like I was letting myself down by not feeling up to running 10 or 11 miles today, and I am grateful to know that I really haven't at all... that it is okay to scale back a bit at this point.  Big hugs and shouts of THANK YOU from me for sure.

Here we are, still sweaty from our run, checking in to say Thanks To All of You for the great advice and support you have shown during these last several weeks and months during our half marathon training.

A Blip in the Plan... Would Love to Have Your Advice

My last full week of training for our upcoming half marathon has not gone quite as planned and I am feeling kinda crummy about it.

Last Saturday we ran 11 miles.  I was pretty spent by the time it was done but so elated and excited, too.  I think I did all the right things to recover and did have a good sleep on Saturday night.  Sunday was an active rest day, doing a bit of shopping and some gardening in our new containers on the apartment balcony.

Monday we ran our scheduled  5 miles... and I could feel a fever blister (cold sore) starting to bubble up above my top lip.  I have a great product that I purchased in WA a couple of years ago so started using it immediately.  But this only ever happens to me when I am feeling run down and it is a warning signal to get some serious rest so I don't get sick.  The Captain says he has been feeling a bit weak too.

We have been doing too much with the running training, and getting this new household set up and looking after the house and yard we are staying in right now.  I know there has been some stress involved too, and as fun as it all is, it is hard work as well. 

So, I have given up the strength training for now, at least till after the race is over.  And we are relaxing and resting more in the evenings.  And slightly backing off race training too.

Yesterday's 5 mile run became a 5 km run... that is 3.1 miles. I am telling myself that is not significant as it was a mid-week run.

We have a 10 mile run scheduled for Saturday. It is the last long run before our race on  May 13th.  I had originally hoped to repeat the 11 miler we did last weekend, but I realize now that is unrealistic and may lead to getting really run down and sick,  just before the race.  That would be dumb, but I cannot help feeling a bit disappointed.

We will probably wait till Sunday to run, to get in one more day of rest... and it may be only 9 miles. That was a relatively easy distance but I am hoping it is enough, and then we do a 2 week taper before the race.

What do you think? 

Should we proceed as I have laid out, with the slightly scaled back plan or should we push for the 10 or 11 miles and risk getting sick?

GNC Beyond Raw Products Review

A few weeks ago GNC Canada sent some sample packs of three of their Beyond Raw products to try out and then review.... Re-built Mass,  Ravage, and Refine.

Not knowing a whole lot about them, I participated in an online Twitter chat with some folks from GNC and some people familiar with these products, and found that they are formulated specifically for men.

The Captain has been training to run a half marathon with me since the beginning of January.  During this time, as our running distances have increased, he has been doing less strength training, and he has been losing weight.  I think he is lighter now than he has ever been during the 20 plus years I have known him, and I was getting concerned.

Beyond Raw RE-BUILT MASS to the rescue.

From the GNC site:

"RE-BUILT MASS  SUPER ANABOLIC MASS GAINER

• HYPER-MASS GAINER WITH 850 CALORIES AND 60G OF PROTEIN TO ENGORGE MUSCLES AND INCREASE MASS*
• ANABOLIC QUAD-PHASE NUTRIENT STACK TO PACK ON *
• MEGA DOSE OF A 10G, FIVE-PHASE ADVANCED CREATINE COMPLEX FOR INTENSE POWER AND STRENGTH*
• ULTRA ANABOLIC GROWTH FACTORS, MUSCLE CELL PROTECTION, AND RECOVERY COMPONENTS FOR ENHANCED MUSCULARITY AND DENSITY*

* These statements have not been evaluated by the Food and Drug Administration. This product is not intended to diagnose, treat, cure, or prevent any disease.  "


After every long run, and at least a couple of other times during the week, I have been making smoothies with this protein powder, for The Captain.  The Chocolate Brownie flavor is quite delicious and he enjoys it just blended with some water or low fat milk.  And even though he is having only 1/3 to 1/2 of the recommended serving size, in a single smoothie, he finds it extremely filling and satisfying.

I like to add different kinds of fruit to change it up a bit,  and sometimes chia seeds or ground flax seeds. With a handful of frozen berries thrown into the mix, I can hardly keep from stealing it from him myself! sharing with him.  It is so tasty and thick.  It has so many good nutrients and is very high in protein and in calories, too.

The Captain about to enjoy his pumpkin/chocolate smoothie

Beyond Raw RAVAGE is a pre-workout energy loader.



From the GNC site:

" RAVAGE    Potent, Ultra Concentrated Pre-Workout Hybrid

• Powerful, Super Concentrated Vasodilator for outstanding Muscle Pumps and Explosive Power*
• Breakthrough Nitric Oxide Anabolic Stack For Maximum Training Intensity Driving Rock Hard Muscle Gains *
• Fuels Muscle Volumizing Workouts To Deliver Stunning Muscularity And Strength*
• Intrinsic Fatigue Buffers And Muscle Intensity Pumps For Superior Athletic Performance*

CAUTION: - This product contains extremely potent concentrations of muscle fuel. It is design to provide experienced athletes with explosive gains, bursts of energy and massive anabolic surges. Use only if you are ready to take your workout to the next level of athletic performance.

Each serving supplies 200 mg of caffeine.

* These statements have not been evaluated by the Food and Drug Administration. This product is not intended to diagnose, treat, cure, or prevent any disease.  "

This comes in powder form that is to be mixed with water and taken before a workout.  The Fruit Punch flavor is quite tasty and easy to drink. 

A full serving makes The Captain feel like his skin is itchy and I can see that he is jittery and edgy and has to just move. He tends to be caffeine sensitive anyway, and a whole serving is just too much for him all at once.  But because it is a powder, we can mix up a partial serving.  For someone doing hard, intense strength workouts, this would certainly give them the burst they need to really get lifting and moving some serious weight.

Beyond Raw REFINE is a thermogenic.  These supplements are used by people who want to speed up their metabolisms to burn fat. 



From the GNC site:

" REFINE   Ultra Thermogenic and Metabolic Igniter

• Powerful Thermogenic Agents Trigger Dramatic Pre-Training Caloric Burn*
• Potent Thermogenic Formula For Rapid Rush And Fatty Acid Metabolism*
• Fuels Extreme Physique Repartitioning Workouts And Promotes Anabolic Drive*
• Hardcore Metabolic Stack Provides Blistering Intensity And Ignites Metabolism*

* These statements have not been evaluated by the Food and Drug Administration. This product is not intended to diagnose, treat, cure, or prevent any disease.  "

This product comes in capsule form and the suggested dosage for someone about to do a high-quality and intense workout is 3 capsules.  Another high amount caffeine as well as other stimulants produce body heat and rapid heart rate.  Again, you can lower the amount you take for your own comfort level and to give you the burst you want for your own workouts.

I would urge anyone to carefully read the ingredient list before taking any supplements, and if there are any concerns at all, to discuss them with their own physician.

Week #17 Coming Up... and Sweet Potato Smoothies and Muffins

Week #17 of our half marathon training started today with a 5 mile run this morning.  It is our last full week before starting our taper next week.  On Saturday we ran 11 miles and I want to do that again this Saturday... just to get a bit more confidence built up for being able to complete the full 13.1 miles on race day.

We ran and out and back today... the first 2.5 miles was pretty speedy for me.  We covered it in 28 minutes.  At the turn we drank some water and then started running again... took 30 minutes, with about a half minute stop at a traffic light, to complete the second half... I was pretty tired coming up that hill buy I was determined to beat it into the ground today so I kicked it up a notch and really charged up it... huffing and puffing all the way.  But it felt great!

W3 R58 W4
stretch - sporadic today, about 10 minutes

My after-run smoothie today had half a cooked sweet potato mixed into it with some cinnamon. I used some GNC protein powder cause it is a bit sweet, and darn it was good!  I must have sweet potatoes on the brain lately cause I just made some sweet potato muffins, too.

Beth, from Running Around My Kitchen blogged about them recently, and that is where I first saw them... it is a Runners World magazine recipe, and I put yet another twist on it... substituted some applesauce for the butter they call for and added some cinnamon.  Just delicious and filling, too. 

Give them a try....  Here is the recipe as I made them.

I am going to do some Arms n' Abs April work tonight, too.  Sure looking forward to doing more strength training after this race is over with in a few more weeks.  It just tires me out too much to do any leg work right now, in addition to all the running. 

Do you like sweet potatoes?

Have any new ways for me to use them?