CardioFoodie

I will NOT ever say this again…but Friday is coming too fast this week!  I am flying home Friday night and have sooooooooo much to get done before then.  Yesterday I spent the entire day in Dallas shooting a student film.  I ended up getting back to Houston a little after midnight, ate an entire row of crackers with peanut butter for dinner (real healthy), woke up at six this morning to fit in a thirty minute workout (because I have been skipping this week!), then got my reading done just in time for class until 7:30 tonight.  Wowza!

I will be honest that I am suffering from some exercise guilt right now.  My eating habits have been off (shooting equals eating lots of cookies and snacks all day) and dessert has been enjoyed daily.  If I am maintaining my cardio/strength workouts I don’t care because I know I have wiggle room.  When I skip workouts I feel guilty about all my indulgences BUT I am realizing that some weeks it just is not going to happen.

Do you suffer exercise guilt?

I do.  Mainly because I start to feel lazy and I think I make myself less productive with those negative thoughts.

The student film I shot was a really great experience and I got to play a character from teenager to middle aged.

I snapped a phone photo of “my daughter’s” high school graduation.  The stylist was just amazing having to deal/hide all my really long hair!

Yep, I have not worn a one-piece swimsuit since they made us back in high school PE.  And since I don’t photoshop don’t hate or leave mean comments, thanks!

Not only did I feel RIDICULOUS in this suit…I was also terrified of swimming!  [Excuse my morning hair. And Trooper says hello!]  I got over it and got in the pool.

Conclusion:  I am a terrible swimmer.  I inhaled water, was out of breath, and exhausted after 30 mins!  Yikes!  On the plus side, I conquered the fear.

My meals have been pre-packaged and eaten on the go all week because my schedule is hectic.  Since I don’t start class until around noon I do get to enjoy my breakfasts.

This was a lovely breakfast.  Egg Beaters puff, toast with sugar-free jam, OJ, and coffee.  A good breakfast can really make or break the day in my opinion.

I also really enjoyed this breakfast!  It looks funky but it was soooo tasty!  It was just a packet of instant apple-cinnamon oatmeal with 1/2 cup frozen blueberries topped with a handful of Honey Bunches of Oats.  The blueberries melted to make the funky purple color, but the oats were so fruity!

Any big plans for the weekend?

I am going to workout (aka work off all my pent up stress) and try to get ahead on my homework since I will be out of town all next weekend.

[Source]

After being unemployed/interning/a full-time student slave for 2 years and shelling out nearly a thousand bucks out-of-pocket for books each semester it if officially money-crunch time.  I am attempting to fit a part-time job into my schedule but honestly it is like fitting a square peg into a round hole.

That being said, the most reasonable solution is to tighten the budget.  And lets be honest…one of our biggest expenses is food (and J-man’s beer).  So, I would like you all to help me with a solution!

Starving Student Challenge

It is time for the Cardio Foodie household to learn how to meal plan and drastically cut down on grocery expenses with your help!  All you have to do is submit a money-saving (EASY) recipe OR tips on how to meal plan.

Requirements:

Cheap

Easy

Quick

(I am in class until nearly 8pm 3 nights a week with 4 hours of class the other days)

E-mail your submissions to cardiofoodie@gmail.com

The winner will be featured on my blog, my Foodbuzz page, and I will try to get your post featured on one of the new blog networking sites I mentioned yesterday!  This is a great chance for bloggers to gain exposure/readers or for foodies to spread their food love!

If you need another reason….I am broke, help a girl out!

A picture of this cute little guy is always good for bribing as well!

P.S. I am still reading all of your blogs, but my time is very limited with an overloaded schedule so I have been cutting back commenting.

Going thru the big D and I do mean Dallas.  (That is a play on an old country song–I know, I am not that funny.)

We spent last weekend in the Dallas area–Arlington to be specific–right next to the giant spaceship stadium to be exact.

There was a nice little walking path from the hotel to the stadium and the baseball field.  Trooper owned it as usual.

The baseball field was a beauty!  I really wish there had been a home game that weekend.  The field is open unlike the Astros.  Honestly I hate attending sporting events in some enclosed air conditioned dome.  Weak.  If you can’t handle some weather then you probably aren’t that big of a fan and should just go watch at home.

Trooper had his first high-rise experience.  It was interesting.  If we opened the blinds he flipped a switch and was like Trooper-on-crack-dog.

Jordan and I used the complimentary hotel shuttle as an excuse to have dinner and drinks.  Usually only one of us gets to enjoy a margarita but with a DD we both got to enjoy.  While in Texas…eat Tex Mex.  We went to Marianos and I ordered the Acapulco Enchiladas [corn tortillas stuffed with shrimp, topped with avocado, black olives, and sour cream sauce].   I traded Jordan two enchiladas for his side salad, everything in moderation.  Of course I had chips and salsa with a Patron margarita as my appetizer.

Yeah…moderation went out the window when we ordered dessert.  Black bottom pecan pie with homemade cinnamon ice cream, brandy sauce, served bubbling.  Words cannot describe this dessert.  I will never eat pecan pie again because it will taste like cardboard in comparison to this dish!

Trooper quickly adjusted to hotel life.

Trooper finally adjusted to road trip life.  He had to sit on my lap in the front seat the entire drive to Dallas so this was a nice change in pace.

Best part of traveling in Texas?  Rural Texas finds.  This trip we stopped at Woody’s, the jerky capitol of the world according to its sign.  I picked up homemade strawberry preserves and more sweet potato butter!  The hubs picked up jerky (of course) and apple-cinnamon BBQ sauce.

Don’t worry fellow Texans…we also stopped at Bucees to use the bathrooms!

After a long weekend we managed to come home and unpack immediately.  Unpacking was enough effort for the night-we ordered Buffalo Wild Wings for dinner!

In other news:

There are some great healthy living blog websites being established that giveyou a forum to read featured posts and browse blogs categorically.  Yay!  These are great resources if you love reading healthy living blogs.  I am involved in the two listed below:

• Healthy Living Blogs- created by Sound Eats
• Houston Health Blogs- Yay for finding healthy people in Houston!

I have quite a busy day ahead of me so I got up before 6 this morning and immediately met JW in the living room for a 40 min total body workout.

I have dropped a couple pounds this summer after cleaning up my portion sizes.  A couple pounds makes a visible difference when you are only 5 foot tall, so my abs appear a little flatter.  Great!  Right?  WRONG!  I could not even do the full minute of ab exercises in the upper or lower abdominals segments.  One minute x 3 moves, that is it.  My abs crashed and burned.  Even though my stomach may look at tad flatter than it did 6 months ago, I ended my workout feeling weak.

Would you rather be skinny or strong?

Lets be honest, in a dream world we would all have both!  For me-I idolize women with strong, powerful bodies!  I would rather have the toned shoulders and triceps of a fitness model than the size 0 waist of a runway model.

Oh yes, I continued my cereal fad today.  It looked better before I stirred it up.

Friday Fun Facts (Don’t worry I have not forgot about these!)

• I am counting down the days until I get to fly back to good ol’ Indiana.  I am praying that it is like 70 degrees.  (Yes, I dream about 70 degree weather)
• My dog likes to sit on our window sill.  Apparently he is part cat?
• My coffee addiction is strictly linked to school.  I need a cup before anything gets done.
• I am one of those people that goes to bed at night and finds bruises all over their legs because I am clutzy and managed to run into crap all day.
• Football season is so bittersweet for me.  I love it and love getting on my team shirts and watching games all weekends.  At the same time, I grew up in a town that revolved around Purdue tailgating and games so I am also sad and homesick watching them on TV.

No?  Dang.  Yes, I am nearly 4 days into the new semester and already want it to be over.  It almost (almost) makes me sad that I am so unhappy with school because I really used to have a passion for learning.  So I give you the fair warning:  If you have a passion for learning, do not go to law school.  It will suck the life out of you!

In other news, I am getting into a new workout schedule.  My cardio-sessions are generally shorter, but I am staying consistent.  I have also made a mandatory 3-day/week strength training goal.  Strength training is the one area I am constantly slacking on!

With the Start of a new semester…

I would really like to remind everyone to take care of themselves!

Law students (and I would assume any other professional student) have to worst health habits I have ever seen!  People eating M&Ms, Doritos, and an extra large Coke for dinner then taking the elevator!  Remember that when you are a hotshot in corporate America you don’t want to be spending all your money are valve replacements and cholesterol medicine!

Tips To Take Care of YOU with a Busy Schedule

• Schedule!!!! Don’t tell me that you can pencil in 1o different meetings and cocktails during the week but you can’t find twenty minutes a day to exercise –> YOU CAN!  Pencil in time for your health!

• You don’t have a free pass. Being busy is not a free pass to eat whatever you want and suffer no consequences.  Besides the obvious weight gain you are not helping your body perform at its best. You need to be at your best so eat for energy, health, and stamina!  This means taking fifteen minutes in the morning to pack a healthy lunch and snacks.

• Don’t forget balance. Believe it or not, you can’t do it all.  When you finally accept this fact, your stress and anxiety magically eases.  You cannot be two places at once and you cannot personally do everything that needs done.  Give on things that aren’t as important to you and save your time for things that are.  Do what you can and stop worrying about what you can’t.

• Know when to fold. Sometimes you need to just quit for the night and enjoy a glass of wine.  Sometimes you have to just skip your reading and risk getting called on to maintain your sanity.  It is okay to give yourself time!

Iced coffee. The only thing that can get me through 7 solid hours of class today.  The thing that reminds of long conversations with old friends outside on an early Fall day.

As someone whose life runs on coffee I have spent some time creating the best coffee drinks that I can.

The Great Debate:  Who makes a better iced coffee?

The Coffee Maker

vs.

The French Press

The Setup:  Yesterday I brewed coffee using both the French Press and the coffee maker.  I allowed both pots to cool, then covered, and placed in the refrigerator to chill.

The Mix:  For the coffee maker I add an extra heaping tablespoon of coffee to my normal ratio to prepare iced coffee.  For the French Press I add another tablespoon of coffee to my normal ratio.

The Winner:

French Press!

The French Press iced coffee had a richer, stronger taste than the coffee maker iced coffee.  If you only have taste buds for Starbucks-like lattes than breaking out the French Press might be for you.  For me?  I am lazy and time-crunched and the French Press is a butt to clean so I may just stick with big batches from the coffee maker!

Which do you prefer?

I actually prefer my hot coffee from the coffee maker.  Plus, my coffee maker is programmable so I can have coffee without any effort in the morning!