Friday Five – Page 2

22: Five Things Friday Vol. 3

November 22, 2019 filed under: Friday Five, NaBloPoMo

Five Things Friday: just five things I’m thinking about or things that made my week, or things that I otherwise feel like sharing.

Here’s a reminder to sign up for the 4th annual Secret Santa Mug Swap 2019, if you’re interested to spread a little holiday cheer during the holiday season. I’ve been hosting this swap for the last four years. If you want to read a little more about it, click here. Registration is open until Sunday, 11/24!

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Does your Health Insurance have an “incentives program”? We are with Blue Cross Blue Shields and they offer Online Health Coach Challenges (e.g. recording your exercise or “mood days”) and then they send a monetary reward to your “My BlueⓇWellness Card” that you can use for medical expenses (pharmacy or OTC items). I just finished another challenge and have earned $130 in rewards this year. Every little bit counts!

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I ran by the beach last weekend and oh man, do I miss living closer to the beach. There’s just something about looking out over the water and smelling the salty air when you exercise.

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As I mentioned on Wednesday, Christmas is only 5 weeks away. Can you believe it? I definitely start working on my to-do list. I’ve done some work on it “in my head”, but I need to get organized and get things on paper. Do your exchange gifts for Christmas? I love giving gifts (doesn’t have to be anything big or expensive at all) as a token of appreciation, love, and friendship.

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Talking about Christmas, who’s sending Christmas Cards this year? If you’re still into the old fashioned snail mail Christmas Cards and you’ve been around here for a while, you know I do my annual Christmas Card Roll Call around this time. Come back next week to sign up, if you want to get a Christmas Card in the mail this year. Or, let’s exchange addresses, if you’re also into sending cards this holiday season!

TGIF!

I am doing NaBloPoMo this month. 30 blog posts in 30 days. Come join me. #nablopomo2019

15: Five Things Friday Vol. 2

November 15, 2019 filed under: Friday Five, NaBloPoMo

Five Things Friday: just five things I’m thinking about or things that made my week, or things that I otherwise feel like sharing.

On Tuesday, I got to work and then at 8:30 am the whole network/Internet went out. It stayed out for almost the entire day (we were eventually sent home to telework). It makes you realize how much – no really, how freakin’ much! – we rely on the Internet to get anything done these days.

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I am probably one of the few people that still pay for a cable subscription (don’t @ me) and, what do you know, the ‘promotional offer’ expired and they’re raising the price. Again. You’d think that they have deals for long term customers, but nope, only for new customers. Screw the loyal ones. I spent some time on the phone with a customer service rep, but I didn’t really get anywhere, and I think I am finally ready to look into other options. Does anyone have Sling or Hulu TV? How do you like it?

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Want to hear about some more stellar customer service? I am a big fan of Perfect Bars*, but I had bought a couple of bars recently that were not up to par. I wasn’t sure if they had changed the recipe or something, so I reached out to the company to inquire. I had a very pleasant correspondence with Morgan, who assured me that they didn’t change anything about the bars and that consistent quality was their top priority. If I wasn’t 100% satisfied, I should send them the ‘batch number’ of the particular bars and they’d send me some coupons to make up for the unsatisfactory experience. I received five (!) coupons for free bars in the mail a few days later.

Moral of the story: you just have to speak up, guys! It doesn’t have to be a nasty complaint, just a “hey, I wanted to let you know about this experience so you can improve in the future” message. Kindness goes a long way (both ways!).

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Just as I hit the 3-year-mark with my iPhone 7, which I am still very happy with, tbh, my battery is slowly starting to go. Like clockwork. Has anyone replaced their battery (as in, is it worth it?) or always opted for a new phone at this point?

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We tried this 4-item Trader Joe’s dinner hack this week: Mushroom Alfredo Cauliflower Gnocchi. Well, Trader Joe’s was out of the Mushroom Medley Alfredo Sauce this time, so I tried it with the seasonal Autumnal Harvest Alfredo* instead.

TGIF!

I am doing NaBloPoMo this month. 30 blog posts in 30 days. Come join me. #nablopomo2019

* #notanad, This is not a sponsored post. I have not been compensated by the brand or anyone else for linking the websites.

17: Five reasons to be thankful for running

November 17, 2017 filed under: Friday Five, NaBloPoMo, running

Can you believe that it’s Thanksgiving already next week? I don’t know about you, but the holiday season has been sneaking up on me again. I felt the same last year, but hey, I love the holiday season and want to soak it up as much as I can. It’s also a good time to reflect on the things that I am thankful for in my life. I am sure if I really think about it there are many more, but here are five things about running that make my heart happy.

1. I am thankful for my health and the ability to run. With so many friends going through health scares and tribulations, I am extra aware how lucky I am that I’ve been in overall good health for my entire life and that I can just lace up my shoes and go for a run. I don’t take this for granted and it’s my responsibility to treat my body well. A regular exercise routine and a healthy diet are part of that.

2. I am thankful for the stress prevention that running provides. Back before I started to love running, I hated running. I usually went for a run when I was frustrated or angry about something because I knew “running it out” would make me feel better. That is still true, but now I see the regular running more as part of prevention for stress rather than only a tool for relief. I feel more mentally balanced when I run regularly (if that makes sense).

3. I am thankful for the opportunity to get out into the neighborhood. Honestly, I probably wouldn’t have seen half of this town if it wasn’t for running. It provides a great opportunity to not only explore your own neighborhood but also to explore a new city (e.g. when you’re traveling). I pay so much more attention to my surroundings when I am out for a run (mostly because it distracts me from the – sometimes – hard part of running, ha!) and I just love getting to know the area this way.

4. I am thankful that running constantly teaches me new lessons – big and small. It makes me believe in myself and my own abilities. It boosts my confidence and humbles me at the same time. It always provides me with new goals to work towards and lets me experience the triumph of reaching new milestones.

5. I am thankful for the running community. Even though I usually run alone (no, I have not joined a running group although people constantly suggest it!), I’ve really come to love the running community that I’ve found online through Instagram and blogs. You guys inspire me, cheer me on and hold me accountable every day and I can’t thank you enough!

Why are you thankful for running?

I am linking up with Running on Happy and Fairytales and Fitness for the Friday Five 2.0 Linkup

3: Five things you might not know about me

November 3, 2017 filed under: Friday Five, NaBloPoMo

Last year, I started NaBloPoMo off with a post in which I shared 5 random facts about me. I thought this was especially great to introduce myself to (potential) new readers, if there are any. So, I thought I’d do the same again this year, because why not and because you all like to learn more random facts, right?

1. I wear my watch on my right wrist, even though I am right-handed (for the most part). I feel like I am a bit ambidextrous, to be honest, but I do most things with my right hand.

2. My favorite book of all times is “Outlander” and no, I have not watched the Showtime series. I refuse. Jamie doesn’t look the least bit like the Jamie in my head and Claire does not look like Claire. I know people keep praising the adaptation, but I can’t let the TV series ruin the books for me. Not worth it.

3. Before I took up running, I hated running. Ok, hate might be a bit of a harsh word, but I had NO desire to go for runs. I did run occasionally to keep up a bare minimum level of fitness, but it was not something I loved doing just for fun and there really wasn’t any rhyme or reason to it. I don’t know what changed, but it’s like a switch was flipped one day — which basically makes me believe that anything is possible.

4. I played the recorder in elementary school and I loved it. I have often mentioned here on the blog that I (used to) play the piano and that I miss my piano (which is still at my parents’ house), but it all began with the recorder. Lots of kids started learning the recorder as their first instrument back in the 80’s. Did you? Is this still a thing?

5. I am a numbers nerd. If you can measure it, I want it measured. I guess this is why I am using a Fitbit and Garmin simultaneously (and then try to make sense of the measured differences, ha!). I know the concept of step counting and calorie counting is theoretically bullshit and never ever an exact science, but it doesn’t have to be 100% accurate for me. I just enjoy having a general idea of what I am doing on the daily and it helps me to hold myself accountable. It really is just for me to have fun with, nothing to obsess over.

Tell me a random fact about yourself!

I am linking up with Running on Happy and Fairytales and Fitness for the Friday Five 2.0 Linkup.

Friday Five | Post-run snacks & meals

September 8, 2017 filed under: food, Friday Five, running

I will admit, part of what is great about running is the post-run snack/meal. I would lie if I said that I don’t appreciate the extra calories I can allocate after a hard workout, besides the fact that refueling right after a workout is so important for recovery.

Here are some of my favorite go-to post-run snacks.

1. Chocolate milk – One is never too old to enjoy a nice, big glass of ice-cold chocolate milk, am I right?

2. German Apple pancakes – when I am home after a run and crave something sweet, I’ll throw together some pancake batter and make German pancakes with apples (or other fruit). They always hit the spot.

3. Light & Fit Yogurt Drink – I pretty much have these on hands for days where I don’t have much time, but want to get some protein in right after my run. They’re high in protein, low in sugar (none added) and pretty tasty.

4. Ozery Morning Rounds – I love these muesli bread rounds with a cup of coffee. I can eat them just plain, don’t even toast them, because they have good flavor by themselves.

5. Ham + Egg Sandwich – if I really want to treat myself, I make a “Strammer Max”, a ham (off the bone) + egg (over-easy) sandwich on fried bread. It’s a German ‘recipe’, which I have previously shared here.

Honorable other mentions: steel-cut oats, smoothies, yogurt with granola and fresh fruit, and fried potatoes with veggies. These also are frequent post run snacks for me, but this link-up is called Friday FIVE, so I had to stick those in a sidenote. Ha.

What do you eat after a run? My favorite post-run snacks & meals #fridayfive Click To Tweet

What’s your favorite snack after a hard workout?

I am linking up with Running on Happy and Fairytales and Fitness for the Friday Five 2.0 Linkup

Friday Five: Running Family and Friends

August 11, 2017 filed under: Friday Five

I am linking up with Running on Happy and Fairytales and Fitness for the Friday Five 2.0 Linkup today and we’re talking about running with family and friends. It’s pretty amazing, while I’ve been active all my life, my friend Susi inspired me to pick up running (in a more serious manner) and then, in turn, I inspired my sister, cousin and his girlfriend to start running regularly, too.

I am going to approach this topic from a more inclusive perspective of physical exercise in general because I’ve always been surrounded by people who value an active lifestyle and regular physical exercise in their lives. Four family members (including myself) hold degrees in physical education. I grew up playing many different sports. Running was always part of, but never my main form of exercise.

Here are the family members and friends who inspire me every day!

1. My Dad — When it comes to physical exercise and an active lifestyle, my Dad has always been my biggest inspiration and role model. He has never been a distance runner, but he’s instilled a love for sports and exercise in me from a young age. He’s a (now retired) P.E. teacher, tennis trainer and skiing instructor. Now in his late 60’s, he still regularly works out, plays tennis (on a team), golfs, and is still an avid skier during the winter months.

You know how it is, runners want to talk about running all the time and most ~~people~~ non-runners roll their eyes if you repeatedly bring up your training or races, but can you imagine how amazing it is when your Dad is someone who genuinely wants to talk about that kind of stuff? Who asks you every single day how your workout was. Who wants to talk about fitness gear, statistics, and new workout plans. My Dad is the first person I call with questions in regards to my training, with injury advice, or simply to get some emotional support.

2. My sister — We’ve played sports together all our lives. We were on tennis and softball teams together, we both studied P.E. in college. (She’s teaching P.E. at an elementary school now, I got a teaching degree for P.E. in high school, but ended up choosing a different career path.) My sister has a full-time job and two kids and doesn’t get out to run as often as she’d like to, but she recently picked up her tennis racket again and I am so proud of her for making time to exercise.

3. My cousin — He also studies P.E., plays soccer and regularly visits the gym. He’s into living a healthy lifestyle, eating healthy and staying fit. I was able to go for run with him when I went back home in May (of course, he’s way faster than I am) and he (and his girlfriend) are contemplating running a race with me here in California when they come visit in September. I am so stoked!

4. My friend Susi — If it wasn’t for my friend Susi, I would have never considered participating in a race. I blogged about it before, if she hadn’t dared me to sign up for a race with her, me + running (in the way I am pursuing it now) would probably not have happened. Susi inspires me every day to become a stronger and better version of myself and I am so proud of her for how far she’s come!

5. My BFF from back home — I mentioned her before, she’s my oldest friend (we have known each other since elementary school) and she has been battling a brain tumor for the better part of the last decade. She’s one of the best people I know and I still can’t wrap my head around why she has been dealt this card in her life, but in spite of it all, she’s one of the most positive and life-loving people I know. She has never been particularly sporty when we were younger, but she has picked up running to keep active and physically healthy and it was one of the highlights of my trip back home in May to go for a run with her along Lake Starnberg!

5 PLUS 1. All of you — I am so incredibly thankful for the running community that I’ve encountered online (mostly through Instagram, initially, and then also through all your personal blogs). You all inspire me every day to keep at it. Your personal journeys motivate and inspire me and hold me accountable!

Who inspires you? #running #fridayfive Click To Tweet

5 favorite summer treats

June 23, 2017 filed under: food, Friday Five, link love

Hey, it’s 9 am and it’s 80 degrees (28°C) out already. We’re just coming off a week-long heatwave here in the Central Valley, with temps reaching into the TRIPLE DIGITS for multiple days in a row. That must be a near-record and let’s just say: I am not really cut out for this kind of weather, but I do try to embrace summers here as much as I can.

In order to beat the heat, here are my five favorite summer treats:

1. Smoothies. Is this considered a treat, because it’s actually healthy? I don’t know, but I love smoothies in the summer (especially with all the fresh fruit available!).

2. Ice-cream. That’s a no-brainer, right? Who doesn’t love ice-cream in the summer? I don’t discriminate, by the way. I take ice-cream, gelato, popsicles, sorbet…. anything that comes out of the freezer… but chocolate chip is my favorite!

3. Ice-cold Arnold Palmer. There is nothing more thirst-quenching than a nice big glass of iced tea sweetened with lemonade (I like two parts tea, one part lemonade).

4. Iced coffee. I usually drink my morning coffee hot year-round, but I really enjoy some cold-brew coffee over ice in the summer. My favorite add-ins are milk and a splash of vanilla syrup.

5. Watermelon. I am not a fan of cantaloupe or honey melons, but give me watermelons all (summer) day, every day! They are my favorite. Preferably chilled. So juicy and good.

What’s your favorite summer treat?

I am linking up with Running on Happy and Fairytales and Fitness for the Friday Five 2.0 Linkup

5 Summer running tips

June 16, 2017 filed under: fitness, Friday Five, linkup, running

This morning, I had planned to do a 1-hour interval run, but it was already 90°F at 10 am. Summer running can be pretty brutal here in the Central Valley, so I have to be flexible. I decided that I’ll hit the gym later today for today’s workout. I will do some summer workouts outdoors because it’s good to train in different environments, but if I have the choice, I am definitely a cool weather runner. I don’t do well in the heat, I have problems with swelling and overheating, but oh well, I live in a place that gets pretty hot in the summer, so I have to adapt.

Here are 5 summer running tips (in case it’s hot where you are, too).

1. I run early or late to avoid the hottest hours of the day for an outdoor run.

2. I adjust my pace. I know, I am preaching to the choir here, but if it’s hot outside, your pace should automatically be slower. I don’t care if my training plan calls for a tempo run at a certain pace. If it’s hot, I adjust my pace and run by effort. I’ve seen many recommendations online and I don’t’ think there is a one-size-fits-all approach, but Hansons Coaching has these general recommendations to adjust your pace when temperatures rise:

55-60 degrees = +5 secs/mile
60-65 degrees= +15 secs/mile
65-70 degrees = +30 secs/mile
70-75 degrees = +40 secs/mile
75-80 degrees = +1:10/mile
80-85 degrees = +2:00/mile
85+ degrees = DON’T DO IT (<–that’s why I am going to the gym!)

3. I wear light, breathable clothing and sunscreen. Obviously, you want to wear as little as possible when it’s really hot outside, but make sure that your skin is protected too!

4. I bring water (or make sure that there are plenty of drinking fountains along my running route) and I’ve been experimenting with salt tablets. It’s pretty much a no-brainer that you have to hydrate as much as possible when you’re training in a hot environment because you’ll be losing sweat and electrolytes pretty fast. Also, it’s nice to be able to splash some water on your face/head/hands when it’s really hot to cool down a bit.

5. If in doubt, I opt for an indoor run on the treadmill. I know, I know, a lot of people hate the treadmill, but when the temperature hits the triple digits (as it often does here in the summer), the air-conditioned gym is the safest place to exercise (at least as far as I am concerned).

What’s your number one piece of advice to run in the heat?

I am linking up with Running on Happy and Fairytales and Fitness for the Friday Five 2.0 Linkup.

What I bought at Trader Joe’s – Vol. 5: Five new foods I tried

March 24, 2017 filed under: food, Friday Five, traderjoes

I am linking up with Running on Happy and Fairytales and Fitness for the Friday Five 2.0 Linkup because the topic for today is food and that’s the perfect topic for me to talk about Trader Joe’s again.

I haven’t shared my Trader Joe’s* buys in a while and since I’ve picked up a few (new to us) items recently that we really liked, I wanted to share them with you (in case you aren’t aware of them). You’re welcome.

1. Burrata, Prosciutto & Arugula Flatbread (12 oz – $4.99) ★★★★★ // freezer section

We usually don’t buy a lot of ready-to-eat frozen food, but this flatbread pizza is pretty tasty and absolutely works in a pinch. The thin flatbread crust gets airy and crispy and it’s topped with mascarpone garlic cream sauce, wild baby arugula, burrata, Pecorino Romano, and Parmigiano Reggiano cheeses. You add the thinly sliced prosciutto after baking, so that it warms just a bit but doesn’t cook. Yum!

21 Seasoning Salute (2.2 oz – $1.99) ★★★★★ // pantry section

I think this seasoning mix has been around for quite a while, but I only discovered it recently and really like it. It doesn’t contain any salt, but a blend of onion, black pepper, celery seed, cayenne pepper, parsley, basil, marjoram, bay leaf, oregano, thyme, savory, rosemary, cumin, mustard, coriander, garlic, carrot, orange peel, tomato, lemon juice and lemon oil. Depending on what you use it, you can detect the different flavors that compliment your dish. We like it on potatoes, eggs, and in soups and sauces.

Cauliflower & Broccoli or Carrots & Peas Vegetable Patties (7 oz – $1.99) ★★★★☆ // freezer section

We picked up these frozen vegetable patties a couple of weeks ago when I saw them in the “new item” section. They looked liked something that would be nice to have in the freezer for that moment when you don’t want to cook or ran out of other food in the house. I think they’re pretty good (I personally prefer the Cauliflower and Broccoli patties) and we’ve had them with eggs, as a breakfast-for-dinner meal, and I’ve taken them to work as a healthy lunch option (I cooked them the night before and then just heated them in the microwave).

Kale (10 oz – $1.49) ★★★★★ // produce section

We’ve been experimenting with kale lately and we really love it in stews. It’s pretty easy to cook and a really healthy addition to any meal and I am looking forward to trying it in more of my recipes.

Kashi Autumn Wheat (16.3 oz – $3.49) ★★★★★ // cereal section

I love these mini wheat biscuits. They work for breakfast or a snack. They’re only lightly sweetened and the ingredient list is short and pronounecable. I approve.

What new item have you picked up at Trader Joe’s recently?

* I am not affiliated with Trader Joe’s, nor have they endorsed, sponsored or paid for my reviews. I am just sharing my love for the store and its products, which basically means free advertisement for them. Ha. All opinions are my own.

Five Running Hacks

March 3, 2017 filed under: fitness, Friday Five, running

Today I am linking up with Running on Happy and Fairytales and Fitness for the Friday Five 2.0 Linkup again and we’re sharing our best five running hacks. Running hacks are little tricks and tips that make the running experience better. Every runner has some of those. Here are my five favorite ones.

It's #FRIYAY! Join @fairytalesnfit + @running_onhappy for the #FridayFive 2.0 linkup! Click To Tweet

1. I use my Runtastic app to track the mileage that I put on my shoes. I only have two pairs right now, but it’s nice to know which ones I’ve used for how many miles.

2. I don’t take running for granted. Every time I feel like I don’t want to run, I remind myself of the girl at the park that I occasionally see being pushed around in her ‘hospital bed’, who can’t run. It reminds me to be thankful for every step that I can take every single day.

3. If you have a problem with cadence, put together a playlist with songs that hit 170-180 bpm per hour (that’s where the sweet spot is for cadence). It makes it way easier to fall into the same rhythm and keep it consistent (and you’ll get used to it).

4. Braid your hair. I wish I could pull off a nice high-top messy bun when I run, but my hair is not thick enough and it would look totally ridiculous. If I leave it just in a ponytail, my hair will be a rat’s nest at the end of my run. So, I often braid it so it won’t get all tangled up.

6. Switch it up and set your watch/app to metric units. I keep myself mentally sane if I run in kilometers instead of miles sometimes. You’ll be hitting the km-marks faster and that chops your run up into more digestible bits. I always tell myself that I can definitely run another kilometer (only to tell myself the same thing again, when I hit the next mark).

Tell me one of your best running hacks!