Buckeyes, Balls and Bad Tipping

First off, GO BUCKS! I am so excited and surprised that Ohio State got into the first college football playoffs! Their huge win on Saturday was totally unexpected, and while I do feel bad for TCU and Baylor, I hope this example will have them expand the playoffs from four to eight teams. I honestly am a low-key football fan, but I do love this time of year when big wins and championship games happen!

Sunday I spent the whole day with two good friends of mine. We hit up a local grocer, Ellwood Thompson's, for lunch and then went to the mall (Short Pump) and out to dinner later in the day. This was my first (and probably will be my only) time at the mall for the holidays since I normally buy all my gifts online. It was fun to go with people when not looking for anything specific AND it was a Sunday evening, so it was not very crowded.

The mall was decorated very impressively, too. I think outdoor malls look so classy in the evening!

I got my first foam roller at Dicks (and was tempted to buy more Under Amour gear...they have so much awesome stuff)! I was still sore after my weekend 8 and 6-milers, so while in Banana Republic, and after I had looked awkward carrying my foam roller around for about an hour in all the stores, I tested it out...and couldn't keep a straight face! Felt so good! 

I don't think anyone noticed me....

We ended the evening a local Italian pizza place in the Carytown area of Richmond. The food is GREAT, but we had the WORST waiter. He had an awful attitude from the beginning. I ordered a pizza gluten-free, and when my bill came I was charged too much. I politely asked what the cost was for gluten-free crust, and he begrudgingly went and asked someone and then told me that all pizzas were the same regardless of toppings in gluten free (which is not true and he even stated didn't make sense but "that is what the price it"). I had been charged $6 bucks extra and had only had a cheese pizza, so I again, in a nice way, stated that I thought that was incorrect compared to what my friends had been charged. He got an attitude, practically ripped the bill from me, and gave me a discount (the computer was right by where we were sitting). I said I was not trying to be difficult but was just asking, and he had a snarky remark. He even rung up my friends' bill with attitude- slapping the credit card all over the machine and entering everything in aggressively.

I left him a dollar! I was so surprised and angry and almost wrote a note on the bill to "check your attitude" but felt bad. I ALWAYS tip 20% since I used to wait tables, so this was really hard for me to do. However, I was not difficult, and it could have been handled in a totally different way. I demand respect if I am giving you respect, which he was not. I know how to address a customer asking a question, and his attitude was awful.

So this is my question for you all...What do you do when you are treated poorly at a restaurant? How much do you normally tip?

A Life of Leisure

Lately, I have been doing a lot of working (my real job and pool managing), running, eating/grilling out with friends, wine drinking and watching my new obsession, "Damages." It's a tough life!

Don't mess with these chicks!

This past weekend I even got to go back to Prom! Even though I do not work at MBK anymore, my friends still let me accompany them to dances:) They are so nice. 

My mentee and I at dinner

Some MBK ladies.

Posin' with the admin!

Fabulous friends!

In other news, I am officially DONE with selling tickets after school at MBK for sporting events...once my new school opens, the location won't be convenient for me to go back to Meadowbrook to sell tickets after school. I had my last game last Tuesday. It was a good 3 years of ticketing/coaching! I will still visit. And I will no longer get as much reading done...

Also, even though I have a 12-month position now, I am still helping to assistant manage at the pool I worked at last summer. This long weekend I was there every day! My certification is still good and it is an easy gig, so I figured I will work 2 shifts a week through the end of June and then only once in a while in July and August when my vacationing and work schedule pick up. You know I am a sucker for extra traveling money and a tan:)!

Enjoy the end of May!

The pros and cons of logging your food

Today we’re going to talk a little about logging food and how it works for me and might (or might not) work for you. I’ve mentioned it before on the blog, but I use a great app to help me hold myself accountable- My Fitness Pal. (You can also use Spark People)

I don't use this app 100% of the time 365 days a year. I use it when I am finding myself "falling off the wagon" a bit in terms of portion control and overall healthy eating (darn, sweet tooth!) OR when I am training for a race and need to make sure I am eating enough carbs and calories (and not so much junk). I wanted to write this because I get mixed reactions from people when I tell them I log my food and exercise: “But you don’t need to keep track of what you eat, you’re already at a healthy weight”; “I thought you said you don’t diet”; “So, you gonna log that last slice of pizza?”; "why don't you just eat what you want when you want and stop when your full?"

Or when friends express interest in losing weight and I recommend MFP: “I don’t want to keep track of what I eat, I just want to eat better”; “That just seems too obsessive for me”

I have a slightly different philosophy when it comes to tracking my food. I don’t believe that logging food has to be the same as restricting food. My calorie range varies greatly depending on my exercise level. I’ve found over the years that I’m most comfortable somewhere between 1700-2000 a day depending on how hungry I feel and how active I am. When I am training for a half marathon, this can go upwards of 2500 calories a day! That is not restricting food.

Now, I’m not an expert in any way or a registered dietitian/nutritionist, but I do know what works for me. I also need to stress that what works for me might not work for you. That said, I want to address some of the comments on using a “calorie counting” app and use it to illustrate some pros and cons of this type of system.

“But you don’t need to keep track of what you eat, you’re already at a healthy weight”

First off, thank you for thinking so. Secondly, I’m not at this weight by magic, I promise you. No, I don’t follow a strict diet (well, I try to eat unprocessed and mostly vegetarian), but I can’t eat whatever I want all the time and stay my size. I love to eat and HATE being hungry. As I’ve gotten older my body has naturally changed and it takes work to maintain a weight that’s not only healthy and realistic, but that I feel great at. It does require effort to maintain a healthy weight.

PRO: Learn what foods give you the most energy and finding a calorie goal you can stick with comfortably.

“I thought you said you don’t diet”

I don’t diet. I log the pizza, the wine, the pasta, the bread, the cookies, and the chocolate (yup, everyday) . The beauty of tracking calories this way is that you can learn balance- no food are off limits, but you may need to make some adjustments later to stay on track and still indulge in things you love. Today, for instance, I had a bagel with cream cheese for breakfast, which is much more than my normal two eggs and a banana, so I made adjustments at lunch.

PRO: There are no “forbidden” foods or food groups

“You gonna log that last slice of pizza?”

Yep…..

CON/PRO: If you stick to it, you need to log everything. Accountability can be great, but it can also give you a rude reality check. My dinners are usually big like the one above. I make sure I save room for them!

“I don’t want to keep track of everything I eat, I just want to eat better”

Sadly, most people don’t know what that means. Just because you ordered a salad doesn’t mean you ate healthier than someone who ordered a steak. See this perfect example from the nutrition calculator on the Outback Steakhouse website:

Beyond the fact that the salad has more calories, it also has way more sodium and saturated fat. The steak, on the other hand, is higher in protein and fiber. Knowledge is power, people.

PRO: Using a tracking app can help you educate yourself about what you’re really eating.

It’s not about staying under the calorie goal. There will always be times when I go over, but the goal of using a tracking app (for me, at least) is to become educated about what I’m eating. Beyond just calories, I like to see if I’m getting enough vitamins, potassium, fiber, etc. It’s a lot easier to keep track of that stuff if I can log it somewhere and take a look at the end of the day.

“That just seems too obsessive for me”

And here enters the biggest CON of logging your food. For some people, logging your food can become obsessive and could turn into a real problem. I don’t recommend using MFP for anyone who has a history of an eating disorder or an unhealthy relationship with food. I have had eating struggles in the past, so I am very cautious and in tune with myself about how I am feeling when I log my food. If I ever feel old habits coming back, I stop. However, I have found that logging actually HELPS me NOT slip back into old habits because it is all scientific, creates balance for me (which helps prevent binges), and makes me feel very much in control of my health and food intake.

Logging my food is great for me because I LIKE numbers. I enjoy collecting data and figuring out what it means for me. Analyzing my ratio of carbs/protein/fat is interesting because it helps me make better decisions in the future, especially when I am training for a race.

The reason MFP works for me is that I separate the “numbers game” from reality. At the end of the day, food is just food. If I go over my sugar goal or calorie goal for one day, it doesn’t ruin my week. I’m not going to skip dinner because I met my calorie “goal” by  2:00 PM (however, I would be extra conscious to have a smaller meal meeting the nutrients I still needs that day). What it does, though, is help me to live a lifestyle that follows the 80/20 rule so I can be healthy, but also live a little. I still eat big celebratory meals on birthdays, special occasions and on vacations. I also still LOG my foods on vacations to make sure I don't go too crazy. This app has helped me stop treating food as a reward and more as a way to maximize my energy and my mood. 

I realize that many people might not agree with me on the validity or usefulness of tracking apps. I’m not affiliated with My Fitness Pal in any way, in case you were wondering. I think that using this app can help people get more in touch with their body through food and, in turn, help intuitive eating. I’m definitely interested in hearing your thoughts or experiences on logging food and/or counting calories!

What are your thoughts of food tracking apps?

*This post was copied and edited by myself from here*

March is Madness

Nothing like living in Virginia to enjoy a 70 degree day on Sunday and a snow day on Monday!

I have gotten really bad about blogging...I blame it on the fact that I am now obsessed with Instagram, so I get to share aspects of my life with people everyday! Blogging just does not seem as necessary:) I also have been doing more of the same in terms of my daily life...running, reading, eating, relaxing and hanging with Romo.

So handsome!

Won't let me go running!

We don't want to bore you too much!

As for my news- my big race (Shamrock Half Marathon) is in less than two weeks! I have been training with a group that runs at 8 AM on Saturday mornings near my condo. My long runs have included me running 8 on my own (which sucked) and 10 and 12.5 miles with the running group. Running group runs are so much more fun and take me to areas I don't normally go. I also love chatting with people while I run:) I have felt great on all the long runs (and have begun running before work during the week) but my blisters have returned! I think I will need new shoes after the race to gear up for the rest of the spring races! Ugh for my random running issues...

Yes, please!

Midway through a COLD 12.5 miles and blisters!

And as you know more running=more HUNGER. I am a bottomless pit lately. It is disgusting and annoying because I am hungry every 2 hours and all I want are carbs. Thankfully Puffins are my go-to snack of late that curbs my craving for carbs, sugar and peanut butter (obvi I always crave PB or AB).

ON another note, my "official" first day at the new job was supposed to be today, but the weather has other plans! I am eager to get started and get ready to open up a new school! I have already enjoyed my larger paycheck...by opening a 457(b)! I am so exciting- gotta prep for retirement and save some money on taxes for next year (I owed a total of $1,120 this year)! I do have some fun trips planned for 2014, though, so don't worry- more details to come! I am booking one today actually...

I leave ya'll with the exciting news of Virginia Men's Basketball being ranked #5 in the country after beating Syracuse and clinching the ACC title! Gotta love being good at a major sport for once:)! 

GO HOOS!

Have a great week!

Intuitive Eating?

Since summer is a time where I can't really work on making running strides due to the heat and humidity (I have been consistent in my morning runs, but my distance is typically only 3-4 miles), I am going to work on "intuitive eating." I follow a lot of running blogs that talk about how they don't monitor so much what they eat in terms of calories and fat but more so listen to their bodies and stay in tune with what their stomachs are telling them. The main premise is you eat when you're hungry and stop when you're full regardless of what you are eating. Sounds so easy right? The hard part is re-learning when you are actually hungry and what a normal amount of fullness feels like. I thought this seemed like a good idea to practice in the summer since I am more active during this time of the year and since my cravings and food needs change with the heat and my activity level. This also as a way to to get more in tune with myself. Since there are more weddings, vacations and cookouts in the summer, eating healthy is not always easy, so if I challenge myself to listen to what my body is telling me, I should make better decisions.

Spaghetti squash with shrimp and spinach. Yum. I had this while visiting my friend Sarah in D.C. on Monday night.

I am hoping this intuitive eating will help me cook more and make meals based on what I want to eat and not necessarily what I have (thankfully, I have time in the summer to go to the grocery store daily...we'll see if that actually happens). I work many evenings at the pool, but I have the options of healthy salads and vegetables there if I can keep myself away from the fries! As for vacations- I am hoping to be able to cook while at the beach and listen to my body while I go out to eat.

So we shall see how this goes! And I promise it is legit- there are books about this method! Maybe if I get the hang of it I won't eat like I am a third world country starving child at weddings...perhaps only a child who hasn't eaten much that day:).

In the meantime, I will be at the pool getting rid of my lifeguard tan lines or watching "Boy Meets World" from 7-10 am every morning on ABC Family:) Summer break, anyone?

Claim to Fame #2

That's right. I was a champ once more. Remember this?

This time the faculty tailgate compromised of whoever could eat a cheese pizza the fastest.

Done in 5 minutes flat. Take that boys.