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Sunday Night “Family Dinner”
Happy Labor Day, everyone! I hope you are doing something fun and productive with your day off! The weather is gorgeous here and I can’t wait to go on a long leisure walk after breakfast.
Last night was such a fun night in the dorms. A group of us girls in the same hall decided to make a Sunday Night Potluck dinner! The six of us split into pairs and divided the courses: Salad, Main Dish, Dessert. My suitemate Fernanda and I were in charge of the salad. Kerri and Amber cooked an amazing pasta dish with pesto and chicken, while two more girls provided enough chocolate to undo all the healthiness of the first course. It was such a good way to have an inexpensive but delicious dinner with a group of friends instead of going out to a restaurant. Each of us spent roughly around $6 and look at the meal that awaited us!
Giving Olive Garden a run for their money!
We have some pretty decent chefs in the residence hall! The salad was a combination of healthy ingredients that we could find at target and that were cheap (first rule of college cooking). The base of the salad was a bag of mixed greens, to which we added diced tomato, sliced cucumber, chopped bell pepper, sliced carrots, diced apple, dried cranberries, almonds, crushed cashews and a lite raspberry vinaigrette. Not too shabby at all! And splitting the cost with another friend made our contribution to the dinner pretty reasonable. There was enough for the six of us girls plus leftovers (for lunch today, yay!).
It’s so much fun to cook and have dinner outside of the dining halls, even more so with company like these girls! If you can get a group together, cooking is half the fun, dinner is a well-needed break from cafeteria food, and meeting new people becomes easier than ever. Great way to spend a Sunday night. Dinner was followed by a chick flick and I think we’ve all agreed that this needs to happen more often! :)
A Day at the Races
Cross Country races, that is! Yesterday, September 1st, was the first cross country meet of the season for my school. Here on our own home turf at one of the most beautiful parks! The weather couldn’t have been more cooperative: overcast and cool, slightly drizzly, the ultimate racing climate. I was on the sidelines, cheering my teammates on as they competed in the Women’s 5k and Men’s 8k. The course was all with-in a two-mile loop, giving us spectators plenty of chances to see the action!
Number One reason why cross country is such an awesome sport: you get the most amazing scenery! Tell me this is not a spectacular view:
The race was literally running through a field of flowers… Okay not really, but could you imagine?!
Of course I am extremely disappointed to be on the sidelines rather than the starting line. Naturally it is frustrating experiencing a set back that takes me from the sport I am so passionate about. However, my situation is temporary and I am grateful knowing that I have the rest of my life to run and race to my heart’s desire. (There will be plenty of these views and trails in my future!) When the swelling around the left side of my faces subsides, I can resume full physical activity. And you bet I will! Can’t wait to get back on the track with these ladies:
Pre-Surgery Race Picture
Today’s races were exciting, even as a spectator. There is so much adrenaline in the air! Seeing my teammates hit personal records made me so excited for returning to running, more anxious than ever. I even got a few “butterflies” in my stomach as they toe’d the line, despite the fact that I was not with them. It’s like my body misses the feeling.
Racing is about the whole experience. Not just the stuff in between the start and the finish. It starts the night before with the carbo-load. A dinner planned around compex carbohydrates and plenty of pasta! The next morning, a hearty breakfast of oats and bananas. Pull out the “lucky sports bra.” Hair in a high pony with school color ribbons. The pre-race jitters hit me about the time I get in the bus. Find an upbeat playlist on my ipod to get in the zone. Warm-up. Team cheer. Gun goes off….
A blur of people around you, pushing and elbowing through the pack. When the second half comes, the mental side of racing really kicks in. Before you know it, it’s the last mile. The kick, the finish, relief. Finally catching your breath, hands on your knees. And then there’s the post-race celebratory meal of whatever goodies you can get your hands on. I used to love goldfish crackers, grapes and smoothies :) Ahhhh memories.
The night ended off with a team trip to a frozen yogurt shop, which CAN be made healthy with all the great fruits and berries most self-serve shops have for toppings! Unless of course you just ran an intense cross country race……then you go ahead and have the peanut butter cups ;)
The Ab Lab
As you might have noticed, I have a tendency to use “cutesy” titles. Rhyming, Alliterations…I just can’t help myself when I come up with something clever like the “Ab Lab.” When you convert your dorm room (or bedroom) into a personal fitness studio for today’s workout you will have created an Ab Lab ;)
Sometimes workouts need to be quick and convenient. The best go-to exercie for me: CORE! You don’t need any equipment and very little space to work the major muscle group. Core exercises for the Abdominals, Obliques and low back are some of my favorites (the torso twist machine at the gym? So fun.) If you decide to make this a dorm-room workout, you should invite your roommate to join you. Buddy System!
Crank up the music, lay down a towel (sweaty carpet = bad roommate) and get ready for an oh-so-challenging 5 minute Plank Workout:
1. Basic Plank – 30 seconds
2. Right Side Plank – 30 seconds
3. Left Side Plank – 30 seconds
*30 Second Break*
4. Alternating leg raise (as demonstrated below): 10 reps each side
You’re not done yet! 30 second break…
5. Right Side Plank with Hip Raises – 20 reps
6. Left Side Plank with Hip Raises – 20 reps
7. Alternating Leg Raise Plank – 10 reps each side
8. Crank Out 1 Last Basic Plank – 30 seconds
It’s quick, it ain’t easy, but it’s totally building a beautiful core :)
Now that we’ve got that covered, can I show you my “kitchen”? I’ve already told you about the food aspect of preparing for dorm life, but I also came loaded with kitchen supplies to make sure I can cook all the meals I want.
Of course I’ve got the coffee bar. My room would be incomplete without. Space is everything in a micro-sized living situation so organizing everything was so important. After my roommate and I brought out all of our kitchen gear, we assembled into what I call the Kitchen:
The easiest way to ensure you’ll make healthy choices when living on your own is to stock yourself with all the options you’ll need! If you’re starving and grumpy and all that’s left in your fridge is a carton of eggs and some mustard, you’re more likely to run down to the vending machine for some quick food. I always have apples and bananas on hand, plus other snacks and goodies to make sure I’m never in a need-food-now situation that will leave me feeling guilty afterwards.
Can you tell I like organization..?
If you do the PLANK workout, tell me how it went!
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