It’s official!  Pouring rain + 50 degrees +4.2 miles = Badass…

Haha!!!  And a drowned rat that’s probably gonna catch pneumonia

So, running in the rain is not the most fabulous thing to do, but I wanted to do a few training runs in full out rain to have my mind ready in case it rains during the half marathon.  Although we KNOW  that’s NOT going to happen, right???!!!

I bumped up my GYMBOSS interval to a 5:1 set and I was very comfortable with that.  I think I can push it out to even a longer run interval, but I want to do it slowly.  I like run/walk intervals and have been able to keep my hip/IT band from acting up by running this way.  I don’t think I’ll ever go back to straight running without stopping, but I can probably do longer running times than 5 minutes at this point.

I finished up with 8 soaking wet intervals…

After a steamy shower (I am so thankful for hot water), I chowed on a Larabar for breakfast…

I found the new Chocolate Chip Cookie Dough flavor!

It is just as awesome as it sounds

By lunchtime, I was craving some veggies.  I grabbed every leftover veg in the fridge and made a big tofu scramble…

• 1/2 block Nasoya Lite Firm Tofu
• roasted butternut squash
• baby spinach
• Gram’s Green Beans
• 1 oz. 2% cheese

A lovely mess.

This afternoon was difficult in the Intuitive Eating department.  Translation:  I snacked quite a bit and wasn’t hungry for any of it.  I tuned out and knew I was doing it.  But, it was over pretty quickly and I didn’t let it get me down or undo the good choices I made today. 

One fun snack of the afternoon – a soft pretzel!  Love these…

Dinner was inspired by a recipe in Clean Eating Magazine…

You know no one in my house is eating this.

But, I was excited.

I made the crepe batter using oat flour instead of whole wheat;  blended it all and let it sit in the fridge for an hour…

Heated an 8 inch nonstick skillet and poured in 1/4 cup batter for each crepe…

One done…7 more to go…

The recipe stated 8 crepes, but I ended up getting 10 …

I was tempted to slap butter and syrup on them and go to town, however, there were veggies waiting!

A mix of zucchini, mushrooms and onions sauteed in olive oil, then turned creamy with 2 wedges of Laughing Cow and a splash of chicken broth…

Time to assemble.  One crepe with a spoonful of veggie filling…

Rolled up and topped with shredded Gruyere…

Broil for 2-3 minutes and garnish with sliced green onion…

Devour.

The crepes are a bit thicker than a traditional crepe, so they are able to handle a hearty filling without tearing.  I can’t wait to play around with these;  the filling possibilities are endless!

Hmmm…why do I keep thinking dessert?

Have a great day, everyone!

Have you had crepes?  Savory or sweet?

I woke up to rain!  Normally this doesn’t trouble me, but today I had to run in it!  I debated on waiting or going.  I had a feeling if I waited, it might not ever happen, so I decided to just go. 

Even though I think running in the rain is yucky…

When I got started, it was only drizzling so it wasn’t too awful.  I popped in my earbuds and sloshed off  while listening to the Two Fit Chicks and a Microphone podcast on Intuitive Eating.  What a GREAT podcast!  If you haven’t checked it out yet, please do.  It’s excellent. 

I really got lost in the moment while listening to this and before I knew it,  I was halfway into my run and it wasn’t raining anymore. I finished out my 4 mile run with some tunes and feeling strong with the 4:1 intervals on the GYMBOSS …

Just as I got to the house, it started to really rain!  Whew, made it in time…

Doesn’t my arm look abnormally small in this picture?!

My hunger didn’t kick in for a while.  I got mildly hungry about an hour after the run, so I had half a Buttermilk Pumpkin Waffle (going to play with this before sharing) with a smear of almond butter…

Lunch happened pretty early – a wrap with turkey, light havarti cheese, spinach and pickle…

along with carrots and a few (yes, a FEW!!  WHOOO HOOO!) Lundberg Rice Chips…

I like these chips a lot.  They taste terrific, with just the right amount of salt and are a very sturdy chip that would hold up well for nachos or dipping.

Afternoon snack was a gala and cheese…

It was taco night for the family tonight, but I was in the mood for something different.  Greek food has been on my mind!  I happened to have all the makings for Spinach Pie (Spanakopita), so that was the winner.  It’s really easy, too.

I served it with a small side salad…

Guess who else ate this?  Little daughter and the husband!  After eyeballing my piece, they went and dug in to the dish.

They make me crazy.

Big daughter fully enjoyed her taco night.  I love  her

Have a great day, everyone!

Do you run or walk in the rain? 

During my walk yesterday, I spent a lot of time thinking about what changes I need to make to continue on the intuitive eating journey.  First, I had to define what that process meant for me.  When we hear of intuitive eating, we think it is something that is supposed to come naturally, something that is hidden deep within us that we can eventually uncover.  While I believe that is true, there are many factors involved that obviously can skew that innate part of us.

I spent so many years dieting.  So many years.  Seriously, like 30.  At 42 years old, finding this innate part of me is going to be no easy task.  And if I thought about it too long, I would want to ditch the process altogether.  It is hard, hard work.  Honestly, being on a diet is so much easier.  There are rules of a diet and you follow them or you don’t.  With intuitive eating, it’s about much more than the food and the rules. 

For me, the food has been the problem and the answer.  It has helped me feel better and worse, often times all in the same day.  And the days it makes me feel worse, I want to go back to dieting.  But, I know that won’t solve anything.  It won’t change the relationship I have with food or the reason I use it for comfort, happiness, sadness, anxiety or every other reason.  So, I persevere on this journey to change. 

I realized that there is one very vital process I have been avoiding and that is acknowledging hunger.  It dawned on me that I am afraid of hunger.  When I experience true hunger, I panic.  I feel like I have to eat right away, either out of a survival mechanism or out of fear that if I don’t eat right away, I will completely pig out later from feeling unsatisfied.  I know it sounds strange, but for me this is true.  I have no idea where it stems from.  I was never starved as a child! HA!  I’m figuring my many years of serious deprivation diets may have brought about this reaction that stays with me to this day.

So, as part of my new focus, I am trying to not fear hunger and instead embrace it as a sign that my body is working the way it should!  In addition, I am focusing on my satiety level.  I have always been a volume eater.  Large quantities of food fill my eyes and make me believe that I am well- fed.  I already chose healthy foods on a daily basis and that will never change because I truly enjoy what I eat.  However, it is possible to still eat too much of a good thing. 

My focus for the coming months will be to tune into my satiety level more and realize when I’ve eaten enough.  I have the benefit of being home and eating most of my meals at home.  I have access to food at any time.  I know that in most situations, I can eat at any time.  If I take less food and find that I am hungry an hour later, then I can eat again.  I can take less and get more if needed.  But when you take (and eat more), you can’t take it back! 

My first day (in pictures) went like this…

Breakfast…

Lunch –grilled cornbread sandwich with ham, laughing cow cheese and wasabi mustard, baked hickory bbq chips, carrots…

The sandwich was my favorite!  Cornbread (made in a loaf pan) makes a great sandwich bread!

What I left…

A miracle!

Snacks…

Honeydew

an hour later… 4 Triscuits…because I can always have more…

But, find I don’t need it.

Dinner… I really wanted something warm and nourishing.  I heated a can of Trader Joe’s Organic Lentil and Vegetable soup…

It really hit the spot…

But, I didn’t need the whole can…

Later, I had another small slice of cornbread with a smear of light whipped butter and fruit-only raspberry jelly.  Divine. 

And that was all I needed today.  I know some days I’ll need more and some days I’ll need less.  I just have to listen.

This exercise was just the beginning in showing me that I can be satisfied with less.  I don’t have to eat everything on my plate.  When I’m satisfied, I should be done and not feel the need to shovel the rest of it.  I hope that doing this will help me come to the understanding that I don’t need a pile of food in front of me to make me satisfied and that I can eat again if I’m hungry.  There are no rules that I should eat at certain times or I’ll starve.  Eat when hungry (or when appropriate because in the real world sometimes you have to eat when you’re not hungry i.e. party, dinner out, etc.) and eat only as much as you need to feel good.  Not stuffed, just good.

I know this will take much mindfulness on my part, but I’m excited for the challenge.  I really want to stick with it and I’ll update you as to how I’m doing along the way!

Just a side note:  In an effort to not be wasteful, I am saving what I  can of what I don’t eat.  I’m hoping that it will get less and less over time

Have a great day, everyone!

Are you able to judge your hunger and satiety levels?  Do you tend to leave food on your plate if you’re no longer hungry?