New Fruit!

My coworker took a trip to the Asian market over the weekend and brought me new fruits! I tried an Asian pear and this awesomely strange lychee. Yum!

In other news, I look like an alien holding an alien baby egg! Creepy McCreeperson!

Run Run Run

Making my future race plans when I should be working!

Adventures in #Unprocessed Salad Dressing

Umm ok so I'm not ready to let go of my ranch dressing. And I'm a little worried about the calories involved in using oil as dressing. I'll definitely have to put more thought into this than originally anticipated. I did, however, stumble upon this here "formula for an unprocessed super aweosme salad dressing" on the Eating Rules site:

• 3 parts high-quality oil – extra virgin olive oil, hemp seed oil, flax seed oil, pumpkin seed oil – get creative! Think outside the olive oil box.
• 1 part something acidic – vinegar, lemon, lime
• A dash of salt and fresh ground pepper
• Some fresh or dried herbs if you’re feeling fancy

At one time in my life I did used to stir up some EVOO, ACV and lemon with Italian seasoning and use it on salad and pasta and I loved it, so this will definitely be my starting point...if I ever get myself psyched up enough to ditch the ranch! **insert anxious face**

October Unprocessed 2012

I took the pledge! But with an asterisk. I wish I would have known about this sooner so that I could've prepared for it, but I'm not going to let the last minuteness of it keep me from doing it at all. So here's my amended pledge:

"I pledge to be more aware of the processed products that I consume and to identify the unprocessed alternative."

I'm skimming my MyFitnessPal log and here's a tentative list of the stuff I eat on a regular basis that I need to give the boot:

• Fat Free Ranch
• Sugar Free French Vanilla Creamer
• Low Fat Creamy Jif Peanut Butter
• 2% Kraft American Cheese
• Johnsonville Smoked Turkey Sausage LInks
• Whey Protein Powder

Not as bad as I thought it would be! I think I'll start with replacing my ranch dressing and work my way down the list.

If you'd like to read more about "October #Unprocessed" visit Albert Wilder's "Eating Rules" blog.

Thoughts on Running

• I love seeing other runners while I'm out. I always smile and wave. The ones I see out often I even think about when I don't run. The ones I don't see out often, I think about too.
• I care if they wave back. 
• I wonder what kind of run they're having. 
• Somewhere in between 7-13 minutes I hit my stride. Everything kind of stands still. It's like meditating. I hope to be able to stay in that place all the time someday.
• I try to plan my runs for distance, hills, etc. I always hate those runs.
•  I love the ones where I just wing it and take a new route, go out at a different time, listen to some new music. That's when it's really fun and I feel alive!  
• I love my hydration belt (even though it cost a bazillion dollars).
• I have no interest in learning about running. I just want to keep doing it.
• I'd like to try running early in the morning before the sun comes up.
• Running is the only time that I get where I'm truly alone.
• I usually have several moments of clarity during a run. I forget them the minute my high comes down. 
• Sometimes, I pretend that the trees and grass and squirrels and birds and dogs and bushes are all cheering me on. 
• Even more weird, I sometimes pretend that I've stopped running and the universe is carrying me. (But I really just still be running though.) =/
• It's super awesome running with a group because of the collective energy. Harness and use it!
• I ache to GTFU from my desk and run while I'm at work. If I didn't sweat like it was the end of the world I would try to sneak in a light jog on my lunch break.
• I love even the runs I hate.
• I run because it's something that I never thought I could do. Who knew all I had to do was do it?! 

Stinky Workout Clothes (womp womp)

Ewe! My workout clothes smell like hot sweaty sour ass even fresh out of the wash! I'm going to have to start washing them separately and I came across some tips to try:

• Soak clothes in detergent and lemon juice
• Spray with vinegar before throwing in the wash
• Use sport formulated detergent (yeah didn't know this existed)

Thanks Google!

10/5/12 UPDATE:

I filled the washer with a little detergent, fresh lemon juice and a cup of vinegar and soaked my clothes overnight (by accident! I honestly just forgot about them!) and they came out not smelling like shit! I've started adding a little vinegar to every load I wash. Woop! 

Meatless Monday

I'm not an official "Meatless Monday"er, but I gave dinner a shot today! Freaking delicious. Even though I made the fried rice with brown rice, carbs still make me VERY nervous so as yummy as this dish was, I'm not sure it will be making another appearance anytime soon. Hello and goodbye.