healthy

Thank you for all of your encouraging words on my big marathon announcement! Your support fuels me to push hard. Thanks! I couldn't be happier about signing up- especially now that I know Meghann and Julie are also running it!

So we're going to have to have a big blogger meet-up in Orlando around January 10th! Be ready for that!

Tonight I am meeting a friend for a romantic dinner at WHOLE FOODS!!!

Tomorrow I am taking an 8am Body Flow class before my 45 mile bike ride!!!

Sunday David comes home! He has been working in Kuwait for the whole month!

We have received some cool new glassware from:

Remember last October I signed up for a half-marathon out of the blue and then ran it?

Sitting here on my butt thinking about how much I love running I decided to sign up for the Disney Marathon January 10, 2010.

For your drinking pleasure.

cheers,

-dave

I was able to get in a 41-mile bike ride this morning. Today's ride was tough: I forgot my gloves, the wind was intense and my tires were way too low. Still, I pushed myself hard (!) and managed to finish at 16.2 mph. Next Saturday I'm planning on increasing that mileage even more :) I just love cycling!

Then my family( mom's side) got together for a nice indoor picnic. It was wonderful spending time with some of my favorite people. Happy Memorial Day!

Yesterday I set a new record on my bike. Last week I mentioned to David I was considering doing my first 40-mile bike ride- and he didn’t think I could do it! So I did 40.5 yesterday :)

My ride:

40.5 miles

16.9 mph average

around 2 hours 20 minutes (might be a few minutes off..)

approx. 1,900 calories burned (!!!!)

I did half on a local park's bike trail and half on a trail next to an expressway. It was nice having such different scenery throughout the ride. On my path I saw a deer, armadillos, turtles and birds of every color!

I love running and there will always be a special place in my heart for the feeling of my feet hitting the pavement. But cycling was a nice alternative with my shin splints. As it turns out, it’s completely addicting.

During my ride I thought of how biking is different from running. Here’s what I came up with from my personal experience:

-Biking is more expensive (umm, the bike- and upkeep)

- You can carry more things with ease on a bike

- Biking is tougher to prepare for (I had to break down my bike in my backseat)

- Biking is pretty much road bikes for road and mountain bikes for
rougher paths (with running you can take one pair of sneakers through many different environments)

- Biking will take you farther. The sights I saw on my 40 mile ride were beautiful and vast. With running I could see much less during one long run.

- Biking requires more equipment- helmet, goves, special shoes, etc.

- I think bikers are just as friendly as runners- instant connections

- Biking is easier on your body. My bad knee didn't start hurting until 2 hours into the ride- and I was pushing myself hard.

- I feel safer on my bike (riding away from something 20mph is pretty good)

- Biking is just as addicting as running!

Are you dedicated to more than one form of exercise? How do you balance it? Or do you prefer one main form of exercise?

ps- I tried the Vanilla Bean GU halfway through my ride. I didn’t think I’d enjoy it but it was awesome! Tasted like cake icing, really. I felt so much more energized immediately! I felt like I could go for 50 miles! I’ll definitely be buying more GU gels.

1. Thiriez Blonde 750ml (France)
2. Thiriez Amber 750ml (France)
3. Thiriez Extra 750ml (France)
4. De Molen Rasputin Imperial Stout 750ml-LIMITED QUANTITIES!!! (Netherlands)
5. Inveralmond Blackfriar 16oz (Scotland)
6. Inveralmond Lia Fail 16oz (Scotland)
7. Inveralmond Ossian Ale (Scotland)
8. Mikkeller Nelson Sauvin Single Hop IPA (Denmark/Belgium)
9. Handbryggiert Odin's Tipple (Norway)
10. Nogne-O Batch #100 (Norway)
11. Nogne-O Dark Horizon Batch #2 (Norway)
12. Nogne-O Dugges Sahti (Norway/Finnish style)
13. Nogne-O Sunturnbrew (Norway)
14. Ise Kadoya Triple Hop (Japan)
15. Ise Kadoya Stout (Japan)
16. Ise Kadoya Genmai Ale (Japan)
17. Baird Natsumikan Ale (Japan)

Keeping it international,

-dave

In all healthy ashley history I have never tasted a food and then written a review 5 minutes later.

But heaven-in-my-mouth Sabra is an exception.

I enjoy hummus, but it was always something I could take or leave. No biggie.

….until I tried my first taste of Sabra hummus 5 minutes ago!

Sabra is AMAZING!!

RICH

CREAMY (I mean really creamy! Luscious creamy!)

SOOOOOO TASTY

I wish I could reach through all your computer spoons and give you a big spoonful of this stuff. Not even kidding.

Sabra hummus definitely makes my list of foods I can’t live without. Seriously. I have tried many hummus brands, but none compare to this. I ate 1.5 servings straight from the spoon!!!

 

Do you do hummus? What is your favorite brand? Flavor?

No, everything is not perfect- there are plenty of sad and stressful things in my life. But this happiness has to do with my outlook and my actions.

Happiness really is a choice- but its more of a series of choices that bring that old saying to life.

In this post I am going to focus on the health/fitness aspect of happiness. Next to my spiritual relationship, my diet impacts me most.



1. Fall in love with exercise. I've been exercising more than normal. It's not because I'm trying to lose weight; it's because I've fallen in love with the thrill of a spin class, power of yoga and fun of routines at home. Now I plan workouts because they're exciting and leave me feeling great.

2. Customize. You already know to eat healthy and you have to eat less (to lose weight), so feel free to get a little sneaky in how you do it. I always crave something cool and sweet in after dinner- and I usually make a smoothie (too many calories when I'm not even hungry) to fill that craving. So most days I will eat my carbs in the morning and afternoon, tons of veggies for lunch, fruit for snacks and then a big hearty green-protein smoothie for dinner. I get dinner and dessert in one- and it is good for me! It tastes like I'm indulging!

3. Find your balance. I never thought I could lose weight without counting calories, but I have by remembering every meal counts and I need to strive for my perfect balance. It's a journey.

4. Flex your schedule. I've switched heavy dinner dates to lighter fare. Some dinner plans I've been able to switch to a craft project or activity (golfing, walking, biking, etc.). Don't miss out on life, but I think you can definitely make changes when possible.

5. Be happy. When I'm happy I want to treat myself better. A tip on how to get there next post.

*Lacey's comment reminded me of one powerful factor: sleep! Sleep definitely helps me feel better and happier. Thanks, Lacey!

Hello! Happy Sunday night!

Sunday is my favorite day. For me Sundays are about church, family and taking it easy.

Tonight I was exhausted and hungry- perfect reasons to hit up the Whole Foods bars as far as I am concerned!

I have been craving their tofu the whole weekend!

I got my typical salad with Kung Pao tofu, cilantro-pesto tofu and a gouda pasta salad. It is impossible to describe just how delicious this dinner was. 1.06 pounds of pure heaven, really.

The star of my salad is always these vegan bacon bits- Bac-Uns. They add so much flavor and crunch! Today I finally sought them out so I can make yummy salads with it at home!

BUY THIS. I guarantee you will be in love. Seriously.

While I enjoyed my lovely dinner I flipped through the pages of the free Tampa Bay Wellness Magazine. I was surprised how great this magazine was- especially for being free! The mag had tons of useful articles and interesting tips. (If you click on the link you should be able to read through the current issue.)

How was your weekend? DI you take it easy or spend it running around town? 

1. Hair of the Dog Blue Dot 22oz

2. Sierra Nevada Southern Hemisphere Harvest

3. Alaska White Ale 22oz.

NOTE: We will be open on Sunday, May 17 for Bay to Breakers 9am-9pm for all your boozing needs!!!

cheers,

dave

Remember that race I told you about? Here are some photos! Of course you don't see the deepest swamp water, narrow paths or obstacles, but you can see some of the fun!

New today at Healthy Spirits:

1. Deschutes Mirror Mirror-Barleywine aged 35% in oak.

2. Birrificio del Ducato Verdi Imperial Stout (with chili)

3. BFM Cuvee Alex Le Rouge 12oz

4. BFM Cuvee du 7eme 12oz.

5. BFM Cuvee du 8eme 12oz.

6. Old Danish Braggot

7. De Dolle Dulle Teve

8. De Dolle Bos Keun

9. JW Lees Harvest Ale 2005 (Sherry Barrel Aged)

Come and get it!

-dave

dave

Most people know watching TV can lead to higher weight.

"In a study of 26 to 36-year-olds, those watching more than three hours of TV daily were more likely to have excess waist fat than those watching an hour or less. Elsewhere, middle-aged adults who watched more than four hours of TV daily showed waists averaging over an inch larger than those watching less than two hours daily; their percent body fat and body mass index were also higher."

Sure, we know that. But this is what I found surprising:

"It’s easy to assume that the television-overweight link occurs when TV replaces physical activity. For many people, this does hold true. But even when TV doesn’t displace physical activity, research shows that we move around less and burn fewer calories when watching TV than when participating in other sedentary activities like playing board games, writing, reading or sewing."
Some nights I will get a good work out in, sit by the TV for a minute... and be sucked in for hours!

I do enjoy relaxing and watching my favorite shows (hello, Grey's!) once or twice a week, but some nights I waste on total crap! I'd rather spend my crap-TV-time on something more productive... like cooking or reading.

source

Last Friday I ran the Picnic Island Adventure Run here in Tampa. This race was definitely challenging as it was all so unfamiliar! I appreciated the change from a typical race (start, run, finish), but I wouldn't really call it a "race". It seemed like everyone was just working on getting to the finish line rather than beating the person in front of them. It was tough, dirty and fun- amazing! They are having the race again in June and then once more in July. I am going to try to make both :)

To give you a good description of how it went down I included the email I sent to David: