What helps me RUN...

Six weeks ago I thought running 3 miles was killing me...but now, since following a ten-week running program, I consider those miles almost relaxing. Yesterday I ran 11 miles, the most I've ever run in my life. Over the past 6 weeks...I've run a total of 105 miles. I never dreamt I'd be able to do that.

Of course, it's still winter where I live so I've been doing this on the treadmill. I expect that once I'm outdoors again, it will be harder, since you're dealing with hills and different terrain, but doing things a little a time really works. I'm not a hardcore runner like my brothers...I run for about 9 minutes and walk about 1 minute. I've tried the other way, where you just don't stop at all, but the prospect of running 2 solid hours does not sound appealing.

Here's what's been helping me...

• dates and dried apricots...I don't think I'd last long running without these. The intense sugars in them gives me quick energy. I usually have one bite of dried fruit per ten minutes and that really seems to work for me. I think Lara Bars or the new Pure bars would be fun to try, since they're all dried fruit too. Next time I think I'll try goji berries.


• coconut water...I don't get this all the time because it's pricey...but when I can, it sure is nice. I like to chill it overnight in the fridge so that when I run the next morning or afternoon it's refreshingly cold. The electrolytes in coconut water are simply amazing for your body during strenuous exercise. (a pinch of sea salt is really great to put in the water for sodium)


• Nikie Plus shoes...one of my big brothers bought me this pair of shoes when he noticed I went running in flip flops all the time...and they're truly amazing. There's a chip in your shoe that connects to your i-pod, so that it tracks your run...distance, time, and calories included. It's like a running coach for me.


• Water!!! And lots of it...yesterday I drank a whole Nalgene bottle's worth during my run...and afterwards all I wanted was more. It's really important to rehydrate your body after a you lose a lot of water.


• Comfy running pants...I've ran in jeans and that's just dumb. Not very comfy.


• Green Smoothies for a post-run meal.

Yesterday I made the most amazing green smoothie...I adapted it from Tim VanOrden's recipe.

Here it is....

Post Run Smoothie

1 banana

1 c. blueberries

1 tsp. organic, raw maca

1 tsp. blue manna flakes (helps adrenals recover) and a pinch of dulse (sodium)

1 TB. North Coast organic Hemp Protein Powder

1 TB. raw, organic pumpkin seeds

As much spinach as you can fit in your high-speed blender

3 ice cubes and some water to blend, as needed

BLEND, BLEND, and BLEND...it is absolutely delish!!

And I really recommend North Coast Naturals Hemp Protein powder...(here's a link where there's a sale on for it)

Hemp Protein Powder can supply any diet with a vegetarian source of essential fatty acids, antioxidants, vitamins, minerals, fibre, chlorophyll and a complete, balanced gluten-free source of the essential amino acids. Hope you give it a try...it's nice to refuel with a protein powder, but there aren't many powders that are really good quality. Raw Power, I hear, is also really good, but I have yet to try it.

Benefits:
100% certified organic hemp protein powder; absolutely zero non-organic powder present!
100% Vegan
50% protein which is 56% more protein than other hemp proteins, which contain only 32-37% protein.
Very rich in fibre (8g per serving) and high in EFAs, including GLA.
Derived from non-gmo, certified organic, THC free hemp seeds.
Derived from a cold press milling process, that does not use solvents or hexane.
Gluten Free, Wheat Free
Kosher Powder
Contains edestin and albumen proteins, which are similar in structure to the proteins that naturally occur in our bodies.

What helps you run?

Awww, thanks!

Paulina of Eating as Nature Intended, nominated me for the Kreativ Blogger Award, which was sweet of her. I love blogging, though I have been too busy lately to keep up with it...but now, I'm trying to be more regular with it.

Here's the rules: I share with you seven things that I love and then I nominate seven other bloggers for the honor.

1. I absolutely love, love, love trying new things and don't understand people who don't, it's the experience that's so magical, even it happens to be eating frog's legs (which, I've discovered, I do not like)

2. I adore drama and acting and hope to be in Christian film someday

3. I don't care how childish it is, but I adore swinging and will never stop, even at 99.

4. I love makeup and green masks and all those girly things...as long as they're natural

5. Heels are the most amazing things ever, but I don't wear them too often because then I tower over people..like, you know, a tower (I'm already 5' 11")

6. I love singing SO much, it's one of my most fave things to do!

7. People are really important to me...I love meeting new people and observing them

8. I love God so much and am thankful to Him for the amazing life He's given me...I always want to go through life grateful (oops! Is that eight, lol?!)

And I'm tagging...


1. Shannonmarie of Rawdorable
2. Tera and/or Amy of Raw Divas
3. Penni of Real Food Tulsa
4. Jayna of Raw Fit Mama
5. Kristen of Kristen's Raw
6. Heidi of HiHoRosie's Place
7. Heather of Adventures of a Raw Goddess

A Little Cleanup

A few days ago my stomach wasn't feeling top notch, so I decided my insides needed a good ole bath...so this week, for a couple days, I've been doing the Master Cleanse...finally breaking with some grapefruit and an orange...

It's amazing how two days without food makes you a very grateful person...I seem to take everything for granted sometimes, especially food, lol. Now a slice of orange is like heaven...

I even did a couple runs on my empty stomach and they weren't too bad, but I certainly didn't have the energy that I do when I have eaten something the night before.

Even though I don't really like "cleansing", the feeling afterwards always makes me want to do it again...you just feel better and it hypes your appreciation for food in general.

Stay grateful...

Dressing up the Greens

I'm always fanatically looking for new salad dressings to add to my repertoire, especially since I try to make greens a big thing in my lifestyle. Often I like just the simple, like a drizzle of olive or flax oil with some course sea salt and a squirt of fresh lemon...but sometimes, especially when I'm feeling really hungry, I like something more complex.

I was at a potluck yesterday and one of my friends, Lydia, brought a salad with the most lovely dressing...I liked it so much I asked her to send it to me so I could publish it on my blog. She's really into raw food and running too, so she's very inspring for me to chat with.

So here's the lovely recipe she dreamed up...

Lemon Poppy Seed Dressing

3 Tbsp White Balsamic Vinegar

2 cloves of garlic, minced

2 Tbsp Flax Seed Oil (you could also use/mix coconut and olive oil)

1/2 Lemon, juiced

1 tsp Lemon zest

1 tsp Tahini (I bet you could use Dijon mustard for a similar effect if you don't have Tahini)

1 Tbsp Raw Honey or Pure Maple Syrup

2 Tbsp Poppy Seeds

1/2 to 3/4 cup H2O

Dash of Sea Salt

Thoroughly blend garlic w/ balsamic vinegar. Add remaining ingredients. Add more honey, lemon, or vinegar to taste. If you find it entirely too tart, you could add a drop of liquid stevia. Note: given an hour, the dressing will cure moderately. Store in fridge.

And if you have any lovely, simple recipes you love to splash your salads with...drop a note in the comment box and tell me about it.

And I'm sorry I haven't been posting regularly for a while...it's not that I've been lazy, we've been having a crazy winter (with computer problems) and I've been longing to be more regular with the blogging...so I'm trying. :)

Keeping Accountable

I always used to have the idea that 3 meals a day and no snacking was the best idea for me...because, by my logic, I thought that by the time we'd eat our meals I'd be really hungry and ready to eat, so then I'd enjoy the food more.

Nope. Doesn't work for me anymore (and I wonder if it actually did). I've discovered what works best for me is small meals and snacks...about 2-3 snacks a day. Before, because I was so ravenously hungry I'd eat more than I would normally and not feel as nice...but now because I've had a snack a couple hours before, I'm not starved...therefore I eat the right amount of food at meal times.

This way I keep my metabolism revved all day, I feel good always, I'm never so weak I'm about to tip over, and it keeps my energy levels better.

I also like to keep myself accountable for how much water or herbal tea I drink, how much exercise I do, and what kind of foods I eat. I print out lists for myself off the computer (like the example below) and try to make sure by the end of the day I've eaten lots of healthy, raw foods, drank 8-10 glasses of water, and done something physical.

Here's today's (of what I've done so far):

Breakfast~ 1 glass of Ani Phyo's Cacao Banana Smoothie (check out her new site) *sniffles* today I ran out of my raw cacao nibs...sigh...I love that stuff

Snack~ None today

Lunch~ 1/2 cup steel-cut oats with cinnamon,1 tsp. raw honey, and 1 TB. grape nuts

Snack~ organic baby carrots

Dinner~ (not exactly sure yet, but I know there will be some delish Caesar salad)

Water~ OOOO (two green tea)

Fitness~ ran 4 miles

You can print out something similar to this on your own PC and then fill out what you've drank, eaten, or exercised during the day. I like making stuff like this fun with colored pencils and doodles...I'm the kind of person that needs to keep myself accountable to eat healthy and if you are too, then do something similar to this. I'm sort of an "organized" person so I even keep checklists of foods that I try to eat every day so I cover my grounds nutritionally (such as lots of leafy greens, a fruit or green smoothie, get my EFA's through raw oils like olive oil or avocado, ect).

Have fun!