Disney 5K Day!

Hello Everybody!!
I arose bright and early (err...dark and early) at 5AM to prepare for the Disney World Up and Away 5k race through Epcot. We had to be in the parking lot NO LATER than 6:15AM, so it was a very early morning. I am not one to exercise on an empty stomach, so I made sure to wake up especially early for a bowl of power oats (aka org instant oatmeal with flax, chia, a small spoonfull of PB, and 1/2 graham) and a BIG cup of coffee. Here is the whole group in the parking lot before it began. My Aunt Pam and her two daughters hit up the Nike Outlet the day before and got matching outfits to run in. Too cute.
It was chilly this morning to be sure, but not nearly as unpleasant as the weatherman is expecting the 1/2 and full marathon forecast to be. I feel bad for the runners :(, such a downer.
Even though I have no action shots of the actual run, I did snap a shot of my motivator that I wrote on the board at the Expo yesterday. With that in mind I ran a 31:30 5k!!!! Even better is that I was able to run the whole thing with only 1 walking stop. That is a significant improvement from my last 5k at school where I walked a good portion. (That's a little over a 10:00 min mile btw) :) I am very proud of myself.
On top of that success, my mom completed her race in 42:00 mins!!! Such a proud daughter today!!! (the time in the background is not accurate because there were so many people, they did not start the race at 0:00, so they timed themselves)
(That is Aunt Pam btw, and she is the shit, and one of the most serious power walkers I know.)
Here is my mom and I after the race with our commemorative medals. :) Cheesy and perfect, just like Disney.
We ate a FOUL breakfast at IHOP of all freaking places after, and I made sure to take pics, just to remind myself next time I think it is okay to agree to a place like that.
This is their BAD attempt at an egg white veggie omelet and whole-grain blueberry pancakes. All I can say is that I am sorry that shit ever went into my body. GROSS.

This afternoon, all I wanted to do was go back to the Expo because they have so many fun fitness booths with so many fun things to look at! It's like all the coolest fitness gear in one room. I DIE. (yes, I watch the Rachel Zoe Project sometimes, don't you judge me). I only got to shop a little on the day we picked up our packets because there were so many people it was like being in a sardine can. I never actually made it back. I actually drove over there today and it was EVEN MORE CROWDED, so I just took it as a sign that I was not supposed to drop even more money.
But, the day before we did get our race packets, bibs, FREE T-SHIRTS, and a cute baggie to boot! I looovee free shit!

Our headbands were such a hit! Everyone asked where they could find some :)

I honestly cannot believe this Disney trip has come to an end so quickly. I look forward to this trip the entire year, and even put a widget reminder on my dashboard to count down the days! It is a bittersweet farewell to my bffile Cat, as my mom and I are off to Pittsburgh tomorrow bright and early to visit my sister for a couple of days, and then I am moving to D.C. for the semester! AH!!!
I am too fortunate and oh so grateful! I mean, Trader Joe's within walking distance for a whole semester, what could be better?!?!
Question for y'all, what is your favorite grocery store and why? I love grocery stores and if I could, I would move in to a Whole Foods. Such a happy, healthy place!

"The Way to get started is to quit talking and begin doing"~Walt Disney

Hello everyone!!!
I hope everyone's day had just a little (Disney) magic in it! Mine definitely did! We covered three parks in one day, which makes me tired to just think about, let alone actually walking it all. But it was really just preparation for the Disney Up and Away 5k on Friday! It is actually called the "family fun run," but I choose to make it a race to beat my time from the previous 5k I did last semester.
So here's some interesting news, it is COLD in Florida. But we will not be defeated. With coffee in hand we braved the weather, in cute headbands none the less :). (which, in all honestly, is relatively warm compared to Syracuse standards)
Today, I am changing up my writing/pic style because I want to share some of my battles with food while simultaneously showing y'all the fun that we had today! Kind of random subjects, but just go with me here....
I have struggled with my eating habits for as long as I can remember. My main problem has always been portion control and giving up once I think I have "messed up" the day's eating.
I lead a relatively active lifestyle, and genuinely enjoy working out, so letting my eating habits get the best of me has hindered my ability to see true results from my time in the gym. (best shirt ever! it says "I'm a drinker with a running problem")
Last December, I got my act together somewhat after reaching a number I never thought I would see on the scale. I was devastated, and motivated. I lost about 20-25 lbs over the course of 6 months and have maintained the loss since then. My physical appearance, although important, is not the end all be all for me. Personally, I want to achieve a higher level of fitness and nutrition, which in my mind is equated with losing a little more weight. What all of this leads to is the shift that I have noticed within myself lately that I want to share with you all. Since I began eating mostly organic, vegetarian, and fresh foods I have noticed that my cravings have subsided significantly.
(this monstrous turkey leg party I did NOT partake in FYI).
Today, I had a small success story that I wanted to share. I have been coming to Disney World for as long as I can remember (or as my mother says: "the minute you were out of diapers and could walk!") Disney is such a happy place where things likes portion control and mindful eating often take a back seat to the buzz and excitement of the theme parks.
Today I was tempted multiple times by the sweet treats I so willingly indulged in during previous trips.

But instead of reaching for food I was neither craving nor needing, I remained aware of what my body NEEDED as opposed to what it WANTED. As a result, I was able to turn down the junk food, eat a normal dinner, a small dessert, and enjoy the company I was with and the amazing atmosphere I am privileged enough to enjoy.

The amazing thing was, once I overcame the craving, I recognized that my body deserves to be fed properly, and that today was a small step toward my overall fitness and nutrition goals.
Sorry for the rant, but this was something that has been on my mind for a while now. I have found so much comfort in reading other people's blogs, that I thought sharing some of my own experiences could help someone else in the same way I was helped. I have learned so much, but what has stuck with me the most is the idea that I need to fuel my body not feed it. I try to think of this every time I make a food choice.
But I am not in Disney to be serious all the time, and I am sooo enjoying this vaca...if you couldn't tell...

And tomorrow is going to be even better! It is my favorite part of the trip...the health and fitness expo at Disney's Wide World of Sports! We are picking up our race information plus so much more which I promise to document!

I know this post is very intermingled, but I am curious to know if anyone has made significant changes to their overall diet or fitness regime because of something they read online? If so, what was it and how did you change?

~Jenn

"Fresh Crunchies for Healthy Munchies"

Hey Everyone!
How are all of you!? Disney is FREEZING but that is not stopping us! We have powered through Busch Gardens, Downtown Disney, and 3 sets of outlets in the past couple of days and have big plans for Disney World theme-park hopping tomorrow. I have built a beautiful wardrobe for my professional life in DC that is rapidly approaching (can't wait!)
The highlight of today was a new restaurant we scoped out for lunch called Sweet Tomatoes. I am sure some of you have tried this before, but it was my first experience and I loved it there!!! So many fresh vegetables!!
I have been craving some fresh veggies since we left Little Rock, and this plate definitely hit the spot! Do you see the size of that plate? I cleaned it without hesitation. My favorite veggie of the day was the peeled butternut squash...So YUM!

Then I found the soup bar. And y'all know it the Lentil's were screaming "Eat Me!" soooo I did! Here's what the label said: Vegetarian options! WHOOP! ...and here's the close up of the NOM eats...

Paired with a whole wheat biscuit, which I would not necessary classify part of a "solution" since they contain fatty buttermilk, but it was just as delicious as I anticipated! ... It legit melts in your mouth like "buttah," In all it was a perfect lunch!
In other news, I FINALLY got a book I have been wanting to read for a long time called "Too Big To Fail" which explains what really happened in the financial crisis of 2009. It's 600 pages, so its a good thing I have lots of car time coming up to get through it. I expect jaw-dropping tidbits to be revealed and the corrupt relationship between the federal government and the banks to be explained in plain terms that I can actually comprehend. We'll see how it goes.
Just as a small point of information, this is what the author, Andrew Sorkin, looks like.
Just wanted to make sure we were all aware. :)
I'm off to bed! Big day tomorrow and plenty of reading (i.e. dreaming of Andrew Sorkin) to do.
TaTa
~Jenn

Disney Day 2!

Hey Everyone!
So its the end of our second day of vaca and we have yet to see so much as Mickey's ear. That's right, we have not actually gone to Disney World yet because there is just so much to do in Orlando! I woke up really early (8:30 :)) because I was tossing and turning all night. Sleep was just not happening for me. I jumped into my new workout gear (shout out to Champion and Under Armour!) and jogged myself right to the dreadmill because it was a wee bit chilly for my precious lungs. I ended up running 3.2 miles and walking at a steep incline the other .80. Not to bad...I wanted to practice a 5k since I will be participating in the Disney Family Fun Run next week. I am super excited for it, the race will be my 2nd 5k EVER! I really want to train for some longer races once I get settled in DC.
I made some oats once I got back to our villa (I brought the fixin's from Little Rock) and hopped in the shower. Everyone else was running a little slow this morning, so I took the car to another set of outlet stores to explore the Luluemon store. I heard of this brand from some people I follow on twitter and was super excited to check it out. Overall, I loveeeeedddd there clothes and would have been more than happy to buy everything in the store, but even at outlet prices it was out of my college kid budget. So I left empty handed, and swung back to the villa to pick up my mom and Cat for a late lunch at Chipotle!
I found it via Urbanspoon (thank you iphone!) because it said that they provided cheap vegetarian options. Sold.
I ordered a vegetarian burrito with a light serving of rice, black beans, grilled onions and green peppers, corn, fresh tomato salsa, lettuce, and a heaping portion of guacamole. It was baller. And filling.
We then proceeded to the Florida Mall, aka the most crowded place in the WHOLE world! But we had a mission...to find Cat the ring of her dreams. She knew what she wanted and we were on a hunt! I actually broke a sweat, but it happened! And look at how happy she is!!!

And there she is swiping that credit card like its no big thing! Love my kitten Cat and her shopping habits!
We scooted from the mall, picked up some grocery's at Publix where I found the most foul snack I have seen in a long time.

Who feed's themselves or their children this junk? I much prefer a wholesome Lara bar, which I ate half of while shopping.
It kept me full until dinner, which was leftovers following our splurge at the Cheesecake Factory. I ate the rest of my salmon, with a plate of organic, stone ground, whole wheat pita, and two chopped carrots with HUMMUS (NOM!)

Post-din we did a mini-yoga sesh to help stretch out our muscles from a long day of walking.

I got my headstand! (I am aware I look like a dolphin because my legs are not straight, but I was up, and that is what matters!)...
And then I flipped over...good thing the couch was there because I don't know if my bod can bend like that yet!

We're laying low tonight, introducing my mother to the greatness that is The Hangover, and are getting up early to go to Busch Gardens! I can't wait!
~Jenn

And We're Off!!

Hello Everyone!
I hope you all had a wonderful new years! Mine was very restful, I stayed in and watched Dorm Life on Hulu and celebrated eastern time with my parents. We're just cute like that, 11:00 is just late enough for them :). My mom and I left bright and early at 6:30AM on January 1st for Disney World! We made it in 1 day! UNBELIEVABLE! I only took one picture the whole way down... This is my precious mom, she turns old lady when forced to drive in the dark. I thought she looked like a grandma driving, so I snapped a shot.
We arrived really late last night, and crashed at a quality in for $65 bucks because we are classy like that ;). For the record, I made a HUGE dent in the food bag I packed, and I was not feeling so hot by the time we got here. I passed out immediately. We woke up around 9, scooped my friend Cat from the airport who flew in to meet us, and headed off for lunch at a chain called Bahama Breeze. I wanted to eat lighter today, so I split this yummy appetizer which had lump crab meat, fresh (?) shrimp, with a mango avocado salsa. I Love Avocado so I was sold.
Here we are at the restaurant lookin' a little rough from all the travel. I also had a mediocre house salad. Post lunch, we went to some outlets (which are my JAM) and shopped, shopped, shopped until we dropped. I decided before coming down here that my Christmas present to myself would be some new workout gear, and today I delivered.I purchased two new sports bras, a yoga top, and a pair of running capris! I am waking up early tomorrow to test out some of my new gear by going on a run!
Once we became actual people again, (read:showered) we went to the Cheesecake Factory for dinner. I shared some white bean hummus with Cat (you should get to know that face, because I love her) and we thought it was divine! Can't you tell?
I followed this up with a classic healthy meal, grilled salmon and 2 portions of broccoli instead of potatoes. I NEED MY GREENS, YA KNOW! I only ate half of the salmon, because there is no way that is a healthy portion size, look at it!
Cut to me being a huggggge hypocrite because I ordered the most amazing dessert. It was a peppermint chip cheesecake and it was like eating heaven. I just could not deny my taste buds that satisfaction. NOMMMMM. To be fair I shared (some) of it, and also tasted a red velvet cheesecake that was pretty good too. Not organic, not healthy, by yummy.
We still have not decided what the game plan is for tomorrow, but I do know that some form of exercise is first on my list. (and prolly some oats for bfast too!)
Night Night from the happiest place on Earth!
~Jenn