Eating with friends

I have gotten to share two lovely meals with friends in the past two days! Yesterday I went to Thai food and ordered the Red Curry with Chicken. It came with bamboo shoots, baby corn and basil leaves and was served with white rice. I enjoyed it, but I should have stuck to their Green Curry that is absolutely phenomenal! (Sorry-no picture. We were talking about some pretty serious things and spent a good four hours talking!)

Today though, I enjoyed the "Psychedelic Burger" from a local restaurant called Fuel and Fuddle.

(Image source)

The burger is a grilled portabella mushroom and cheese burger, where you can taste the delicious chargrilled-ness of the burger. :) It was served with lettuce and tomatoes, and a mix of sweet potato and regular potato fries. Although for an additional 50 cents I could get all sweet potato fries, which is what I opted for, of course. There's just something spectacular about sweet potatoes in French fry form! And here it is in all its glory (I promise the burger is in there!):

(Image source)

Anyway, it is so delightful for me to have meals with friends. I feel like this is exactly what I was talking about in my previous post which is that food is SO MUCH more enjoyable in the company of good friends, rather than alone which is how I spent much of the past 7 years preferring to eat. I feel that nothing strengthens friendships more than eating together. And I hope to share many MANY more meals with people I love.

Where's the last place you went out to eat at? What's your favorite thing on your favorite restaurant's menu?

A strange, wonderful phenomenon

So something I've noticed in my eating habits lately. I don't obsess over food as much as I used to. Let me clarify that statement, and explain why I think that's a good thing. You see, I've already talked about my anorexia and my disordered eating that followed for many years after that. Even after recovery, I was still self-destructing in that I was limiting amount of fat or calories or whatever. And recently, even though I've been securely recovered, I've still been working out a lot (including training for and completing a marathon) and so food has been of great importance to me. Now, I'm definitely not saying that it's no longer important, because it is, obviously and I still love many kinds of (real) food.

BUT...

The nice thing is that recently I have noticed that food is...just food. And by that I mean that I've still enjoyed food (especially when eating with friends, which is in stark contrast to how it was with my ED) but it's no longer something that I obsess about. I mean, I still like to cook (mainly to have good food around) and obviously I still appreciate nutrient-dense food for what it does for my body and energy levels, but there are many other things in life that bring me more joy than eating does (and it never used to be that way.) This is not to say that I don't still get a little panicked when I'm really hungry (I do, and I think that's my body's response to the anorexia of a long time ago) or that I would try to eat less on purpose for any reason (because I absolutely would not do that.)

But my hunger signals have been more normal than ever. My hypoglycemia is better controlled than it has ever been. I have started eating more meat (from free range and organic farms) and I have noticed that this really makes me feel so much better. And between adding meat back to my diet, and the fairly high fat level that has been a mainstay in my diet for the past several years, I'm doing great! It is so refreshing to finish a meal and be DONE, rather than trying not to go pick at other food throughout the day. (I still eat way more than just three meals a day, but am more satisfied after each one.)

I think this is all to say that this seems like the end of the last ED-related symptom (for which I'm incredibly grateful!) and it's been eight years since I was first diagnosed. So if there is anyone reading this with an ED, I encourage you to hold on and keep fighting for true health! You don't have to be utterly obsessed with food for the rest of your life, as long as you are willing to honor your body and truly give it what it needs (including fat and protein and enough calories) and accept that your set point might be higher than you want it to be. The mental and emotional freedom that comes with not being obsessed with food 24/7 is so incredibly worth it!!

KLUTZ!!

In an extreme demonstration of grace and sure-footedness, I totally face planted while running yesterday! I have NO IDEA how it happened. I think I may have misjudged a curb. But come on...I just ran a FULL marathon! And while out on a 4 mile jog around the neighborhood, I end up falling and cracking my knee open in the process!! Granted, it was dusk, but it was still utterly humiliating, as I was running across a street so there were a bunch of cars stopped at the red light. And --PLOP-- just like that, I was down! Remember, I used to be a gymnast!! I DON'T FALL. I can't remember the last time I fell, save for some black ice two winters ago. And my knee was bleeding enough that a RANDOM STRANGER in a car pulled over and asked if I was OK because he and his friends saw the blood. (I had to walk about 1.5 miles back to my car!) And then, when I thought things couldn't get any more embarrassing, I somehow mistook the stranger in the car for a close friend (he looked freaking identical!) and was pretty confused for a few moments. They probably thought I was some drunk slob, when really I was just out for a run! Geez.

Wanna see it?





WARNING: blood and general yuckiness. Skip the rest of this post if you're queasy.






LAST WARNING.






OK, here it is in all its glory:

Yeah, nice right?! (Notice the New Balance Minimus shoes! I ran the entire marathon in these! Excellent!)

And this is what I finally got it cleaned up to, after picking out the gravel and washing it:


Kind of swollen, and still oozing some sort of clear liquid (what is it?!?!) but it will heal soon enough. My pride however?! That will take a lot longer to heal.

By the way, you totally have permission to laugh at me; I am too! :D

Be well. Don't face plant. (<--- New slogan?! Lol!)

Please share your clumsiest moment! Any funny running stories? Other funny klutz stories?! My knee awaits company! :)

Marathon sponsors?

Sooo, I have a tiny problem on my hands. I officially ADORED the Pittsburgh Marathon and I am itching to sign up for another FULL marathon...SOON!

But they are so dang freaking expensive!!

Even the "cheap" ones are around $75, running up to $100 or more. Just for the entry fee! Not including the gas to drive there (not that big of a deal) and the motel room! I realized today that I'd have to pay for two nights at a hotel because well, I'd be somewhere around mile 19 when check out time rolled around!

Crap.

So this is my official announcement that hopefully falls into awesome hands via the power of the interwebz. I need a marathon sponsor. Badly. Hey, I could take pictures of and review the course and the four people who read my blog could learn ALL about it! What's not to love?! Seriously, we could be a dream match! Email me at: dietsbite@gmail.com. That's my real address.

Or, more realistically, I could just start saving money and pay for the damn thing myself.

Have you run any marathons or half marathons? Which ones do you love? Which ones have you heard good things about?

Thanks. I'm going to go back to drooling over Columbus Marathon, Marine Corps Marathon (sold out! the nerve of it!), Grand Rapids Marathon (helloooo, visit to my sister as well as having moral support on course), Akron Marathon, Air Force Marathon, and Philadelphia Marathon.

And maybe cry in the corner a little bit in jealousy of all who are running in them.

I DID IT!!

I ran the Pittsburgh Marathon in 5 hours, 14 minutes, and about 30 seconds!! I AM THRILLED!! I almost started crying as I crossed the finish line! It was truly an exhilaration like nothing I've ever experienced!

It is so strange to think that something I worked so hard for is over! These past 5 months were hard. I was juggling working, taking an Intermediate Algebra class (that was study-intensive!) and still making the time to train for the marathon. I turned down many social hangouts in order to run or study or sleep. And it was all worth it!! I can't help but compare the marathon to real life: sometimes like around mile 18 it just seems so hard and hopeless, but you just have to keep going. You can't give up just because you don't feel like doing anymore. And for me specifically, I am hoping my career change will bring the same sense of satisfaction. I am NOT giving up on it, even though it's hard and may appear foolish to many people. (I am "wasting" so much time and money on classes!)

I am almost unsore and I am ITCHING to sign up for another marathon! Right now running seems like the small beacon of hope in my currently semi-depressing life. Not to be all Debbie-downer, but I am extremely discontented with my life. Of course, that's why I'm working to change that, but it will be several years before I've even completed the pre-requisites. And I'm hoping that running marathons and half marathons will provide me things to look forward to and to break up the monotony of every day life. This is another reason I run.

Have a great Wednesday! And tell me:

What's the hardest thing you've accomplished in your life? And what thing are you the most proud of?

Why I Run

Why do I run?

It's a question I think about a lot. Almost every day, really. I run because it's hard for me. Every single mile I complete is a challenge both physically and mentally. Without fail, I'm usually ready to stop running after about 1/2 mile. But there is a kind and determined voice inside of me that says "Keep trying. You can do it. Don't give up." And this is extremely significant because for the first 23 years of my life, that same voice was a malicious, self-loathing one that only told me multiple times each day how ugly, fat, stupid and worthless I was. Where the change happened, I'm not exactly sure. Yes, it was definitely after the several year struggle with anorexia, then bulimia, along with chewing and spitting, binge eating, and restriction for years. But after I was recovered from harmful eating habits, I was still plagued by just-as-harmful thoughts toward myself and others. I hated myself and my body this time not because of what I weighed, but because of the fact that I "couldn't" run. I directed my self-hate to getting better at running. Although I did improve at running, my mentality was still extremely punishing and I only drove myself to shin splints and a stress fracture. It looked good on the surface ("Running is healthy!") but I was still tearing myself apart emotionally.

To be quite honest, I don't know exactly the moment where the change happened. But I suspect it happened after I realized I was running myself into the ground, not based on 100 mile weeks, but on my attitude. It likely happened when I realized I literally drove my boyfriend away from me due to this new, slightly more creative form of disordered eating/mentality. It definitely happened when I renewed my promise to be kind to myself, in part due to the wonderful fitness blogs out there. (healthytippingpoint.com, operationbeautiful.com, ohsheglows.com, among others.) And it happened when I realized that harming myself and making running an idol is a sin. And it happened in so many little things. It happened when I accomplished my goal of running a 5K without any walking breaks. And when I was forced to take last summer off because standing, much less running hurt so much due to the stress fracture. Ironically it happened when I had some "WTF are you doing?" moments while running. And it happened when I heard "I Run for Life" by Melissa Etheridge.

In other words, I now run because it makes my soul happy. Running keeps me healthy, physically and more importantly, mentally. Running forces me to be kind to myself, especially if I am to complete my goal of the Pittsburgh Marathon this Sunday! Running gives me an outlet for stress relief and provides me something that I can be proud of in my life. Every single time I complete one more mile, I am thankful for who running has helped me become. I consider it a blessing that it was and still is hard for me, because I never take it for granted. I want to inspire others to be kind to themselves, whether it is through running, or nutritious eating, or learning to voice their opinions, or learning that it's OK to say no, or that it's not selfish to get all nine hours of sleep that your body may require. I run because I can and I want to.

And that's why I'm running 26.2 this Sunday!

Be kind to yourselves!

The perfect egg sandwich

Yay, time for food pictures! I've been on an egg and cheese sandwich for...months now! Seriously, the combinations are endless as too what kind of cheese to use, on what type of bread, spinach or arugula, and spices to put on the eggs! Which of course has given me the oh-so-perfect excuse to try a bunch of different cheeses from Whole Foods and my local grocery store (they actually have a good selection!) Here are a few I've tried:

(Ignore the price per pound! I actually didn't know it was that much! Oh well; it's delicious! It has a coffee crust --brilliant!-- and lavender in it! Talk about gourmet...best thing about buying food for only one person is that I doesn't get that expensive overall. And by the way, this cheese is SOOOO flavorful! Almost too spicy/sharp but in a good way. I don't know how to describe it better than that!)

And another kind:


Also very tasty!

So the perfect egg sandwich "recipe" is:

1) Cook an egg stove top with whatever spices you want. I'm partial to garlic pepper, cumin, curry powder, and/or dried basil.

2) Put ketchup (organic obviously) on the bread/english muffin/whatever, along with your vegetable of choice. I use spinach and/or arugula and AVOCADO when I have it!!, but sliced tomato would probably be good as would sauteed kale/collard greens/chard.

3) Flip the egg over, add cheese of choice, turn heat down and let it finish cooking + let the cheese melt.

4) Transfer the egg to the sandwich and enjoy!

This is what the finished product looks like:


Or this:

Yeah, they're that good. (That's the coffee crusted cheese above!)

Other eats included two turkey burgers (on different days!). I got the pre-made ones from Whole Foods and this one included sun dried tomatoes and gorgonzola cheese. Somehow I trust meat from Whole Foods way more than I do from any other store. And honestly, I'm trying to get myself to eat -a little- more meat (health/nutrition reasons-I honestly believe we are omnivores and meat is a good source of so many nutrients!), so this was a good way to do it.


My trusty arugula again, and sweet potato fries on the side! YUM. This was my immediate post-22 miler run food!

Followed by these:

And this mixed into a bottle of water:

Later I ate a package of my favorite frozen veggies:


And most recently, I've been enjoying hugely decadent bowls of oat bran!

This was also after running 22 miles--I can eat whatever I want! :) And it's actually pretty healthy! This is strawberries with P B and hazelnut butter and a few raisins and chocolate chips. Totally nutritious...but there may or may not have been moaning while eating this! :)

And this bowl is toned down a bit, but still delicious! Same two kinds of nut butter, and SO DELICIOUS coconut milk ice cream! I'm going to patent that idea or adding it to oat bran. But in the mean time, you're welcome to steal my idea!

Well, off to teach! While I'm gone, let me know

What meals/creations are you currently loving?

Long run: done

I completed that 22 mile last long run this past Thursday! I'm not going to lie...it hurt and I'm pretty nervous about the full marathon. Oh, and I run SLOWLY...and take lots of walking breaks. But I did it and I'm confident that I can at least complete the marathon, which is my only goal!

Anyway, time to study. More food pictures to come!

Blessed and Happy Easter to All!

This is what a bad run looks like

So, I'm still training for the Pittsburgh marathon. The whole thing! As in 26.2 miles.

I'm not sure why I thought it was a good idea when I signed up, but the Runner's World Quote of the Day today was something to the effect of "Running a marathon gives average runners the chance to be more than average." And I liked it! It's certainly true! I am a sllllow runner, I never ran in high school or growing up, I take lots of walking breaks and it's still hard for me, but dammit I'm out there and doing it.

Anyway, I am planning to do my last long training run off 22 miles this Thursday. Holy crap...22 miles?!? But, I've completed one 18 mile training run, and also a half marathon. (2:25:xx in absolutely wretched conditions...4 hours of sleep, legs were sore from gymnastics, and it was 20 degrees outside. Oh, and I got lost on the way back to my car and ended up walking another 3 to 4 miles to find the darn thing.) Anyway, after that, unfortunately I had to take the past two weeks off due to some strange but intense pain in the bottom of my foot. It feels better now (*knock on wood*) and I've done 2 short runs in the past week.

Today, I ran four miles and am taking tomorrow and Wednesday off. (For me, running every day or even every other day isn't really an option...just not how my body works.) Anyway, the point of this post is to list all the ways in which today's run sucked and how I can learn from it to help other runs (coughThursday22milercough) be better. Or you could also consider this your list of things NOT to do before a run:

1) Sleep only 6-7 hours a night for the week before. Especially when you know your body requires 9-10.

2) Unintentionally eat way too little food the day before. (Stupid work-related busyness.)

3) Wear clothing that you realized was too warm for conditions, thus allowing major dehydration by the end of said 4 miles. Hello swollen fingers. Not good.

4) This is totally TMI but I really needed to poop by the end. Uhh, yeah.

OK, got it. I'm going to REALLY try to sleep a lot this week! And obviously keep eating like I normally do (read: a lot). Yesterday really was just an off day but I was surprised by how much it affected me today.

And now, back to studying Algebra. If you're the praying type, please pray for me on Thursday. I'm honestly a little scared of the distance but I want to do this so badly.

Classes, rain, life, blahblahblah

It's a rainy, gloomy day here. I'm trying to study, but too tired to be very productive. And I'm playing a symphony concert tonight. It's the last one I'll be playing for a long time most likely, as I'm stepping down from it in order to concentrate on teaching (which pays way better!) and my classes!! I am now registered for Sociology 101 for the first summer session. (I can't believe I never took that in undergrad! I did about a bazillion other General Ed classes, but somehow that slipped through the cracks.) And for the second summer session I'm taking Biology 1. (The real one, for science majors as opposed to the wussy Biology class I took as a music major!) It's going to be like 8-3pm Mondays and Wednesdays, but then it will be done. I'm grateful for community colleges that allow me to do all the pre-reqs I'm going to need! But unfortunately, I was looking at said pre-reqs list and I will be taking classes for a long time. I am determined to keep working for it though. No one said it would be easy, but I have a really strong feeling that it will be worth it.

In other news, I've been trying to cook more. I mean like actually cook, not just keep throwing together random (albeit delicious) bachelorette style meals for one. So I tried making Indian butter chicken and it turned out great! I eat very little meat, but I think my body actually prefers it, so I bought some organic chicken breasts (about a pound) and used a spice packet, butter and water to cook. If I can do it, anyone can!


Served over quinoa (by far my favorite grain or pseudo-grain!) with sauteed greens. And Magic Hat beer, obviously.

I should study for the next hour. Darn it.

Update

I haven't updated my blog in forever, but I'm continuing to follow the healthy living blog world and I actually do want to be a part of it, despite my failure to maintain this. Anyway, an update is in order. Life has gotten marginally better since my last post. En route to becoming a registered dietician, I've taken Introduction to Computers, Pre-Algebra, and Intro to Nutrition, and am currently taking Intermediate Algebra. Math is so not my strong suite. But this is the last math class I'll have to take, hopefully ever! I'm looking over my schedule on-line and trying not to get discouraged over how long it will take me to even complete the one year post-baccalaureate program, in addition to the 2 year masters. But I want this for me. And I want this for those that I will be able to help in the future. It's frustrating to be paying out of picket for all my classes, but I'm trying to take it slow and steady.

Anyway, this was a quick update as I'm so sick. Yesterday I had a fever that topped out at 102.2 and although thankfully it's down to about 99.2, I still don't feel good. No energy and my head still really hurts. The worst part of all is that I can't taste anything!! :( This is terrible for a foodie, like myself! I've been trying to get LOTS of fluids in me and also to eat somewhere close to enough calories. I made this for myself and finished the box between yesterday and today:

Thank goodness for Annie's Mac and Cheese! Other than that, I've had a few bowls of oatmeal with PB and berries, a pumelo grapefruit, an orange, and a slice of toast with PB. IN TWO DAYS. Obviously this is nowhere near enough calories, but I'm trying. Every bite hurts. :( Fluids have included a crap ton of water, 2 glasses of greens powder with water and about 6 big mugs of fruit tea.

I had to cancel all my work for today. Gosh, I hope I'm better tomorrow!