November 2008

Double the Thanksgiving, double the fun

by Fitnessista on November 29, 2008

in breakfast,dessert,Dinner,holiday,lunch,races,snack,vacation,workout

Hey everyone! Happy BLACK FRIDAY (one of my favorite days of the entire year)

I hope you all had a safe and very happy Thanksgiving!!!

Mine started with the Turkey 5k and I grabbed a banana to eat on the way, after oversleeping!

We arrived and it was pouring!!! I never run in the rain! To top it off, it wasn’t a normal 5k– IT WAS AN OBSTACLE COURSE! No joke. Thanksgiving morning, I ran a 5k obstacle course in the rain. We had to run through small rivers (we were knee deep in water- 4 TIMES!), up hills, jump over hay stacks and water trenches, ALL IN THE MUD AND RAIN. Needless to say, I couldn’t run this race for speed (since I would have eaten mud from slipping!), and finished in 27:01. My nana got some pretty fun action shots (which I’ll post when I can get them off her camera) and it was a crazy way to start the day!

When I got home, I was hungry but didn’t want to overdo it on breakfast because a wise guy once told me "having breakfast on Thanksgiving is like sprinting 10 miles to warm up for a marathon"

So I had a toast with TJ strawberry spread and a honey Chobizzle:

Then it was time to start cooking!!!

I made my Auntie’s incredible creamy spinach:

Sweet potato casserole: (this pic was taken before I put it in the oven)

And my favorite part of the meal: 100% whole wheat stuffing with apples, cranberries and raisins. Healthy carby delight

After making these dishes, I got ready to go to my aunt’s on the dadoo’s side of the family for Thanksgiving #1.

*Warning: Supreme acts of indulgence ahead

There was a cranberry, graham cracker and cool whip (said like Stewie from Family Guy… "cool hoo-ipp"), cranberry apple walnut salad, sweet potato casserole, ham:

Mashed potato, turkey, stuffing:

Here’s my Sprimpsgiving plate:

Shrimp, both cranberry salads, sweet potatoes, corn and stuffing! YUMMMMM

For dessert, there was chocolate flan cake, chocolate cake, pumpkin pie, and blueberry cheesecake:

Pecan pie, cherry pie, another pumpkin pie and a coconut chocolate cake:

ALL of the desserts (except for the pie in the box) were homemade which made it soooo hard to decide!!! Also, my nana and aunt are caterers, so I know everything will be delicious….

After much debate, I decided on chocolate cake and chocolate flan cake:

After chillin with the fam most of the afternoon, we went to my uncle on the madre’s side of the family for Thanksgiving #2:

Everything on my plate, I had made It felt so nice to contribute to Thanksgiving this year! Usually, I just peel potatoes

Sweet potato casserole, 100% whole wheat stuffing, cranberry sauce sweetened with honey and pineapple, and creamy spinach:

And the annual slice of pumpkin pie: (I only eat the filling, and Bella ate the crust for me)

After dinner, we watched The Santa Clause and I drifted off into a food-induced slumber

This morning, I really wanted to go to spin class, but my calves were painin’ big time from yesterday’s 5k obstacle course. I decided to take it as my recovery day, and burn some mad calories shopping instead!

I wasn’t hungry AT ALL when I woke up, but made some b-fast to hold me over for our day of shopping:

Pumpkin oats with 1/2 banana:

We hit up all of the sales and shopped for 11 hours. I like to think I did Black Friday proud

I needed a short soy sugarfree cinnamon dolce latte to perk me up midday… I was dragging!

(my brother’s hand, not mine)

We also tried a mesquite flour cookie that I picked up at one of our many health food store stops:

When we finally got home, I was starving at made a hodge podge late lunch of butternut squash soup, 2 egg whites with salsa and a little spinach and stuffing:

For dessert, a date:

(Behind it is one of my many World Market purchases: new wall sconce)

Since I ate such a late lunch, I wasn’t too hungry for dinner, so I had some of my favorite butternut squash fries with Annie’s ketchup:

All of my purchases are packed up, but I’ll definitely post them when I get back to V-town tomorrow.

This trip has gone by sooooo quickly, but it’s been a BLASTY!

I apologize for my lack of blog reading and commenting lately, but I can’t wait to catch up on your lovely blogs when I get home! Thanks SO VERY MUCH for continuing to read mine! YOU’RE THE BEST <3

Have a wonderful night- I’m off to finish packing!

xoxo,

{ 29 comments }

Merengue, Mexican and a Musical

by Fitnessista on November 27, 2008

in Uncategorized

Hey! Happy almost-shrimpsgiving

This morning, I wanted something light before the gym, so I grabbed an almond butter date and half a nanner with AB:

The plan was to warm up and do weights for 45 minutes before spin class. I got on the stairmaster to warm up, and saw that an aerobics class was about to begin. After scoping it out for a second since it wasn’t on the aerobics schedule, I decided to stick to the original plan and stay on the stairmaster. That is, until the teacher walked into the room wearing a pink Zumba hoodie (which I must purchase ASAP, but totally besides the point). You can bet I jumped off the stairmaster and went in there to ZUMBA!!!! I was able to take the class for 35 minutes before going to spin… and it was so much fun!!! Starting the day with my two favorite kinds of cardio isn’t too shabby at all, eh?

When I got home, I was RAVENOUS but had to grab something quick since I had a dentist appt.

Holiday Clif:

After reading the fabulous Jenn at Eating Bender‘s review of this flavor, I was stoked to try it. I agree with her 100%— it was absolutely fantastic

I went to the dentist (and the hygenist hacked at my teeth and made my mouth hurt so badly), then nana and I went to one of the best Mexican places in Tucson para comer un lonchi muy delicioso.

I ordered a side order of a green tamale (which came out covered in tomatillo sauce –yum!– and white cheese –blech– that I scraped off)

When I’m in Valdosta, I miss tamales with all of my heart and make sure to live it up when I come to AZ!

Also, a side of beans with no cheese (and the server assured me that they are 100% meat-free)

See the green salsa? It rocks my face off

Lunch was so tasty, so satisfying, and when I got home, I crawled onto the leather recliner and took a proper siesta

Then, we went to the incredible Gaslight Theatre to see their Christmas show.

If you are ever in Tucson, make sure that you see a show at the Gaslight!!! It’s a local theatre and they do melodrama musicals, where the audience cheers for the good guy, boos for the bad guy–the cast is always insanely talented and the shows are so much fun.

Here’s what the theatre looks like from the inside:

(It’s two stories, but we were on the 1st floor)

Another awesome thing about it– it’s attached to a 50s style diner and they serve FOOD!

And there’s popcorn:

A good friend of mine is a regular cast member and was so sweet to get a table for my nana, mom, lil bro and I. THANK YOU , CHARLIE

After the show, my brother and I played tourist a little and took pics in front of the theatre:

Then the insane process of getting Thanksgiving groceries took place. Grocery shopping today was a HORRIBLE idea– everywhere was a zoo of people throwing hams and turkeys into their carts and fighting over the last sweet potatoes. Insane.

At TJs, I picked up a tuna lunch to eat for dinner (albacore tuny, kalamata olives, sundried tomatoes, green beans and chickpeas) and ate it on top of baby greens with a little Goddess dressing:

I finished off what was left in the package with my baby Mickey fork:

Then, the madre and I blasted some Gipsy Kings and started cooking for tomorrow. (Salsa dancing was optional, but we did it anyway, of course)

I made some cranberry sauce with orange zest and sweetened with crushed pineapple and honey instead of sugar:

I’m also making the sweet potato crumble casserole (healthy), whole wheat stuffing with apples, raisins, and cranberries (healthy) and my Auntie’s creamy spinach (not healthy but so delicious I don’t even care– tomorrow’s a definite treat day, anyway!).

As I’m sure many of you will be doing, I’ll be taking the day off blogging tomorrow, since I’ll be spending half of turkey day with my dad’s fam and half with the madres. I’m also running a 5k in the morning

Have a wonderful, happy, memorable and SAFE Thanksgiving <3 See ya on Friday (BLACK FRIDAY! YES!) with my Thanksgiving eats, the comments I owe all of you (!), and my purchases from the awesome sales.

Night,

{ 25 comments }

My puppy is studious

November 26, 2008

Hi! Two days until Shrimpsgiving! Whoo hoo! This morning, I had a piece of whole wheat bread from TJs and a little AB and Strawberry spread before hitting up the g-y-m I did a little sumthin I like to call cross cardio- you switch cardio machines 3-4 times during your workout to challenge different muscles [...]

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If you can’t freeze it, "shake" it

November 25, 2008

Hey hey hey! Hope you’ve had a wonderful day! I’m posting a little late today because I was on a mission to buy an ice cream maker for the madre. More to follow… This morning, I had a nanner with AB before hitting up the gym: And a cup of coffee with Stevia: (I looooooooove [...]

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Juicyfruit never tasted so good

November 24, 2008

Hellooooooo! How’s your Sunday been?? Mine has been bueno It was 78 degrees here today!! AMAZING I woke up super early –I’m still on Georgia time– and made some multigrain oats with 1/2 cup oats, 1 tbs almond butter and a small banana (I always eat with baby utensils at the madre’s) Next, I went [...]

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Back in the desert again

November 23, 2008

Hey everyone! How are you? Hope your weekend is going well I’m so happy to be back in Tucson!!!! After a super long flight with Bella, it feels so nice to be back home. This morning, I had an Apple Pie Larabar: Next, the madre and I went to TRADER JOES! I missed TJ’s with [...]

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Peace out, V-town

November 21, 2008

*Cue beginning of Usher’s "Yeah"* (feeling a little old school) How are you all?? IT’S FRIDAY! And I’m all packed up (finally…): fastest blog post EVER since I have to leave for the airport in 10 minutes! Ay ay ay! I woke up early to a giant breakfast cookie: Ran 4 miles and walked .5 [...]

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I could eat Indian food all the live long day

November 20, 2008

Hey everyone! It’s THURSDAY! One wake-up until FRIIIIDAY when I am on a plane on the way to Tucson! AHHHH! I’m just so excited First: Homemade fruit roll-ups that I made in the dehydrator to send to the pilot! Strawberry banana I think he’ll like them Some people have asked what brand my dehydrator is- [...]