Gotta exercise the debit card
Hey everyone! How was your weekend?
Mine was successful.
Ashley, Jeni and I made a road trip to Jacksonville yesterday for a little shopping action:
I brought a smoothie for the drive and a ‘taster’ for them to try 😀
That sludge had frozen banana, fresh pineapple, spinach, water (out of coconut water), Vega smoothie infusion, sea salt, vanilla extract, Stevia and cinnamon.
By the time we got there, we decided to fuel up for our shopping extravaganza at the CHEESECAKE FACTORY.
We started with some of the best wheat-y bread I’ve had a restaurant:
(I always take the end piece)
And I ordered the vegetable chopped salad, with goat cheese instead of cheddar, add grilled salmon instead of chicken and balsamic on the side.
That was an APPETIZER salad.. and I took the pic after I gave about 1/3 of the salmon to Jeni and Ashley to try (because that was way too much for me). Portion sizes are seriously outta control.
The salad was GLORIOUS. It had roasted beets, cucumbers, asparagus, apples, edamame, tomatoes and greens. Dayum good.
The best part about the meal….
You can’t go to Cheesecake Factory without getting cheesecake 😀
The girls and I shared that piece of Red Velvet cake cheesecake (their new flavor) and well, it rocked my face off.
Complete with food babies, we were ready to shop it up and spent the entire day at St John’s Town Center. We were pretty much exhausted when we were done (and did some impressive damage) and grabbed a snack before hitting the road.
The girls got pretzels and Jeni and I shared this veggie sandwich on Ezekiel (no cheese) from Healthy Way Cafe
I won’t get cheese on my sandwiches or salads, but you can bet your booty I’ll eat cheese when it’s in cheesecake 😉 It’s a different kind, right? Haha.
I’m not sure if I’m going to post my purchases yet (I went a little buck wild) but I will tell you I’m beyond excited about this little gem:
I haven’t written about this on the blog yet, but my IT band has been messing with me for the last month or so. I know it’s because I’ve been teaching 3 aerobics classes in one day (which is too much when they’re the hardcore cardio classes I instruct) and have been looking for ways to help the pain. The part that bothers me is the upper part of the IT band, where it connects to the hip. After teaching for a couple of days, it’s TIGHT (not in the “cool” way) and hurts to touch it. I’m very lucky to have two physical therapists, one massage therapist and a few marathon runners in my circle of friends who were talking to me about ways to avoid symptoms and they recommended that I get a foam roller.
I spent some quality time with that bad boy last night and my hip is feeling muuuuuuch better. I’m also thankful that I don’t have 3-a-day aerobics classes in August- the max I teach in one day is two, which isn’t bad at all.
Does anyone else have IT band issues?? Any tips would be so appreciated 😀
Well I’m off to catch up on your blogs, as I’ve been MIA from the blogworld for the past 24 hours (the scandal!!!).
See ya for lunch!
xoxo,
G
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First off, that red velvet cheesecake looks amazing! I got red velvet cake at Tasti D-lite yesterday, but it was nothing like the real thing!
I'm sorry that your IT band has been bothering you… I've never used a foam roller but it seems to work so well for everyone.
Gina, I found the new larabars when I was in Nashville this weekend! I shrieked in the middle of Whole Foods (boyf was not surprised) when I saw them and lets just say that I got a case discount. No shortage of larabars here. 🙂
If you would like some, just let me know and I'll email you for your address– I'd be happy to send some your way!
I have never had a good piece of red velvet cake and seriously want to try that!
Oohh, I hear ya on the IT band. I bought a foam roller for mine too and it's been really helpful! It hurts SO good 😛 I find rolling out all the other muscles in my leg helps ease up the IT too. Oh, and lots and lots of pigeon pose 🙂
So glad you had a fun trip. Cheesecake factory is awesome but you are SO right- their portions are out of control huge! Yummy dessert!!!!!! Glad you got some good stuff while shopping. Sorry to hear about the IT band issues- that stuff is NO fun.
Hi Gina so sorry about your IT band troubles. I am a yoga teacher and when I push myself a little too much sometimes I can injure myself, too. I know it hard to rest so in the meantime, stretching it, your new massager thingey you bought, and maybe some topical or homeopathic arnica, or increase your zinc intake. Both are great natural ways to help in healing. Also Vitamins E, C, and cod liver oil promote healing.
Congrats on the successful new shopping trip!
I have a new blog and hope you come by to see it someday when you have a moment…you have helped to inspire me.
http://loveveggiesandyoga.blogspot.com/
Fun shopping trip! I agree on the cheese rule 😀
That salad looks amazing! I want one!!!
Fabulous shopping trip!
I LOVE Jacksonville! We went to the Gator Bowl there a couple years ago and just fell in love with the city! Looks like a successful shopping trip 😉 I just got a foam roller, too, since I've been way tight lately. I haven't broken it out yet but I totally will soon! I need it!
Hi Gina! I a. In physical therapy right now for IT band pain but mine is on the distal end of the IT band near my knee. Strengthening of your quads, bum, and hip muscles will help with the pain. Using the foam roller should help too! If you want I can email you the exercises my doctor and physical therapist are having me do. Just let me know! I hope your pain subsides!
Oh yes, I have IT band issues 🙁 Aside from foam rolling after (most) every exercise session, I also suggest taking a few ibuprofen to help with inflammation and icing periodically, maybe every other day. This is what my physical therapist suggested for me.
P.S. If foam rolling hurts like a mofo, you are doing it right.
What timing! I am dealing with an IT band issue too. I just ran my first 1/2 marathon and I was fine. I took 3 days off and my first run of 30 minutes seemed to flare it up. I have a foam roller and I have the same issue with the pain in my hip and even sometimes down around my knee.
If you get more details I hope you post them!!!!
I love the St. JOhns Town Center! I always go when we visit my inlaws 🙂
The red velvet cheesecake looks amazing!!
I've heard a lot about this new Red Velvet cheese cake at a Cheesecake Factory. I'll have to go there next time I'm in Jax. I <3 SJTC though!
Seriously I'm like scared to go to Cheesecake Factory because of the portions and choices. That salad looks great though and the cake looks to die for!
I've never actually eaten at The Cheesecake Factory haha I just get cheesecake and call it a day 😉 So unbalanced, I know!
Your shopping trip makes me so proud – you showed the mall who's boss!
I have HORRID ITBs so I'll send you my stretches.
Lots of awesome goodies you got there!!! Glad you had a fun day shopping! I am a shopper… but um… kind of need some money to do that… 🙁
That cheesecake looks SO good!!! It's only 9:30 am here and I think I'd gobble that up right now 🙂
Well, a lot of people come into the clinic to get acupuncture for their IT band troubles. So we give them acupuncture, usually some Tui Na (a penetrating, tonfiying kind of massage) and send them off with the recommendation to use one of these foam rollers on the ground and recently our supervisor has also been recommending a stretch where you hook one ankle over the other while standing and lean against the wall in the direction of the underneath-ankle, I think. (maybe just try different ankle crossings and leanings and see which one gets you a stretch–you have to start far enough away from the wall that you're almost catching yourself with your straight arm out when you go to lean.)
that cheesecake looks amazing! glad you girls had fun shopping it up 🙂
I love you missy!! And your salmon dinners!! I guess I felt like I had to shout my lovin and respect right now, because I feel like I haven't been logged into the blog world all weekend! It was kinda like hey-lo! Damn, fitnessista! I miss that lady! So yes, I love youuuuu!
So glad you got some retail therapy in.
I hope your IT band feels better ASAP.
Adore youuuuuuuuu!
~GC
Very cool–looks like a fun trip, Gina 🙂
That cheesecake looks AMAZING.
The foam roller was the best $20 I ever spent. You won't regret it!
Mmm that cheesecake (and bread and salad!) looks divine!! I love the St. John's Town Center! I was just by there on Friday for my SIL's graduation. 🙂
BTW, got the cookbook from Sarma! Thanks again for hosting the giveaway, love!
Ahhhh!!! I love this supa girly post! One of my fave things to do in Cinci is go to Kenwood mall with MamaJ, shop around and eat tons of salad and bread at Cheesecake Factory! Oh how I miss that!
So, I really want to see the loot! I'm sure it's all amazing and fabby.
I hope your IT band feels better this month! Have a lovely start to the week! 🙂
Hi Gina,
Yikes, IT band issues are the worst! Ok, not really, it is actually quite common and if caught early, very easy to treat–but it is still annoying. I think the roller is the BEST for stretching the band. Roll, roll, and roll some more. I've also started to ice my IT problem area every day (for me it is at the outside of the knee). I've also started to strengthen my glutes doing yoga/pilates exercises. I think this helps a lot and has prevented further injuries (especially leg raises in downward facing dog and warrior 3). Best of luck!!!!!
laura- that's awesome you found them! if i can't find any in tucson this weekend, i might have to take you up on that offer 😀
thanks to everyone for the IT help 😀
Mmmmm . . . Cheesecake Factory is so good. Dangerous, but good! 😉
And I've wanted to try foam rolling.I've heard so much good stuff about it.
Hey Gina! I suffered with a strained IT band all through tennis season in the spring. Stretching helped A LOT. (however mine was where my knee is, on the side and I had never stretched much before that) basically mine came from running on uneven ground and doing the elliptical. I stayed away from that for two weeks and haven't had problems since!
I went to the Cheesecake Factory a couple weeks ago, and I have to agree that the wheat bread is amazing.
Hey Gina!
Your shopping trip sounds like it was a ton of fun – yay for that!
I haven't personally had IT band issues (knock on wood) but a lot of runners in my club have and they swear by the foam rollers – I hope it helps!!
Have a great Monday!
I've seen those foam rollers. They look interesting. I was thinking about getting one, but not for any pain. just for the fun of it. haha, that sounds weird. Sorry I don't have any advice on the IT band, but I would imagine, it would be painful. Here is a good site you might want to visit. Very basic, but might pinpoint why your IT and is bothering you.
http://www.rice.edu/~jenky/sports/itband.v2.html
Ooooh shopping! yay! I had a successful shopping day on friday too 🙂 I love me some TJ max 🙂 I had no idea cheesecake factory had good menu items! I always skip that place because I figure there are few healthy choices, but good to know about the salmon salad!
I have that same foam roller 🙂 I loveeee it!
I was thinking of getting my spin certification! And I know you have yours. Any advice/tips would be great 🙂 thanks girl!
Just wanted to say thanks for getting me addicted to food blogs! Yours was the very first one I read and I am now starting my own…slowly but surely….stay tuned……www.chocolatepickle.wordpress.com!:) Keep doing an awesome job!
The Cheesecake factory portions are HUGE, I agree! I have never had the red velvet cheesecake, but wow, it looks amazing. I don't know if I could control myself around something like that!!!
You should post your purchases!!! It would be fun to see!
your massage therapist and other trainers are right, the roller is a GREAT idea. by using your own body weight it insures that its not to much or to little pressure. i am an MT and worked on athletes with this problem a lot. have somebody (while you are laying on your side) lift and rotate your leg while (with their other hand) massaging in tight circles on your upper hip. only for about a min at a time thats all you need. that sandwich looked really good. i have only tried ezekial tortillas so far, i should branch out?
As a marathon runner I'm pretty experienced w/ IT band problems. I've never used a foam roller, but instead a nalgene bottle and it works so well if you don't have a roller. I've also heard a softball works too. Also if you run on a road make sure you switch up running on the right and left because roads are usually slightly bowed and running 50 miles a week on a road that is slightly uneven can really aggravate it. I know it breaks the rules of running on the road (always supposed to run against traffic) but oh well. I hope your hip feels better! My pain is always worse in my hip than in my knee and it's no fun!
oh, if only i could shop for fun, and not just necessity anymore…aahhhhhh…so jealous. 😛
and that cheesecake looks divine!
Wow that cheesecake looks incredible!! I wish we had a Cheesecake Factory where I live!
You should totally show us all the goodies you got yesterday! 🙂 You work hard girl so you totally deserve to exercise that debit card!!
Holy yum, that salad and cheesecake look incredible! I love it when restuarants put asparagus in salads:)
I hope the roller improves your IT band issues!!!
I am so glad I stumbled across your blog! I too am a big city girl and lived in Valdosta for 5 long years. And this post of yours about heading to Jacksonville to shop made me laugh. We used to do the same thing, drive to Jax or Tallahassee just to get in some good shopping! I knew that picture of your shopping bags could not be from the Valdosta Mall! LOL!
oh…my…gosh… i want that slice of cheesecake. i LOVE red velvet cake, and i love cream cheese frosting, and i love white chocolate…omg. must have!
-muffy
i went credit card crazy the other day too…why is it that once the floodgates open i go wild? oh well, we are helping the economy right?
i want a foam roller!
I love seeing your shopping purchases– you have good taste!
I've been using Vega in smoothies as well, what do you think of it?
If you ever need additional smoothie ideas, check out my new blog The Blender Diaries. Hopefully you'll enjoy the recipes!
my heart hurts for both the girls 🙁 so hard to lose a pup
that salmon and red velvet cake look AMAZING!
GLAD THE FOAM ROLLING IS HELPING!
wowsa, fabulous time with the girls! glad the rolling is helping 🙂
Mmmm Cheesecake Factory is awesome!! I LOVE their lettuce wraps. And actually, I've NEVER gotten a slice of cheesecake there! Shameful, I know! I'll have to next time.
I'm so sorry about your IT band 🙁 I know what it's like to have problems and be sidelined. I really don't have much advice for that specific injury, just to TAKE IT EASY and back off ASAP before you make it worse!! Hope it heals quickly for you!
I LOVE FOAM ROLLERS!!! good luck with the IT band issues 🙁 and yay for shopping sprees! i'm planning one tomorrow!