I have been participating in some evening exercise classes recently which makes my dinner time later than the rest of the family’s.  I can’t very well eat a full meal and then go run or to an intense exercise class.  I found what works best for me is to fuel before hand with a gluten-free bagel & peanut butter or a NuGO Dark protein bar. 

After my workout is over my new favorite way to refuel is with a simple steak salad.  I pre-slice lean steak and marinate in Kraft Tuscan House Italian dressing.  When I get home I simply toss the steak slices into a saute pan for a few minutes per side while I make my salad. 

I could make this process even faster if I prepared the salad before I went to my class, so all I would have to do once I got home is cook the steak.  Some of the other goodies I like to include in my salad:

• avocado
• walnuts
• dried fruit (raisins)
• cucumber
• zucchini
• grape tomatoes
• radishes
• snow peas

How do you manage fueling around dinner time workouts? 

Don’t forget to enter the Daiya New Year’s Giveaway!

‘Tis the season to freeze our tails off while running in what feels like the frozen tundra!  BRR!  If you were cold outside last week while you were running, you will really be cold this week!  The temps are dipping into the single digits at night, making those early morning runs super cold. 

Over the past few years I have discovered the cold weather items that work best for me and continue to find new tricks.  In addition to using Hot Hands for my gloves, I tried using the foot version for my toes last year and they worked great!  It is important to note that I put these on top of my toes, not underneath. 

I have made another new, albeit expensive, solution to keeping my lower half warm while running – the Lululemon Toasty Tech Tight.  In addition to keep me plenty warm, these are some of the longest tights!  I am 5’7” tall and look how long they are:

Lots of cool designs and pockets:

More about the tights:

why we made this

When we’re toughing it out on our brisk morning runs, we want to be warm and cozy. Brushed on the inside, these Tech Fleece fabric tights have a soft flannel-like feel to help keep our legs toasty. Quick-access pockets hold our gels close so we don’t need to fish for our fuel.

key features

• brushed inside for a fluffy-soft touch
• high-stretch Tech Fleece fabric moves with you
• four easy-access pockets to store keys, gels and cash
• reflective detailing helps keep early birds bright
• high-rise for extra warmth and coverage

tech specs

• designed for: run
• fabric(s): Tech Fleece
• properties: moisture-wicking, preshrunk, chafe-resistant, four-way stretch, reflective
• rise: high
• leg fit: tight
• inseam: 30"
• hem sweep: 8"

(source)

When I first tried these on in the store I was concerned about the high waist.  Typically the tights I wear are low rise and these came up just to my belly button.  After speaking with a sales associate that shared my concerns about the pants, I was convinced to give them a try.  She said that the higher waist not only helps keep you warm, but the pants stay put and don’t sag.  That sales associate was exactly right!  Not only were these pants very toasty, but they stayed put!  No hiking up my pants mid-run!  I love these tights so much that I really would love to get a second pair! 

While we are on the topic of winter running, make sure to stay hydrated when you head out.  Even though you don’t feel like you are sweating, you still sweat and need to replace what you lose.  Water tends to freeze in hand-held water bottles, so consider switching things up with an electrolyte sports drink like Gatorade (all gluten-free). 

What do you do to stay warm when you exercise outside in the winter?

The Mighty Bagel

Happy New Year’s Day!!  Are you excited for the new year?  One thing I love about January 1st is doing a race to kick of the year and month with fitness!  Fun, right?  Another fun way to start the year off right is with a giveaway!  I recently had the opportunity to sample some of the new products offered by Daiya Foods and am pleased to tell you that I am able to give 5 lucky readers each $30 worth of coupons!

The new Daiya products are wedges in three different varieties:

Cheddar style – Filtered water, tapioca flour, palm fruit oil, non-GMO expeller pressed canola and/or pressed safflower oil, pea protein, coconut oil, salt, inactive yeast, vegetable glycerin, xanthan gum, vegan natural flavours, gum arabic, lactic acid (vegan, for flavor), annatto, titanium dioxide (a naturally occurring mineral), natural smoke flavour, vegan enzyme.

Jack style -Filtered water, tapioca flour, palm fruit oil, non-GMO expeller pressed canola and/or safflower oil, pea protein, coconut oil, inactive yeast, salt, vegetable glycerin, xanthan gum, vegan natural flavours, gum arabic, lactic acid (vegan, for flavor),titanium dioxide (a naturally occurring mineral), natural smoke flavour, vegan enzyme.

Havarti style – Filtered water, tapioca flour, palm fruit oil, non-GMO expeller pressed canola and/or safflower oil, pea protein, coconut oil, salt, inactive yeast, vegetable glycerin, xanthan gum, gum arabic, garlic, lactic acid (vegan, for flavor), vegan natural flavours, titanium dioxide (a naturally occurring mineral), spices, natural smoke flavour, vegan enzyme.

The “cheese” slices and melts just like the real thing!  I thoroughly enjoyed all three varieties on various sandwiches, burgers and potatoes.  I really like the cheddar on a thick, juicy bison burger!

We also enjoy the Daiya Mozzarella Style Shreds on pizza (our Mellow Mushroom serves their gluten-free, vegan pizza with Daiya).

Now for the fun part!  All you have to do to enter the giveaway is follow the instructions in the Rafflecopter box below. Continue reading →