IIN Health Coach {in training}

I am soooo late posting this, but it's been on my mind for at least 3+ months.

Back in June sometime, I enrolled at The Institute for Integrative Nutrition's July 2013 class. IIN’s year long, comprehensive curriculum covers over 100 dietary theories and combines counseling techniques with real-world business training. Its unique nutrition philosophy takes a holistic approach to wellness and encourages students to consider relationships, work, exercise, and spirituality as essential to building good health.

IIN's mission: 

Our mission is to play a crucial role in improving health and happiness, and through that process, create a ripple effect that transforms the world.

By June of 2014 (once I pass all my tests and graduation requirements), I will be a certified health coach! There are so many things that have brought me to wanting this. There's no possible way I could cover them all (plus you'd get bored, I'm sure) so I'll just review what I feel are a few the top reasons that lead me not just to  enrolling but having this burning desire to join the health and wellness industry in attempts to change myself as well as many others.

• I want to become a more health conscious person. I am my first client. If you know me at all, you likely know that I'm the pickiest person. Ever. I know I need to eat vegetables and do better for myself, but for whatever reason, it's been a battle. I've been doing SO much better in the past few years (if you don't believe me, go back and read my posts from 2009 talking about what I was eating vs. my posts about what my meals are like now).
• I have worked in the health & wellness industry a little bit the last few years and I see a huge disconnect on what these "professionals" are preaching to their clients vs. what they are actually doing in their own lives. Some of what they are telling their clients is so far off base, I cannot comprehend how on earth they deem what they're saying as acceptable. It's apparent to me that the education they are verbalizing is straight from a Google search and not from any proper schooling. 
• I feel constantly surrounded by unhealthy people. Some of these people KNOW what they should do to help themselves, and they just don't do it. Some literally just don't know that what they're doing is bad for them and the long term negative effects it has on not only them, but the rest of their family and their own lives. 
• I want to gain understanding as to why I often feel tired and sick. I know for at least 98% certainty that it has to do with my diet, but what exactly is the culprit?
• I want to be able to help those closest to me, achieve optimal health. I already have a lot of friends and family come to me for advice and with questions and I'm so excited to finally be able to have real, educated answers for them!
• I want to be known as an educated professional and not just someone with strong opinions from personal experience. Completion of this school is going to be such an accomplishment for me!

One of the things that I love so much about this school, that I hadn't even considered a part of my health prior to enrolling, is that they teach what they call "primary foods". It's everything that feeds you in life, but doesn't come on a plate. We wrap it up in four categories: Relationship, Spirituality, Career, and Exercise.

I cannot begin to tell you how much happier I feel since having started this program. Really evaluating each aspect of my life, and working to create a balance in each area. I am working daily on my happiness, and it feels so good to see how effortless it can actually be! I feel confident in saying, that this very moment is the happiest I think I have ever been. Of course, I still have areas of my life which I wish to improve, but I'm taking the steps to get there and know it will happen eventually. 

I've been brainstorming a lot about what I want my "niche" to be and I have a lot of really great ideas, but that will have to wait for a later post since I still haven't decided for 100% just yet. Thankfully I still have about 6 more months before I need to lock that down :)

Thank you so much, for taking the time to read through this post and learning more about what I've been doing the past few months. Please feel free to comment or contact me directly if you have any questions you want to ask! I hope you have a very happy and healthy day!

xoxoxoxo

- Abbey 

Happy 3 year anniversary to me and NYC!

Ho. Ly. Shit.
I have lived in New York City for exactly three years (plus a few days now). Is anyone else as shocked and surprised as I am?! Not to say that I thought I'd have left by now (maybe some of you thought I would have. Ha! Joke's on you!) I just can't believe that it's already been three years.

Time has absolutely flown by. If I'm being perfectly honest, it feels more like 5 years.
Let's recap a bit and relive some of my "for better or for worse" New York City moments...

Number of neighborhoods I lived in: 5
Number of roommates I've lived with (total): 11*/12 if you count Beefcake ;)*not including the entire Brownings staff for the summer of '11 & '12
Number of jobs I've had: 4
Number of best friends I've made who have moved back home: 4 (sad face)
Number of times I've been mugged: 0 (yay! go me! not all my friends can say the same...)
Number of celebrities I've seen: 20+ (I think I'm forgetting about a few)

I know it's kind of silly, but each year, I like to do something to celebrate the anniversary. My first year, I went out with some of my teammates to 123 Burgers Shots Beers, it was all very last minute, thrown together, but a fun evening none the less. Last year, for my second anniversary, I was "living" in Southampton working for the gym. I don't even remember if I did anything, but I don't think I did. Something about not actually being in the city... it didn't feel right.
But this year, I wanted to make sure that the occasion was celebrated. And it seemed only fitting to spend it with the person who has been in on this crazy journey with me since day 1, my great friend from high school and old roommate, Alaina. About 9 months to a year before my feet landed on the streets of NYC, I called Alaina and said something like "I know in high school, you talked a lot about wanting to move to NYC... Do you think you'd still wanna do that? Yes? Great. Let's go!"

It also seemed to make the most sense to spend this day with one of the greatest friends I have had the honor of making since I moved here, and her supremely amazing husband, Tanya and Danny. Tanya and I met through "ladies who brunch" meetup and have been best friends ever since.

I asked them all to meet me in Central Park's Sheep's Meadow and that I'd be there with pizza from my favorite pizza joint and champagne. We spent the afternoon indulging in said goodies along with the fresh meats and cheeses, cheesecake and berries that my "party guests" brought with them. Before it was time to part ways, I ended up hopping on Danny's bike for my first official bike ride in NYC! (yes, I own my own bike, but I've never ridden it IN the city)
After letting all of the food settle and a quick catnap I decided to get off my lazy butt and get in a sunset run, even though I had come to terms with taking a rest day.

And I'm so happy I did. It ended up being a beautiful run and I got to explore new areas of Riverside Park that I'd never been to before!

All in all I'd say that my 3rd NYC anniversary was a success.
Thank you to everyone that I've met here who have helped write a piece of each page of this crazy story. I've been told that NYC has a notorious "three year itch" so I'm eager to see what the next year brings along and what will happen for me in the next three years.

Pssssst! Did you notice that my blog got a little face lift? It's still currently under construction, but will become more and more solidified in the coming year. I now have TABS! You can browse through even more parts of my life by clicking on each of them. Definitely take a look at the "health coach" tab in the near future as that tab will surely see some significant growth :D

If you build it, he will come

In light of recent events, I have decided to take a bit of a risk and put online, in public, for all the world to see, what I'm looking for in a man.  Call it my "field of dreams" list, if you will. In no particular order these are the things I hope to find in the man of my dreams someday-

• Not a night owl *doesn't need to be an early riser like me, but I don't want to be with someone who regularly sleeps until noon
• Wants kids someday (preferably at least 3) *I'm not in a rush, but I need to know it's not off the table
• Artistic/creative *even if he just likes to build/fix things around the house... that's hot. 
• Sensitive *I'm not looking for a cry baby, but I need someone that can express their feelings
• Athletic/physically fit *I don't have a rock body, and don't expect my mate to either, but I do enjoy working out and would love to find someone that would enjoy staying in shape together
• Funny 
• Doesn't hate cats *I mean, Beefcake isn't going anywhere anytime soon... 
• Not a heavy drinker/party-er
• Non-smoker (weed or tobacco) 
• Drug free 
• Romantic
• Good communicator 
• Affectionate *I'm 100% for PDA and have learned from past relationships how incredibly important this is to me
• Enjoys traveling
• Has goals and ambitions *they don't need to be the same as mine, as long as he has them!
• Likes my cooking
• Has good manners
• Has his own circle of friends *I don't want to be the only person he ever hangs out with, and vice versa
• 5'9" or taller *sorry I'm not sorry for having this on my list
• Likes to cuddle *along with the PDA, I've realized this is something I don't think I could live without!

Now listen, I'm sure if I had written this list 10 or even 5 years ago, I'd probably be on the floor laughing about what was on my list. So this is just a list of current wants. I expect that in the future my wants and needs will change as I change, and there's nothing wrong with that. If we didn't grow and change, what a sad world this would be! Now come on Mr. Right! I'm ready to meet you! ;)

Gabriel's high school graduation

So my little brother Gabriel just recently graduated high school....
I love each of my siblings equally, and for very unique reasons, but the relationship that Gabriel and I have built is something special to me. I can't quite put my finger on what it is that makes it different, but I guess I wouldn't be able to pin point it with Noah or Anna either.
I still remember, as if it were yesterday, the moment I found out I'd be getting a little brother. I was on the phone with my dad, sitting in the hallway (Weird, I know. No idea why either) of our apartment on Cherry St. in Flagstaff when he told me he had big news. My step-mom was pregnant and I'd soon have a little sibling that would be almost exactly 10 years younger than me. Due to the nature of school schedules and living in different states, I didn't get to see Gabriel for the first time until he was almost 6 months old. But that's another moment I'll never forget.

I flew in late that night, and my dad assured me that Gabriel would be sleeping by the time we would be home, and I wouldn't get to see him until the morning. Lucky for me (not so lucky for Andrea) he didn't feel like going to sleep on time that night and was awake when I got in. It was love at first sight.
I remember taking my new role as big sister, very seriously. I had always been the youngest up to this point, so this was a big deal. I remember time and time again, trying to prove myself to Andrea that I could not be more of a perfect big sister.

Sadly, there are a few memories burned into my brain proving exactly the opposite of that... Like the time I left scissors on the bedroom floor for him to play with after wrapping some gifts (don't worry, nothing detrimental happened) or the time I was cooking and set him on the counter while I turned around to grab a spoon and heard a THUMP as my little brother's head hit the floor when he fell off. Or most recently, when I yelled at him (via email) for not telling me first that he had chosen his college and I found out via Facebook. For all of this, the countless other mistakes I've made, and the infinity more that I'm bound to make in the future (hey, I'm only human)- I'm sorry Gabriel. I love you more than words can say. Thankfully, Gabe is one of the sweetest, warmhearted, forgiving guys I've ever known!

Since I was living in Arizona for the better part of his young baby life, when I moved to Oregon, I tried my hardest to make sure that he and Noah knew I was their sister, and how much I loved them.
Side note: No joke, when he and Noah were very young, they asked Anna when I wouldn't be spending the night anymore, and when I'd be going home.... They didn't quite understand that I was their sister too and not just a friend of Anna's around to spend the night for a while hahaha
I loved spoiling them at Christmas, on birthdays, any chance I got. One of my favorite memories was when I took Gabriel to his first concert. I loved that we both shared a love for pop-country music, but specifically the Rascal Flatts. I was so excited when they were on tour in Portland right around his birthday- it could not have been a more perfect gift for me to give and share with him.

One of the ways that Gabriel and I have always been able to bond over was our passion and enjoyment in many things athletic. He started swimming at a very young age and really took to competitive swimming as he got older. I loved that anything athletic that I found interesting, he would always give it a shot with me, so I was never alone. It was a great day when we both ran our very first 10K race together on Thanksgiving Day.

I love his little webbed toes! No wonder this kid is such a great swimmer!

There's not too many things that I miss that greatly about Oregon, but I'm definitely glad I decided to go back there after leaving at the age of 9. I'm so thankful that my brothers were a big driving force behind my return. One thing I miss about living in the same city as them is the little every day moments that I got to share with them. Things as silly as going to the pumpkin patch with the entire family.

Then on to bigger more monumental moments, like when he graduated 8th grade. To me, it wasn't so much a big deal that he was graduating 8th grade, as it was "Holy crap- my little brother is about to start high school!".

While North Carolina and NYC are not exactly next door neighbors, it's been so nice having them on the east with me and it makes getting "home" so much easier than it probably would have been if they were to have stayed in Oregon. I felt really honored when Gabriel asked me if I would fly down to be the one to take his senior pictures. Ummm... duh. Yes. without hesitation. I'll jump at a trip home any chance I can get! But this was most definitely a moment I wasn't going to pass up. I couldn't imagine seeing someone else take his senior pictures. He's such an awesome brother too, he hooked me up with not just one, but TWO of his high school buddies to do their senior pictures as well!

The weekend of his graduation was a quick one, but a great one. It started the day before the actual graduation ceremony with a Convocation awards ceremony where many of the kids in his class are given a slew of different academic awards. When I had asked both my dad and Gabe prior to the ceremony if he would be winning anything they both chuckled and said "Doubtful." Well, little did Gabriel know, he WOULD be winning an award, and a rather honorable one at that! Gabriel was the recipient of the Maureen B. Gerhardt Award during Convocation. This award is made in memory of Maureen Gerhardt, GDS parent and trustee, and given to a member of the Upper School who best exemplifies the values of honor, personal integrity, responsible citizenship, and service to the community. His teachers nominated him because of his willingness to help his fellow classmates on projects, as well as his dedication to our arts program as a vital member of the stage crew. The moment my dad, step mom and I all realized that this superior kid that the Dean was explaining, was Gabriel was an emotional one to say the least.
Thankfully, the graduation ceremony the following day was much less emotional and really a lot of fun.

This post is already about at it's max for cheesiness, so I'll try to reel it in.
Gabriel, I just want you to know how proud of you I am. It was so much fun walking around Elon's campus with you, you really seemed to know your way around and I loved seeing how fired up you are about going there next year.

I have a lot of confidence in you and know you'll do great. I cannot wait to see what twists and turns life takes you through, but know that I'm always here for you if ever one gets to be a little tough.
I love you so, so, so much! And don't forget to keep in touch ;)

May Recap

Whooohooo! Probably my best month yet, in terms of actually doing what I mapped out for myself!   

• See how long I can make it without purchasing a loaf of bread/eating bread in general (hopefully the entire month!) – I still haven’t purchased a loaf of bread, but I did go to Subway, ate a bagel, pizza, etc. but I’m gonna keep going as long as I can without buying a loaf of bread!
• Continue to track my food on MyFitnessPal Monday through Friday – CHECK! I skipped a couple of week days when I was traveling, but I logged every day I was at work!
• Plan workouts for the coming week by Monday – I am so glad I started doing this. I’m the kind of person where once I've set a goal for myself, I have to do it or I’ll feel really guilty. Doing this was a great way to keep me accountable and I’ve already got the first 2 weeks of June planned out!
• Plan meals for the coming week by Monday – Woof. This probably the thing I failed at the most. With leaving town so much, it was hard to know how much groceries to keep in the house so I pretty much had to just make do with whatever I had. I think I still did a decent job of eating clean/healthy for the most part though, so that’s what’s important.
• Run at least 1-2 times per week – I definitely accomplished at least 2 runs/week, sometimes 3! Feels good to be running so much, but I’m not looking forward to it warming up :/ Thank goodness I run at 5am most days! 
   I had a bit of a high school reunion when I was in San Francisco when I can the Bay to Breakers with my friend Megan!
   The race finished on the Pacific Ocean.... such a gorgeous view! 
• Lift weights at least twice per week – This may have been closer to once/week, but definitely twice/week sometimes. And I was doing Insanity a couple of times per week, so I feel like that counts.
• Daily doubles at least twice per week – Especially towards the end of the month, this one gets a CHECK! I’m a homebody and hate going out, and I love working out, so this was not near as difficult as I thought it might be, even in the slightest.
• Eat out in NYC no more than once – What’s weird is that as stated above, I’m a homebody and hate going out. I didn't think this one would be hard to check off at all, but I ended up eating out like 4 times! Very unlike me. I have to remind myself though sometimes that spending quality time with friends is more important than saving a few dollars. Besides- I was well taken care of when I was in CA and Arizona, so I didn't end up over spending like I thought I might. 
   Cassie and I went to Blockheads to celebrate Cinco de Mayo!
   Tacolicious in San Francisco! 

Sorry I’m a little late! I’ll post goals for June some time later this week :D

May Goals

Deciding on what goals to post for May was harder than any other month for some reason. Mostly because April came and went faster than I knew it and I wasn't prepared. But also because I'm wondering if I should post fewer goals in attempts to up my chances of actually crossing them all off.
Am I posting too many goals for myself each month? Am I being unrealistic about what I'm setting myself up for? Who knows. But two days into May... here goes nothing!

• See how long I can make it without purchasing a loaf of bread/eating bread in general (hopefully the entire month!)
• Continue to track my food on MyFitnessPal Monday through Friday
• Plan workouts for the coming week by Monday
• Plan meals for the coming week by Monday
• Run at least 1-2 times per week
• Lift weights at least twice per week
• Daily doubles at least twice per week
• Eat out in NYC no more than once

So there you have it!

I'm going to San Francisco and Arizona the last two weekends of the month, so I really want to 1) try to pinch my pennies so I can enjoy spending money on vacation and not be stressed and 2) Um hi, it's warm there... photographs will be taken... I'd like to feel good about the way I look in said photos. 

April in review

Um what? April is already over?! How the hell did that happen?!?

1) I'm not that prepared to post May goals for tomorrow, so I've been racking my brain with what they should be 2) I seriously did not realize that the month was already over and thought I had so much more time to cross things off my list... meaning, I didn't do as well as I had hoped for only 30 days ago :(
Well regardless, here's how it all went down...

•Get NY state I.D./drivers license (this might be a challenge considering I work M-F) Yeah nope! I seriously don't know how I'm going to get this done, ever, with my work schedule. I guess I'll have to use a vacation day somewhere down the road...


•Run 30-35 miles (at least 2 times/week) I think I averaged about one run per week, but I ended up only running ~19 miles. I attribute my lack of running to my increase in spinning... keep reading!

•Try 1 brand new dinner recipe Again, I seriously did not realize that the month was almost over. Technically, I made a pureed veggie soup with an ingredient combo that I'd never used before (red onion, yellow onion, garlic, orange bell pepper, carrot, celery, red potato, broccoli, asparagus, zucchini, kale and spinach). But pureed veggie soup is not new to my standard menu, so I'm not sure if I should count this.

•Try 1 Harlem restaurant YES! I went to Harlem Public- a cool pub only a few blocks from my apartment. The vibe and the atmosphere were really great. My friend and I shared the mac n' cheese as an appetizer... omg I died. It was ridiculously delicious. I got their classic burger and added maple bacon, avocado and cheddar cheese with tater tots. The burger I thought was just "eh". I'm not a big fan of combining my bacon and syrup at breakfast, so I'm certainly not that interested in it on my burger. Yes, I read the menu, I just decided to try it anyway. Definitely won't be getting it on my burger next time. I'll definitely be back here, just with lower expectations.

 (photo credit: harlembespoke.blogspot.com)

•Eat peanut butter no more than 3 times/week (my PB intake has gotten a little out of control!) I think I did better with this, but probably not by much. I finished off the jar that I had at my desk, so that definitely helped me from eating so much. BUT I found a company that makes it in powder form, so I've been putting it in my chocolate protein shakes.... HOLY YUMMMMM! Thankfully, the powdered form is significantly lower in calories so I feel a hell of a lot less guilty about it.

(photo credit: oregontale.wordpress.com)

•See how long I can go without eating bread I'm not one to waste, so I didn't want to throw away all the bread I had in my fridge. It wasn't until April 25th that I finished off my loaf, so I didn't really complete this one. I'm definitely moving this one onto my May goals. It took me almost the entire month to get through that one loaf, so I think I can do this!

•Spin at Revolve at least twice/week CHECK!! Make that more like THREE times/week! I bought an unlimited month at the beginning of April, so I really wanted to make sure that I got the most out of it. I ended up going almost every Monday, Friday and Saturday or Sunday. Read back in February about my first class there just to get a tiny idea of how much I LOVE Dyan... The most amazing spin/group class instructor I have ever encountered. She is one of the top 3 reasons I got my butt out of bed at 4:30am every Monday and Friday. Loveeeeeee her!!! (p.s. if you're in NYC and want to try a class at Revolve, message me and I'll send you a code to make your class free!)

•Put together family/friend photo wall in bedroom Nope. Fail.

•Track daily food intake on MyFitnessPal (at least M-F)
         ◦If you're on there, find me! photorunner BOOM! DONE! This was way easier than I had predicted 30 days ago. I definitely don't track what I eat Sat/Sun- not really for any reason, it's just ridiculously easier when I leave the tab open at my desk at work, it's a constant reminder to write every little thing down. I realized a few things this past month by doing this: 1) I do not eat as healthfully as I thought I did 2) In some regards, I don't eat as bad as I thought I did. 3) I don't drink as much water as I should- this really shocked me, because I feel like I get up every 5 seconds to pee! 4) Some of my workouts do not burn as much as I thought they did. 5) HOLY CRAP! I eat WAY more sweets and junk than I realized.
As of yesterday, I am attempting to not eat any processed/refined sugar for at least a week. I'd like to keep it going longer if I can, but I'm only on day two, and Girl Scout cookies just showed up at work and I'm struggling! Mind over matter... I think I can, I think I can, I think I can...

•Finish Gabriel's senior pictures (sorry buddy!!) OMG, I'm a terrible sister!! This still isn't done! Wahhhhh!!

Just for good measure, here's a picture of my cat, Beefcake. And because my sister says I don't show him off proudly enough. So there you go. Meow.

Come back in a day or two to see what I'm setting myself up for in May!



Stumbles and the City

I'm still off online dating, and I'm still a hermit... so while these dating antidotes may be far and few in between, I'll try to humor you any chance I get.

So let me tell you a little bit about my Saturday night....

If you know me but at all, you know that 2 drinks and I'm buzzed 4 drinks and I'm officially drunk anything past that and you can almost count on me not remembering half the night (oh the joys of getting older and more responsible). So it should come to no surprise to you that after two bottles of champange (yes, bottles) 1 jello shot, 1 vodka/soda (maybe two- that's still a little fuzzy) and one other shot that I really don't remember taking though there is photographic evidence of- I'm pretty lit gone. Now, in my defense, all of this was consumed within a matter of 8 hours, but none the less down and down it went.

By the time everything was starting to come to an end, I was nowhere near my house and had no desire to make the drunken trek home. So I texted a friend that lived near where I was and asked if I could spend the night- thankfully, they agreed. But as soon as I made my slumber party plans, an equally drunk genius friend I was with decided we should try to get into the club across the street from where we were where one of our mutual friends happens to work.

Side note: I was wearing yoga pants, my grey Oregon Ducks sweatshirt and running shoes... I don't know where I got off thinking I'd be able to get in, but my liquid courage was enough to feel certain it wouldn't be an issue.

So there we are- Drunk 1 and Drunk 2 waiting in the foyer of the club waiting for the bouncer to find out if our friend is working. He comes back to tell us that she's not there, but we're persistent and say that he must be wrong so while he goes back to look a second time, we pretend that we're with a group of about 10 other guys that's walking in at that moment (without paying the $30/person cover charge, btw). Once we're in, the bouncer comes up to us and I think for sure we're busted and will be asked to leave- nope! Just laughs and points us to coat check.

Another side note: Drunk 2 and I were coming from a potluck and had a ton of leftovers with us. Have you ever asked if you could check a 6 pound Tupperware of pasta salad? It's great.

So now we're in and Drunk 2 asks me what I want to drink. I've been here before and know that the drinks are hands down the most expensive I've found in the city, but he's offering to pay so even though I know I shouldn't have any more I accept his offer (this is the first of the possible two vodka/soda's). After we finish our $25 drinks, we agree it's time to leave. So Drunk 2 and I collect my belongings... just mine. I find out the next day that Drunk 2 left their jacket and Tupperware full of pasta at coat check... it's just really starting to get good.

If memory serves me correctly, Drunk 2 and I share a cab for a few blocks (though I could have been alone, neither of us remembers clearly) and I ask the cabby to drop me off on the block that I think is my friends. At this point, my phone is dead, so I'm relying on my (fuzzy) memory to get me to my friend’s house (I've been there multiple times prior). I get out of the cab on the block that I swear is where I need to be... only, I don't see their front door anywhere.

I walk around the block for what feels like half an hour.

Nothing. I cannot find my friend’s house.

I step into a deli to ask if they have an iPhone charger so I can get the exact coordinates of my friends house, they claim not to have one. I try at least 3 other deli's, pizza places and bodegas before finally realizing a bar would be the perfect place to find a charger. Most bars have one, and thankfully, my drunken intuitions were right. So I bellied up to the bar and order a drink as I thought it would only be appropriate since they're being kind enough to charge my phone. I think.... to be honest, I know I drank water, but I may have had a vodka/soda here as well.

Anyway... dude on the stool next to mine starts chatting me up. I'm not particularly interested, but I don't want to be rude, and I need to pass the time while I wait for my phone to charge anyway.

Here is the jist of what I remember of our conversation-

me: "Where are you from?" he had a southern accent... I knew he wasn't from NY
him: "North Carolina, how about you?"
me: "Me too! Where exactly?" ok, I'm aware that I'm not from North Carolina, but I wasn't all that interested in giving this guy too much background information, and my parents and brothers live there, so it's sort of half true...
him: "Greensboro, where are you from?!"
me: "Greensboro! Small world, eh?"
me: "You have really nice teeth." -He really did!
him: "Ha! Thanks? How old are you?"
me: "How old are YOU?" - he doesn't look more than a few years older than my younger brother
him: "I'm 22. So are you going to tell me how old you are?"
me: "I'm 24."
him: "I'm not sure I believe you..."
me: "Do you want my phone number? Here's my phone number, you should call me sometime." -No. I did not give him a chance to give me an answer. And no, I was still not that interested.
him: "Ummmm, thanks. Here, here's my address. Do you want to come over?"
me: "NO! BYE!"

I promptly retrieve my phone from the bar tender and make my second attempt at finding my friend’s house.

I get lost, yet again.

But thankfully this time, I have enough juice in my phone to call them. I cannot for the life of me figure out why I cannot find the place, and make them come down stairs because I'm sure I cannot find this place without some giant flashing lights. My poor friend... I couldn't tell you what we talked about to save my life. All I know is I drank as much water as I could and passed out.

Here we are 3 days later and I still have yet to hear from Nice Teeth Guy and am pretty sure I won't. Definitely not disappointed by this either. I mean, who gives out their address?! And, he is 22. I am not 24 (thank god). I woke up feeling terrible (duh). I end up walking from my friend’s house on 83rd & 1st to the West side to get the subway home. It's a miracle I didn't throw up on my walk home.

Lesson learned here people: when you leave the house in sweats it because you don't want to go out and get crazy... so don't! HA!

You ain't all that NYC!

So sad, but so true....

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/mark-brennan-rosenberg/10-reasons-nyc-isnt-as-gr_b_3028111.html

10 Reasons NYC Isn't as Great as You Think It Is via The Huffington Post

Theme Song Thursday

I have to listen to music when I'm on the subway, especially in the morning with all the annoying kids as they head off to school.

Isn't it scary how sometimes, you hear a song, and you really hear the lyrics (I mean reeeeally hear them)- even if you've already heard them before? Yeah. That's what this song was for me this morning.

And also this...

What's your theme song today?

April Goals

April 2013

Well, March wasn't quite as successful as I had hoped it would be. I'd like to think the 10 things I've set out for myself this month are realistically obtainable. I'd like to be able to cross off at least 8 of these things by the end of April.

• Get NY state I.D./drivers license (this might be a challenge considering I work M-F)
• Run 30-35 miles (at least 2 times/week)
• Try 1 brand new dinner recipe
• Try 1 Harlem restaurant
• Eat peanut butter no more than 3 times/week (my PB intake has gotten a little out of control!)
• See how long I can go without eating bread
• Spin at Revolve at least twice/week
• Put together family/friend photo wall in bedroom
• Track daily food intake on MyFitnessPal (at least M-F)
• If you're on there, find me! photorunner
• Finish Gabriel's senior pictures (sorry buddy!!)

It's going to be a busy month, so wish me luck!

March in review

March 2013: Results

• Eat sweets (in general, not just the S&S peaches) at work no more than 2 times/week - I don't feel like this is something I should be allowed to cross off. I'm addicted to sweets, and after my 1/2 marathon, I really let go of my diet and ate whatever I wanted to. Working in this office is really making resisting temptation even harder, but I am going to keep trying! I'm hoping that by writing down everything I eat will help keep me accountable... we'll see!

• Finish the NYC ½ marathon with a smile on my face :D - HELL YES! I've been meaning to post my 1/2 marathon blog, but it just keeps getting so wordy that I've been putting it off. I promise to post soon though. Just know that it was an AMAZING experience, and I am so thankful I did it and can't wait for the next one!

• Foam roll at least once/week - Nope. I really wish I made more time for this, because I know my body needs it, but I neverrrrr do it. I think I maybe did it 3 times the week before the race, but that's probably it.
• Try at least 2 brand new recipes for dinner - Check! Well, 1/2 a check... I forgot that I said "dinner", but I did make chili from scratch for the first time ever (huge success) and banana oatmeal bread (not such a success)!

• Finish editing and print cruise pictures - Edits are done! I plan to upload them to be printed later today.
• Go to at least one “NYC only” restaurant that I’ve never been to before - Check! You can see my review of Back Forty on my Yelp page. Seriously one of the best burgers I've ever had!

• Go to the public library - I'm really sad I skipped this one. Especially since I had this past Friday off for Good Friday and was planning on going, but instead stayed home and was a bum all day long. Maybe next month..
• Go to yoga at least once (I was not so good at this for Feb. and I hate yoga in general, but I know it’s good for me- so I’m trying….) - I'm going to stop putting this on my to-do list, and maybe it will actually happen. I even mentally made a plan to go last night and had completely forgotten about it until almost 9 o'clock at night... oops.
• Go to spin at least once - The bad news, is that I didn't even go once. The good news is that I just purchased an unlimited month of classes at Revolve! I went this morning for the first time since my last review (February). I'm really looking forward to this!!
• Add vegetables to my meals at least twice/day - Ok, I knew this one was going to be hard for me, but woah. I think I managed to eat veggies once/day- about 5 days/week. If you are like me, and don't loveeee veggies, adding them to your meals is really a challenge! I'm a little disappointed that I didn't do better with this, however the meals that I prepare for myself nowadays are so extremely different than what I was eating 10 years ago, hell, even ONE year ago- so I need to give myself a little credit. Trying new recipes definitely helps, so if any of you have any suggestions, please send them my way! I'm hoping that I'll make prepping my food for the week more of a priority for April, which I know will help a lot.

 kale chips, steamed broccoli for morning eggs, spicy shredded chicken, and roasted cauliflower & broccoli

Ok, so I only crossed off 4 of the 10 things I wanted to accomplish for March; but I'm also being really strict with myself. If I did something half ass, I'm not allowing myself to cross it off. All or nothing!
I will post my goals for April tomorrow! Stay tuned :)

OkStupid

I have recently decided to cancel and delete my online dating profile. I realize that it is 2013 and online dating is a perfectly acceptable way of meeting someone these days- hell I even know a handful of people that have successful relationships come from online dating sites! But for me, it's just loosing it's spark. It feels so impersonal. What ever happened to real dating? Do people seriously not meet in grocery stores, or at the park, or coffee shops, etc. etc. etc. anymore???
For as long as I can remember, since at least 13 years of age (but probably longer), I have wanted a boyfriend. Nothing about that has changed in me. I still want a meaningful relationship, maybe now more than ever. But my desire to literally date is gone and dead. The thought of going out on another lame, mundane date that is nothing but a free meal mixed with small talk is exhausting to me.
So I'm sad to say, that as much as I wanted these fun dating ancedotes to be a part of my blog... I have a feeling these types of posts will be far and few in between- or gone forever.

That being said... if you happen to know someone you'd like to set me up with, I'm into it.

You can't have your cake, and eat it too!

I have a problem. What problem, you ask?
I have realized a lot lately, that I am very frequently #2. Here, let me explain by trying to paint you a little picture. It goes a little something like this: Girl meets boy. Boy flirts with girl. Girl gets excited and hopeful. Boy flirts a little more. Excitement still building. The, WHAM! Girl finds out that boy is not actually single. Balloon popped.

Boys: I ask you, what is it with you with wanting your cake and eating it to? Why do you flirt (from mild to stronggg flirtations) with another girl, when you have a girlfriend? Are you unhappy? Are you confused? Are you just using me to boost your ego, to remind yourself that you've still got "it"? I suspect it is likely the later. Have you no heart? Do you not realize that you're playing with someones emotions?

I ask you this, how would you feel if the roles were reversed?? Wouldn't you be upset if you knew that your girlfriend was flirting with other men just to validate herself?

Listen, I'm not trying to claim that women are perfect and that no woman in time has ever done this. But I'm not talking about them. I'm talking about you.

I just really want, for once in my life, to be the girl the boy is excited about. I want him to be single. I want him to be available. I can only stay hopeful that maybe someday, this wish will come true. Until then, guys, please stop thinking with your junk and start thinking with your brain.

**To all of my lady readers who's man liked it so much he put a ring on it, aren't you glad you don't have to deal with this shit anymore?!

The best spin class I ever experienced

With training for the NYC 1/2 marathon, it's easy to let my cross training fall by the wayside, so by putting my goals on my blog I hoped that I'd somewhat force myself to go by put it out there for all the world to see.
The gym that I belong to offers spin on Monday's and Wednesday's, but I can't ever go on Wednesday's because of Cheer NY and it's difficult for me on Monday's. There are a couple of spin studios around the NYC area that I've been wanting to try (SoulCycle and Flywheel), but with a $30+ per class price tag, I just can't justify going when I can pay $20 for 4 classes at my gym. Very recently, brand new studio named Revolve, just popped up next to where I go tanning, and ever since, I've been wanting to go in, just to check it out, but was concerned it would likely be as expensive as its competitors so I always kept on walking.
Luckily, one day I was reading Missy Maintains, as I do almost every other day, when I saw that she posted a review of Revolve! I was eager to read what she thought of their studio, but what really got me excited was at the end of her post when she left a coupon code for a free ride with Dyan!
I wasted no time trying to find someone to come with me (though, I would have had no problems going alone) and started by poaching my teammates. Being on an athletic team of cheerleaders who are required to wear crop top, spandex uniforms, you'd think I'd have half the team coming with me! But alas, I was only able to recruit my friend Jessica.
After a morning of dealing with the oh-so-dependable NYC subway system, Jessica and I made it to the Revolve studio just in the nick of time to rent our shoes and hop on our reserved bikes. This studio requires that you wear shoes that clip into the pedals, which I had never done before, and Jessica had never, ever taken a spin class before! Dyan and the rest of the staff at Revolve were SO helpful getting our bikes adjusted and our shoes clipped in.
The class started promptly. The lights went down, the music went up, and we were off! For me, music can really be a deal breaker when it comes to a workout class, with this class, it's a lot of what sealed the deal. Dyan's play list was SO great. Dyan's energy and encouragement was so helpful throughout the class with constant reminders of "I can! I will! I am!" keeping me going, even through the weight section in the middle, all the way through to the end. I felt the class had the perfect balance between hills, sprints, and resting intervals. I decided to use the 3lb weights since I hadn't taken the class before- and so glad I did. She definitely had me using muscles I haven't used in a while!

Jessica, Dyan and me after our kick-ass class!

The 45 minute class ended before I knew it and even though I had just finished an intense class, I loved it all so much, I had wished I could stay for the class immediately after.
I really do think that having a friend come with me made a big difference, but I know that even if Jessica hadn't been there, I would have enjoyed it just as much. Although the price tag on their classes are just as much as the other spin studios in NYC, I may just have to hunker down, suck it up, and pay for it.
Dyan- thanks again for giving me the greatest spin experience! I can't say that I'm a "spin expert" but I've taken enough classes to know that I hope every one I take in the future was just like that one!

March Goals

Posting my goals for February had a significant impact on me. I did a lot of what I laid out for myself and had such a huge sense of accomplishment when the month ended. I will continue to post my monthly goals for the foreseeable future.

March 2013

• Eat sweets (in general, not just the S&S peaches) at work no more than 2 times/week
• Finish the NYC ½ marathon with a smile on my face :D
• Foam roll at least once/week
• Try at least 2 brand new recipes for dinner
• Finish editing and print cruise pictures
• Go to at least one “NYC only” restaurant that I’ve never been to before
• Go to the public library
• Go to yoga at least once (I was not so good at this for Feb. and I hate yoga in general, but I know it’s good for me-   so I’m trying….)
• Go to spin at least once
• Add vegetables to my meals at least twice/day

Thank you to everyone that continues to read about my silly life. I love the encouragement that you give me! Do you have any goals you wish to achieve during the month of March?!

February in review

February 2013: Results

• Run at least 75 miles This did not work out as planned, but only because I got bronchitis the last week of Feb :( I ended up completing 67.42 miles. Had I completed all of the runs I had mapped out for myself, I would have ended up over my goal. This really bummed me out, but I guess it's better that I get sick now, than the week before the race!

• Go to yoga at least twice Nope! Didn't even go once :(
• Take my scheduled cross training days seriously: actually do a full set of weights Frankly, I do not do well with creating my own workouts. I love working out, but I love it more when someone else is telling me what to do. I still did cross training about 2 days/week, I just know I didn't workout to my full abilities, for a number of different excuses: my gym is always packed and mostly full of men who stare at me (I'm also usually the only white/blond woman/person in my gym); I love cardio and have a hard time jumping off the machines to move on to the weights; etc. etc. etc....
• Eat sweet & sour candy peaches from work no more than twice/week I did alright with this, except for the week of Valentine’s Day… there was ridiculous amount of treats in the office and once I start, I can’t stop!

• Bring (healthy) lunch to work at least 4 times/week This is something I was already doing, but I wanted to make sure I stuck with it, and I did!! There were a couple of days that I just stuffed my face with unhealthy snacks from our kitchen, but I would say for the most part, I did well with this and will continue to do so :)

• Get checked for skin cancer This is something I’ve had on my mental to-do list for a very long time. I love the sun, and I love going tanning. Yes, I am aware of how bad this is for me. No, I do not plan to change my tanning ways anytime soon. (sorry I'm not sorry) Thankfully, my skin checked out good! I do plan to continue going back once a year to get checked.

• Hold at least a 1 minute plank no less than twice/week I actually did better with this than I anticipated! If I'm being honest, I probably only averaged once/week; but I did notice them getting slightly easier by the end of the month. But I put a huge emphasis on "slightly"...
• Go to at least 1 spin class CHECK!!! Not only that, but it was theeeeeee best spin class I have EVER taken! Come back in a few days to read my review of this amazing class!
• Find someone to run at least 1/2 of my long runs with me I didn't even bother asking anyone (other than my friend Rachael, who is running the half marathon with me). Last year, I needed the help towards the end of my training. This year? Not so much! I'm trying my hardest, to run in new areas of the city that I've never been to before, which is really keeping me entertained throughout my runs :)
• Do at least 1 thing I could only do in NYC CHECK!! I went to the Museum of the City of New York! It wasn’t the best museum I’ve ever been to. I also didn’t realize that there was a 3rd floor and ended up having to rush through it because I had somewhere to be. I think I’ll go back sometime, to see if the exhibits change, and to look longer on the 3rd floor.

I really enjoyed doing this for myself and would like to continue to keep posting my goals for each month. I mean, who says that goals should only be something we have January 1st?! That being said, check back March 1st, for a new list of goals I've set for myself.

*** Thank you, thank you, thank you to everyone that has taken the time to read this blog lately. It's definitely keeping me inspired to write and post more often! ***

 

NYC dating anecdotes 1

I'm going to go out on a limb here and talk about something I haven't done (this publically) before... Take it for what you will, and enjoy the trials and tid bits from my dating life....

So I went on an OKcupid date (as all of my dates are these days) some time ago with John (name has been changed).
I messaged the him first.
Our messages were just so-so. Nothing too exciting.

Then John asked me if I wanted to go to a movie for our first date. Ugh. Why do guys do this? What makes them think that I would want to sit in a dark theater with them if we've never met before??

I never that was excited to meet him. So that can't be a good sign... But then as I was thinking as I was walking to the restaurant, maybe I've just gone on too many damn OKCupid dates, that go nowhere to get nervous at this point?

John picked a restaurant in the Village. I was excited and irritated at the same time by this because I had to be up so early the next morning (which we had discussed), but rarely go down to that part of the city so I was looking forward to exploring a new spot.

John more or less ordered for the both of us which, kind of annoyed me. Also because he asked me what looked good, I gave him my opinion, and then he ordered something completely different. He ordered veggies... which I'm not a fan of and never would have ordered, but they ended up being tasty, so OK, I'll cut him some slack there.

To drink, he ordered four of what the restaurant called the "Recession Special"- a PBR, a shot of whisky with a pickle back. By the end of the night, he was visibly tipsy. I had 3 glasses of prosecco, so I wasn't exactly Sober Sally, but not near on his level.

Our banter was witty and rarely left much of a pause in between subjects... until the end of the night when it felt like we had asked all of the questions there was to ask.

I was looking forward to going home.
Then I find out, he's riding the same train as me... almost the entire way. Ugh.

As we waited on the platform for the train, I stood with my arms crossed... my typical/comfortable stance and he told me I should stop doing that because it made me look very closed off. Ouch.

Then when we were on the train, I twirled my hair and John asked if I always do that... I asked if I had done it a lot throughout the night, and he said yes. The way he asked made it seem like it annoyed him. Um, sorry?

I was shocked when the next day, and days following he continued to text me, asking when we could see each other again. As I'm sure you can tell from the above story, I wasn't really feeling it, so needless to say, I never did see him again.

Goals (continued)

As promised, here is a list of the goals I have set for myself for the next month. I will do an update after the month is over to let you know how I did (and to keep myself accountable)!

February 2013

• Run at least 75 miles
• Go to yoga at least twice
• Take my scheduled cross training days seriously: actually do a full set of weights
• Eat sweet & sour candy peaches from work no more than twice/week
• Bring (healthy) lunch to work at least 4 times/week
• Get checked for skin cancer
• Hold at least a 1 minute plank no less than twice/week
• Go to at least 1 spin class
• Find someone to run at least 1/2 of my long runs with me
• Do at least 1 thing I could only do in NYC

So there you have it folks! Some of these things have already been mapped out for me to do for a while now, or I've already been doing them, I just want to make sure that I keep up with them. I'm a very competitive person, and hold myself at a higher standard than probably anyone else does- so I'm really hoping that by having this in writing, and ONLINE, I'll actually stick to it!

Goals

Part I...
I don't know if anyone reads this anymore.... I kind of doubt it. If you stopped, I don't blame you.


When I started this blog, it was supposed to be all about my new and exciting adventures of life in the fast lane in New York City. Unfortunately, my life is a bit less than exciting or adventurous.

I go to bed between 9:15-10pm almost every night (even on the weekends...). I wake up anywhere between 4:40am-6am . Even on Sundays, I'm lucky if I can sleep in past 8am. I only go out about once a month, if even that. Every time I leave a Broadway show (which is almost never), I vow to myself that I'll go more often, but never do. I almost never drink anymore, except the random glass of boxed wine from home here and there (just keepin' it classy folks).
It's not to say that NYC isn't exciting anymore, I'm sure it is. But after 2.5 years, it's definitely lost its luster. I feel the nightlife is very “been there done that/same shit different day”. As a 28 year old, I just don't feel like I'm doing my generation justice by living my life in the way that I have been the past year or so. So, I'm sorry to all my mid-late 20-something people... I'd love to tell you that I'll try harder and really take advantage of NYC for all that its worth. But the truth is, I'm not changing, and I don't want to.

After having worked at a gym for about a year and a half, my interest in the health and wellness world/industry has really piqued. Realistically, I drink diet soda more than I should; I have a hard time resisting the jar of sweet & sour candy peaches that my office has in our kitchen; I love cheese and will never give that up; blah, blah, blah. But I am trying. A little while ago, I wrote out my goals for the next 6 months, 1 year, 3 years, 5 years and 10 years and I want to try my hardest to make sure that I accomplish them.

I am really making an effort to make sure that I have a healthy lifestyle that includes whole foods, adequate sleep, a workout routine I can live with, all while trying to juggle a social life sprinkled in there somewhere too.
Let me tell you, all of your granola eating, gym rat friends make it look wayyyyy too easy. I swear their lying. Because I've only recently been putting solid effort into trying to balance it all, and it's really hard... And my social life? Well it is pretty much non-existent.

I have been feeling guilty that I’m not making the most of this time in my life when I’m supposed to be young, carefree, do it all (and on no sleep) etc., etc., etc… I feel like I shouldn’t be allowed to live in New York City.
Thankfully, I’ve been doing a lot of reading lately about nutrition and realize that I just need to remind myself more often, that what I’m choosing to do and how I’m living my life right now, is probably the best thing I’ve done for myself- ever.

A lot of the other health/wellness/fitness bloggers that I try to keep up with have been posting their goals either daily, weekly, or monthly in attempts to help keep themselves accountable. So I’m going to go ahead and follow suit. However, this post has gotten long enough, so you’re going to have to check back in a few days for my Part II… I promise there will be one because I’ve already got it up and scheduled to post, I just didn’t want to bombard the people who actually might be reading this….

To be continued…