Greetings from somewhere between Providence and Boston!

This afternoon I was supposed to take the 3pm Acela from Penn Station to Boston. I was looking forward to the fast trip, soft chairs, reliable Internet, and relaxing three hour train ride. Instead, my train was delayed 3 hours due to an unfortunate track mortality. But, Amtrak was amazing and squeezed me onto the Regional Rail train leaving at 3:15! Amazing!

While I waited for the train I munched on a delicious salad filled to the brim with beets, cranberries, mushrooms, chicken, and mixed greens! I also picked up a dozen fresh New York City bagels while at Zarro’s because let’s get real, Team Off Balance runs on bagels, iced coffee and bananas!

During the four hour trip I worked, blogged, read this month’s People and Runner’s World magazines, and sipped on this beauty!

As promised, it’s time for another giveaway!

While I’m not necessarily enjoying views like this anymore, I’m definitely digging one of my favorite items from last month’s Hawaii vacation.

My friends at Five Bamboo shipped me their Elusive dress in a beautiful, bright watermelon color as soon as they heard I was heading on vacation. The perfect dress for traveling on vacation or a day in the city, it is comfortable, long enough for my 5’9 1/2 frame, and quite flattering. I ended up wearing this out to dinner two nights and one day on a city excursion.

Luckily, the gang at Five Bamboo is super generous! They are not only willing to give all Healthy, Happier Bear readers 20% off any purchase using the code (healthyhappybamboo) until 5/31/12; but also giving away one Elusive dress to a lucky winner!

There are a few ways to enter:

1) Follow me on twitter if you aren’t already, then tweet about this contest (include a link to this post and @healthyhappier). Leave another comment telling me you tweeted.

2) Head over to Five Bamboo’s website and let me know what your favorite item is on their site and why.

*US & Canadian residents only. The giveaway ends Friday at midnight and I will announce a winner Sunday when I return from Reach the Beach!

Wow, I have so much to say and so little time! I have lots on my mind and only a bit of time to share with you guys as the bed is screaming my name. So much for 8 hours of sleep each night, eh? Oops!

Reach the Beach

Over the next few days, this blog will become dedicated to Reach the Beach posts and updates. Therefore, I won’t inundate you with too much right now accept to share a bit of an update with you. I’m really excited about this weekend not only for the race itself, but also because of my teammates. While some of them I know quite well like Theodora and Melissa, others I’ve never met before even though I’ve read their blog for years, ahem Bridget! In addition, New Balance has taken the role of sponsor to a whole new level. Each day they are getting me more excited for the race thanks to a million emails, packages in the mail and packing lists! If you want to REALLY keep up with the madness, I’ll be tweeting using our hash tag, #teamoffbalance. I’ll also share pictures on Instagram all weekend long so if you’re not following, please do!

Last night, I was greeted with more awesome gear featuring our team name, Off Balance!

While I’m not as organized as some of my teammates, I did start throwing things in a pile as I thought about them. I still have to buy a few key items like new compression socks, blinking safety lights, NYC bagels, and coconut water but at least I’m making headway!

Clearly I’m worried about having power, music, no blisters, smelling fresh, and not getting a sunburn.

My goals for my legs are to enjoy each one for it’s uniqueness and win the mental game. I know I’m going to power through some tough hills and some lonely runs, especially at night. Like I said earlier, everything between now and November is a form of training for the marathon.  In case you were wondering, my legs for the weekend are below:

Runner 12 (16.74 miles): Ashley

Leg 12:P Brent Trottier School to Hopkinton State Park: 6.01 miles: easy

Leg 24 (QUIET ZONE): Borderland State Park to Oliver Ames High School: 3.61 miles: easy

Leg 36: Demarest Lloyd Memorial State Park to Horseneck Beach State Reservation: 7.12 miles: moderate

I love that I’m the last runner and will get to run through the finish with the rest of the ladies! So stinking fun!!

Staying Healthy While Traveling

A few readers have emailed me over the past few weeks asking how I keep from getting sick when I travel. Well, I clearly don’t have the art perfected as I came down with bronchitis after my trip to Hawaii, but considering that’s the first illness I’ve had after traveling over 72,000 miles in the last year, I’d say that’s pretty good. While I wish I could share my answers to this, along with world peace, I can’t. But, I’ll share the few things I do that seem to help.

• Wash your hands constantly. Yes, I know it seems silly to even mention but many people forget to wash their hands. I wash mine multiple times a day when traveling.
• Vitamins I take my vitamins (multi, vit D, hair & nail) daily while traveling along with Ester C powder in my afternoon water for an extra dose of protection.
• Sleep I love taking advantage of huge hotel king size beds while I travel and find that catching up on sleep can help keep me going strong through the long hours and jet lag.
• Be smart Your body likes nutritious food and workouts. Sweat any germs out with a daily workout and give your body the fuel it needs to go strong. I do my best to have a healthy breakfast, lunch and snack so that dinner can be a bit more fun.

Trainer Bob

Thanks to Fitfluential, I was able to attend Bob Harper’s book release party tonight down in SoHo. It was a great chance to meet other New York City area bloggers and catch some amazing people watching. But, the best moment was when Trainer Bob spent more than 5 minutes with us chatting, posing, and encouraging each of us on our path to a healthier life. He could have easily struck one pose with us and moved on but instead he seemed truly interested.

  Well gang, that’s all she wrote! Check back tomorrow for this week’s Marathons+Moderation guest post!

Question: Are you a Biggest Loser fan? Why or why not? I’ve actually never watched an entire episode.

Last week, I had the most amazing time spending time with like minded fitness bloggers at Fitness Magazine’s Blogger Meet & Tweet event at the Metropolitan Suite in New York City.

After a sweaty Soul Cycle session with Julie and Kristine, I walked the mile West over to the event space, unsure what to expect from the day.

Over 100 fitness bloggers and professional were in attendance which overwhelmed me at first. But, within minutes, I joined the rest of the crowd for the brand interaction portion where we had the chance to network and mingle with brands such V8, Pure Protein, Kiwi Sweat, Birkenstock, and Oakley.

I had a great time getting to  know each of the brands better and even went home with some amazing swag from the sponsor brands. During this portion of the event, bloggers were given a passport, featuring each of the brands logo, which needed to be stamped in order to receive the large swag bag at the end of the day. While each booth was great, I especially loved learning more about Kiwi Sweat since they are a local NYC pop-up fitness company! Just last week they hosted an outdoor spin class on the East River promenade!

From 10:30-12:30 I spent the next 2 hours in the third row of the speaking area listening to amazing fitness professionals share their wisdom with us. Luckily, I wasn’t alone, and instead was joined by my fellow blogging buddies as we recorded, took notes, and asked questions of the speakers. Looking back, I wish I had spent more time networking and catching up with some of the out of town bloggers who were present for the event. But, as someone who has put together events such as this, I know how important it is to have an audience. Therefore, we focused and took notes as we laughed along with each entertaining speaker.

AJ Jacobs

Talk about hilarious; this self proclaimed nerd left us laughing as he shared his memories from his year of living healthy. The author of two other New York Times best sellers, his book, Drop Dead Healthy just hit the bookstores and chronicles his year of living healthy. Below are a few nuggets I captured from his presentation:

• Healthy isn’t all about diet and exercise. Noise can also be detrimental to your health.
• Respect your older self. The more you think of your future the healthier you’ll act.
• Harness peer pressure and use social media to motivate you towards a healthier life.

The Real Deal on Carbs, Cleanses and Caffeine with Keri Gan and Tanya Zuckerbot

These two classy ladies shared their thoughts on some of the most frequently asked question in health and dietetics- to cleanse or not? Both agree that over the past 10 years carbohydrates have gotten an unfair bad wrap in the United States. Years ago Americans indulged with one Oreo but during the past 10 years they have replaced that one Oreo with a sleeve of Low Fat Snackwells.  Here are a few of the key nuggets I took away:

• It’s all about portion control.
• Carbs don’t make you fat. Carbs in excess of what your body needs, make you fat.
• Your workout without the carbs and energy won’t be as successful.
• Cleanses can lead to lost muscles because they decrease metabolism so you gain weight faster after the cleanse.
• You have a kidney and liver to cleanse your body naturally.
• There are lots of health benefits of coffee, especially if you have 3 cups per day!

The other discussion that I really enjoyed was Laura Gellar’s beauty tip session during which she amused the crowd with her amazing personality and taught us industry tips and tricks. I am going to include these tips in a later post as I’ve already started putting some of them into action.

Overall, I feel like Fitness Magazine did a wonderful job putting on this event, especially considering it was their first one. I wish I’d spent more time connecting with amazing bloggers but really appreciate the speakers I was able to hear as well. This definitely excites me for the upcoming events this summer such as BlogHer, Healthy Living Summit, and Fit Bloggin! I always learn so much from these events and love the chance to spend time with other bloggers; especially those within the Fitfluential family!

It feels so wonderful to be back in Athens, Georgia. There is no doubt that some of my fondest memories are still, to this day, in this wonderful college town where there is the perfect downtown a block from campus and a famed, historic North Campus which was where the oldest state university started classes is 1785.

But, before I share Athens with you, let’s back track to Cincinnati. My trip there was short and sweet. We stayed at the Downtown Westin which is always trustworthy. You know your room will be nice, the bed will be comfortable, the gym will be crowded, and the breakfast at Ingredients downstairs can’t be beat!

Wednesday night’s team dinner was at Jeff Ruby’s which was just as incredible as I remembered it being seven years ago! While I didn’t indulge in steak since I just had one last week in Houston, I loved the fish and the service was phenomenal.

I was off to the airport again early yesterday morning for a direct flight to Atlanta. The Cincinnati airport does a wonderful job of having plenty of food options in almost every terminal! I was able to snag a healthy breakfast and a sunny window seat while I waited for my flight.

The uneventful flight was short and sweet, delivering us safely to Hartsfield 20 minutes early!

Since Atlanta is known for its’ horrible traffic, I took advantage of their public transportation, MARTA. By taking MARTA (Metro Atlanta Rapid Transit Authority) to the northern most station, Doraville, I was able to help my father in law avoid traffic.  The trip was smooth and easier than I remember. For $2.50 it can’t be beat!

By 2pm, I was finally back in Athens ready to reunite with old friends, celebrate my sister-in-law Meg, reminisce, and enjoy the gorgeous weather!

The campus was alive with the sound of graduates!

Before she headed down to graduation, we wandered North Campus taking graduate and family photos!

It was surreal celebrating Meg’s graduation 6 years after I graduated from the University of Georgia. While the names of the bars have changed and some of our favorite restaurants are no longer downtown, everything else seems the same. I was even recognized by a number of my old professors, mentors, and University staff who I worked with due to my involvement in Student Government, Greek Life, and the Arch Society while I was a student. So wonderful to have so many warm hugs yesterday!

When I graduated, graduation took place between the hedges in Sanford Stadium at 10am. Due to heat and other issues, the University has since decided to make the main graduation an evening event which worked perfectly! By 7pm the sun is setting and even the hottest days are starting to cool off which makes a 2 hour graduation for over 5,000 graduates who decide to walk in graduation more than bearable.

Meg, like many graduates, decorated her cap in hopes that her family could spot her in the crowd. Miraculously, as we sat waiting for the procession I realized that her school, the Grady school of Journalism, was the first school to process into the stadium. Within seconds I spotted her blue and white polka dot cap and dashed down to capture some photographs.

Luckily, we were able to meet up with the graduate for an evening of celebratory drinks after graduation ended! Three of my friends from undergrad who happen to live in Athens came out to spend the evening celebrating and catching up with us which was such a wonderful surprise! Great friends along with Sweet Water 420 made for the perfect night!

Now that we’re awake and recovered after a delicious breakfast with Bo’s parents and grandmother at Big City Bakery, it’s time to hit the Athens hills for a long run! Catch you later from Atlanta!

So even though just twelve hours ago I was walking to Fitness Magazine’s Meet & Tweet event, I’m now sitting in a Cincinnati hotel room.

Remember when I said the next few weeks were going to be travel whirlwinds? Yup, I wasn’t being dramatic, believe it or not.

While I was on the plane this evening, I took advantage of the peace and solitude to focus on some much needed blog work. I’m embarrassed that I’ve fallen so behind on blog emails, comments and projects. When I was searching my inbox I happened to come across the very first Marathon+Moderation guest post which was submitted. Good thing I came across it or I would have forgotten that its’ one year anniversary is only 10 days away!

A year ago I was just starting to think about the training cycle for my second marathon. At that point, I was without a coach and looking to learn from my peers who inspire me each weekend. A year later, over 40 bloggers and readers have shared their marathon stories. Some have been about new PRs while others have been about having the courage to DNF or listen to your body.

While each person’s story is very different, I’ve loved reading each of them! In honor of the year anniversary, I thought I’d capture them all here, on one page, for your reference. This post will become the Marathons+Moderation page on my site moving forward so you can easily reference your favorite tips and tricks.

It’s my goal to keep bringing you all guest posts each Wednesday from your favorite runners.  Until next week, here is the year in review.   If you want to share your marathon story, or have a runner who you’d like to see featured, let me know in the comments or send me an email!

*source

Marathons+Moderation Guest Post 1 from Ellen at Keeping the Pace

Marathons+Moderation Guest Post 2 from Emily at Sweat Once a Day

Marathons+Moderation Guest Post 3

Marathons+Moderation Guest Post 4

Marathons+Moderation Guest Post 5

Marathons+Moderation Guest Post 6

Marathons+Moderation Guest Post 7

Marathons+Moderation Guest Post 8

Marathons+Moderation Guest Post 9

Marathons+Moderation Guest Post 10

Marathons+Moderation Guest Post 11

Marathons+Moderation Guest Post 12

Marathons+Moderation Guest Post 13

Marathons+Moderation Guest Post 14

Marathons+Moderation Guest Post 15

Marathons+Moderation Guest Post 16 from Ryan

Marathons+Moderation Guest Post 17  from Kali

Marathons+Moderation Guest Post 18 from Hot Bird Running

Marathons+Moderation Guest Post 19 from Hot Bird Running

Marathons+Moderation Guest Post 20  from Robin

Marathons+Moderation Guest Post 21 from Shannon of Tropical Eats

Marathons+Moderation Guest Post 22 from Heather of Dietician on the Run

Marathons+Moderation Guest Post 23 from Victoria of The District Chocoholic

Marathons+Moderation Guest Post 24 from Ali of Ali Runs

Marathons+Moderation Guest Post 25 from Stephanie of Run for Fun

Marathons+Moderation Guest Post 26 from Melinda

Marathons+Moderation Guest Post 27 from Michele of NYC Running Mama

Marathon+Moderation Guest Post 28 from Jocelyn of Enthusiastic Runner

Marathons+Moderation Guest Post 29 from Laura

Marathons+Moderation Guest Post 30 from Elizabeth of On Tap for Today

Marathons+Moderation Guest Post 31 from Tina of Carrots n Cake

Marathons+Moderation Guest Post 32 from Meghann of Meals and Miles

Marathons+Moderation Guest Post 33 from Dorothy of Mile Posts

Marathons+Moderation Guest Post 34 from Life Is A Run

Marathons+Moderation Guest Post 35 from Run Stronger Every Day

Marathons+Moderation Guest Post 36 from Sassphalt Runner

Marathons+Moderation Guest Post 37 from Melody

Marathons+Moderation Guest Post 38 from Amy

Marathons+Moderation Guest Post 39 from Chrissy

Good morning from rainy New York City. This is one of those weeks when I’m so blessed to live in New York City! A few times a year, I’m lucky enough to catch up with friends due to events or work commitments which bring them to New York City! It’s even sweeter when their hotel is only a few blocks from my apartment!

Even though it’s Wednesday, I won’t be heading to the office this morning. Instead, I’m using a vacation day so that I may participate in Fitness Magazine’s Fitness Blogger Meet & Tweet (#FitBlogNYC) event! I was invited to particpate through Fitfluential and am looking forward to learning about new products, fitness trends, digital media, and blogging from the staff at Fitness and a few inspirational bloggers and friends such as Julie, Tina and the amazing Kelly Olexa!

Since this event is taking place just down the street from my apartment, I was able to spend some much needed girl time with a few of these ladies last night at Greensquare Tavern, where we met for a delicious dinner and fun conversation.

  Located at 21st and Fifth, Greensquare Tavern is a new to me farm to table restaurant with a relaxed atmosphere and a menu balanced between healthy and indulgent seasonal items. Tina and I went with the Lancaster County Honey Roast Chicken which was marinated in honey and herbs and complemented by a side of sweet potato mash and steamed vegetables. While the vegetables lacked seasoning, the sweet potatoes and chicken were divine! I’d definitely go back there, especially for dinner or brunch!

After dinner we met up with Anne who had just finished dinner with a friend in the city. Never one to turn down time with our out of town friends, Theodora and I gladly accompanied them to Tina’s hotel bar where we sipped Prosecco and discussed today’s event and our upcoming Reach the Beach weekend!

Only seven hours later, I was up and back in their hotel picking up my morning workout partner, Julie! While we’ve been at many of the same events historically, we’ve never had the chance to spend time together. When she saw me tweet about a possible morning Soul Cycle session, she quickly jumped on the opportunity. Due to popularity, I wasn’t able to snag us bikes in the 7am Union Square class. But, always the trooper, Julie was more than happy to meet me at the early hour of 5:30 so we could walk to the 6am class with Ben T..

Fondly known as the “rooster class” the class left us sweaty and energized. His class was heavier on the arm work which I loved while his second to last track’s hills left me breathless. I’m so happy Kristine convinced us that the early hour would be worth it.

I’ll be back later to share today’s adventures with you and my own Marathon & Moderation guest post!

Question: What is your favorite workout song right now? I just downloaded a ton of new songs and am seriously loving Back in Time, the new Pitbull song from Men In Black III.

Friday night, Gia and I had the wonderful opportunity to host 20 of our readers and fellow bloggers for a complimentary Hot Figure Four class at Pure Yoga East with the lovely founder, Kate Albarelli.

Who knew so many other ladies would be interested in breaking a sweat on a Friday night? Maybe they were taking our word for it or maybe they checked out this You Tube video in advance!

Now, I must admit, that it was probably a bit risky of me to co-host a workout class that I hadn’t previously taken myself. But, I knew we’d be in good hands, as I took one of the first Figure Four classes when it originally launched at Pure East last May through Well&Good NYC! You can see my full review here but suffice it to say, I loved it and felt it took the normal barre class to the next level!

But, the one twist in store for Friday’s class was the hot part. This is a new addition to Pure which has been wildly popular due to the detoxifying affect and the heat’s ability to loosen the muscles.

At 6:45 when class started, everyone glared at Gia and me as Kate cranked up the thermostat. Within minutes we were drenching sweat as we started the class.

While I would love to tell you exactly what to expect when you try the class, each Figure Four class is a bit different than the next. This allows teachers to challenge regular students’ muscles daily in different ways and keep things interesting. But, I will give you a loose description of what normally takes place during the normal hour class while students sweat and grimace through challenging moves paired with an amazing playlist.

Dynamic warm-up consisting of leg raises, twists, etc

Quick round of abs/pushups/breathing break

Leg work at the bar (squats, plie, calf raises, deeper squats)

Quick round of abs/pushups/breathing break

Arm work in the center of the room using light weights (tricep, bicep, chest)

Quick round of abs/pushups/breathing break

Abs (done on a foam mat in traditional form, focusing primarily on form while targeting both abdominals and obliques)

Quick round of abs/pushups/breathing break

Glutes (lots of butt kicks and pretzel type movements)

Blissful stretch and cool down session

After class the group socialized over wine and snacks upstairs in the Pure lobby. The space is gorgeous and very spa like. It was so nice to put faces with readers and fellow bloggers whom I’d never met before while catching up with familiar faces like Laura!    The generous Erica Sara even raffled off a gorgeous necklace for one lucky attendee!

We can’t thank everyone enough for joining us Friday night and so look forward to the next event. Our goal is to co-host monthly events that will leave your muscles quivering while allowing an opportunity for readers and bloggers alike to spend time socializing with like minded people. Hopefully you’ll join in our fun next time if you’re based in NYC. If you’re not a local, I can’t recommend Hot Figure 4 enough. It will leave you feeling limber, lean, and humble. There wasn’t a single person in class who wasn’t quivering! Check out this link to enjoy your first class at Pure FREE!

Happy Sunday! I hope everyone had a wonderful weekend and enjoyed either Cinco de Mayo or the Kentucky Derby yesterday in one way or another. In the city the streets were filled with a mix of sombreros, colorful dresses, and elaborate hats.

Yesterday Bo and I woke up early for a humid run around the West Village and the West Side Highway before a day of prep work. It felt good to stick to my training plan this week as I returned to running and working out.

By 10am our Whole Foods and liquor store shopping was finished and we were sipping coffee while getting organized for the day.

First on my list was deep cleaning the house so it would be guest ready by 5pm. Over the past few weeks we’ve made great headway decorating our home with new additions such as mirrors, artwork, and greenery. We even have a few new “statement pieces” such as the turtle on our buffet which I found in Hawaii, made from Hawaiian wood.

While I deep cleaned Bo reviewed the menu one last time and started on the homemade mint simple syrup then boiling and peeling eggs.

Our final menu for yesterday’s party ended up being the perfect amount of food.

Diamond Derby Party 2012

Beverages

Mint Juleps

Bourbon Slush

Assorted beer, wine, and liquor.

Food

Paula Deen’s Deviled Eggs

Hali’imaile Truffle Macaroni and Cheese

Southern Living’s Pimiento Cheese

Blue Smoke pulled pork, chicken thighs and brisket

Cornbread

Dessert

Million Dollar bars (made for us by the lovely Laurel)

Derby Pie Bars (made for us by the lovely Camille)

This year’s crowd was larger than last year even though some of our dear friends couldn’t make it due to weddings and bridal showers. Regardless, it was a wonderful evening with large hats, laughter, and lots of good times. 

We’re already looking forward to our next party December 8th!

This post could have many titles.

• How to lose weight while on vacation.
• How to lose 5 pounds in a month.
• How to lose a size in a month.
• How to kick start your metabolism.
• How to not gain weight while you can’t workout.

While I think any of these would work, I want to go ahead and share a spoiler with you. This post will not share a magical secret with you that will leave you five pounds lighter by the time you finish reading.

After years of yo-yo dieting and wishing I was the size of those around me, I finally pulled up my big girl pants and joined Weight Watchers the summer of 2005, while I was interning up in Philadelphia. As some of you may recall from previous posts, over the course of the next 11 months I went from 192 pounds, which was my highest weight in June 2005, to 150 pounds, my Weight Watchers goal weight. My tactics for losing weight while enjoying my senior year of college were pretty simple and were in line with many of the Weight Watcher principles back then.

• I started a walk to run program which allowed me to go from running 30 seconds on the treadmill to running my first 5k.
• Back in Athens, Georgia during my senior year I worked out six days a week, religiously, and walked to as many of my classes as possible.
• I tracked points Sunday night through Friday lunch, allowing myself to enjoy Friday night through Sunday brunch enjoying tailgate food, drinks downtown, and brunch with friends.

Fast forward through my first five five years out of college and my weight has been a bit more of a roller coaster. While I don’t have time to go through everything right now, I know I owe you all a few more in depth posts regarding this roller coaster at some point. To make a long story short I’ll give you the bulleted version for now.  Enjoy the photos as well which are in chronological order.

• May 2006: Graduate from University of Georgia (weigh ~ 150)
• June 2006-June 2007: A year of long distance relationship, few to little friends in my new town of Philadelphia, and loneliness lead to an unhealthy relationship with food, fat, and working out. (weight dropped to an all time low of ~ 125)
• June 2007-Sept 2007: Bo moves to Philadelphia and with his help and my parents intervention, I start developing a healthier relationship with working out, appreciating food for its nourishment and flavor, and start training for distance running. Run my first half marathon at the amazing time of 2:02. (Slowly gain weight, reaching 132)
• Sept 2007-March 2009: Go the doctor due to losing my period. She explains that I urgently need to gain weight as my estrogen and hormone levels are dangerously low. We do this through a mix of estrogen pills, protein supplements, and allowed “unhealthy eating”. (Plateau at 138)
• March 2009: Doctor recommends we try a few more things including eating foods that I would never imagine as our current routine isn’t working and i’ve reached a plateu at 138 which still isn’t a high enough weight for my build, metabolism, hormone levels, etc.
• April 2009-September 2009: Enjoy crazy amounts of alcohol, donuts, bagels, New York cuisine, bbq,  and more while trying to gain weight and finally moving in with Bo in our first NYC apartment. Workouts and running continue but maintaining my previous pace becomes far harder as I am carrying more weight.  (Weight finally reaches 155, my doctors goal weight for my body)
• September 2, 2009: My period finally comes back. Much celebration, happy tears.
• November 2009: Bo and I get engaged!
• November 2009-November 2010: New job, new city and wedding planning stress along with unhealthy eating habits I developed while trying to gain weight mean that I gain weight instead of lose weight for my wedding. (Weight reaches 168 on wedding day.)
• November 2010-April 2012: New York life, married life, marathon training, work travel and more mean that my weight fluctuates between 173 to 164 for over a year and a half. I develop a healthy relationship with food and embrace weight training through the help of my personal trainer, Lauren. I run 7 half marathons, 2 marathons and multiple other races while sharing my adventures with my blog readers.
• April 2, 2012: Finally decide I really want to reach 160 again so my shorts, dresses, skirts, and suits from the past three years all fit. Realize this will take more than just working out to happen as my body seems to plateau every time I reach 162.

Finally, now we’re at the point where I explain exactly what I did over the past month to go from 165 pounds to 159 pounds and lose a full dress and pant size.  Don’t worry, I have more bullets for you!

How I Overcame My Weight Plateau

• Portion control!  I returned to weighing, measuring and thinking about everything that went into my mouth, even on vacation. I made sure my plate always included more vegetables and protein than starches. On each trip I carried or purchased healthy snacks so I would be less apt to reach for chocolate, candy, or empty carbs. During work dinners I’ve gone back to ordering half portions or making special requests because it’s so easy and can lead to healthier and more delicious meals which I can enjoy versus dreading.

• I cut back on the alcohol. I went back to only having alcohol 1-2 nights during the week, other than my vacation week. But, while we were on vacation I only had 1 glass of beer, wine or cocktail 4 of the nights.
• I fell in love with fruits and vegetables again. Thanks in part to the Green Giant Vegetable Challenge and our trip to Hawaii, I realized that most of the time I prefer fruit over another dessert option and both fruit and vegetables are the best office snack, second go my beloved Greek yogurt. In line with this, I also went back to having the large size salads during lunch from Pax or Toasties instead of a bag of baked chips or a roll. The less processed food that goes in my system during the week, the better!

• I cleaned up my lunches.  Sure, salad is healthy, but common sense tells you that even a rabbit’s favorite food can haul in more calories than a sandwich lunch if you load it with too many nuts, cheeses, dressing, and toppings. Therefore, during April I stuck with lots of vegetables and fruit on my salads, went back to having dressing on the side, and topped it with only lean protein (egg whites, eggs, grilled chicken, shrimp, or tuna) and allowed myself cheese or nuts in place of the lean protein, not in addition. While I was traveling, Subway became my best friend again as it’s always a healthy and reliable option who shares the calorie counts with patrons everywhere!

• Hello Mr Penguin Bo and I took our Penguin Soda Stream out of the pantry so we could use it more often. This alone has cut my soda, wine, beer, and Crystal Light consumption down and renewed my love of water. I’m now drinking at least a gallon of water a day, including what I drink during workouts.
• Sleep Every article I read about weight loss or running seems to mention the benefits of sleep. During vacation I enjoyed eight hours of sleep every night and since then I’ve slept at least 7 hours every single night.

Move I think it’s funny that I lost this weight and inches while NOT running since I always thought running was the key to losing weight.  While on vacation my mom and I walked every day up a 1.5 mile hill at least two times. When I returned to NYC, even while battling bronchitis, I did planks and pushups every day. I think it’s important to realize that you don’t need to run a marathon each day, but you need to stick to a routine which you can do anywhere and everywhere. This morning, while I’m still in my hooded sweatshirt and boxer shorts, I’ve already done 2 minutes of planks, 20 pushups, and 5 minutes of sun salutations. I also got better about sharing the news that I was working out with co-workers while I traveled to Houston this week. In turn, I had a workout partner each morning!

None of this is ground breaking stuff and I’m sure you’ve all done at least one of the above at one point. But, even for a Lifetime Weight Watcher member, I forgot the importance of portion and counting. My salads became a means to enjoy cheese, my evening time with Bo or work travel and happy hours were a means to enjoy wine and beer, and work dinners had become an excuse to eat just like the people around me. If I could suggest just one of the above, it would be either cleaning up lunch salads or portion control as I think these are the 2 biggest changes I made.

There you have it. Happy Friday.