COLOR RUN

 Sean and I ran in The Color Run 5k in Memphis Saturday morning. It was a care-free, stress-free but NOT mess-free run, and it was a WHOLE lot of fun!!

 {pre-race}

 

The atmosphere was funky and cool with people in crazy costumes ready to get covered in color along the way.

 

We waited in line with Erin and thousands of others for it to be our turn at the starting line. The crowd was so huge, they started runners in groups of 1500 to 2000 in 10-15 minute windows.

 

Excited!

 

And finally we were off!

There were different color stops along the way with volunteers lining each side of the road, ready to throw, dump, or squirt their colored powder on the runners. It looks like we had just passed through orange. 

I though it would be chilly and prepared with long sleeves...but it was a HOT run! Once at the finish, the energy level was so high, the music was awesome, and the people were crazy!

 

 

 All done! (Is there something wrong with my pose, Team Yellow Lady?)

 I looked like a ninja turtle.

 We waited with the crowd for the first "color throw"...

 

Which turned the bright sunny day into a colorful, smoky club!

 

And made everyone go nuts 'inside', dancing to the music as the powder rained down.

 

 

 How cool is that view from outside!?

  

 Stretch Armstrong caught me a pair of socks!

I can't wait to do it again, maybe with a big group of friends. It would be a perfect run for a family.

Love my partner!

Once we had our fill of the festivities, the Grays headed to the drive-thru...

...In all their fifty shades...

 

 Happy Sunday!
The Grays

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Favorite Creative Healthy Snacks

I’ve always eaten like a bird; little snacks here and there, and not enough room in the tummy for a big meal in one sitting, so I eat pretty frequently. Usually breakfast, snack, lunch, snack, dinner, snack. Seriously! But it’s all in small portions and gives me tons of variety. As much as I like to snack, it’s important to have an arsenal of favorite go-to healthy snacks that I love. It’s easy to get in a rut with the same granola bar/veggie/fruit stuff, so here I’ll share the snacks I make all the time for work, home, and pre-workout.

Tomato slices with Parmesan Garlic Seasoning


Fresh, cold tomatoes are the epitome of summertime. For a snack, I like mine sliced and sprinkled with pepper, grated parmesan cheese, and this nifty parmesan-garlic flavored seasoning meant for popcorn. It’s fresh, quick and really good!



Frozen Grapes


It’s amazing how much a freezer can transform a grape! Frozen grapes are ideal for picnics, kids' lunch boxes, laying out by the pool, and an at-work or after-work snack. Just de-stem and pop a bunch in the freezer on a tray or in tupperware for a few hours or overnight. They can actually be stored frozen as long as you need. They come out like little bite-sized sorbets! You could also mix with some white-grape-peach juice for a sweet, slushy, sorbet dessert.

Fuji Apple with Melted Crunchy Peanut Butter


I’ve been unintentionally eating an apple a day since I’ve been in OT school. The long days actually developed my snacking habit…sitting in the same classroom for 7-8 hours can drive you to stuff your face! I brought a sliced apple with me every day and haven’t stopped since. I did step the game up a little, though, and started bringing a couple tablespoons of crunchy peanut butter in a mini container to be nuked in the microwave for 10-15 seconds. It is by far my favorite and most frequent snack. I’ve had every combination under the sun, and trust me…The Fuji apple is the best with peanut butter and the crunchy variety is a must.

Tuna Fish Salad with Cheese on Whole Grain Ritz


This can be a snack or even lunch. I make a typical tuna fish salad; a couple cans of tuna in WATER, fat free miracle whip, white only of boiled eggs, sweet relish, salt, pepper, and garlic powder. I spread it on a whole grain Ritz cracker with a small square of cheddar block cheese. I’ve also tried it with the Cracked Black Pepper Triscuits, which is yummy too, but Ritz are my fave. You can have it cold and crunchy or heat for a few seconds to make it soft and warm.


For me, it’s also vital to have some go-to snacks to get my chocolate fix, without polishing off a twix…both of them. The next snacks are my picks for when the chocolate craving strikes.

Bowl of Chocolate Cheerios with Skim Milk


I’m a cereal girl. A cereal-at-any-time-of-day-girl to be exact. This cereal was the best discovery for me because it’s surprisingly not too chocolaty but is like a yummy sweet dessert to cap off my dinner at night. This is what I turn to when I’m about to compulsively drive to Sonic on autopilot and eat a sundae before I even know what happened. Doesn’t everyone do that? No?

Chocolate Teddy Grahams with Low Fat Frozen Yogurt


To take one more step into the dessert category, you can have a scoop of Low Fat frozen yogurt, whatever flavor you like, with a handful of chocolate teddy grahams, another great chocolate alternative discovery.

I bring these in a ziplock bag for a chocolaty snack at work, but if you must have icecream, this is a good way to go.

Nutella on Whole Grain Toaster Waffle


If you have not yet met Nutella, allow me to introduce you. Nutella is a chocolate-hazelnut spread made with skim milk and it is the most versatile, delicious stuff EVER!



I was first acquainted with my love 5 years ago when I took Italian as my foreign language and my instructor was so enthralled by it, her license plate read “NUTELLA”. She completely turned her nose up at the thought of peanut butter and said this is the Italian equivalent for a kid’s lunch box meal at school in Italy. I tried it, and was hooked. If you google Nutella recipes, you’ll see how much you can do with it. It stays in my pantry as a spread or dip for a number of victims: Nilla wafers, graham crackers, wheat toast, bananas…But this is a great snack for an on-the-go breakfast or sweet and filling dessert. Just spread a little on a toasted whole grain waffle. It’ll melt a little from the warmth and you can top with bananas, strawberries, or blueberries if you want. You’ll love it!

Fat Free Fruit Dip


This is a standard fruit dip combination that can be mixed and matched for any flavor you like. Mix equal parts fat free cool whip with fat free yogurt (strawberry, vanilla, pineapple, etc) and a little bit of corresponding crushed fruit. Everything’s better with something to dip in!


This last idea is not mine, but it's just adorable! It's from Nesting Newbies magazine and I can't wait to use the idea. They called it a "jarfait"; a layered parfait stored in a mason jar with a lid to become portable.

You could make ahead of time, put in the refrigerator, and take to a picnic, breakfast on the go, or work snack. And the combinations you can create are endless. Here's a few I thought of...

Banana Pudding Parfait
Layer fat free vanilla pudding, crushed Reduced Fat Nilla wafers, and fat free cool whip.

Strawberry Shortcake Parfait
Layer angel food cake (fat free!) slices strawberries, and fat free cool whip.

Tropical Parfait
Layer low fat strawberry yogurt, crushed pineapple, and chopped pecans or granola.

Chocolate Parfait
Layer low fat chocolate pudding/mousse, crushed animal/graham crackers, and fat free cool whip.


I hope you like some of these snack ideas and let me know if you try any!

XOXO,
Katie

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~Motivation to Move~

~"To keep the body in good health is a duty...otherwise, we shall not be able to keep our mind strong and clear."~

-Buddha

Flipping through some VS catalogs last weekend, Nina, Ashley and I admired the insane, no doubt airbrushed bodies of the models, and mentally prepared ourselves for slipping into those little suits in a few weeks.

Like all girls, Ashley said, "I wish my butt looked like that," and Dustin, being the good husband that he is, replied...
"It already does..."
:) Boys take note.

When you follow a regular workout regimen, it's inevitable to struggle for motivation at some point. I've kicked up my typical 4 day/week routine to a higher intensity 5 day/week in preparation for summer...Just 7 more weeks until Memorial Day weekend!

A while back, I also put together workout plans for Sean and I with each specific move to be done organized into a chart and laminated onto cardstock. So, instead of haphazardly choosing what to do next or...my favorite...lying on the mat while I'm "deciding" what to do next, we have it all laid out and waste no time guessing what to do. Trust me, it's worked wonders. I carry it with me throughout the workout and know that I accomplished something when I'm done.

"Lack of activity destroys the good condition of every human being, while movement and methodical physical exercise save it and preserve it." -Plato

Even though the days are long, I'm following through. But at times, struggling with believing that I'm enjoying it.

So, the first thing I do when I'm in a rut, is shake up my workout mix. I've discovered that I run better to the blues, strength train best to bass-heavy R&B, and have a few certain "pick-me-up" songs that I scroll to to instantly pep up my mood.

My Ipod is definitely a crutch I rely on. And I feel, if it gets me working out every day, that's ok! It puts me in the zone and blocks out the pain and weakness. I may be seen as that snob at the gym who doesn't wave or talk to anybody, but, sorry! I'm aware of no one. I've got a job to do. So here's a little taste of my favorite workout songs so you can add them to your musical motivation.

Runnin' the Blues Away:
If you like the blues and you run as part of your workout routine, try this! I so wish I had realized it before...There's something about the vibe, the beat, and the tempo that suits running PERFECTLY. Especially when I run outside on the trail, if these songs are in my ear, an hour passes in no time.

I can love you like a woman-Koko Taylor
Let the Juke Joint Jump-Koko Taylor
Let the good times roll-Koko Taylor
Pride and Joy-Stevie Ray Vaughn
Blue on Black-Kenny Wayne Sheppard
Spank-Kenny Wayne Sheppard ft Kid Rock
Fine Little Mama-Elmore James
Rock me baby-BB King ft Eric Clapton

Movement is a medicine for creating change in a person's physical, emotional, and mental states. -Carol Welch

Songs to pump to:

"Battlefield"- Jordin Sparks
Makes ya feel like a soldier.

"Rockstar 101"- Rihanna
Badass song with a badass vibe. BEST for lifting weights.

"Boom Boom Pow"- Black Eyed Peas
Great bass beat.

"I Can Transform Ya"- Chris Brown ft Lil Wayne and Swizz Beatz
Or, you can transform yourself.

"Go Hard or Go Home" -E-40
The name speaks for itself.

"Remember the Name"-Fort Minor
-"This is 10 percent luck, 20 percent skill, 15 percent concentrated power of will
5 percent pleasure, 50 percent pain, and 100% reason to remember the name."


Pick-me-Ups:
These have a feel-good vibe and instantly lift my mood.
"Body Language"- Jesse McCartney
"Flying Machine"- Everly
"Made" -Jamie Scott
"Icecream Paint Job"- Dorrough

Don't forget to stretch!
Some songs on my cool down mix:
Dear Life-Anthony Hamilton
Hollywood's not America-Ferras
I wanna make you close your eyes-Dierks Bentley
Killing me Softly-The Fugees
Hallelujah-Kate Voegele (or any version you like)

The next thing I do for motivation when I need it, is look for it. Everyone has their personal goals of what they want to achieve. I take a quick look at someone who's already achieved it, then head to the gym ready to work. For example...

Yes, please.

The last thing I do is buy a new swimsuit and think about wearing it. Remember that Special K commercial (or was it yoplait?) a while back with the yellow polka dot bikini, where she hangs the suit where she can see it everyday? Not quite that direct, but just a little purchase for some extra motivation. My fave swimsuits of this summer are coming up in a later post, so check back soon.

7 weeks til memorial day. Go forth and exercise!

"Our deepest fear is not that we are inadequate. Our deepest fear is that we are powerful beyond measure." -Nelson Mandela

XOXO,
Katie

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