What I Ate Wednesday: Eat When You're Hungry, Don't When You're Full

WOW! I really loved all the comments on my last What I Ate Wednesday so I'm once again joining the link up with Sprint 2 The Table. 

Eat when you're hungry, don't eat when you're full. It's a pretty simple concept, yet one that I struggle with on the daily. I don't need to be hungry to find myself reaching for snacks that I keep at my desk. Or to grab a Jolly Rancher as I pass a coworker's candy bowl. Or to pop a Hershey's kiss in my mouth every time I leave the physical therapy office just because they're sitting there. 

I'm not going for mid-afternoon McFlurry's and fries - but I still think I should make a more concerted effort to listen to what my stomach is telling me. And if it's saying, "I'm still full from lunch," then I probably don't need to reach for the handful of granola just because I'm bored. 

Similarly, if I hadn't planned on eating anything between lunch and dinner but find my tummy rumblin', you better believe I'm going to make myself a snack. 

Ever since reading Dan Harris' book 10% Happier, I've hopped on board the "mindfulness" bandwagon. Embracing this concept has encouraged me to stop and check in with myself before making decisions, including decisions about what I eat. 

But let's be real - if I'm full and someone wants to go get fro-yo, I probably won't say no-no. 

Anyway, let's get into it shall we? 

Breakfast

Fage 0% Plain Yogurt + 1/2 Banana + Honey + Back To The Roots Whole Wheat Cereal 

Confession: If there is a bag of granola or a box of cereal at my desk, that sucker doesn't stand a chance. I'm constantly snacking on it mindlessly and then kicking myself when an 11 serving box is finished within 3 days. 

So I was hesitant to pick up this box of Back to the Roots cereal when I sampled it in Whole Foods. But 1 cup is only 160 calories with 6 grams of protein and 5 grams of fiber! This stuff fills ya right up! 

And, life hack: instead of bringing in the whole box, I've been bringing in 1 serving in a ziplock bag per day. 

Morning Coffee 

I mainly drink coffee in the morning because it's something to do. I'm not hard to please when it comes to a cup of joe. But the free coffee in our offices? Yucko. I suck it up and drink it though, because it's free, and a $3 per day is over $20 a week. No thanks. I got donuts to buy. 

Snacks

Throughout the day I snacked on the rest of my cup of Back to the Roots cereal and, on my way out to meet a friend during my lunch hour, grabbed a butterscotch hard candy (ok, 2) from my coworkers desk. Gets me every time - especially when she's got Werther's out! 

Lunch

My go-to lunch is a big big bowl of oatmeal. Most people's reaction is, "that's all you have for lunch?" But trust me - I load those oats up and it gets me good and full! 

Today's oatmeal consisted of 1/2 Cup Oats + 1/2 Banana + Walnuts + Raisins + Cinnamon + Shredded Coconut + a generous drizzle of honey!

It's so easy to throw all of the dry ingredients in a ziplock bag to keep at my desk throughout the week. Then, when it's time to eat, I simply slice up a banana and drizzle with honey (which I keep at my desk!

Lunch Dessert 

Because there's lunch-dessert and dinner-dessert, right? 

As usual, I wrapped up lunch with a handful of 5 deliciously decadent Dutch Cocoa Somersaults. 

Pre-Pilates Snack 

Rice Cake + Hummus + Cucumber

I am freaking out you guys - I think I am allergic to cucumbers! This was the second day in a row I felt awful after eating a cucumber. I'm hoping it's just because I didn't peel them, because I LOVE cucumbers! 

The pilates class ended up being so disappointing. We barely did anything. I would have been better off taking a nap - probably would have been better for my body! 

Islanders Game Snacking

When the Islanders are in the second round of playoffs for the first time in 23 years - YOU MAKE SURE YOU'RE WATCHING! 

I found someone to cover my shift at the running store so I could watch at The Overlook with a friend. Apparently, NYC finally has an Islander's bar. It's great watching here - everyone is super into the game, the sound is on, there are chants happening AND the Islanders wives and girlfriends even join in the festivities. 

We ordered some delicious "pomme frites" aka fries which I was happy to snack on because I was 100% actually hungry. I also casually whipped out one of these Qi'a mocha cocoa hazelnut bars. I love the flavor of them, but the texture is kind of odd since there are soo many chia seeds to chew! 

Dinner

Is it still dinner if you eat at 10:30 p.m.? 

Quinoa + Roasted Cauliflower & Broccoli with Red Chili Flakes + String Beans + Avocado + Sweet Potato & Carrots  +  Kale + Garlic Dijon Vinaigrette

Dinner Dessert

Did I need dessert after eating a huge plate of veggies at 10:30 p.m.? Absolutely not. Did I still take a bite of an energy ball and a spoonful of peanut butter? Mhm. 

Never go a day without peanut butter, that's what I say! 

A Plethora of Pictures and a Disappointing Bike Ride

Spring has arrived here in NYC and I am amazed at how different every street looks with leaves on the trees. Seriously, I keep thinking I've made a wrong turn!

The warmer weather, the green leaves, and the colorful bursts of flowers blooming have all encouraged me to slow down a little, keep my head up instead of looking down at my phone, and to notice some of the truly beautiful sights I'm surrounded by in this concrete jungle. 

I've been snapping pictures left and right & since I haven't been writing many general life update posts, I figured I'd just do a photo dump. That's a very unappealing blogger phrase, isn't it? Photo dump? 

Let's call it a PLETHORA OF PRETTY PICTURES instead. 

And some stories. 

Central Park is simply stunning during this time of the year. 

Usually, I run without my phone in the park. I'm so close to home that I tie my keys to my shoelaces and leave everything else behind. But with everything in bloom, I've been very tempted to bring my phone with me on my runs so I can stop and get in a few more shots like this! 

The other night, I took my GoPro out for a walk in the park at sunset. Unfortunately, I still have yet to master my GoPro - instead I just ended up taking pictures on my iPhone and then editing them until they looked really grainy and awful...woops! But you get the idea - it was a really pretty night in the park! 

Can you tell which one was taken with the GoPro? Heh. 

I've also been swooning over the flowers popping up everywhere! 

So happy to break out these shoes - they are so comfortable but soo worn out. I think it's time for a new pair. Or 3. Any suggestions? 

I've also found myself taking a lot more notice of the architecture I pass every day. There are so many unique looking buildings in Manhattan, and even in my own little area of the city. 

Last weekend, I set off on what I planned on being a 30 mile bike ride to prepare for the 5 borough bike tour. The ride was supposed to end at Zen Bike's, where I bought my beautiful Bianchi, so that it could get a tune-up. 

I rode across to the east side hoping to hop onto the East River running path and well, I made it about 2 avenues before my tires skidded out from under me because of the rain and I completely wiped out. Luckily, I fell into a parking lot and was able to stand and brush myself off. But I had some lovely scratches and a nice big bruise on my butt. 

Tears sprang to my eyes but instead of going the "boo-hoo" route I told myself, "It's going to happen. Get up, get back on, and get your ride done." 

I walked my bike the rest of the way to the river because I was really shaken up. When I finally set off again I realized that the entire east river path is basically impossible to get onto until you're way far downtown. That's what I get for jumping the gun and not just waiting for the group ride at 11 a.m. 

Frustrated at myself, wet, sore, and scared of riding in the streets - I slowlyyyy got myself to Zen's. It seemed that every turn I took there was something else in my path. Construction, a street closed for a festival, a moving truck. It was an absolute DISASTER. 

Needless to say, 30 miles didn't happen. Instead, I took my bike on the subway home. But, I got the tune-up done and the platform pedals put back on (I'm scared to clip in for the stop and go of the 5 Borough Bike Tour) so it wasn't a complete failure of a morning. 

And, I got this trio of pretty pictures: 

YOUR TURN: 
WHAT'S YOUR FAVORITE THING ABOUT SPRING? 
WHAT'S YOUR FAVORITE FLOWER? 
HAVE YOU FALLEN OFF YOUR BIKE??

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Is An Equinox Membership Worth Your Hard-Earned Cash?

In New York City, Equinox is typically known as the gym you go to if you're rich, ripped or runway-worthy. While I am none of those things, I did enjoy my few days as a member. You can read my reviews of the 5 classes I checked out here:

Ropes & Rowers
PURSUIT Spin
METCON3
30/60/90
Athletica

People pay big bucks for memberships at Equinox. Like, $200+ a month. That may sound cray cray to you, but there were quite a few times that I started to seriously consider whether or not it was worth it.

Reasons Equinox Is Worth The Hype

INNOVATIVE CLASSES

There are a huge variety of classes to choose from as an Equinox member. Many of these classes aren't cookie-cutter yoga and Zumba that you find at some other gyms. Equinox is pushing the envelope and offering cutting-edge classes that use new technology and the latest trends in fitness.

The Ropes & Rowers class was an awesome experience - one that people pay lots of money to take at boutique fitness studios like Row House and City Row where classes cost upwards of $30. 

A class like PURSUIT Spin uses new technology to create a unique experience that you won't find in just any spin class.

TOP-NOTCH EQUIPMENT 

All of the machines in Equinox are so shiny and new looking! And the fact that they casually roll in water-rowers and battling ropes for a 45 minute class blows my mind. 

There are not just a huge variety of foam rollers, but STICKS for your recovery sessions.

Sadly, I never got around to doing my own weight session at Equinox - I only took classes - but from what I saw, there are a LOT of options and no one area was ever over-run with people. Which brings me to - 

SPACE

Equinox gyms, at least the 3 locations that I saw, are pretty massive. So much room for activities! There's a main studio, a yoga studio, a spin studio and a room with Megaformers (torture device)!  

CLASS SIGN-UPS

Aside from spin classes and the treadmill-based group fitness class - there are no sign-ups required for Equinox classes. Is this easy? YES. Does it mean some classes can get pretty packed? Yes, it means that as well. But there is no dealing with cancelling, paying cancellation fees, signing up the second the class opens up online, etc. that is required at a lot of other gyms. 

*For me, I like the accountability of signing up and knowing I'm going to get charged if I don't show up. BUT, it's frustrating when something comes up last minute and it's not my laziness that's preventing me from getting to the gym. 

THOSE SHOWERS

When I start my day with a shower at NYSC, I don't feel exceptionally clean. 

After 5 days of showers at Equinox - I felt like I had been showering in a spa. Those Kiehl's products, the spaciousness of the showers - there's something to be said for ending a workout with a luxurious feeling shower instead of "how quick can I make this, some woman's hair is caked to the side of this shower and it's way too close for comfort." 

CAFES & JUICE 

Most Equinox locations have a cafe or juice bar attached to them. If you can afford the $200 membership, it probably means you can also afford the $10 green juice post-workout. 

Why I'm Not Going To Give Equinox All My Money

At the end of the day, Equinox does offer an elevated gym experience. There's no denying it.

But a gym,when all is said and done, is a place for you to go to move, sweat and lift heavy things. And a gym with a $50 membership still lets you do all of those things. 

The gym is what you make it. Your workout is what you make it. And with the money you save on a cheaper gym, you can spend a day at a spa, luxuriating in marble showers. You can take a few boutique classes at a place like SWERVE or The P.E. Club. You can afford that mid-week or post-hangover green juice even though it's insanely overpriced. 

And you can still get in a great workout. You can still find kick-ass classes with top-notch instructors. You can be creative with the available equipment. 

And you can have some extra cash moneyz for things like margaritas and ice cream cones because 

SPRING IS HERE! 

Then again - you could say, "I go to the gym every day and therefore I'm willing to pay top dollar for the best of the best." 

You could also say, "I have a body and the great outdoors - I don't need to no stinkin' gym!" 

Or, you could say, "Give me SOULCycle or give me death! I just want a membership at my favorite boutique studio." 

I'm not here to tell you what to do. But for me, a moderately priced gym as a place to take classes and do my strength training is what I require - the rest of the time  you'll find me pounding the pavement, riding my bike (ugh) or treating myself to the occasional boutique fitness class. 

And if I magically get a large raise or win the lottery despite not buying lotto tickets - maybe you'll find me at Equinox. 

For now, I'll be at NYSC avoiding the hairy showers.  It was fun, Equinox. 

YOUR TURN: 
IS A GYM MEMBERSHIP SOMETHING YOU ARE WILLING TO SPLURGE ON? 
WHAT'S YOUR BIGGEST PET PEEVE ABOUT YOUR GYM? 

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My Week At Equinox: Athletica

I'm taking you along for the ride on my 7 days as an Equinox member. Check out my other posts: 

Ropes & Rowers
PURSUIT Cycling + A Swim
METCON3
30/60/90

Day 5 & 6: Sorry, Equinox 

I had planned on taking some yoga or pilates classes at Equinox over the weekend, but that didn't end up happening. Instead, I took the day off on Saturday and ran a 4 mile race in Central Park on Sunday.

Day 7: Athletica 

It seems that I unintentionally ended up saving the best for last in my 7 day free-trial at Equinox. 

I had planned on starting the week on the right foot with a morning gym class on Monday. But when I found myself at Game 6 of the Islander's playoff series against the Florida Panthers - a game that ended in double overtime - and not in my bed until well past midnight, I knew that wasn't in the cards. 

Instead, I used my lunch break to go to a class called Athletica on my lunch break. 

The Equinox website describes Athletica as, "Sculpt and train your body like an athlete for an hour. Ilaria’s new class burns fat and delivers a strong athletic body. High intensity exercises based on power endurance and progressive strength training and strong emphasis on a strong core. Be prepared to sweat and test your willpower!"

I also realized that on the Equinox website, it gives you a chart explaining the focus of each class as it relates to strength, cardio, flexibility and regeneration. This is a great feature that I wish I had used earlier in my trial! 

THE SET UP 

For this class all you need is your body and a few different sets of dumbbells. I picked up 10, 12, 8 and 5 lb dumbbells and ended up using them all at different points in the class. 

CIRCUIT ONE 

• 16 Dumbbell Clean & Presses 
• 8 Weighted Squat Thrusts
• 24 Double-Dumbbell Swings (Wide or Narrow Stance) 
• 24 Renegade Rows
• :60 4 Jumping Lunges + Burpee 

CIRCUIT TWO 

• Repeat

CIRCUIT THREE 

• Repeat
• We changed up the :60 of cardio to 2 Jumps Squats + Burpee 

"REST" - DELT STRENGTH WORK 

• :60 Alternating Front Raises
• :60 Alternating Single Arm/Double Arm Lateral Raises
• :60 Flys 
• :60 Alternating Hammer Curl and Press with palms facing in 

CIRCUIT 4

For this round, each exercise got an added +8 reps. The cardio portioned remained :60 long.

• 24 Dumbbell Clean & Presses 
• 16 Weighted Squat Thrusts 
• 32 Double-Dumbbell Swings (Wide or Narrow Stance) 
• 32 Renegade Rows
• :60 4 Jumping Lunges + Burpee 

CIRCUIT 5 

• Repeat

"REST" - DELT STRENGTH WORK 

• :60 Alternating Front Raises
• :60 Alternating Single Arm/Double Arm Lateral Raises
• :60 Flys 
• :60 Alternating Hammer Curl and Press with palms facing in 

"LETS REST A LITTLE MORE BEFORE WE FINISH WITH ONE MORE CIRCUIT" 

• 10 Pushups
• :10 Rest
• 8 Rounds.

CIRCUIT 6

• 24 Dumbbell Clean & Presses 
• 16 Weighted Squat Thrusts 
• 32 Double-Dumbbell Swings (Wide or Narrow Stance) 
• 32 Renegade Rows
• :60 4 Jumping Lunges + Burpee 

Holy SMOKES. 

By far one of the best gym classes I've taken.

WHAT I LIKED 

The fact that this was a circuit-style class obviously appealed to me, since that's my favorite way to strength train. 

Each move within the circuit was a compound exercise which means we were working more than one muscle group at a time. But then, when we did the sets of delt exercises, we were focusing on isolation exercises. 

Even though there was no real "rest" the isolation exercises were the perfect time for your heart rate to settle down before ramping it back up again with more circuits. HIIT at it's finest. 

I was dripping sweat, the moves weren't requiring me to jump up and down (aside from the burpees) and I was using my ENTIRE body throughout the class. 

Plus, I loved the fact that this was a true strength training class - I felt strong and used 10 or 12 lb. dumbbells - not 5 pounders (except for those front and lateral raises - woooof!)  

WHAT I DIDN'T LIKE

The only real complain I have is that the studio was FRRRREEEZING cold. The weights hurt to hold because the metal was so cold. But honestly, after one circuit the sweat had started to drip and I forgot I had ever been chilly.

This was quite the way to wrap up my classes at Equinox.

I wish I had fit in more during my 7 days - I planned on some two-a-days with a strength class + yoga or abs/Pilates but it didn't end up happening. C'est la vie.

Next post, I'll wrap up my final thoughts about the experience - did I end up so enamored that I joined? Stay tuned.

CLIFFHANGER!

YOUR TURN:
O YOU HAVE A FAVORITE GROUP FITNESS CLASS?
WHY IS IT YOUR FAVORITE?

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Spring In The Air, Spring In My Step: 4 Mile Race Recap

Somehow, I'm still not sick of racing. And it's a good thing - because I've still got 4 races left on the schedule of events! 

I think the main reason I haven't tired of races is because, quite frankly, they are so damn convenient for me. Sometimes, races are practically in my backyard. Other times, they're the perfect 2 mile warm-up jog to the start line. It doesn't get any better than that. 

On Sunday, I ran another 4 miler in Central Park - the Run As One. This course was identical to the Run For the Parks 4 Miler.

PRE-RACE 

I'm trying to be better about my pre-race routine. That meant setting my alarm for an hour before I wanted to be out the door. 

FUEL

I've been fueling for each race with a piece of Ezekiel toast smeared with PB, topped with 1/2 a banana and drizzled with honey while slowly sipping on a cup of coffee. 

My new favorite tool is the Runner's World "What Do I Wear?" that lets me plug in the temperature and tells me if it's shorts, pants, singlet or long-sleeve weather. I'm still always filled with panic that I'll be cold though. 

GEAR

On Sunday, I put on my new Asics short-sleeved shirt that my friend sent me. So much for no new clothes on race day. I ended up looooving it though. Sometimes short sleeves bother me so I tend to stick with tanks but I was feelin' this shirt. THANKS EMILY!

Side note: I recently realized that I have SO MUCH PINK when it comes to running shirts. Which is odd, because I'm not the pink type. 

I wore shorts and, since I'm always afraid of being cold, my knee-high pink CEP compression socks for a little extra coverage. 

I ran with my SPIBelt (did you know that SPI stands for small personal items? Now ya do) since I wanted to have my phone on me. 

On my feet were my go-tos - Saucony Rides. Sans inserts. 

STRETCH 

Alright - here is the big change in my pre-race routine. Motivating myself to activate my glutes before I run. 

I gave them a big old HELLO GOOD MORNING with one-legged glute bridges, side planks with a leg lift (works your glutes SO MUCH MORE THAN YOU REALIZE. Really, I cry), and heel raises to remind my body the right way to transfer weight - between my big toe and second toe - NOT the outside of my foot. 

I also did some rolling with my new Addaday massage roller because my calf knots have been comin' in hot with the more consistent mileage. 

Most importantly, I did my INTERNAL hip rotation stretch for :60 on each side. Who knew - all this time I was cranking out clam shells and fire hydrants to improve my external rotation hip strength when it's really the OTHER way I need to teach my hips to turn. 

WARM UP

I ran the two miles to the start line and hopped into my coral when I saw a fellow NP teammate. We chatted while we waited for the race to start - marveling at the PERFECT spring race weather. It was such a gorgeous morning. 

RACE

MILE ONE 

I was coming off of 6 days of no running, so I was hoping for fresh legs. Despite the two mile warm-up, they didn't feel all that fresh since the race starts by climbing Cat Hill. Once I got up and over that, I caught up to my teammate and tried to stay with her. 

MILE TWO 

I settled into a rhythm here - I could tell I was going at a fairly speedy pace, but I was also pretty comfortable. The best feeling. 

MILE THREE 

Mile three is by far the most challenging in this course as you have to go up and over the 3 Sisters. In Central Park, these are the three large rolling hills along the West Side. 

Hills are kind of my jam. I hate them, don't get me wrong, but I recognize that they're one of my strengths. My pace did slow down a bit for mile 3, but I felt strong and pushed myself to get 'em done as quickly as possible. 

MILE FOUR 

I waited until around mile 3.5 to kick things up a notch. I told myself to relax my body, let my leggies do their thing, and to not think about it too much. It was luckily one of those times where my body cooperated and the pace dropped without me feeling like I was going to hurl. 

I read a quote after the race that described this feeling perfectly:

“Fast running isn’t forced. You have to relax and let the run come out of you. ”

— Des Linden

You make a turn and then the finish line is in sight! I was able to speed through the line knowing that I had put in a solid effort, and still feeling fairly good. 

RESULTS 

I finished in 29:24 for a pace of 7:21 - better than the Run for the Parks two weekends ago! I was happy with the result. 

Post-Race 

I grabbed an apple, caught my breathe, and fairly quickly set off on my cool down run of 2 miles home. My legs still felt pretty good - except when it came to running up Cat Hill for a second time. 

I like the 4 mile distance and I love courses that don't involve Harlem Hill. It was a beautiful morning and a fun race. 

UP NEXT: 

April 30 - Bear Mountain Marathon Relay
May 1 - 5 Borough Bike Tour (40 Miles) 
May 14 - Healthy Kidney 10K
May 21 - Brooklyn Half Marathon

YOUR TURN: 
WHAT'S YOUR FAVORITE RACE DISTANCE? 

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My Week At Equinox: 30/60/90

I'm taking you along for the ride on my 7 days as an Equinox member. Check out my other posts: 

Ropes & Rowers
PURSUIT Cycling + A Swim
METCON3

Day 4: 30/60/90

I thought the class I was going to was going to be "Whipped" but turns out, I ended up in 30/60/90 - a non-stop, sweaty, cardio-centric HIIT class. 

SET-UP

You guessed it - exercises performed for 30 seconds, 60 seconds and 90 seconds. There is literally NO rest the entire class. You're "recovery" is all active recovery which means non-stop moving. At the end of each interval, you're encouraged to step it up a notch for the final 15 seconds! 

EQUIPMENT

This class used a step, a body bar and yourself for a mix of plyometric, cardio and strength moves. 

WHAT I LIKED

• SO MUCH SWEAT! There is no way to leave this class feeling like you didn't get in a good workout. 
• Since I was taking the week off from running, I liked that this class had a lot of cardio moves with the stepper. That being said, when I'm running a lot, I tend to try to find gym classes that focus more on strength for my cross-training days. 
• The class ended with 3 :30 intervals where you picked your 3 favorite moves from the class. Freestyle! 

WHAT I DIDN'T LIKE 

• The instructor didn't really give any corrections - because he had to stay at the front of the room constantly letting us know what was up next. 
• Jumping is rough on my shins, especially on hard gym floors. 30/60/90 has a lot of jumping. 

This class is not for the faint of heart. Now that I've gone once, it would be really daunting for me to get my butt in there again knowing how much work it was going to be. But it's totally worth it for the sweat & endorphins you'll have at the end of 45 minutes!

YOUR TURN: 
DO LIKE HIIT WORKOUTS? 

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My Week At Equinox: METCON3

I'm taking you along for the ride on my 7 days as an Equinox member. You can read about my first class, Ropes and Rowers, here and my second class, PURSUIT spin, here.

Day Three: METCON3

On Thursday, I had a PT appointment in the morning which meant an after-work gym visit. I'm not a big fan of waiting until the end of the day for my workout, but knowing I had a class I wanted to check out helped motivate me to go. Plus, I knew all I had to do was what the instructor told us to do - no thinking required.

Still, at the end of a long day I was a little nervous about the "fat incinerating" total body workout that METCON3 is advertised as.

THE SET UP

The way this class works is my favorite way to workout - pick a bunch of exercises, do them all without stopping. Rest. Repeat.

10 Exercises.
Perform each exercise for 60 seconds.
Rest 60 seconds.
Repeat 10 exercises for 60 seconds each.
Rest 60 seconds.
Repeat again.

That's three rounds of a 10-exercise circuit, for those of you who saw lots of numbers and skipped ahead.

THE EXERCISES

• Box Front Squat with Dumbbells
• Incline row in plank position
• Plank Jax + Pushups
• Diagonal lunge with dumbbell high pull
• Regular Pushup/Incline Pushup
• Squat slams
• Step up lunges
• Curl and press sitting on box with feet up
• Toe taps
• Incline bicycle

FINISHERS

Just when you're relieved that you've made it through round #3 - hold up (wait a minute, put a little boom in it - booooom dynamite...). There's more.

• 20 Single arm sand bag slams
• 20 Should tap puships
• 20 Butt kick jumps

No rest in between those three finishers. Wooooof.

WHAT I LIKED

I loved the way that METCON3 was set up. The circuit-style is my favorite. I also really liked the fact that METCON3 wasn't just a cardio class with burpees and jumping jacks, etc. There were weights and lots of strength moves.

It was also great that each of these moves had different levels that the instructor offered. A level 1, 2, 3 (hard, harder and hardest they should have been called!)

By the end of the class, you could challenge yourself by trying to "level up" on one or more of the exercises.  Or just try to make it to the end alive. Either way.

WHAT I DIDN'T LIKE

I didn't like the fact that the instructor started class and taught us all the exercises along the way. It meant that the entire first round of exercises I was unsure what I was doing which meant a lot of wasted time not actually doing the exercises.

It would have been easy enough to run through the 10 exercises ahead of time, which would have helped a lot to make round 1 more efficient (and sweatier).

However, since that's just the particular instructor that I had, I would definitely recommend the METCON3 class at Equinox. Or, just use this format to set up your very own kick-ass workout! Just try to make sure you're using exercises that target all the different muscle groups.

YOUR TURN: 
WHAT ARE YOUR FAVORITE EXERCISES TO PUT INTO A CIRCUIT? 

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My Week At Equinox: PURSUIT Spin Class + A Swim

I'm taking you along for the ride on my 7 days as an Equinox member. You can read about my first class, Ropes and Rowers, here. 

Day Two: The PURSUIT 

For Tuesday morning's workout I decided to try a spin class at Equinox and was surprised to find that the bikes were very similar to those used at Swerve. That means METRICS which is always a positive in my opinion. 

I went into the class not knowing what to expect in terms of if I would be able to ride in my Nike's or if their bikes would only be able to be used by clip-in spin shoes but I was pleasantly surprised to find that an Equinox staff member was going around putting cages on pedals for riders who couldn't clip in. He was also taking said cages off of pedals for people that had spin shoes. 

I hopped on my bike and took in the scene - a very large spin studio (I would guess 40 bikes) but a raised platform for the instructor. Melissa Morin taught the class, and I recognized her from when she used to teach at New York Sports Club. I liked her style then and I still like it now - though the way PURSUIT is set up requires much less from the instructor. 

Behind the instructor is a bigggggg screen that makes the class feel like you're playing video games on your bike. 

METRICS 

Your bike will show you your RPMs, MPH, total mileage, and watts. I missed having a metric that shows "resistance." What's most important throughout the class is your watts - or power you're producing as you spin. 

5 GAME FORMAT

After a few minute warm-up, it was time for the workout to begin. PURSUIT is broken up into 5 "games," each lasting between 4-6 minutes. The ultimate goal is for the entire class to reach a pre-determined wattage score by the end of these 5 games - the more people in the class, the more wattage you'll need to produce. 

GAME 1 

During game one, we focused on our RPMs. For one minute the goal was to spin between 65-75 RPMs before increasing to 85-95 for a minute and then a minute at 105+. Then, we repeated. The graphics on the screen showed each person in the class as their bike number in a circle. That circle glowed and filled up as your wattage increased. 

For this game, there were two horizontal lines that represented the high end of RPMs we were aiming for and the low end of RPMs. The goal was to keep your dot shining bright in the middle of those two lines. 

GAME 2 

Game two focused on distance intervals. You clicked a button on your bike's screen which zeroed out your distance (though your total mileage remained) and then tried to spin your way to .25 miles as quickly as possible. You took the rest you needed before clearing the screen and sprinting to another .25 miles. 

The goal was to accumulate as many quarter-miles as you could in the allotted time (the studio record was 14!) 

GAME 3

In this round, riders were partnered up with someone else in the room and switched off riding every :30 racing the rest of the pairs in the class. The screen continued to show your glowing circle, as well as where you were in regards to the rest of the class on your race. 

The screen also highlighted which teams were competing for first and second place - a huge boost to the individuals on those teams (as proven by the last minute come from behind victory by the team in 2nd place!) 

GAME 4 

Another game was similar to game 1 as we focused on staying within a prescribed RPM range. The challenge was that between 65-105 RPMs we had to try to keep our resistance the same! Ouch. 

GAME 5 

The last game split the entire class into different teams. The whole team sprinted as hard and fast as they could for 1:00 before getting a break - the team that amassed the most power (watts) won that round. 

WHAT I LIKED 

Metrics. 

Always diggin' the metrics. Even though lately, I've discovered that the metrics make me feel pretty damn bad about myself! Here I was thinking I was pretty decent in a spin class and, well, not so much. At best it's motivating to see just how much I can improve and at worst it's discouraging to see how much more power my classmates were able produce throughout the 50 minute class. 

DIY. 

Stand when you want, sit when you want. Make the resistance what you want. This can go both ways depending on the day - sometimes I need the structure of detailed instructions to get the most out of my ride, but some days it's nice to feel in control of my own workout. 

TECHY. 

This class is super high-tech. The games and graphics are awesome. For games where you're partnered with someone - if there's an uneven number of people you have a computer ride with you that performs exactly as you were performing. If it's a team game and one team is lacking a player, there's a computer rider that produces results that equal the average of the other riders. I'm not a tech-person at all, but it really impressed me thinking that someone designed all this stuff! 

It's also awesome to crank up your resistance, keep your RPMs the same and watch your icon on the screen start to glow brighter - it KNOWS. 

COMPETITION. 

This class has team competition. partner competition, group competition (the entire class is trying to reach an end watt goal throughout), and solo competition. After each game, the screen will show the leader board - the top 8 female riders and the top 8 male riders for some extra motivation. 

POWER. 

I love that this class isn't like SoulCycle or Cyc - it doesn't matter how FAST your legs are flying around the flywheel. What matters is producing WATTS. POWER. Strength. No dancing on your bike. No bicep curls on the bike with baby weights. 

WHAT I DIDN'T LIKE 

SHOES. 

My own fault, but not being clipped in for this class was a major bummer. 

WOMP WOMP. 

I was shocked at how poorly I performed. My sad little circle was by far the least brightly shining. I thought it might have to do with the fact that my age, weight, height, etc. wasn't in the Equinox system, but since the class is based on watts - it's essentially how well you're able to keep up your RPMs at heavier resistance - which I apparently am not-so-good at. It was disheartening, but I did what I could and left feeling like I had gotten in a solid workout for sure. 

BIKE COMPUTER. 

It drove me CRAZY that the computer on the bike had a button you had to KEEP PRESSING to turn the light on if you wanted to see your numbers. I wish that it would have just stayed turned out!! 

Overall, I really really liked this spin class. It was high-intensity but also focused on strength. It went really quickly because of the 5-game format. It had metrics, it had good music, the instructor was great and the competitive aspect kept me putting in a solid effort. I would like to see more studios implement this "gaming goes to the gym" idea! 

Day Two: Swim 

Tuesday I went for the two-a-day. After work  I headed to a different Equinox location (Columbus Circle) to meet up with my friend Kaitlin and check out the pool. Entering through the Shops at Columbus Circle - I eventually managed to find my way to the pool. 

It was SO NICE swimming in a 25 yard pool vs. an 18 yard pool. It doesn't sound like much, but it made a difference. 

The lanes were very crowded though (2-3 people per lane) - probably because we were there after work as opposed to early in the morning. 

Instead of just showing up at the pool and aimlessly swimming back and forth which is SO BORING to me, I looked online and found some suggested workouts which I modified since I can swim like 50 yards at a time before I need to stop for a breather. Hey, at least I #Tri. Ha, get it? 

I had my workouts written on index cards which was like, DUH LAUREN, pool + paper. The woman I was sharing a lane with clearly knew what she was doing and had her workout in a zip lock baggie. Now I know! 

SWIM WORKOUT 

Warm Up - 100 Yards
4 x 25 - Counting my strokes and trying to stay consistent
4 x 50 - :30 rest between each 50 yards
4 x 25 - Counting my strokes and trying to stay consistent
100 Yards
4 x 25 - Breathe every 4th stroke
4 x 25 - Breathe every 2nd stroke
8 x 25 sprints with :30 rest
100 yards counting strokes per length
4 x 25 sprints (as few breaths as possible) with :30 rests
100 yards counting strokes per length
4 x 25 kicking (alternate sides) 
2 x 25 no kicking
2 x 25 hands in fists

Total: 1500 yards 

It took me about an hour and was much better for me than just going to swim for an hour. But still not enjoyable by any means. Glad that my friend was there to hold me accountable for showing up! 

YOUR TURN: 
ANY TIPS FOR CREATING A SWIM WORKOUT?  
ANY SUGGESTIONS FOR EQUINOX CLASSES I SHOULDN'T MISS DURING MY FREE TRIAL? 

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Taking A Stab At What I Ate Wednesday

I've never participated in the wildly popular "What I Ate Wednesday" but I've been wanting to for awhile. 

It scares me that this turns into the type of post that people use to compare themselves to other people on the internet - which I do not like. This is not meant to cultivate thoughts of, "I ate way more today, shit" or "I shouldn't have gone for that slice of pizza." 

Maybe you had an awesome opportunity to eat free pizza at an office party. Maybe your body was just screaming CHEESE after a hard workout. 

These posts are simply a peak into one random day out of my life and are certainly not representative of how I eat each and every day. These posts are a fun and harmless way to be nosy - which as humans we are all inclined to do in some way or another. When you walk past a first floor apartment that has their windows wide open, you look inside, right? Please tell me I'm not the only one! 

What I ate Wednesday posts are also a great way to get yummy meal ideas, see new snacks you might want to pick up at the store, and most importantly they're a reason for me to take pictures of my food all day long. 

"Oh, sorry, I need to take a picture of this before I eat it, it's for What I Ate Wednesday, don't even worry about it..." 

Plus - I can talk about much more than my food when I do a What I Ate Wednesday - it's also a "day in the life" post which may or may not interest you. 

So here we go, let's give this a try. 

Pre-Workout Snack

I ran 5 miles on Wednesday and my new favorite ritual is popping an energy bite into my mouth before heading out to the park or to the gym for a workout. I try to only eat these bad boys in the morning before a workout - it's a little bit of incentive to get my butt out of bed and out the door. Mornings where I'm just going straight to work, I skip this treat. 

These were made with oats, peanut butter, honey, raisins, cinnamon, vanilla extract, shredded coconut and some mini chocolate chips! 

Post-Workout 

Long car-rides usually make me crave the weirdest things. Last time I was on the road I really wanted some Lifesavers. This morning while I was getting ready I enjoyed a purple one and a red one - red is the best, hands down. 

Breakfast #1

When I arrived at work on Wednesday I was pleasantly surprised by a catered breakfast. I loaded up on the fresh fruit and was so content. 

Does anyone else dislike cantaloupe? Give me honeydew any damn day. 

Hydration

I've implemented a new rule in the morning - one water bottle before breakfast. I am so bad about hydration and this seems to be working for me. 

I also recently had blood work done which revealed normal-low levels of Vitamin D. As someone who works out a lot, the doctor wanted me to try to boost my levels a bit so I've been taking this supplement. 

Breakfast #2 

I guess if you consider my pre-workout energy bite breakfast #1, this is technically breakfast #3...but I just don't feel like my day has started until I enjoy a Greek yogurt at my desk. I typically prefer plain Greek yogurt with some honey and half a banana - but the mango and apricot flavors are my guilty pleasures, sugar be damned! 

Lunch 

This was my lunch for 2 days in a row and I think I need to make it a staple. 

Last weekend, I had a DIY Toast Night Party and this was a result of some of the leftovers. A whole wheat rice cake, beet hummus from Trader Joe's (incredible), avocado and a drippy fried egg. 

#YolkPorn

Dessert

I'm pretty terrible with needing something sweet after every meal. Though it's a habit I'm trying to break, it doesn't help that I have these phenomenal little treats at my desk. 

I first discovered them at LaGuardia airport and when I realized they sold large bags at Whole Foods, I got hooked. They're made with sunflower seeds and taste SO chocolatey. 10 little cookies = 3 grams of fiber and 5 grams of protein! 

I usually grab half a serving after lunch.

Pre-Work Snack 

I had work at the running store on Wednesday night which means being peppy and on my feet for 3+ hours. 

Cue the late-afternoon snackage. This banana drizzled with honey and sprinkled with coconut flakes and chia seeds was assembled using some desk staples of mine - is that bizarre? Oh well. 

Another thing I tend to do before the running store is stop in Whole Foods to see if there are any samplings happening. I've discovered some cool products this way - plus - I can always count on a cheese cube from the deli counter. Today, I had the usual cheeeeeze along with this local Lola Granola! I loved hearing that it's made using honey from Westchester!

Mid-Work Deliciousness

My obsession with kombucha grows by the day. I'm still figuring out a fabulous way to feature this treat on PB Is My BF so stay tuned! 

Dinner 

I really hate eating in the running store's break room. It's so cramped and dirty and there's rarely ever anything to lean on - which means eating out of a Tupperware on my lap. Not to mention for a slow eater who needs to microwave their meal - 15 minutes is over too quickly. 

Nevertheless, it is very rare that I can last until 10 p.m. to eat dinner. I tend to take my break at 8 p.m. to eat.

This weeks dinner was GREAT and I have a feeling I'll be eating something similar for the next couple of weeks. It was really easy to throw together and has enough going on that I haven't gotten bored yet. 

Arugula, quinoa, coconut-oil roasted sweet potatoes and carrots, garlic and olive oil roasted broccoli and green peppers, edamame, watermelon radishes, heirloom tomatoes and grilled chicken. 

So many nutrients, so many flavors, so many colors! 

Dessert 

The last part of my day involved sitting through an insole clinic at the running store where we learned all about SUPERfeet and the Addaday massage rollers. I got a free Addaday roller which I DEFINITELY want to start utilizing in my recovery. Stay tuned to see how that goes. 

At the end of a long day I needed something sweet, OBVIOUSLY. 

I picked this BOUNCE bar/ball out at the running store and while it wasn't my favorite, it did the trick before bed. 

Check out more What I Ate Wednesday link-ups at Peas & Crayons! 

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My Week At Equinox: Ropes & Rowers

When I first moved to New York City, I prided myself on 12+ months bouncing from gym to gym on free-trial memberships and Groupons. I was a poor college student who was trying her damnedest to stay fit without paying for a membership fee. 

NYSC, David Barton, Crunch, 24-Hour Fitness - you name it, I found a way to get a free trial.

One place that I always held off on was Equinox. The reason I never signed up for a free trial there, despite being bombarded by emails from them, is that I'm going to be so sad when it's over.  

Equinox is like the Emerald City of gyms in New York City. It's got the answer to everyone's problems, just like the wizard. Everyone raves about their clean locker rooms stocked with Kiehl's shower products. Everyone knows Equinox is filled with fabulously fit people using all the latest equipment. If you're thinking, "If I only had a brain..." nope, you don't need one because Equinox has so many different classes that take all the thought out of figuring out your workout plan. 

So I've been hesitant to activate my free trial because of the sadness that will come when it's over and I have to say goodbye. But the perfect storm of scenarios arose and today I started my 7-days as an Equinox member. 

After an 8-mile long run on Sunday, I promised my physical therapist to take 5 days off of running so I could go back and re-asses before ramping up my mileage in the final weeks before the Brooklyn Half Marathon. 

A few weeks ago, I had my InBody scan done at Equinox as part of a ProjectFit through my work - our final weigh in is on May 4 and I had to activate my 7-day trial before then. 

SO - no running for 5 days but the green light for any other exercise seemed like the perfect opportunity to try out as many Equinox classes as I could fit into a 7-day span. Challenge accepted. 

Day 1: Ropes and Rowers

The first class I signed up for was called "Ropes and Rowers." Equinox describes it on their website as, "A full body circuit built on battling ropes and the WaterRower, driving balanced strength and greater cardio fitness to propel your performance. The exhilarating solo and team competition will push you to bring it, beat it and brag about it." 

Warm-Up 

First, the instructor described to us how the class would work - quickly demonstrating each exercise. Then, we did a 2-3 minute warm-up with a rotation of

• 50 high knees
• 10 burpees
• 10 push-ups
• 30 mountain climbers

I was a little scared for class to start after that warm-up. 

Set-Up

The class was set up in four separate stations which you rotate through 2 times. Though the workout is technically only 28 minutes long - I guarantee you'll feel accomplished by the end of it. 

Round One - 4 Minutes Per Station (16 Minutes Total)

Station One - 

• 1 Minute Up and Overs on the Stepper 
• 1 Minute Weighted Punches
• 1 Minute Burpees with a Push-Up on the Stepper 
• 1 Minute Knee Ins and Pike Ups with the Glider

Station Two - The Ropes

• One partner stands on weights while the other does rope variation (squat jumps, in and outs or burpees) 
• Pull the weight/ropes towards you 
• Push the weight back 
• Switch 

Station Three - Weights 

• 10 Reps Squat/Curl/Press with 12 lb dumbbells 
• 10 Reps Row/Tricep Extension with 8 lb dumbbells 
• 10 Reps V-Ups with 12 lb dumbbells 

Station Four - WaterRower

• 4 minutes of rowing - goal = 1,000 meters

Round Two - 3 Minutes Per Station (12 Minutes Total)

Station One - 

• 1 Minute Up and Overs on the Stepper 
• 1 Minute Weighted Punches
• 1 Minute Burpees with a Push-Up on the Stepper 

Station Two - The Ropes

• One partner stands on weights while the other does rope variation (squat jumps, in and outs or burpees) 
• Pull the weight/ropes towards you 
• Push the weight back 
• Switch 

Station Three - Weights 

• 10 Reps Squat/Curl/Press with 12 lb dumbbells 
• 10 Reps Row/Tricep Extension with 8 lb dumbbells 
• 10 Reps V-Ups with 12 lb dumbbells 

Station Four - WaterRower

• 3 minutes of 100 meter intervals alternating with your partner (who is on the machine next to you)  

What I Liked 

The instructor explained all of the exercises which was helpful as a newcomer to a class that seemed to be compromised primarily of "regulars." 

I loved that I was dripping in sweat at the end, loved that it was quick & to the point, loved that it featured cardio & strength moves and loved getting to use the ropes and the WaterRowers. 

What Could Be Better

Though the class description made it seem like this would be a competition - the instructor that I took didn't lead it in that way at all. I think that could have added a lot to the class and kicked up the intensity another notch. 

Post-Class

After class I did my physical therapy exercises - side planking and glute bridging up a storm. 

The Locker Rooms

Ok - I will admit that the showers at Equinox are pretty damn magical. There's a whole bench section with towel hooks that's separate from the actual shower and those Kiehl's products are pretty awesome. 

The lockers are digital so there's no need to bring a lock. 

And get this - there is a STEAMER for your clothes. 

Mind blow. 

More to come on my 7 days at Equinox, stay tuned! Tomorrow I'm signed up for a spin class! 

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Every Weekend a New Race

I am in the thick of 9 + 1 which, for those of your who don't know, is a way to guarantee entry into the 2017 New York City Marathon. You pay NYRR to run 9 races, and you volunteer at one of their races (for free) and then you are granted the privilege of paying them ANOTHER $200+ to register for the New York City Marathon. 

Okay, okay I'm sorry for being a grouch. New York Road Runners is a really fabulous organization and when you pay for an annual membership, you save a ton of money on race registration. Plus, having guaranteed entry into the marathon as opposed to crossing my fingers and praying come lottery time is much better for my mental sanity and life planning. 

So far I've run 5 NYRR races this year and already volunteered at the NYC Half. That means 4 more races and I've all but committed to running a third marathon. Gulp.

Every one of my weekends seems to be running-focused now that the races are in full swing. In 8 week I'll have run 6 races and gone for a 40 mile bike ride. It's a bit overwhelming, but it's also re-focusing me.

Since I last did a race recap I ran the Scotland Run (10K) and the City Parks Foundation Run for the Parks (4 Miler) - both in Central Park. 

Scotland Run 10K

The 10K was a welcomed surprise because my shins were virtually pain free! I was able to negative split and felt pretty good about my 48:00 time considering I haven't been doing a whole lot of running. The Scotland Run was my first ever NYRR race and one of the first times I ever stepped foot in Central Park back in 2014. I ran the race with no watch and finished 12th in my age group with a 45:23 (7:19 pace) which remains one of my best 10K times. Crazy looking back on it that it was my first organized race other than a half marathon. First time running Harlem Hill. Nuts. 

Baby runner Lauren had wheels 

Anyway, I like that the Scotland Run goes in the opposite direction than what I always run the park in because it's a distraction and helps make it seem different. 

The entire time I kept thinking I had to run 6.1 miles so my kick was a little too early. .1 may not seem like a lot but I felt it by 6.2 

City Parks Foundation Run for the Parks 4 Miler

The City Parks 4 miler my shins were back to not-so-great but not-bad-enough-to-stop. I ran to the start which meant a solid 2 miles under my belt before the start of the race. NYRR implemented a staggered start for this one - which I am a proponent of. There's nothing worse than that first mile dodging in and out of a massive crowd of people who all seem to be going different speeds. 

Despite the annoying pain in my left shin, my legs were turning over quickly even up and down Central Park's many hills and I was able to finish with a 7:24 pace. After a cup of water I finished with another mile at the end for 7 miles total at around a 7:44 pace which made me feel like the Brooklyn Half might not be tooo awful if I can keep increasing the mileage between now and then. 

I wrapped up the morning with free yoga at lululemon but it was pretty miserable and I did a lot of unprompted child's pose.  

Coming Up

This weekend I'll be shipping up to Boston as a marathon spectator and I'm so pumped to go to a November Project workout and experience the marathon for the first time. The goal is to one day qualify to run it and I think this might be just what I need to light that BQ fire once again. 

I'm hoping to get in 8 miles Saturday or Sunday and a mid-week 10 miler is bouncing around my head for sometime next week so that I can focus on racing my 4 miler on Sunday. 

I'm cautiously optimistic that physical therapy has been somewhat successful - I've been going twice a week for a month now and am trying to be diligent with my exercises and stretches during the week. I haven't been 100% successful but the pain in my shin has started to subside a little and it's moved to a new place which we're thinking may be due to the inserts I've been experimenting with. 

Time will tell, but I'm trying to keep it slow and steady. My weekly mileage has been 10, 14, 16 and this week will be 16 again. 

Here's what's next: 

Sunday, April 24: Run As One 4 Miler
Saturday, April 30: North Face Endurance Challenge Bear Mountain Marathon Relay
Sunday, May 1: 5 Borough Bike Tour
Saturday, May 14: UAE Healthy Kidney 10K
Saturday, May 21: Brooklyn Half Marathon

YOUR TURN: 
WHAT ARE YOU TRAINING FOR? 
DO YOU LIKE RACING OR DO YOU PREFER DOING YOUR OWN THING? 
WHAT'S YOUR FAVORITE RACE DISTANCE?

7 Reasons to Find Yourself a Weight Date

For a long time, I've loved working out. A sweat sesh a day wasn't a chore - it was my favorite part of the day. My "me" time. 

I had goals, I made progress, I learned a ton. I challenged myself to go faster, to run longer, to get stronger. But recently I've been discouraged to find that my trips to the gym left me feeling uninspired, frustrated and just plain bored.

Leaving the gym used to make me feel like I had just kicked ass and was ready to go out and conquer my day. Even if life and NYC were making me feel a bit small and beat down - in the gym I was on top of the world. But these days, I feel like I'm in a rut that not even dumbbells and burpees can lift me out of. 

Throughout this rut I've gone back and forth between "just push through, it will get better, just go, you won't regret it" and "my bed sounds like a better plan than another disappointing and un-enjoyable workout." 

If you've ever found yourself floundering on the fitness-front, I have a game-changer for you and I'm calling it the WEIGHT DATE. 

Don't worry - this has nothing to do with setting weigh-in dates or a weight loss challenge. 

It has everything to do with finding a badass lady friend to be your motivator if you're struggling to motivate yourself. 

There's certainly something to be said for solo time at the gym - you can get in the zone, focus on the exercises that you want to, go your own speed, and get that quality "me" time that we all need. 

But nothing has shaken up my fitness routine and put the fun back in my gym-time in the past few months like the workouts I've done with a friend. Here's why. 

1. Accountability 

If your weight date is going to be at the gym at 7:00 a.m. - she's counting on your to be there too. Knowing that you're letting someone else down if you hit the snooze button is a major incentive to get out of bed in the morning. 

And if your workout is scheduled at the end of the work day - that can be even harder to show up for. But it's better when, again, you know there's someone waiting for you. 

2. That Extra Oomph

My biggest problem recently was that I left the gym feeling like I just hadn't pushed myself. I hadn't put in a big enough effort and as a result, I felt completely unsatisfied. Sure I had gotten myself to the gym, but I took shortcuts  and that really bothered me. 

I wasn't doing a good job embracing discomfort, and that's something that you have to do at the gym. It's not supposed to be easy.  

If you're like me, a little bit of competition goes a long way. While my weight date and I are certainly not competing, we are pushing each other and that has been HUGE for me. 

"Let's do 12 reps!"

"Well, I usually do 10 but I guess I'll try 12!"

"If she can do :45 of mountain climbers, I guess I'll try to do :45 too instead of my usual :30!"

Competition is the wrong work - we're working together to push ourselves further. 

That being said, being comfortable and communicating with your workout buddy is key. Many times I've had to say, "there's no way I can do that exercise with the same weight as you, I need to drop down 10 pounds." Heck, I'll even do things unweighted while my weight date busts it out with 25 pounds. 

But you'll be much more likely to give that extra oomph, to try those extra reps, to go up those 5 extra pounds, when your weight date gives you that motivation. 

3. Changin' It Up 

Another main reason I was bored at the gym was I had stopped trying new things. I was totally stuck in my boring old comfort zone. 

Finding a workout partner automatically gives you double the options when you're in the gym because I guarantee you that you'll each have a different arsenal of torture techniques. Er, exercises. 

I've been able to step outside my comfort zone and try a ton of knew things thanks to partner workouts. At first, my immediate response was, "No I definitely can't do that - I'll just stick with the version that I'm used to." 

It made all the difference in the world to be told, "No, just try." Eventually, I did and BOOM - so many new favorite exercises! 

4. Whole New Kinda Circuit 

I love doing circuit workouts where I rotate through a number of different exercises. But the breaks I take between each exercise and each set have been starting to get seriously long. 

With a partner, the intensity of your circuits can go up a whole notch. While one partner does one exercise, the other does something else. Then - switch. 

So instead of exercise, rest, exercise, rest it becomes exercise, exercise, exercise, exercise. 

It's wonderful in an "I think I'm going to throw up" kind of way. 

5. Built In Cheerleader 

Having someone to give you little cheers of motivation along the way helps a TON. Just hearing, "You've got this" or "One more round" can do a lot to keep you going and to keep you giving it your all. 

It's also great to have someone to look over on minute #5 of planking and to exchange that look of, "OMG I'M DYING BUT WE TOTALLY GOT THIS." 

Plus, there's nothing like sharing a victorious high five after a killer workout. 

6. Challenge

Something my weight date and I have just naturally started doing is adding little challenges in throughout our workouts. 

Today, for example, we agreed to do a 3 minute warm-up rotating through jumping jacks, high knees and butt kicks. As our final 30 seconds expired I called an audible - finish with 10 burpees! 

My weight date could now leave the gym with 10 more burpees under her belt than she would have had she been working out alone. 

Later on, she threw down the gauntlet on me as we finished our last round of 10 sumo squat jumps and 10 squat/side kicks. "20 this round!" she exclaimed as I silently cursed her. 

But did I do them? Yep. Was I glad for the challenge? You better believe it. 

7. Exchange of Ideas

Throughout the week, my weight date and I tag each other in cool exercises we see on social media, text about our solo runs and workouts, and just generally keep fitness on the brain. 

It makes me excited to know that the next time we work out together we'll have new ideas so that the workout is always far from boring. 

This exchange of ideas also keeps each gym-sesh moving quickly. Instead of finishing an exercise and standing there for 3 minutes while I figure out what I want to do next - when there are two brains involved, it's a lot easier to throw out an idea and get down to business.

YOUR TURN
DO YOU WORK OUT WITH A FRIEND? 
DO YOU WORK OUT IN A GROUP? 
DO YOU PREFER TO WORK OUT ALONE? 
HOW DO YOU GET YOURSELF THROUGH A FITNESS RUT?

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Biking Blues

I spent a lot of time last year saving up the money required to purchase a road bike. During that time, I dreamed of zooming around Central Park, going on epic adventures into New Jersey, and kicking ass in triathlons. 

In the past few months of owning said road bike, I have covered 116 miles, but I have not achieved any of those 3 above-mentioned things. 

1. Zooming Around Central Park

Instead of zooming around Central Park, I have been boldly reminded that Central Park is hilly. Very hilly. And I have been humbled to find that as I climb the park's many hills, I look longingly at the runners and think, "That sounds so much easier right now." 

Cycling and running are both hard. I had the uneducated opinion that the bikers had it easy as they whizzed by me in the park. Nope, not at all. My legs burn like hell each climb - so much so that I'd like to ditch the bike and go up Harlem Hill on foot. 

2. Epic Adventures into New Jersey

I attempted an adventure into New Jersey and to be honest, it was one of the most nerve-wracking experiences of my life. Getting up to and over the George Washington Bridge was terrifying as a new cyclist who is still not entirely comfortable being clipped into her bike. 

My instinct on an uphill ramp with people flying past me is to stop. When I stop, my instinct is to pull my feet up - not to click them out and think, "Ok, now which side do I need to lean to?" 

I've fallen in a mud puddle and I've fallen in the middle of 96th street at a red light. And those weren't even the worst parts. 

Finishing that ride felt nothing like a victory. It felt like I had been run over by a car. I immediately fell asleep for an hour before waking up so ravenous that I thought I would cry. 

3. Kicking Ass in a Triathlon

I have certainly not kicked any ass in a triathlon. 

In fact, I have not even mustered the courage to seriously consider registering for one. My time in the pool has been non-existent these past few months and while I originally thought the biking portion would be no big thang - I am now absolutely terrified to ride in a crowded group of cyclists. 

I know I need to stick with it. I don't plan on quitting. But it would be a lie to say that I haven't been feeling discouraged.

With the weather getting nicer, and my legs still not having a ball with running, it's time to look at this whole biking thing as a challenge to conquer. I worked hard to afford the bike but that's not where the hard work stops. 

Gettin' Figgy With It: Fig + Olive 5th Ave

Mediterranean food is one of my all-time favorites. The cuisine just screams "fresh" "light" and "healthy" to me, while simultaneously being so so flavorful. It also screams "FETA" and "BAKLAVA" and "FRENCH FRIES IN MY GYRO PLZ." 

Recently, my family and I ate at Fig + Olive - a restaurant with various locations in NYC, Chicago and Washington D.C. A focus on simplicity is what I appreciate most about the Mediterranean cuisine. One of my favorite parts of a meal here is dipping some simple bread into different flavored olive oils. 

The two-storied restaurant was intimate but not cramped and we dove right in to my favorite part of the menu...CROSTINI. 

Is there anything more perfect than the concept of crostini? In Italian, it translates to LITTLE TOASTS. I'm sorry for the caps, I just get really excited about toast. The different flavor combinations you can create on top of a slice of toast are truly amazing - but your options are limited by the fact that you can only eat so many slices of toasts. 

That's why tiny-toasts aka: crostini are so damn brilliant. Thanks, Italians! 

Fig + Olive has an extensive crostini menu and my sister and I decided to go big or go home by ordering 6 of them. 

6 Crostini 

1. Pea, Asparagus, Ricotta Lemon Thyme

 This crostini was served slightly chilled and tasted so springy. It ended up being one of my favorites, which I didn't expect!

2. Manchego, Fig, Marcona Almond 

I don't know if I've ever knowingly enjoyed Manchego cheese, but this was definitely the highlight of this particular crostini. The cheese was strong, but it didn't overpower the sweet fig. Marcona almonds are one of my all-time favorite nuts. 

3. Prosciutto, Ricotta, Fig, Olive, Walnut 

This one got mixed reviews - for me, it had a little too much going on and nothing really stood out. 

4. Goat Cheese, Caramelized Onion, Chive 

Wow-eeee. This was definitely the most powerfully tasting crostini and each of the three ingredients were discernible.

5. Burrata, Tomato, Pesto, Balsamic

This mayyyy have been my favorite! The basil was so poppy and fresh but I could have used a tad more balsamic glaze. 

6. Mushroom, Artichoke, Truffle, Parmesan

I was expecting to hate this and was pleasantly surprised, and completely confused, when I liked it. Didn't just "like" it - I enjoyed it! I've never enjoyed truffle on anything to my knowledge. But maybe it was the fact that the Parmesan helped undercut the strong truffle taste? Or I liked it paired with mushrooms and artichoke? Either way - an enjoyable bite. 

Appetizer

Beef Tartare

Marinated hand cut grass fed filet mignon, caper, shallot parsley, dijon olive oil emulsion crackers

Along with the Crostini as appetizers we ordered the Beef Tartare. Yep, raw meat. I was a little hesitant to try this and ended up not loving it due to the texture and size of the "meat chunks." Sorry, that probably made you gag a little. The taste was alright, and I enjoyed the capers, but I couldn't have gone without this dish. 

Entrees

My sister and I split an appetizer and an entree for dinner. First up was the 

Sea Scallops 

Seared scallop seasoned with Breeze spice, carrot-orange puree, roasted orange segment & honey heirloom carrot, charmoula

Full disclosure: I ordered this not knowing what Breeze spice or charmoula were. 

Turns out, Breeze spice is a combination of tea leaves, anise and lemon. And charmoula I should have recognized from the empanadas that we ordered at Borough in Minneapolis!  

As a recap from that post - chermoula/charmoula is a marinade used in Algerian, Libyan, Moroccan and Tunisian cooking. The main two ingredients are usually garlic and coriander with some varying mixture of herbs, oil, lemon juice, pickled lemons, cumin, salt, onion, chili peppers, black pepper and saffron. 

I may never figure out which spice cause me to not love this dish as we neared the end of it - but the scallops as always blew me away with their sweetness. This dish definitely had an Indian vibe to it.

Vegetable Linguine 

Ricotta & Ayala goat cheese, cherry heirloom tomato, baby spinach, pesto garlic, broccolini, zucchini spaghetti, grilled asparagus

Can we please take a moment to LOOK at the green-goodness of this dish? Looking back, I should have spritzed it with lemon to lighten it up a bit but overall, we were soo happy eating this pesto covered noodles. The addition of the zucchini spaghetti was FAB and I've never had creamier pesto in my life. 

This dish was just bursting with flavor and most importantly, bursting with veggies! 

Rosemary Lamb Chops 

Grilled, smoked a la minute with a bouquet of Herbs de Provence, goat cheese & chive gnocchi, braised eggplant with honey & thyme, rosemary garlic olive oil

From the mouth of my mother, a lamb-lover, "This is the best lamb dish I've ever had." 

There you have it folks. The overall flavors were her favorite, though we agreed that the lamb I had a La Sirena Ristorante a few days earlier might have been cooked slightly better. 

Veal Milanese 

Breaded veal escalopine, roasted tomato sauteed broccolini with thyme and garlic, pesto linguine and tomato mascarpone sauce

This was dad's pick. I was amazed at how thin the veal was and obsessed with the tomato mascarpone sauce (essentially a cheesy tomato sauce) 

YOUR TURN
Which crostini sounds like your jam? 
What's your favorite cuisine? 
WHY DON'T I LIKE TRUFFLE? 
 

The Room Where It Happened

It’s normal for me to hear a song on the radio and think to myself, “Wow this beat would be great for climbing a hill in spin class!” Or, “This would be amazing for jumps!” Whenever I hear Katy Perry’s “Dark Horse” I wish I was on a stationary bike. Does this make me weird? Probably.

But I can’t help it that some songs just make me want to sweat.

While I haven’t spent a small fortune to buy myself a ticket to see HAMILTON on Broadway – I have had the soundtrack on repeat for about 2 months. So when I discovered that Cyc’s Hell’s Kitchen spin studio would be offering a HAMILTON themed ride, I knew the $30 price tag was worth it.

To be in a room with 40+ other people who wanted to work out to showtunes was bound to mean I was in good company. And to be led by the instructor that wanted to put on this class surely meant he was wonderful.

The space on 8th Avenue is pretty large, with a big open locker section in the middle for people that don’t need to change along with smaller locker rooms for Men and Women with showers and amenities like q-tips, tampons, hair dryers, hair gel, etc.

This is also a studio that offers complimentary spin shoe rental (the worst is paying $30 for a spin class and THEN needing to rent spin shoes for $7). And inside the building is the Glam & Go studio if you should ever need to go from a spin class to a fancy event. You never know. Birthday spin class + blow out + boozy brunch sounds pretty great to me now that I think of it…(#basic).

Before class, everyone was milling around in the middle section and it seemed like they all knew each other. I got a really nice community vibe from the place and there was an audible gasp of excitement when the HAMILTON soundtrack started playing over the loudspeakers.

The 5:30 class let out of the studio and their energy was super high, super friendly, and they all seemed like they were best friends who just had a great night out together.

The 6:30 HAMILTON riders walked into the studio and what I initially thought were two separate studios turned out to be one massive studio with tons of bikes.

Our instructor had great energy, and explained that he had been begging to do this theme-ride forever. I was so excited to be a part of it – especially after he explained that his “dream” was for everyone to fist pump and yell “WORK” during Schuyler Sisters. That sounds like a dream I would have.

The class was really fun, because the instructor was clearly having the time of his life, it was impossible for everyone else not to get into it. Plus, that soundtrack is just A++++.

That being said, I don’t love the type of spinning that studios like Cyc promote. It’s more like dancing on your bike – which is fun, but seems very likely to cause injury since it’s jerky movements that count the beat on one side. I always feel like I’m jamming down on my right hip. Not to mention there is almost no resistance on the bike so your legs are spinning dangerously fast. Some of the moves were just so stupid (in my mind) that I didn’t do them.

Cyc, like a lot of studios, also does weighted songs throughout the class for arm work. They always kill me, despite the fact that you use very light weights, and this class was no exception. I would much rather do 10 reps with heavy weights then 100 with light weights – although I know that both have their place in overall strength work.

I could have sat there spinning to Lin Manuel Miranda’s silky smooth rapping all day – but before I knew it we were wrapping up class with Jonathan Groff singing to us.

Afterwards, we took a group picture and though I felt like an outsider, there was such a great sense of community. I can tell that Cyc attracts a lot of “regulars.” It was even more obvious when they brought a cake for someone’s birthday and we all sang.

At the end of the day, I had a great time. Though Cyc isn’t my favorite spin studio, I will say that their instructors have a great energy, the space is beautiful, the community feel is super welcoming and I LOVE the fact that they did a HAMILTON themed-ride. I would definitely go back for another themed-ride that appealed to me, but probably not for just any other class.

Try your first class at Cyc using my referral code and we'll both get some fab savings ;) 
http://cycfit.me/SQU  THANKS! <3

YOUR TURN:
Do you know the type of spinning I’m talking about, or am I crazy?
What is your dream song to hill-climb to?
What’s the most important part of a great spin class for you? Music, instructor, lighting?

Basic Brunch Spot: Egg Shop

Waiting in line for a seat at a cramped café on Saturday and Sunday mornings in NYC is kind of a big deal. Here, we don't refer to it as "jumping on the bandwagon" or "freezing my ass off outside for 2 hours" or "doing it for the Instagram." We simply call it "brunch."

There are a ton of spots where a two hour wait for breakfast food that you could make in 15 minutes in the comfort of your apartment is completely socially acceptable. In fact, who are you if you aren't eating avocado toast from Jack's Wife Freda or an acai bowl from Two Hands?

Is it absurd? Absolutely.

Did I wait in line in the freezing cold for over an hour to be seated at Egg Shop one Saturday morning? Most definitely.

Do I have an entire list of places with similar wait times that I intend to try one day? You betchya.

Egg Shop

Egg Shop first showed up on the NoLita brunch scene in 2014 with an egg-centric menu in a small space on Elizabeth Street. We waited outside for over an hour, and when a table opened up, some fancy bloggers cut us in line and got to be seated ahead of us. It hurt a little, but the free coffee we received as a "sorry, you're joe schmoe," helped mollify me.

When we finally sat down, ravenous, anything on the menu would have done. However, we had dutifully studied each entrée and had our orders ready to go.

Buttermilk Biscuit with Honey Butter & Seasonal Jam

Well butter my biscuit. While I've never had a biscuit in a true Southern city, these seemed to me to be the real deal. Moist on the inside, crispy on the outside - served warm with soft butter and sweet sweet jam. We all knew we had made the right call in ordering 2 for the table. Look at all those nooks and crannies perfect for smothering in BUTTER.

Spandex

That's right, I went real basic with my order here. Bowls are all the rage - since we somehow delude ourselves into thinking they're healthier no matter what - and I am totally on board with the trend.

This "cruiser" (what Egg Shop calls their various bowls) came with poached egg, miso quinoa, avocado, pickled carrot, greens and tamari dressing.

It was light and refreshing yet satisfying - though it wasn't anything that was necessarily worth an hour wait in the cold.

Bottom line, I can cross it off my list. The biscuits were great, the space is cute though crammed and most importantly the prices are fair for a spot that serves up such a staple food. If you're anything like me - eggs aren't as simple to master as you might eggspect. Poaching, frying, flipping, scrambling - I haven't got it all down quite yet but the folks at Egg Shop do.

Maybe I can't cook the perfect eggs - but I can get the perfect brunch Instagram!

Three New Yogurt Products Hit the Shelves

I am a HUGE yogi. 

No - I don't do a lot of yoga. In fact, I do way less yoga than I should. 

But I do eat lots and lots of YOGURT. Which I called "yogi" as a little girl. 

Almost every morning starts out with a Greek yogurt with half a sliced banana. Sometimes honey or cinnamon if I'm feelin' crazy. 

So when I was given the chance to review different yogurts for my blog - I was super stoked. 

Receiving a box full of ice packs and over a DOZEN yogurts was like Christmas in March. 

1. Almond Dream Non-Dairy Yogurt

From the creators of Almond Dream milk comes a dairy-free, lactose-free, soy-free, gluten-free, vegan yogurt product - good for allllll the dietary restrictions.

I had tried some soy-based yogurts as part of a "gluten-free dairy-free" phase (that lasted about 2 days) and was NOT a fan. But I was intrigued by this almond based non-dairy yogurt because I love almond milk. 

The "plain" flavor had a somewhat sweet undertone but I still wasn't a huge fan. There was something strange about it that I couldn't quite place my finger on despite reading the ingredient list over and over and over again. 

If I couldn't eat dairy, I would definitely prefer this over a soy-based yogurt - but something about the beige, lumpiness of it really made eating it difficult. Plus, I just really didn't enjoy the flavor! I had to douse it in honey to make it more palatable. 

The flavored versions of this were a definite improvement, though they were a little fake tasting to me.

2. Coconut Dream Non-Dairy Yogurt

On Day 2 I decided to try the Coconut Dream Plain non-dairy yogurt while the almond version was fresh in my mind. This is a new product so I was excited to be one of the first to give it a try.

Honestly, I didn't notice much of a different between the two. The Coconut based yogurt was slightly sweeter, but there was still something I wasn't loving about it. I think I've decided that it's an almost sour taste - which I know a lot of people feel about yogurt in general. 

Perhaps I've just grown so used to Greek yogurt that I need time to acquaint my taste buds with this non-dairy version. 

The Coconut Dream and Almond Dream yogurts have left me longing for my Fage or Chobani. Even an Oikos.

The flavored versions of the Coconut Dream yogurt were also an improvement over the plain - though I think the consistency of the coconut-based yogurt is a little thinner than the almond-

The vanilla flavored Coconut Dream yogurt flavor reminded me a lot of vanilla pudding! 

3. Greek Gods Nonfat Yogurt with Chia Seeds

Ah, now here is a yogurt I can get behind. These new yogurts from Greek Gods feature chia seeds in every container - which I love. I also love that because it's Greek yogurt, there's 12 grams of protein in every cup!

Chia seeds are like magical little black dots that make me not need to snack 7 times before lunch. And since they're soaking in the fruity goodness at the bottom of the yogurt, they are soft and juicy and delicious. This yogurt got a big thumbs up from me.

Big Flavor in a Big Space at La Sirena

Mario Batali isn't just a celebrity chef with a boatload of restaurants across America. He is a celebrity chef whose restaurant, Babbo, received one of just six 4-star reviews ever awarded by the New York Times. And about a month ago, he and Joe Bastianich of Batali and Bastianich Hospitality Group opened restaurant number 18 in New York City's Chelsea neighborhood.

La Sirena Ristorante is housed in the Maritime Hotel and when the outdoor patio opens for the season, the space will seat around 300 guests.

The bar is beautiful and the space is bright and open with lots of crisp white and black details.

My parents are huge fans of Batali and Italian food in general, so they were quick to choose La Sirena over Korean hot-spot Her Name Is Han when I suggested the two options last week. After our meal, I can't say I blame them.

Cocktail

La SIrena has one of Batali and Bastianich's largest cocktail programs - a menu which I paged through on an iPad. I decided to order the Viola - Hendricks Gin, Hibiscus, Lemon, and Prosecco. It was delicious – though beware – these drinks are definitely on the pricey side. Some cocktails cost upwards of $18!

Bread Basket

The bread was served piping hot with soft butter topped with sea salt. Perfect.

Appetizers

1. BUrrata di stagione

Fresh Homemade Creamy Cheese with Butternut Squash & Pesto Pantesco

I love chese, don't get be wrong. How can you not? But I'm typically hesitant to order appetizers that are just cheese. Cheese based dips usually leave me feeling full and super unhealthy. But not burrata. This fluffy pillow of cheese was light and refreshing somehow – melting in your mouth without sitting like a brick in your stomach. The butternut squash was perfectly creamy in the center and the -surrounding Pesto Pantesco – which is a spin on pesto featuring tomatoes – kept things healthy-feeling.

There was no way we couldn’t order this – my parents love burrata, and I adore butternut squash and pesto. It was pretty damn perfect.

2.       Roasted Beets

Cardoons, Lemon Goat Yogurt, Pistachio, & Tarragon

If there are beets on the menu, I will almost always order them. Pair them with lemon goat yogurt and pistachios and I will DEFINITELY order them. The cardoons were very thinly sliced, making them almost slimy which I didn’t love, but everything else about this dish was delicious and fresh.

3.       Grilled Calamari with Maccu and Broccoli

Grilled Squid with Crushed Favas & Marinated Broccoli

Something about this dish didn’t WOW me but on the other hand, there was nothing not to like about it. It was likely to do with the fact that maccu is prepared with fava and fennel and fennel is one of my not-so-favorite flavors.

Entrees

1.       Scottadita with Panelle

Grilled Lamb Chops with Sicilian Chick Pea Flour Fritters, Pomegranate & Mint.

While La Sirena is of course A+ at pasta, I opted for the lamb chops. Oddly enough, I could pass on chicken and beef, but am a huge fan of pork and lamb. Plus, chick pea fritters sounded very intriguing and I love the pomegranate and mint combination.

The lamb chops were cooked to absolute perfection with wonderful seasoning. It was so flavorful, everyone loved it. Unfortunately, the supporting pieces of the dish weren’t as stellar. The chick pea fritters were a bit soggy and I was disappointed in the lack of pomegranate seeds! Though I did get a few bites with a great hint of mint. Ha, hint of mint!

2.      Grilled Swordfish alla Messinese

Sicilian Style with Olives, Tomatoes, Currants, Capers, Pine Nuts and Marjoram

This was my Mom’s dish and from what I tasted of and heard from her, it was great! We liked that they used itty bitty capers.

3.       Duck Mezzelune with 3-Minute Marinara

Duck Filled Half Moons with a Quick Marinara Sauce

My dad ordered this half-moon shaped pasted filled with tender, flavorful duck meat. If you like duck, I highly suggest this dish. It was great!

Sides

As a side, we ordered the Cauliflower Carbonara. It was super creamy and had quite the kick of spice to it! Don't let the fact that it's a vegetable fool you - this is a sinfully creamy, rich side dish.

Dessert

You know I had to order dessert! I chose the Pizzelle e Cioccolato - crisp cookies, chocolate gelato, chocolate caramel, apricot jam, pistachios, & bananas. It was HUGE and had a ton of flavor. I finished every last bite, naturally.

This place is a restaurant where you go to feel fancy, eat fancy, and – drop a good chunk of change. But the space is gorgeous and the extensive menu is full of options that will make you want to go back to check it out again. Everything we had was well executed and the service was friendly and informative.

YOUR TURN
Have you been to any of Batali and Bastianich’s other NYC restaurants?
Which is your favorite?
What would you order from the La Sirena Ristorante menu?
 

What To Eat In Minneapolis

There's nothing I love more than exploring new cities. Choosing a city, doing a ton of research, sight-seeing, going for runs along new streets and paths, eating all the food - there is really nothing better. 

Austin was the first time I really got to pick a place and embrace it - seeing a ton of things, running a race, and exploring many different parts. 

When I visit new cities on work trips, I typically only see the area my hotel is in when it's really early in the morning and really late at night. I try to get in a run  because it's the best way to get a feel for a city, and luckily, there is always time for a few amazing meals out. 

After Nashville I had a few weeks home in New York City before heading to Minneapolis, Minnesota. I was dreading it, to be completely honest. I was under the impression it would be unbearably cold and I would be miserable. But Mother Nature treated us to temperatures in the mid to high 30's meaning I didn't cry every time I stepped outside. 

This made adventures to restaurants and even a night-time run much more do-able. 

If you have a trip to one of the twin cities coming up - here's the food I checked out while in town. 

Haute Dish 

A signature Minnesota meal is the "Hot Dish" - a casserole of potatoes, pasta, ground beef, green beans, corn, canned soup, tator tots, etc. etc. That's where the whole "Haute Dish" name comes from. 

But that's not why I went to Haute Dish. I went to try their vegetarian 4-Course Dinner menu! It's only offered on Mondays (Meatless Mondays), which is when I arrived. Perfect! 

The place was pretty empty when I got there, and smelled strongly of cleaning products. I sat down at the bar and a friendly bartender presented me with the menus. I told her right away that I wanted to do the vegetarian menu and anxiously awaited my first course. 

*Please excuse the truly horrid food photography - it seems that no restaurant in Minneapolis has proper lighting for my Instagram needs. 

Course # 1: M.L.T. 

This play on a BLT swapped bacon for mushrooms - of the crimini variety. The use of iceberg lettuce irked me a little bit (I'm a greens-snob I suppose) but the choice of honey mustard, though somewhat strange, made me smile. After all, honey mustard is the best condiment. I'm pretty sure that Haute Dish used Ken's Honey Mustard dressing (though they claimed it was a "Walnut Honey Mustard") which was delicious slathered on some lettuce, mushrooms and tomatoes. 

This wasn't very creative and didn't thrill me - but luckily the best was yet to come. 

Course #2: Beets & Sweets

Lemon vinaigrette, pine nuts and shoestring potatoes. 

Typically, I LOVE beets. But with this dish, they seemed to be overly earthy tasting. The cubed beets were paired with sweet potatoes, which I happily ate and the lemon vinaigrette added a nice springy sweetness to the otherwise wintry dish. 

Course #3: Braised Fennel 

caramelized beans, fruit compote, radicchio and fried leeks

Some people may think this dish had too much going on - but I am not one of those people. When I saw that braised fennel was one of the dishes, I was super dissapointed. Truffles and Fennel are two flavors that I just cannot get behind. Every time I eat fennel, it reminds me of licorice. Blech. 

But THIS DISH. I completely cleaned my plate and wanted more more more. The beans, the pureed apricot, the fruit compote, the salty and crispy fried leeks...ah, what a winner. 

Though the first two courses weren't all that exciting - this one more than made up for it. 

Course #4: Dessert 

Ready for this - quite possibly the first (and last) time I skipped the dessert - even though it was INCLUDED. I know, I know. 

But one thing I've learned on work trips is that you need to start the week of with some restraint because the more days you're away the worse your eating habits are going to become. So this was a small victory, made possible by the fact that none of the desserts had peanut butter in them ;) 

Haute Dish

119 North Washington Avenue
612-338-8484

Borough 

I had a shockingly long list of restaurants I was dying to try while in Minnesota. Sadly, I couldn't possibly fit them all in. But after going back and forth between Borough and 4 Bells on Tuesday night - I am so so happy we found ourselves in Borough's open, rustic-chic dining room. 

The wait staff was wonderful. They gave us a ton of recommendations and when each dish came, they gave a thorough overview. And each dish was plated beautifully - everyone knows you eat with your eyes first! And this time, I wasn't the only one who wanted to snap a picture of the chow. 

While the entrees sounded good, the three of us were more interested in the many amazing small plates and decided we would just split a whole lotta stuff. This was definitely the right call. 

1. Soup

Butternut Squash, Turnip, Grapes, Duck Prosciutto, Farro, Brown Butter

*Sadly, the soup was not photographed.

Soup may not be the first dish you think of when you're going to be splitting among a group - and we questioned the decision at first - but we just couldn't resist the sound of this perfectly wintry soup. 

It had everything - sweet, savory, salty, earthy. And to let us eat with our eyes first - the soup was poured table-side. A plate was brought out with the prosciutto, farro, grapes and the butternut squash, turnip soup was poured over it at the table. I'm a big fan of the table-side soup service...it makes an underrated dish more exciting. 

2. Turnip

Apple, Escarole, White Cheddar, Granola

Sounds a little strange, right? Yet when we dug in, we realized "THIS WORKS." It really, really works. I am a huge turnip fan, and to see it featured so many times on this menu made me happy that it was having it's moment, at least in Minneapolis. 

This salad may have been one of my favorite parts of the meal - though I'm at a loss for descriptive words now. 

3. Brussels Sprouts

Golden Beet, Short Ribs, Rye Berry, Malt Vinegar, Juniper

After a ton of research, I'm still unsure if those spiky green things on top of this dish are the juniper - but whatever it was - it made the dish. This unique herb added such a unique flavor to the otherwise standard pork & brussels sprouts dish. 

I'm sure restaurateurs never expected brussels sprouts to become so popular. Just goes to show you that everything is better paired with bacon. 

4. Octopus

Yam, Soy, Daikon, Cilantro, Lime, Peanuts

Oh wow. I've eaten my fair share of octopus - including octopus on Greek Islands - but this was simply STELLAR. 

Not only were the surrounded elements and flavors incredibly well put together, but the octopus was just SO TENDER. It's very common for octopus to be chewy and tough, but not at Borough. 

5. Samosa

Kale, Lentils, Chermoula, Dried Fruit, Cashew

Education time! If you're like me, you have no idea what chermoula is. Let's change that. According to Wikipedia, Chermoula is a marinade used in Algerian, Libyan, Moroccan and Tunisian cooking. The main two ingredients are usually garlic and coriander with some varying mixture of herbs, oil, lemon juice, pickled lemons, cumin, salt, onion, chili peppers, black pepper and saffron. 

Unfortunately, the samosas were the one dish that didn't "Wow" us, though there was nothing "bad" about them. I was more of a fan of the lentil, dried fruit and cashew salad that the samosas sat atop. 

6. Salmon 

Black Rice, Curry, Pineapple, Shrimp, Broccolini, Coconut Cashew

This was the one "entree" portioned plate that we chose. Again, the dish was full of complex and interesting flavors and overall, delicious. The salmon was slightly dry and the dehydrated shrimp was an odd addition, but that coconut broth over black rice - lordy. I wanted to bathe in it. 

7. Chocolate 

Brioche, Lemon Caramel, Mascarpone, Hazelnut, Banana Creme Fraiche Ice Cream

We couldn't decide if we were ready to make the leap into dessert territory quite so early into the trip - but after the waiter came over and raved about the dessert chef's "chocolate" creation we could not resist. 

There was not one thing about this dessert that wasn't incredible. BANANA CREME FRAICHE FLAVORED ICE CREAM. Please, give me an IV of it. 

If you're in the Twin Cities and you can only grab one meal - MAKE THIS IT. 

Borough

730 North Washington Ave. 
612 354 3135 

Hell's Kitchen

This is not the type of place I intended on visiting - I was aiming to stick with healthy(ish), farm to table restaurants with a focus on vegetables and fresh ingredients. 

But then I overhead a conversation about Hell's Kitchen, a few blocks from our hotel, and the words, "homemade banana peanut butter." 

My fate was sealed. I simply needed to go. 

A few Google and Yelp searched quickly revealed that it wasn't just the homemade PB that I needed to try - but three very distinct dishes that they have come to be known for. 

I was up for the challenge. I sat at the bar, alone, and ordered 3 entrees. No shame in my game. 

1. Sausage Bread 

Yes, you read that right. I was super grossed out at first - and really upset when I realized THIS is what they serve their homemade peanut butter with. 

I had a feeling this might not be my favorite thing in the world. Though I love sausage - I just wasn't sure about "deliciously dense bread made with sausage, toasted walnuts, black currants, spices and black coffee." 

I'm glad I tried it, because it was certainly unique. It wasn't that I hated it, but it definitely wasn't my cup of tea. And I could only stand a few bites before I pushed it to the side in favor of some regular old toast to dunk in the homemade banana peanut butter. 

The PB wasn't all I had hope to be, unfortunately, and it left me wondering if it had been a mistake to dine here. 

2. Lemon-Ricotta Pancakes 

The lemon ricotta pancakes were a major upgrade from the sausage bread. They had a lovely hint of lemon paired with the savory richness of the ricotta. I'd never had ricotta pancakes before, and you could really tell it was in there!

3. Mahnomen Porridge

None of this food was pretty - especially this strange concoction of wild rice simmer with heavy cream, roasted hazelnuts, dried blueberries, sweetened cranberries and pure maple syrup. This was pretty delicious - for a few bites - but overall it was extremely heavy and I couldn't even come close to finishing the cup (though that could have had to do with the fact that I had 2 other dishes to work on). 

My issue with Hell's Kitchen was that everything was greasy, heavy, and a little strange. That being said, it was definitely a unique Minnesota experience. On the weekends, they have  DIY Bloody Mary Bar and they also have live music every night! 

Hell's Kitchen

80 S. 9th Street
612 - 332 - 4700 

Zelo

This place was right around the corner from our hotel, and though it wasn't on my "list of places," I was pleasantly surprised by the meal. There are no pictures, because I was with people from a generation who would be slightly baffled if I insisted on taking pictures of their plates.

1. Blistered Shishito Peppers 

Always a light, satisfying appetizers for the table. They came served with a cilantro-yuzu aioli that was addictive. 

2. Roasted Beet Salad 

I think this salad was created with me in mind. Okay, it definitely wasn't, but it had GRAPEFRUIT and ARUGULA! Plus, goat cheese, balsamic, beets and EVOO. Heaven, I tell ya. 

3. Pesto Crusted Sea Bass 

Mashed Potatoes, Crispy Onions, Thai Chili Beurre Blanc

I can't say no when I see PESTO. This was cooked perrrrfectly. The Sea bass fell apart in beautiful sheets of tender, juicy, fishy joy. The tai chili beurre blanc wasn't overpowering, and the mashed potatoes were moist and flavorful. 

Thumbs up. 

Zelo

831 Nicollet Mall
612 - 333 - 7000 

Agra Culture Kitchen

There are some nights where the last thing I want to do is go out for a sit-down dinner. That's when I use the Postmates app to explore delivery options in the area - they'll deliver it straight to my hotel room door and there are endless possibilities, unlike the over-priced room service menus. 

I stumbled upon Agra Culture Kitchen and ordered a healthy dinner. I wasn't super impressed, but then again, it was delivery. It was fine all things considered. 

1. Arugula Detox Salad

Arugula, radish, apples, beet, avocado, sunflower seeds, Agra vinaigrette

I'm such a sucker for arugula. And avocado. And fruit in my salad. 

2. Sauteed Shrimp Plate

Brown Unfried Rice, Seasonal Hash, Kale Pesto

What we have all clearly learned from this post is that Lauren loves Pesto and Arugula. This was simple and healthy which is what I was looking for. 

Agra Culture Kitchen

317 West 50th Street
612 345 5442

2939 Girard Ave. South
612 315 3349

2400 3rd Avenue South
612 870 3180

Glam Doll Donuts 

If you've been here at Peanut Butter Is My Boyfriend for awhile, you'll know that donuts are kind of my thing when I travel. Some people collect key chains or magnets when they visit a new place, but I find the craziest donut place and go nuts. 

A friend's birthday was the perfect excuse to pick out half a dozen donuts to taste test at breakfast one morning. 

The donuts at Glam Doll are the creation of Teresa Fox - there are lots of interesting flavors and everything is made 100% from scratch. They offer raised donuts (what we here in NY call "yeast donuts), filled donuts, cake donuts, crullers, fritters and even a large selection of vegan donuts!

I had the donuts delivered via Postmates, and some substitutions were made to my initial order, so I can't say for sure each donut that we tried. But rest assured, I tried all 6 that we received.

I believe that we had: 

 1. Calendar Girl 

Salted caramel & chocolate

2. Outlaw

Lemon cream cheese, cherry icing & brown butter crumb topping 

3. Pinup Girl 

Apple bourbon fritter with bacon 

4. Varga Girl 

Amond cream, chocolate and shaved almonds 

5. Pucker Up 

Lemon Cream Cheese Cruller

6. Sugar Cane 

Glazed donut

It's really no surprise that the Varga Girl was my favorite - filled donuts are always my jam, and the almond filling in this bad boy was to die for. 

I missed trying a cake donut, but I'd say our sampling was on point. But I was shocked that as we made the way around the breakfast room offering donut nibbles to people - EVERYONE WANTED THE PLAIN GLAZED DONUT. Live a little, people. 

I was also weirdly surprised at how much I enjoyed the lemon cruller - fruity vs. chocolatey donuts might be a new realm to explore. 

Glam Doll Donuts

2605 Nicollet Mall
612 345 7064

Manny's Steak House 

Steakhouses aren't usually my first choice - but I have been quite a few phenomenal steakhouses. In these cases, I can appreciate the food, the experience, and the gluttony of receiving a plate of mashed potatoes the size of my face. 

Unfortunately, Manny's just wasn't that great. Everything was over-the-top large which was more a gimmick than an indication of quality. 

The asparagus we ordered for the table was so incredibly thick that it was inedible. Surely, the chef knows that when it comes to asparagus, the slimmer the better! 

The mashed potatoes had some shredded cheese melted over them - making them seem extremely unsophisticated. 

The salads were fine, and I will give credit where credit is due - the Maine Lobster Cakes that I insisted on ordering for the table were full of TONS of lobster meat. 

My entree, the filet mignon, was tasty but not anything out of this world. 

But one thing I can get behind enormous portions of is DESSERT. And the slice of cake delivered to our table was large enough for myself and 3 large men. It was a chocolate Bailey's cake and it was one of the most decadent desserts I've ever eaten - and trust me, I've eaten a LOT of desserts. 

Manny's Steak House

825 Marquette Ave. 
612 339 9900

Juice So Good 

When it was time to leave Minneapolis, I had been indulging for 8 days and nothing sounded better than a great big smoothie bowl to the face. 

Juice so good delivered. 

Their Acai Bowl featured a blend of acai, bananas, cranberries, hemp seeds and orange juice topped with banana, granola, coconut flakes and chia seed pudding. 

It was just what the doctor ordered. 

Juice So Good

733 Marquette Ave. #227
612 354 2779

Gridiron 4 Miler and Washington Heights 5K

Today is that first day of the season that feels like spring - sending people running around half naked even though it's still only 60 degrees outside. I'm totally guilty of this.

I've lasted the entire winter without a proper pair of stockings - I just don't see the point in buying something that I will inevitably destroy within an hour - and today I strutted out of the house in a skirt and bare legs. 

Legs, meet the sun. It's been awhile, get reacquainted! 

All things considered, this winter was a breeze. In fact, my legs had their fair share of encounters with the winter sun as I raced in Central Park in shorts on various occasions. Shorts in January? Yes please. 

But my last two races were run in slightly warmer apparel. I've been trying to document what I wear for each of my races along with the weather on that particular morning. It helps on the night before a race when I'm scared I'll be either too cold or too hot with my planned outfit. 

The morning of the Gridiron 4 Miler (Superbowl Sunday) was sunny and in the low to mid 30's. I suited up in a Nike long-sleeve dri-fit with a North Face quarter-zip over it (similar to this one). I wore a pair of non-fleece lined leggings along with  my gloves, ear warmer and buff. 

It was also my first time racing in my new pair of Saucony Rides - my go to shoe. This new pair is SO PINK, which is different for me. 

By the end, I was pretty sweaty and probably could have ditched a few items. 

It was a beautiful day for a run and I was so happy to be in Central Park with Peter. He didn't get to attempt the longest football throw, but we did throw down a 7:41 pace to help counteract all the beer and chili we planned on consuming later that day. 

My sister was in town for the weekend and we spent the rest of the morning and afternoon cooking up chili, guacamole and peanut butter & honey covered popcorn. Obviously, we also needed to grab a bag of Doritos - a Superbowl staple. 

My most recent race was one of my least-run distances, a 5K! After PRing and finishing as the first female in the Brown Santa 5K this December in Austin, Texas my expectations for the Washington Heights 5K were pretty low. 

My shins have been bothering me, and I haven't been doing a whole lot of running - instead focusing on strength training. 

I guess the extra leg muscles helped me on this hilly 5K course, because I surprised myself by PRing! And I'm that much closer to breaking a 7:00 pace. 

If you care about the details of Sunday - 

I jogged a mile to Peter's place where we got an Uber up to Washington Heights. I planned on running in a long sleeve shirt, but ended up keeping a quarter zip over it because it was chillier than anticipated. I think it was a good call - I remember internally bitching about a lot of things during the run (okay, really just all the hills), but never about my temperature.

Peter started back in my corral and it helped having him to chase for awhile - until I realized there was no way I was keepin' up for the whole race. 

In 3.1 miles we climbed almost 200 feet but all the climbing meant there were also some nice long downhills to make up some lost time. I phoned it in on one of the hills, severely slowing down, but I gave myself a good swift kick in the butt, said, "SUCK IT UP BUTTERCUP" and kicked it to the end. 

Where I almost cried when I crossed the finish line. 

Everything hurt. Which I guess means I gave it my all. 

I was pleasantly surprised to see my 21:59 finish time (7:05 pace) and to learn that my time made me the 5th female finisher for November Project - yay team points! 

Now I'm just itching to sign up for a FLAT 5K. 

But my race calendar is filling up with 9+1 races so it seems I'll continue to race the hills of Central Park for the time being. 

Here's what's coming up: 

April 2 - Scotland Run 10K
April 24 - Run As One 4 Miler
April 30 - Bear Mountain Marathon Relay (GULP first trail run on this beast of a course) 
May 1 - Five Borough Bike Tour (GULP my body my hate me after this weekend) 
May 14 - Healthy Kidney 10K
May 21 - Brooklyn Half 

I had the sudden realization that the Brooklyn Half is 11 weeks away and if I want to PR I need to get to work. 

Buttttt, getting to work is a little difficult with the current shin pain I'm experiencing. I'm trying not to do very much running on it and hoping hoping hoping it's not the beginnings of a stress fracture. I saw the doctor and he doesn't think I need an MRI yet - but I'm looking to start PT. 

The plan is slow and steady mileage increases with lots of cross training mixed in. And constantly reminding myself that a PR in Brooklyn isn't the end goal - a BQ in a fall marathon is what I'm after!