Then how's about a 5k, Sunday brunch & cats?

September has been uber busy!  I started a new job and have a completely new work/workout schedule.  Good thing about my new job, is that instead of commuting by car, I now commute by train and get to walk lots throughout the day.  I walk from the parking lot to the train, from the train to the job, on my lunch breaks, on building tours, to meetings, up stairs, and back to the train.  My walking between the hours of 9 to 5 has increased by 45 min/day minimum.   Hello semi-active lifestyle. Workout summary:  Sept:  Week #1 = 4 workouts; Sept. Week #2  = 2 workouts

This past weekend was super fabulous.  I was runner #1200 in my second Chicago Lung Run.  Lots of supporters of lung cancer research came out to run in the rainy weather...including my science lab partner from junior high.   It was wet and cloudy morning, and I'm not sure how fast we ran exactly, but we ran the entire thing! And we met a nice lady who's Mom was recently diagnosed with Lung Cancer.  She was super supportive of the Lung Run and shared all her life ups/downs with us.   We also learned of a super cool Barefoot running shoe that we now want!

Fleet Feet Sports showed us their running gear at the Lung Run.

Our next feat is to run another 5k in November, complete Saturday morning runs and a half-marathon in March.

Sunday was also excellent.   Had Sunday brunch at Ruby Tuesday.  It was my only big meal of the day so I splurged and got their new crabacado omelet with portebella mushrooms, a side of potatoes, yogurt and granola in a martini glass and a peach/orange/mango/pineapple/grenadine fruit blend.  Super super super calorie explosion, which is why I only ate half of my food, and took the other half home.  Thank the Lord for doggie bags!

On Sunday I also started volunteer training at the Humane Society and wanted to bring every cat I saw home.  Some looked so sad locked up in their cages.  The dogs, too.  As a volunteer I get to "socialize" with the shelter cats and show them off to potential adopting parents.  Don't mind if I do.

Here's to shedding some more pounds this month!

True Blood Diet

I love love love True Blood.  It's amazing.  I was there for season one.  I was there for season two.  And now, in season 3, unfortunately I'm a no show because I don't have access to HBO at the moment.  Regardless, I still watch show snippets via Hulu.com, got super excited by news of the True Blood comic book, follow up the actors/actresses lives and cannot wait until Season 3 is on DVD!  Recently, fitness trainer Josh Hillis wrote of Anna Paquin, aka Sookie on True Blood, and her "Bikini ready" diet via his Fat Loss & Fitness Blog. Read it here.  Anna says her diet is simply a, ""Well-what-would-you-eat-if-you-were-being-photographed-in-a-bikini-tomorrow?" diet... I mean, it's not anything wildly specific. I eat a lot of vegetables. I eat a lot fruit. I don't eat fast food ever. I don't eat a lot of dessert. I don't eat a lot of crap." I guess that means she and I don't share a love for M&M McFlurries from McDonald's.

The Summertime Salad at Egg Harbor in Lombard, IL:
Lotsa fruits, greens, avocado and lean chicken salad

How Sookie inspired me
So today, when I went out for my first "going out to a restaurant meal" for September, I decided to try her "diet" and I pretended like I was going to be photographed in a bikini tomorrow (false).  At the restaurant, I looked over the menu and really really wanted the Mexican egg scramble with chorizo and sour cream and chedda.  So not a "bikini ready" meal...unless I wanted to look like Britney Spears circa 2008, or whenever Britney did her infamous performance of "Gimme More" on MTV.  Instead, I opted for a lighter Tomato soup & Summertime Salad combo.  It felt real good to eat that fresh goodness.  It was tasty and would make Anna proud.   Since she has done me good so far today, I will also think of her tonight as I power thru my Turbo Jam one-hour workout at the gym...thinking of her in a non-creepy way, in the same way it's not creepy to be married to a man who plays a vampire on tv...opposite of you.

Other healthy things I've eaten over the past month that would probably make Anna proud:

Breakfast of zuccini & egg scramble, veggie snausage and a little bit of french bread with oj

Baked chicken with a lil bit of BBQ sauce, corn on the cob, green beans and low fat Jimbalaya

Veggie soup from Icosium Kafe in Chicago.

A Veggie Crepe from Icosium Kafe, garnished with fruit and sunflower seeds.

Baked chicken, green beans with tri-colored peppers and corn on the cob
(ok this one is a throw back from July 2010 but was still pretty fresh and healthy)

Fully-cooked & salted Edamame from Trader Joe's.  Super protein/fiber snack!

Blackberries.  The blacker the berry...

More Sookie-licious meals to come this September, fo sho.