A Healthy APPreciation

I'm not the most tech savvy person.  If I'm being honest, I would actually classify myself as technologically challenged.  I'd rather call costumer service on the phone than look it up on my computer. I like going to the bank teller to deposit my checks instead of using the ATM.  When something is wrong with my computer my go-to solution is to turn it off and pretend nothing happened.  So, when my parents had i-phones before I did, I was not surprised.  It took me about a year to "cave in" and finally up-grade to the i-phone.

I obviously loved the i-phone once I got it.  It provides me endless entertainment for my 50 minute commute to work. I use it to facetime chat with my newphew.  It's always good for taking a picture of that awkward person I see on the bus or at the gym as proof when I tell my friends about them later.  Plus, there are so many incredible apps out there for health, fitness, and cooking. Here are a couple that I either use or have heard great things about:

Nike Training Club: I have to give my friend Stevie a huge thank you for introducing me to this app!  This app is like having your own hand-held personal trainer.  You can choose workouts from 4 categories (get lean, get toned, get strong, and get focused) and 3 level in each category (beginner, intermediate, and advanced).  This app makes it convienent to do new workouts both at the gym and home with minimal (or no) equipment.

Livestrong: For those trying to diet and watch their calorie intake, this is a great app.  Livestrong allows you to enter your current weight, measurements, and goal weight in order to calculate a daily calorie intake goal.  You are then able to track your meals and workouts to make sure you are meeting your goal.  Livestrong also lets you create your own recipes so that you know the nutrition information for your homemade meals.
(Side note: While calorie counting works for some people, it is not for everyone!  Personally, calorie counting causes me to gain weight beause I see the unused calories and use them towards eating junk food. However, for those who like to count calories and find it helpful, this is a great app!)

Run Keeper: I started using this app while I was training for the half marathon. Run Keeper tracks your runs to tell you how far you have gone and what your current and overall paces are.  You can link it up to a playlist and have it give you a status update every mile.  All of your past workouts are saved so that you can look back and see your progress over time.  It is a great app for making sure you are reaching your target goals whether that is a specific distance or pace.

Epicurious: Epicurious is based on a website that collects recipes from food magazines such as Bon Appetit, Gourmet, Self, and more.  This is a great app for finding new recipes and saving ones you want to try or have tried and loved.  Another great feature of this app is that it lets you create a shopping list so that you can keep track of what you need when at the grocery store.

Does anyone use any other health or cooking apps that they reccommend?

To the Market We Go

One of my favorite times of the year started this past weekend...the farmer's market!  This past Saturday was the first day of the Green City Farmer's Market and naturally I made it to opening day along with some of my friends.

Tents set up for the market

Green City Market is the only truly green farmer's market in Chicago and is located in Lincoln Park. Since the market is held close to the lakefront, I usually plan my long weekend runs so that the run ends at the market.  I carry some money with me in my shorts zipper so that I can buy all the yummy goodies to treat myself when I'm done.  Ending my run at the farmer's market gives me something to look forward to when I am done running (besides just finishing).

The market has seasonal fresh fruit and vegetables, cheese, herbs, flowers, and much more! Since this past weekend was the opening weekend, there was not a large variety of fruit and vegetables.  The two main types of produce at the market this past weekend were apples and asparagus.  There were also fewer booths set up than usual.  I'm hope that in the next few coming weeks more booths and produce will be availible.

Purple asparagus

Honey crisp apples (my favorite type)

Another great part of the Green City Market is the baked goods and other prepared foods.  They have loaves of bread, cookies, crepes, smoothies, breakfast sandwiches, pies, and grilled cheese just to name a few of the delicious snacking options.  

Fresh vegetable and egg breakfast sandwich

My go-to items every weekend are apples and flowers.  However, I try to get at least one other fresh fruit or vegetable to experiment with and prepare for the week.  As I get new and different items at the farmers market, I will post about it and the recipes I make with it.  Unfortunately, I was not in an asparagus mood this week, so all I got were apples and flowers.  Hopefully in the coming weeks more produce will be available.

I definitely recommend checking out what farmer's markets are near you.  For those who live in Chicago, click here for more information about various farmer's markets around the city.

I hope that everyone had a great weekend! Look forward to new fun posts throughout the week!

Beautiful flowers from the market

Morning or Evening?

What time of day is the better time to work out?  Different people give different reasons for their preference.
Pro Morning:
-It gets it "over with" for the day
-I eat less junk during the day because I started my morning off healthy
-I can have my evening open to spend with my friends and family

Pro Night:
-It helps me release the stress built up from the day
-I eat less junk during the day because I haven't worked out/burned those calories yet
-I'm so tired after working out that it helps me sleep better

However, is there any factual support in favor of one over the other?  I have heard myths that working out in the morning helps burn more calories throughout the rest of the day day.  While sleeping, your metabolism is at rest.  By waking up and working out first thing in the morning, you are kick starting your metabolism.  A more active, or "awake", metabolism helps burn more calories. While some studies support this statement, it has been found that the extra calories burned is very minimal.  So in reality, the extra calories burned from a morning workout are not significant enough.

So, what about biology?  Are you a morning person or a night owl?  I have always been a morning person.  Even before the alarm goes off, I am awake.  Once I see the sun outside and know that the day has started, I need to be up and moving to start mine as well.  Whether you are a morning or evening person has an influence on when you feel most alert and will get the most out of your workout.  Unsurprisingly, studies have shown that if you are a morning person, you will get your best workout in first thing in the morning.  Night owls have better workouts later in the evening.

Unfortunately, biology isn't always enough.  If I could, I would work out in the mornings before work.  However, my work schedule does not allow this.  As it is, I wake up around 6:30 during the weekdays so that I can leave my apartment by 7.  If I worked out in the mornings, I would need to wake up around 5:00 once I factor in walking to the gym, time spent at the gym, and a shower.  Let's face it...that's just not going to happen!  I might be a morning person, but a 5:00 wake up is even too early for me.

Often (and especially in my case) convenience overrides "biology".  Ultimately, if does not matter when you work out.  Both morning and evenings have their benefits.  What is most important is that it works for you!  Find a time that you feel most alert and works with your routine.

Just Keep Spinning

I have never been someone who loves doing classes at the gym.  I always look at the class schedule, write down possible ones to go to, and then never go.  There are two main reasons for my lack of interest in classes:
1. A lot of classes require a certain level of coordination and rythme.  Both of which I desperately lack.
2. I'll be the first to admit I am a creature of habit. I am used to and like my gym routine (cardio, stretch, abs, maybe a little bit of weights thrown in if I'm feeling adventurous).  It takes a lot of motivation for me to change it up.


The summer of 2009, I started my training for the Sprint Triathalon.  Since I needed to work on my biking endurance, I started to do spin classes and ended up loving it!  I felt great adding a new workout to my regular (and I'll admit boring) routine.  I could feel myself getting stronger as I worked new and different muscles.   It also gave my knees a break from the regular pounding the recieved from running.  However, soon after my race ended so did my stint with spinning.  I no longer had to "need" for spinning class.

This past winter, the pressure of running started to hurt my knee.  I needed to take a break from running and decided to give spinning another chance.  I was nervous to go.  I hadn't been on a bike since the summer and to a spinning class since 2009.  I forced myself to go to the class, get on the bike, and give it my all. Truthfully...I hated just about every minute of that class (the minutes I did enjoy included the flat roads and water breaks).  I pushed myself harder than I remember pushing myself in a long time. I thought my legs were going to fall off and my heart was going to pop out of my chest.  However, the upbeat music and instructor's energy kept me going.  Of course he said the cliche lines ("Catch up to that bike in front of you." Um...really?! It's a stationary bike!) that made me want to jump off my bike and yell at him to be quiet.  But those stupid lines worked.  He convinced me that I could do it if I, as Dory says, "just keep swimming" (or in this case spinning).

When the class was over, I felt strong and motivated.  I had pushed myself past what I thought was my upper limit.  The feelings that I felt when the class was done, overrode the negative feelings that I had during the class.  The negative feelings lasted only 60 minutes.  The postive ones carried over for the rest of the night.  Soon, spinning became a part of my "regular gym routine".  I'll admit, every Monday night I still dred going to class.  But, before I walk into the spin room I force myself to I think about how I will feel when the class is over instead of during it.

How I look after spin class

How I feel

Also...a little motivation from my little friend never fails to help:

While I'm not rushing out to try new classes to add to my regular gym routine, I am definitely more open to the idea than before I started spinning.  A little change (and challenge) can be a good thing!

Ricky Says...

Thank you to everyone for all the great feedback and support!  Here is a little preview of what is to come...

Before tell you the recipe (or show the the finished product) for this yummy treat, I have to introduce you to my good friend Ricky.  Ricky is a man who is very near and dear to my heart.  I see him every weekend, he is always a gentleman opening my doors, and he never fails to have a huge smile on his face.  Ricky is one of and hands down my favorite doormen.  Ricky has graciously offered to be the blog's baked goods taste tester.  Every baked goods recipe will have Ricky's review.

Ricky's verdict on this week's creation: "absolutely delicious". You can't argue with that!

I'm calling these Coco-Choco Nana Cookies. I started these cookies with an oatmeal cookie base that I got from Runner's Kitchen.  I like this base because it's not overly sweet, allowing any and all add ins!  The original recipe had coconut (I have been on a huge coconut kick lately) and dark chocolate chips. I decided to add banana chips for some extra crunch and flavor. The recipe made 15 cookies.  However if you don't like to "taste test" the dough as you go (I had to be certain it tasted good), I'm sure you could make a few more!

Coco-Choco Nana Cookies
Ingredients:
1 cup flour
1 cup oats
1/2 tsp baking powder
1/4 tsp baking soda
1/4 tsp salt
1/2 cup brown sugar
6 tbl granulated sugar
1/4 cup butter (softened)
1 large egg
1 tsp vanilla
1/2 cup unsweetened shredded coconut
1/4 cup dark chocolate chips
1/4 unsweetened banana chips

Directions:
-Preheat oven to 350.
-Whisk flour, oats, baking soda, baking powder, and salt.
-Place butter and sugars in separate bowl. Beat with mixer until blended (about 2 min). Add in egg and vanilla. Beat well.
-Add flour mixture and mix together. Add remaining ingredients and mix.
-Roll into balls, place on ungreased cookie sheet, and bake for 12-15 min (mine needed the longer baking time but were still chewy on the inside).
-Enjoy!

Welcome!

Welcome to Sweet Tooth Runner! I am an active person who likes to run and “make moves” (as I often say).  I also require a daily sugar fix whether its frozen yogurt, a cookie, frozen banana bites, or a handful of chocolate chips.  I try to emphasize the importance of finding a balance between my love for exercise and sweets and that is what this blog is all about.  In this blog you will find everything from recipes, food finds, work out ideas, entertaining gym experiences, and other random thoughts along the way.  Here are 10 random, fun facts about me to kick-start the blog:

1. Growing up in Houston, my mom would bake cookies on special rainy days.  To this day, I still love to bake and eat cookies on crazy weather days (except those rain days have changed to snow days now that I live in Chicago).

                                 Cookies that I decorated with my Mom for my nephew Nathan.

                                                                        

2. Speaking of Chicago, there is nothing better than a Chicago summer. It is full of bike riding, farmers markets, street festivals, and lakefront runs.  People say that they put up with the winter so that they can enjoy the summer…so true!

                                                   Farmer's Market with my Mom

                                         At the Food Truck Festival with my friends Hailey, Ally, and Catherine

3. I always keep a running list of restaurants that I have heard about and want to try.  I love going to and trying new places.  Before I always got stuck in a restaurant “rut”. Keeping the list has helped me to change it up and be more adventurous.

4. I love reading and read almost every night before bed. I'm also in a book club with a group of my friends.  Except to also see reviews of my latest reads.

5. I have done a Sprint Triathlon and two half marathons. Even though I get inspired every year watching and hearing about others running the marathon (including my dad), I have zero desire to ever run one.

                                     Swimming in Lake Michigan for the Sprint Triathlon (freezing!)

                                                        After I completed my second half marathon

6. My favorite meal of the day is brunch. I don’t care if its omelets, bagels, waffles, pancakes, whatever! If it’s brunch, I’m there.

7. Cooking and running are, in my opinion, the ultimate stress relievers.  Without these two things I do not think I would be sane.

                                         Tye Dye cake for Nikki's Birthday Cake Party

8. If I could only eat three things for the rest of my life it would definitely be frozen yogurt, popcorn, and peanut butter.  The perfect mix of something sweet, something salty, and something just plain delicious.

9. I love my family and friends more than anything! I have an incredible, loving, entertaining, and supportive mom, dad, sister, brother in law, and nephew (who is the cutest thing ever).  My friends mean the world to me and are like my second family.

                                                        Me and my parents

                                                           Danielle, Noah, and my adorable nephew Nathan

                  Just a few of my closest friends (had to do a college throwback picture so that everyone was included)


10. I am extremely excited (but also nervous) to start this blog.  Any feedback and suggestions are appreciated.  Enjoy!