Stretch-Soup-Soccer Score!

WORKOUT:

50 min weights - back/shoulders

45 min spin class

20 min elliptical

I always stretch after my workouts but I think it is safe to say we are all guilty of not giving it the focus we should. I spent about15 min today really holding each stretch and focusing on my muscles. It felt so GOOD! My legs feel nice and loosey goosey now. I know I SHOULD stretch like that everyday.

Check out what I got in the mail yesterday! 

Top of Utah (Logan) Marathon info!

I have ran that race twice. The first time was also my very first marathon. It was really challenging physically and mentally, especially running with an injury (IT band problems). The following year I was unsure of how it would go not knowing if it was the actual race that was challenging for me, or my "first timer" experience. I wanted to come back and conquered it though, and I did. I felt like I breezed though and totally smashed my time, knocking an HOUR off!

Ben didn't even see me finish because he was still back at mile 20 waiting for me to run by. That was a funny phone call. "Hey where are you Ben? I have been done for half an hour!"

It has a special place in my heart. If we are still around on September 17th, I would totally do it again!
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Dinner last night was ITALIAN EGG DROP SOUP. I wanted to use the orzo pasta I bought yesterday, so this was perfect.

Check out the nutrition facts here, because they are pretty rockin. For 1 1/2 cups it has 196 calories and 14 grams of protein!

Ingredients
-6 cups reduced-sodium chicken broth
-2 cups water
-1 1/3 cups whole-wheat pasta shells or other small pasta
-7 oz chickpeas
-1 bunch scallions, whites and greens divided
-Pinch of nutmeg
-3 cups chopped arugula (I subbed collard greens and kale here)
-4 large eggs, lightly beaten
-Freshly ground pepper to taste
-2 TB lemon juice
-6 TB Parmesan cheese (I omitted this and sprinkled a little nutritional yeast on top of mine instead)

Directions
1. Combine broth, water, pasta, chickpeas, scallion whites and nutmeg in pan; cover and let boil on high 3-5 min.
2. Stir in greens and cook till pasta is done. Put heat on low and slowly stir in eggs, cooking for 2 min. (Eggs will look like feathery strands.) Season with pepper and stir in scallions and lemon juice.

Soup is such a comfort food.
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We watched Logan & Maren's soccer game last night after soupy time.

Please note the goalie in the light blue penny totally snatching that ball. Go Logan!

Ben loves soccer and is pretty darn good if I can just brag for a minute. He asked me if anyone would notice if he just ran on the field and started playing. Mmm... think the jeans would give you away. He is totally going to be one of those dads on the sidelines when we have kids, yelling stuff at the coach etc. "Get in there!" "Take the shot!"  He couldn't even help himself last night. I love it, it's cute.

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I have to get a picture for my passport today. I practiced some ugly/expressionless faces before heading out the door. I think I got it down.

What?! A Passport you say!?!

Yes! We have been saying for the past year, that once Ben got a job we were totally going on VACATION! We seriously NEED one and DESERVE one bad. We aren't talking like, "where can we drive in our car," kind of vacation. I mean like the REAL DEAL. Like I might need a passport for it. We aren't decided yet since where we go will have a lot to do with where we can find the best deal. But if you have any good suggestions I would LOVE to hear them!

Oooo! And I am getting my haircut today! I LOOOOVVVVEE getting my haircut. Maybe because I am always servicing other people that it makes it all the more amazing when I get to be pampered a little.


Which would you rather do? Get a haircut or get a manicure?!
This is a complete no brainer for me. 

Hills for Breakfast

WORKOUT:

5 mile run

10 min eliptical

40 min weights - chest/biceps/triceps

Our RUN this morning included some fun hills and running along the base of the mountains which made for a great view of the city. It's so quiet and pretty in the morning before everyone gets up and starts their day. You can just run in the middle of the road too, it's ALL yours. There were also deer everywhere! I counted at LEAST 10, but it was dark so I am sure there were more.

I tried to take some pictures along the run but they turned out super lame. I will try again another time.Until then, enjoy my feet.

I think it's time to UP my weight on my chest/biceps/triceps routine. I didn't feel as challenged today and was looking for extra things I could do. So Friday I will bump it up!
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I love shopping at foodie stores, health food stores, farmers markets and the like. It's a treat for me. On my birthday last year, one of my b-day activities was Ben taking me to Whole Foods and letting me pick out some goodies. It is a good thing we don't live closer to a Whole Foods. Good thing for our budget that is.

Someday when we are RICH, I will buy most of our food at these places.  Joining the Navy will make us rich right Ben?

I was in need of some chocolate chips though, the kind I can actually eat (free of dairy & soy) so I decided that warranted a trip to Good Earth.

Okay, so that is not JUST a picture of chocolate chips. Apparently a few other things happened to fall into my basket too.

Organic whole wheat orzo pasta, a few flavors of a fun new drink for me to try, sesame seaweed crackery chips things, and Coconut Bliss Dark Chocolate Ice Cream (has no dairy in it, just coconut milk). I will let you know how I like them as they are devoured.

I made some chicken for dinner loaded with spices and steam cooked. That is one of my preferred ways to cook chicken so there is no need to add any oils. Just put some water in and cover it with a lid, EASY PEASY.

I was feeling something indian-ish so I threw on a bunch of spices... garlic, ginger, black pepper, curry, ground mustard, coriander, cardamon and celery salt.

Broiled some brussel sprouts to go along with it. They were tossed with... a drizzle of olive oil, lemon juice, agave, italian seasoning and black pepper. Baby potatoes were served naked.

Everything was tasty, ESPECIALLY the chicken. This girl is NOT afraid of spices, the more the merrier I say.

Have you ever heard of someone who is afraid of deer? How could you be afraid of a deer right? My sister-in-law is. We basically think it is hilarious. We love you Maren!

Bowling Baller

WORKOUT:

6 mile run

40 min weights - shoulders & back

Good stretching

It was COLD this morning! I don't know what possessed me to wear shorts on our run. After the first mile I couldn't feel my legs. Probably because I wanted my PINK shoes to match my PINK shorts. Makes sense right? Don't be fooled by that sunshine behind me. It is STILL freezing outside. Plus I am still half asleep here. It was all I could do after my shower not to crawl back in bed. Not to sleep, but just hang out there ALL day.

Last night Ben and I hit up some BOWLING. Oh yeaaaahhhhhhhh.

Naturally a bet was in order. The top combined score from 2 games was going to get the prize of their choice. No surprise Ben wanted ice cream and a back rub while he ate it. For me, no messing around with ice cream, just give me a long leg massage.

I think Ben is visualizing winning his prize here. We are a little competitive.

SCORES:

Game 1: Ben 121, Holley 140
Game 2: Ben 105, Holley 107

Combined: Ben 226, Holley 247!!!

Not to BRAG, but that first game might have been my best score EVER.

Ben, post loss. I told him to make a sad face. I guess LOSERS don't like to pose.

We played a couple of games of pool too. I mean, give him a chance to win something right? Unfortunately for him thought, I was pretty on fire there too.

I am not really cocky, promise.  I just NEVER beat him out like this. And really, I stink at pool. Apparently I am making a comeback. My legs sure appreciated it. :)

Some yummy snacks. I am on a major baby carrots and apple kick. Funny because sometimes I get really sick of both of these and can't wait for other produce to come in season. But right now I can't seem to get enough.

Lately when I run out of apples... that is the breaking point! Time to grocery shop!

Are you good at bowling? Do you ever imagine how unstoppable you would be if you just BUMPER BOWLED instead?

PT Monday

WORKOUT:

7.75 mile run

PRT (explained below)

35 min weights


Part of what Ben will do when he goes to OCS (Officer Candidacy School - aka boot camp) for the Navy is passing the PRT (Physical Readiness Test). They are tested on curl ups (a sit up), push ups, 1.5 mile run and a swim. Results are ranked on a scale ranging from "Probationary," meaning you fail, up to "Outstanding High." You have to score at least a "Satisfactory Medium" to pass and everything else is bragging rights.

This morning we did a little test to see how we shaped up on the scale. They have a different scale for men and women and it breaks it down by age. You can see what Ben has to go off of here and mine would be here. Today we just timed curl ups and push ups.

You have 2 minutes to complete curl ups and push ups. You do as many reps as you can but must keep correct form and can only rest in a plank position for the push ups and a crunch position for the curl ups. We learned fast that it wasn't about being speedy. 2 mins is plenty of time but you have to pace yourself and not burn out. It is tricky because if I could do sets and rest for a minute in between, I could do twice as many push ups but that is what makes this challenging.

PUSHUPS

SCORE: Ben 76, Holley 49
Not too shabby! That is just 8 away for Ben and 6 away for me, from getting the highest ranking of "Outstanding High!" Hollar!  

That sweat was from the run, NOT the pushups.

CURLUPS

This is the way you do these. You start in this position...

and come to this position touching your elbows to your legs.

Looks super easy right?

SCORE: Ben 49, Holley 40
"Probationary!" FAIL! Oh man, pretty embarrassing. I thought we would totally hit this one out of the park but curl ups are different than normal crunches and it felt a lot different. I didn't feel it in my abs AT ALL but my quads were tired. So weird! Maybe that is because we just got back from running... next time we will test before we run.

Lots of time to work on the curl ups. We will re-test those again soon.
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Yesterday was busier than a normal Sunday for me BUT there was stuff to do.

Don't judge my puffy face, I got a little sunburned on Saturday's run mmmkay?

I did have a little time to whip up some soup. I needed to have a real meal. Total modge podge and totally tasty.

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Chicken broth, garlic, onions, carrots, fresh parsley, white beans, brown rice, collard greens, diced tomatoes, basil and worcestershire sauce.

Do you think you can beat me on curl ups? Try it and let me know! 

Remember 2 tips though- 1.Keep your form. Once you lose it (arms come off chest or any other deviation) they don't count. 2.You can only rest in the upward crunch position!

How many did you get?!

20 Mile Fun Run

WORKOUT SATURDAY: 20 mile run

The run yesterday was REALLY great. Weather was no problem at all (I didn't get blown away OR covered in snow) and I definitely came home with a RUNNER'S HIGH. I didn't end up listening to anything. I was just thinking and setting goals and lost in my thoughts. I even thought about just adding on another 6.2 miles to polish off an even marathon. But then I thought, will Ben be waiting for me at home, cheering and holding a cool new tech shirt and yelling out my time and pace? Probably not. So I decided to save the glory for a couple more weeks.

But really, runs like these are what it's all about. Whether you are running 5 miles or 20, when you are in your own little world and feel like you could go all day, those are the best.

Highlights of my run...

-Listing off things (in my head) I was thankful for, for the first mile or so.

-Passing the cute old man with the "Boston Marathon 1998" jacket on. It was fun to think of what he was like back then, running in his "glory days." Love to see people keep going when they get older and still doing what they love.

-I love saying "hi", "good morning", and waving at other runners. Maybe I'm a dork.

-The Domino's sign guy was wearing a big court jester costume waving his little pizza sign on the road. But this guy had moves I had never seen! He was clearly enjoying his job... and workin it!

-Focusing on form and my stride.

-Totally BIFFING it while crossing a very busy intersection. No harm done, I had a good laugh at myself.

-Getting a call from Ben to make sure I was okay.

After a "Good job babe!" And listening to my rambling, Ben said that I DESERVED a long hot shower and told me to get up there and enjoy it. Ha, really what he meant was I was one stinky girl and said he couldn't stand any closer than 5 feet to me. Whoa! I don't think I have ever been told I smell THAT bad. PROMISE I put deodorant on!

I fixed up some lunch and stretched and rolled it out while Ben entertained me with some YouTube videos. 

Canned chicken mixed with balsamic vinegar, cilantro and mustard... along with lettuce and hummus all smashed on a sandwich. Don't forget the side of carrots and avocado. Interesting combo right? It was good, trust me. I ended up giving Ben a 1/3 of this sandwich because I decided I would rather eat these.

Clean! No SHOWER-LESS SATURDAY today.

We headed up to Salt Lake City to check out the Marathon Route since I wasn't sure where the route really went. This will be the first marathon I have done that is all urban. Usually races around here come out of a canyon for most of the race. I think this route will be fun though and a nice change from what I have done before. I am looking forward to it!

After driving ALL over SLC we stopped and visited my parents and Mom made us a yummy dinner. 

Shredded BBQ chicken, rice pilaf and yams.

We chatted and visited until I was sleepy, which was about 9:45pm. I  know, I AM a grandma.

Have you ever done a marathon without listening to anything?

Yours Truely

The run went AMAZING this morning. I will tell you all about it tomorrow. Right now Ben and I are headed up to Salt Lake to drive the SLC Marathon route. Wanna check out the course, ya know? I have been wanting to get up there and do that for a couple weeks now but BYU Basketball has been taking priority.

After that we are gonna hit up my parents since we will be close by. So until tomorrow, I will leave you with all sorts of random things I knooooowwww YOU just couldn't help but want to know about me. 

(This entry is also posted in my "About Me" tab.)

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Why "Lunges and Lashes"?

Because this girl loves fitness, eating healthy and trying to look good while doing it.

I am 27 (ah!), but people constantly think I am 20. I just go with it and know when I am 50, looking 43, that will be the bomb.

I am LDS and lived my whole life in Washington until attending BYU-Idaho where I earned my Associate in Science. Then I decided to follow my heart and moved to Utah to pursue my love of cosmetology at Paul Mitchell The School. I knew if I didn't take the opportunity right then, I might always regret it. After completing my program I met Ben as he was finishing his schooling at BYU. We have been married for 4 years now and it is hard to remember life without him. 

We are starting a crazy new adventure! Ben has been accepted as a Civil Engineer Officer in the Navy. Ben grew up in a military family, but I am a total FISH OUT OF WATER with this.

Ben is excited to go play G.I. Joe, while I can't wait to be able to fulfill my dreams of being a domestic goddess. More time to cook, be active to my hearts content and whatever else I please! Hooray!

I am a runner at heart and that is the staple of my workout sanity. I admit, I can be a gym rat, and Ben has been known to call me and tell me it's time to come home. That said, there is nothing better than waking up and going for a run in the crisp morning air.

I am certified to teach Cycling and Turbo Kick boxing. The right opportunity hasn't open up yet for me to be able to do that but I am hopeful somewhere along the line of our military adventure it will.

Now for a random list of things about me...

-I love to play with chubby babies. The chubbier the better. We can't wait to have some of our own.

-Ben is the BEST and super supportive of all my crazy passionate ideas. When I get an idea in my head I want to launch right in and GO!

-I NEED to be on a schedule. Vacation laziness is okay for a few days, then I start to lose my mind.

-I love to cook

-I secretly have naturally curly curly hair. I couldn't fight it in Washington, though, OH... HOW I tried. Utah's dry weather is the best thing to ever happen to my hair. If we have to move somewhere humid, I might die.

-I have always been kinda/sorta afraid of dogs. Really just because I had a paper route growing up and dogs would chase me all the time. That is traumatizing for a kid! But I secretly just want one. Like one I can keep in a box and take on runs with me and then when I am done, put it back in the box and stuff it in the closet. Do you know where I can get one of those?

-I love produce! Especially FRUIT! Mangoes, blueberries, raspberries, blackberries, bananas, apples... I am just getting started! Ben can attest. When I grocery shop, I just wander around the produce section.

-I like Halloween. Nuff said.

-I have a BIG 'OL family. I am the 7th of 8, so you can just imagine the niece and nephew potential in my family. I currently have 13 and we are just getting warmed up.

-I have a cute little salon in my house where I keep personal hair clients. Keeps me sane and reminds me that the full time job I currently have been working at for 3 1/2 years (to get health insurance really...), does not define who I am.

-Someday I really REALLY want to learn Tae Kwon Do or something similar. How fun would that be?!

-I have also been known to buy outfits for OTHER people's animals.

Now you know everything about me! ;)

An Apple a Day...

WORKOUT:

5.4 miles

Today is easy breezy day due to the fact I had an EARLY work meeting today and tomorrow is a long run. I have a date with my foam roller later today. And MAYBE I can talk Ben into a calf or hip massage?

Here are some snacks for the day, which I have been enjoying thus far.

And WHY you ask does, "An apple a day keep the dentist away"?

Because, eating an apple can kill up to 80% of the bacteria in your mouth! How cool is that?! 

You should totally go grab an apple right now. There are other fun reasons too, that you can check out here.


My Mom sent me this email recently in regards to how I am no longer vegan. "Hooray!  You have a little meat on your plate now. I am very pleased. OK!  I feel better now. I have been holding my comments back for three months. And I don't think that you look like any of your brothers without your makeup on. Love MOM."

So I don't have a man/brother face, MY MOM says so. And good to know she won't be losing anymore sleep about my "essential amino acids" anymore. We had a few of those conversations. My parents both grew up on farms... there are some strong feelings about meat. 

I will talk more about my VEGAN STINT later. Like why I decided to try it, how I felt, what I learned and why I stopped. So let me know if you have any specific questions so I can answer them.


Last night was a little more March Madness for us. Since I had like 2.5 mins from when I walked in the door from work, till when we headed out the door to go watch the game... dinner was whatever I could throw in a bowl VERY fast. 

I promise I don't just eat salads. Not much time to cook lately. This one was "springy", so that was a fun change. Imagine a slice of homemade bread off to the side as well.

 

Lettuce and chopped collard greens with the following: Strawberries, canned chicken, mandarin oranges, sunflower seeds, craisins and garbanzo beans. Topped it with fresh lemon juice and a little Aunnie's Naturals Lite Raspberry Vinaigrette. 


BYU sports are something special to Ben. We CANNOT be late for kick-off, tip-off... whatever. Too many times I have been RUNNING to the stadium in 100 degree weather with my hands full of stuff trying to keep up with Ben as he dodges through the crowds. As soon as that fight song starts playing he will not be stopped.


He couldn't be happier here. (I assure you there IS a game being projected on that wall.)

 Pray for decent weather tomorrow while I am out running! If it was anything like today, I will look like a drowned rat when I get home!

Have you ever gone for a run and gotten caught in horrible weather?