Vegan Day 3

I didnt get to blog last night because I was at a friends watching LOST.

I had another successful day. I had to give up free pizza at lunch..1. I had already eaten lunch (but that may not have stopped me, being honest) 2...it was vegan so I did not eat any!

I peeked at the scale this morning...official weigh in is tomorrow but it was the lowest its been in probably 6 months.(down 5 lbs from sunday) If anything eating vegan will cleanse and jump start my metabolism in a new way. I have not eaten any processed snack foods at all which is crazy.

Cheese....3 days without cheese...I honestly cant believe it...I havent really craved it to be honest but 3 days is not a long time by any means....but I usually have some kind of cheese at every meal. Its sad I know.

As far as my ww plan goes I have stayed within my Daily Points...another success of 3 days...that hasnt happend in awhile either!

Yesterday I also ran over 5 miles. It was my first run since the Half Marathon. I sprinted at one point to catch up with some people at run club and I think that killed me. I ran fast but it was not an easy run. Perhaps.

Oh yea...Happy St. Patricks Day!

Day Two:Vegan WW Success

Let me just say that I am loving this already! I have not felt this full during work in a lonnng time. The highlight of my day was saying *NO* to birthday cake at the office because it wasnt vegan. I am definitely an all or nothing person, which has its positives and negatives. When I am on my game I am SO on, when im off...lets not even go there. BUT I AM ON!

Today I stayed within my DPA and also did Spinning for an hour.

My dessert tonight was a smoothie!
2 frozen bananas (i freeze them when they get too brown)
1/2 cup of Trader Joes Very Cherry Blend frozen fruit
1 cup of Whole Soy Plain yogurt
1/3 cup light original silk
1 tbs peanut butter

This makes 2 servings for 5 pts each

SOOO AMAZING! Try it!

So 2 days into my week long of Veganism I am basicially feeling this so far as a comitment to WW and eating as healthy as I can

I feel like I would like to maintain eating vegan for breakfast and lunch Monday-Friday.

Dinners can have dairy and meat

Sat and Sun can be a combination of both vegan and non vegan depending on if I am eating out or at home.

Going Vegan for a week!

After reading *Bitch Cakes* blog and how she follows WW and veganism, and talking with a friend who has been doing it over a year I decided to check it out. Since my diet consists of mostly fruits and veggies, low cal low fat, I am hoping that this will be an easy transistion. My main issues are the dairy. I am a cheese-a-holic. I do luckily like soy milk. I am a bit nervous to try soy yogurt, but I will try it.

At Whole Foods, I bought Nutritional Yeast and Ground Flaxseed which are two specific items to add for protein and fiber benefits.

I started this morning and ate oatmeal, at lunch I had a Middle Eastern platter and Soy Fro-yo and then for dinner I made soy nuggets and Mac and Cheese...but honestly it did not taste like mac and cheese AT ALL, but dont get my wrong, it wasnt bad, jsut not what I expected. I am going to try and make recipes from Fat Free Vegan in order to follow WW as well. So my goal is to do it until dinner time on March 20th, that night I have a birthday party and I love the Tuna Tar Tar so I am probably going to eat that then. So almost a week.

My goal going forward is to integrate veganism into my diet but still eat some dairy and meat. I don't believe that it is for me long term, but I am interested to see the benfits and difference in how I feel after this.

So after day one I feel full and satisfied which is a good sign!

Heres a pic of my lunch today!

Disney Princess Half Marathon LONG Recap!

Wow..as I sit here 4 days later I still cant believe it...Sunday March 7, 2010 I ran 13.1 (13.25 says my garmin)...my first Half Marathon. It was September 15, 2009 when I clicked the submit button on active.com. I spent the next 5 months gradually increasing my mileage, running in 10 degree weather with 4 layers on, for that moment when I crossed the finish. I feel like I have accomplished so much in these past few months. Training for a race is the perfect way to set goals and accomplish them. I am a Half Marathoner! YAY

The Race weekend. I flew from Boston to Orlando Friday morning with my Mom and my good friends, Jenna and Steve.. My Dad, Step Mom and one of my friend Kristyn all Florida locals now met me as well. On friday, my mom and I went to the expo and got my race bag. I checked my d-tag( timing device) and picked up a headband from Sweaty Bands courtesy of my mom! I got one with Martini Glasses on it to signify my 66 days without Alcohol to prepare for the race post New Years Eve! I then hit Hollywood Studios, Epcot and Magic Kingdom over the next few days!

On race day I got up at 3:00am, showered, dressed, drank a bottle of water and ate my classic pre race meal of a Bagel with Peanut Butter and a Banana...my energizer of choice is Jelly Belly Sport Beans so I had a packet of those and I packed a tylonol and another packet in my capri pants for mid race.  At 3:45am a taxi took a bunch of us from my hotel (Regal Sun Resort..loved it) to Epcot. It was now 4am and a freezing 37 degrees out. I did not bring layers. I was only wearing my North Face fleece. After about 20 minutes I checked my coat and shivered my way into the waiting area. I cant describe how cold I was. Next time I will bring disposable layers or some people wore trash bags over them so they could rip them off before the start. Somehow with a 10K race average of 10:04 I got into Corall A which was the first to go! I was able to get up to the start line. For the next hour plus they tried to entertain the FREEZING princesses with the YMCA, Cupid Shuffle, Macarena etc. I participiated to stay warm and keep from beign anxious. Honestly I wasnt as nervous as I thought. Maybe the cold helped in a good way to distract me. At 6:00 the fireworks went off and I started running....not knowing what the outcome would be.

All I know is that I wanted to run the race without stopping and cross the finish without struggle. My goal was 2:20:00

Mile 1:10:21 one small hill, went by fast
Mile 2:10:24 enjoyed local HS bands
Mile 3:10:26 fun characters along the way (did not bring camera, did not stop for pictures)
Mile 4:10:28 Getting closer to Mgic Kingdom...past 5K mark
Mile 5:10:21 Hill going into Magic Kingdom, crowd was great
Mile 6:10:36 heading out back onto the highway, slowed a bit as i was almost half way
Mile 7:10:29 hit the Grand Floridian where there were more spectators..half way mark..I was feeling good and ready to take on the next half
Mile 8:10:38 trying to speed up but my body was definitely feeling a bit tired at this point
Mile 9: 10:31 over the slump and I passed a woman wearing a shirt for a fallen soildier...I started to tear up and said "Keep going, God Bless" as I passed her, what a great honor for whoever that young man was! Made me feel proud too!
Mile 10: 10:36 only a 5k left! Definitely feeling tired but anxious to get to the finish
Mile 11: 10:47 Hit the first major hill/overpass and tried to keep a steady pace going over it...also 11.1 was the farthest distance I had run to date so I didnt know what to expect after this point
Mile 12: 10:47 Hit ANOTHER hill/overpass again trying my best but I was defnitely fatigued and ready to finish...I was so close! I could see the entrace to Epcot!
Mile 13:10:34 trying to speed up as I was inside Epcot rounding the corner trying to find the finish. I was prepared to look for family and friends at this point.
Mile 13.1 10:22 I stated running on the left hand side close to the crowd so that I could look for my cheer squad. Luckily I saw my Dad and Carol and waved, then Jenna and Steve, then Kristyn then my Mom, they had all spread out along the end of the course. At this point my left calf started twitching and I said "not now" but I could see the finish and I headed for it. I gave it all that had left crossing the finish at a 7:38 pace.

I dont remember what my first thought was..all I remember was my quads and sides aching and being glad that I was walking and not running anymore. I think I was smiling but Im not sure. All I knew is that I had just run my first Half Marathon with no picture or bathroom stops and it felt amazing!

My Chip time was 2:19:27....I beat my goal! Not bad for a first timer right?

Whats next you ask? Another HM on 5.30.10 on Cape Cod (my home town area) and then the CHICAGO MARATHON on 10.10.10. I feel that this HM is only a stepping stone to my true goal of running 26.2 miles...sure  a lot of people can run 26.2 miles but right now I cannot. In 7 months I will!

Here are a few pics from the race....

Full Recap of my first half marathon coming tonight

                                     Heres a few pics...full report coming tonight!

Me at the finish 2:19:27 for 13.25 miles!                              The fabulous medal!

Rue La La

I need to give a shoutout to Rue La La a fantastic website that sells designer clothes, shoes, accesories, trips, home decor,beauty etc for much less! Every day at 11am a new boutique opens.

If you want to be invited leave me a comment!

Today I got a fabulous eye/lip set from Tarte for $15!! Normally $44

Find me on Twitter

Anivs18 on twitter!! I have no idea what I am doing hahaha

50 Days!

Update on my challenge for race training....

Its been 50 days since I had any alcohol
I have had french fries  only 3 times since January 1....not bad but I had to let go of this one..no other fried foods such as calamari or buffalo wings
Desserts have only been eaten at special occasions
I have been OP
I have worked out 5-6 days a week

15 days to go!!

Tracking for my Half Marathon

Hi All

If you would like to track me during my half marathon...go to this link and type in Ashley Niven...im the only one so you cant miss it....17 days :)

http://live.activeresult.com/msg/MSG-signup.tcl?event_id=50

Superbowl Dips

I made 2 dips for the superbowl that were WW friendly.

Buff Chick Hot Wing Dip from Hungry Girl's Website


PER SERVING (1/15th of recipe, about 1/4 cup): 68 calories, 1.5g fat, 616mg sodium, 2g carbs, 0g fiber, 1g sugars, 10g protein -- POINTS® value 1*

Ingredients:

Two 9.75-oz. (or 10-oz.) cans 98% fat-free chunk white chicken breast in water, drained
One 8-oz. tub fat-free cream cheese, softened
1/2 cup Frank's RedHot Original Cayenne Pepper Sauce
1/2 cup shredded part-skim mozzarella cheese
1/4 cup fat-free ranch dressing
1/4 cup fat-free Greek yogurt (Fage 0% is the best!)
Directions:
Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
Place cream cheese in a medium bowl and stir until smooth. Mix in Frank's RedHot, mozzarella cheese, ranch dressing, and yogurt. Stir in chicken until thoroughly combined. Spoon mixture evenly into a deep 8-inch by 8-inch baking dish.
Bake in the oven for 20 minutes, or until mixture is heated through. Stir well and enjoy!

P.S. We love dipping carrot sticks and red bell pepper chunks into this dip, but we've also dunked baked tortilla chips into it and used it as a sandwich spread!

MAKES 15 SERVINGS
HG Alternative! To make this dish FAST, skip the oven altogether. Prepare dip according to the directions, but in a microwave-safe dish. Then microwave uncovered on high for 5 minutes (stopping and stirring halfway through cooking), or until hot.

Review: It was ok...some people at the party liked it, others didn't

WW's Creamy Mexican Dip

Ingredients

1 cup(s) plain fat-free yogurt, Greek-variety recommended
1/2 cup(s) salsa, hot chipotle variety suggested
3/4 cup(s) avocado, diced
1/3 cup(s) cilantro, fresh, chopped
1/4 cup(s) red onion(s), chopped
1/2 tsp ground cumin
1/2 tsp table salt, or more to taste

Garnish

1/4 cup(s) avocado, diced
1 Tbsp cilantro, fresh, chopped
1 Tbsp red onion(s), chopped

Instructions

In a medium bowl, stir together yogurt and salsa until blended; stir in remaining ingredients except garnishes. Cover and refrigerate up to 1 day.
When ready to serve, transfer to a serving bowl and sprinkle with garnishes. Yields about 1/4 cup per serving.

Review: Amazing! Everyone loved it and thought it was sour cream based but the yogurt is great...it is so flavorful!

GNC WELLbeING® be-BUFF™ Protein & Fiber Complex Mix - Chocolate Chunk

So I was in GNC today and I cam across this protein powder. It is only 1 WW pt per scoop and you mix with water. I thought it would be gross but it tastes just like chocolate milk. I got it for just under $20 on sale.

Here are the supposed benefits of be-BUFF.......
Wish your workout could last all day? The results can...

be-BUFF is no ordinary protein complex - it can help you achieve better fitness results and more! This delicious protein mix was specifically designed for women to fuel lean body mass, enhance your metabolism, curb your appetite and provide beauty from within!



Protein: sufficient protein intake is essential to any women seeking a slim, toned physique. Consuming protein increases your feeling of fullness, so you won't be as hungry. Along with exercise, protein is a quality furl for lean body mass.When you build lean muscle, your metabolism increases, and you will burn more calories.



Fiber: be-BUFF features a superior form of fiber, called Sunfiber®. It's clinically proven to improve regularity, improve growth of beneficial bacteria and normalize bacterial flora.Fiber, like protein, helps you to feel fuller, longer. Adult women should consume 25 to 35 grams of fiber each day to maintain good health and normal bowel function.



Enzymes: support a healthy digestive system and help your body to better use the nutrients you take in each day. Enzymes also help to reduce bloating and gas.



Beauty Blend: features a unique proprietary blend of ingredients that support beautiful, health hair and nails and hydrate skin.



Calcium: in addition to protein and fiber, be-BUFF provides 500 mg of bone building calcium in each serving - that's about half of what you need each day. After all, if you're going to have strong muscles, you'll want strong bones to support them.
 
All taken from http://www.gnc.com/
 

Jersey Shore: I Met Pauly D!

Randomly out one night we met a guy who claimed to be Pauly D's body guard...Pauly came to Boston and we met him..it was a pretty hilarious night...There are tons of phots here.

Here's the one of us with him

The Beginning of the End is here...LOST

The final season of LOST starts tonight. I got into it in college in Season 3 and watched through Season 5. I recently watched Seasons 1 and 2 with friends. Here is a collage of some photos to get me in the mood :)

Crock Pot Cooking!

I got a crock pot last week and I made two recipes this weekend. They both came out great and are delicious and healthy.

The first is a great Chicken Taco Chilli from Ginas Fabulous Blog

The next is from the Weight Watchers Website...a Zero Point Crock Pot Vegetable Soup

10 oz spinach, baby leaves


2 medium carrot(s), chopped

2 medium celery, ribs, chopped

1 large onion(s), chopped

1 medium garlic clove(s), minced

4 cup(s) vegetable broth

28 oz canned diced tomatoes

2 piece(s) bay leaf

1 Tbsp dried basil

1 tsp dried oregano

1/2 tsp red pepper flakes, crushed


Place all ingredients in a slow cooker; cover and cook on high power for 5 hours. Remove bay leaves, stir and serve. Yields about 1 cup per serving.

One month Down, One to Go

So Its officially been 30 Days since starting my health kickstart challange. You can read about what I've been doing Here . I have successfully stuck to all of the following. My weight has been fluctuating but I have been toning up. My goal is 10lbs before V day adn Im haf way there. I will continue this through my race on March 7th in Disney.