Sweet T and a Honey B
Food, Fitness, and the Adventures That Make Life Sweet

Hal Higdon and a Relationship with Running

When I think back to the worst parts about being a pre-teen/teenager, gym class and the dreaded mile run would be at the top of my list. I would do everything in my power to cheat (running REALLY slow during the 9 minute run so that I only had to do two laps instead of three), or to skip out on it altogether (your gym teacher didn’t want the awkward argument when a 13 year-old girl said ‘she wasn’t feeling that well’ that week) . My asthma had a lot to do with it, but I didn’t like it in general. Though, I did envy the girls who could go out there, run a 7-minute mile, and not spend the rest of 7th and 8th period with a beet red face. It wasn’t until I got to college and lost a little bit of the weight without evening trying/changing any habits (the constant uphill walk to the business school will do that to you), that I decided to step foot on the track at our campus workout facility. I’m not saying I was running miles and miles at a time, but half a mile here, a mile there, and slowly I wasn’t dreading it anymore. Once I made up my mind to change my bad habits (read here), I was able to run further and begin actually enjoying going for a run around campus. It became a wonderful way to relieve some stress before a big exam or just enjoy how gorgeous the IU Campus was. 

It was a coincidence that Bryan found his love for running in college too. During Thanksgiving breaks, we started signing up for the annual Bonfield Express 5K Turkey Trot. Jim Bonfield was a teacher, coach, and dean of Downers Grove South High School and passed away in 2003 due to complications with Hodgkins Disease. The Bonfield Foundation was started in his honor and the foundation works to support and build character and community commitment in high school students in the area. The annual Bonfield Express 5K is a very special event that we look forward to every year. Being able to support our community is another reason we began to fall in love with running. 

Most recently, Bryan decided he wanted to push himself and set the bar a bit higher. He will be running his first 10 Miler in April and has been training for a few weeks already. He discovered the Hal Higdon Training Program and what I find interesting about this program is that there is a Beginner, Novice, Intermediate, and Advanced schedule for any race distance: 5K, 8K, 10K, 15K/10Miler, Half Marathon, and Full Marathon. It provides a healthy way to gradually introduce running distance to the newest beginner yet a challenge for those who have been running distance for years. I am so incredibly proud of his dedication to the training schedule (and even more impressed he’s been running OUTSIDE in January and February). The schedule includes weight training, stretching/strengthening, and a rest day and he has taken each part of this as serious as the run days. 

We’re optimistic he won’t need this cold weather gear much longer. 🙂

In some ways, I have admittedly been pretty jealous of the hubs when he goes on his long runs. For about a year now, my long runs have been very sporadic. I found myself struggling to climb stairs, run, and sometimes even get up and down from a sitting position without some killer pain in my knees. In September, I finally decided to get some x-rays and learned that my knee caps are basically not where they are supposed to be- aka all of the cartilage in my knees is not protected by the knee cap. I was instructed to work on strengthening the muscles on the insides and outsides of my legs to try and pull my kneecaps back into place. From what I can tell, it’s made a difference but I still have really bad days and somewhat good days. Without surgery one day, I don’t think I will ever be able to train for a run that’s much longer than a 5K which gets discouraging. Though,I try and remind myself why I love running to begin with and that I can still feel as good after 2-4 miles as I would after 6-10. 

In addition to strengthening exercises, the only other thing that has allowed me to be as active as I am is Kinesiology Tape (or KT Tape). This tape is used by professional athletes and Olympians to basically provide an additional layer of support for sore muscles, ligaments, and tendons. You can leave it on for days at a time and withstands sweat and water. I have noticed this tape provides DAYS of support even after I remove it. It’s literally like a second skin. For runner’s knee, I wear half a piece straight across each knee just under the kneecap, and anchor it with two additional pieces crisscrossed over it and adhered to my mid-thigh down to the top of my shin. If you have any ache or pain related to fitness activity I HIGHLY recommend purchasing some KT Tape. It works really well for elbows, shoulders, lower back, and knees and I love that each package comes with instructions on how to apply the tape for each kind of ache or pain. You can purchase the tape right on the KT Tape website or through my Amazon link below.

 

 Needless to say my relationship with running has been an interesting one. I’ve learned to listen to my body and not overwork myself when my knees are telling me not to. Bryan’s dedication to stretching and strengthening in addition to those long runs has been a huge eye-opener because this allows him to push himself a little further each day. I’m hopeful that with a few more months of strengthening exercises, icing, and continually wearing my KT Tape to support my knees, that I can get back to more of a routine, especially as the weather gets nicer! For now, I’ll enjoy watching Bryan’s progress as he continues to train for his 10-miler and hopefully I can join him in a few shorter distance races later in the year. I cannot wait to watch him accomplish his goal and cross the finish line in April!

 

A Little Friday Encouragement

Admittedly I have written, edited, and rewritten this post a few times. The original title was “A Little Monday Encouragement”. The second title was “A Little Mid-Week Encouragement’.. and here we are and it’s already Friday. But who’s complaining? And who isn’t dreaming of some hilarious Superbowl commercials and tasty snacks? 

At the beginning of this week I took some time to think about why I started a blog. While STHB gives me that creative outlet that I often crave but don’t get to explore working in finance and an easy place to share the many recipes and projects I take on during the week, I also want to use this to provide motivation to those looking to change the way they fuel their bodies (and mind!) and achieve their health related goals. I do struggle to fit Sweet T and a Honey B in the ‘health’ or ‘fitness’ category because I’m not going to share a new leg day workout every week or tell you that you should only ever be eating chicken and vegetables. STHB was born so that I could share my experiences, and ultimately ideas and tips, to leading a healthy life that’s good for your mind, body, AND soul. I am not even close to being an expert on any topic I write (or ramble) about but my qualification comes from my passion of helping others find confidence in themselves. I truly believe I am one of the most blessed people on this earth- I have the world’s most loving and hilarious family and friends, a nothing-but-supportive (and extremely handsome) husband, a good education and career, and a roof over my head. Though, I am still human and have faced a few trying times throughout my life coupled with some low self-esteem. This is why sometimes my posts might not come in the form of a recipe, workout, or my latest crafting endeavor, but rather in the form of lessons I’ve learned or the thoughts going through my head during that given day or week. 

It’s probably about time that I get to where this is really coming from. The past couple of weeks at work have been very busy and required some later nights than usual. I just came up on a year at my company and occasionally feel like I’m still learning the ropes. A few mistakes made last week at the office, combined with being exhausted, admittedly led to some angry tears on the drive home and frustration with myself. I also didn’t have as much time to hit the gym- which is always my go-to stress relief. I’m sure many of you can relate that it was ‘just one of those weeks’. When the weight of the week is on your shoulders, it’s easy to lose motivation when it comes to taking care of yourself. These are often the weeks I don’t find the time to make dinner, but stop at Chipotle instead. Or, sleeping in so much that I end up running late and skipping breakfast altogether. I was not only feeling in over my head but was anticipating a disappointing number on the scale. Longer hours at work=longer hours sitting (even though I DO have my new exercise ball chair 😉 )While I am a huge proponent of not using the number on the scale to define how hard I’ve been working, I have been actively working again to lose some extra weight I’ve gained within the last year or so and getting back to feeling like the strongest version of myself.

Despite my lack of time for anything much outside of work or teaching dance the last couple of weeks, I found myself determined to keep a different mindset than I have in the past. First, I was determined to keep on track with my WW Points and not give in to the easy temptation of pitching in for the pizza our team was ordering during a late night or making that Chipotle stop. I planned ahead, packed my snacks, and made sure to drink plenty of water. Secondly, while working out is extremely important-so is rest. I didn’t get discouraged when I could only sneak in 25 minutes of the elliptical or needed that rest day altogether. And lastly, but most importantly, my husband has been my biggest motivator and cheerleader. He’s been diligent about planning and packing his lunches/snacks, getting to bed early, and finding a good balance between going to the gym and listening to his body when he’s tired. Surrounding yourself with people who continually motivate you to be the best person you can be is the number one factor when achieving your own goals. 

By fueling myself with the proper nutrition to keep myself energized and focused, listening to my mind and my body when it’s time to slow down, and staying motivated with the help of my incredible husband and best friends (I wrote about our 100 Day Health Challenge here), I’ve been feeling really good throughout these last few weeks. As it turns out, I have lost over 5lbs since the New Year. I’m feeling strong, ready to accomplish my fitness goals this year, and excited to motivate others through STHB 🙂 

Sweet Saturday no. 3

There are very few things I enjoy more than waking up on a Saturday morning, thinking it’s a weekday before I open my eyes, only to look at the clock and realize it’s 8 o’clock in the morning and I don’t have to rush out of bed to be anywhere. I took a few extra minutes (more like 30) to soak in this glorious feeling before I was in desperate need for a warm cup of coffee to start the day. Also can we talk about how the sun is finally shining?  

I’ve mentioned before that as I get older I appreciate those weekends with little to no plans. I used to enjoy stuffing each minute with activities and to-dos and would usually know my plans by Tuesday for the following weekend. I find myself getting further away from the need to be busy all of the time and can honestly say I am less stressed because of it. Today and tomorrow’s plans consist of (currently) sitting across from my handsome husband at our favorite coffee place while we both get some work done, dinner with friends to celebrate some new jobs, and a brunch with a couple girlfriends tomorrow (hello Bloody Mary & Mimosa bar 😉 ). Football Sunday is also on the agenda! Knowing that I would be able to de-stress this weekend was definitely one of the sweetest things of my week. 

Here are just a couple more of the things that energized me this week. Have a fabulous Saturday!

Gaiam Balance Ball Chair

With as active of a lifestyle as I try to live, my job doesn’t help much. Believe it or not, working at a desk all day takes a toll on your body. On average I sit at my desk from anywhere from 7-10 hours a day and as much as I try to move around, there’s very little time  for walking or stretching breaks in between. The bathroom is not even that far from me. In a recent conversation with a good friend of mine at work, we discussed how achy we are after a full day and compared little pains in our lower back, neck, and shoulders. Somewhat jokingly, she said “You know, we really need to buy those exercise ball chairs”. We laughed and went – you guessed it – back to our desks.

I ended up being a little curious and doing some research on the benefits of having one of those chairs. Not only did I find that those who use these chairs can burn up to an extra 350 calories a day (by being forced to adjust your position every once in a while, you’re moving), but relieves back pain (bingo!), tones your core/abdominal muscles (summer IS coming, people), improves focus, and induces the need to stretch because there is little to no back of the chair. Despite reading these benefits, I left the idea alone for a week or two- until my friend walked over to my desk one day to let me know that Gaiam’s Balance Ball Chair was Amazon’s Deal of the Day. She didn’t have to twist my arm much because all she said was “If you get one, I will” and within 2 days, I had my chair (Thanks Amazon Prime!) 

After a week of sitting in it, I have already noticed obvious changes. I am WAY more conscious of the way I sit and my posture throughout the work day, I find myself feeling the need to stretch, stand up, adjust my position on the ball, my mind wanders less when working on projects, and I have zero lower back pain going home at the end of the day. It also inspires a lot of great office conversations as people walk by – “Hey, can I try your chair?”

This chair is extremely easy to assemble and comes in a large handful of different colors. I ordered the bright purple ball to brighten my cube  a little bit. I highly encourage anyone who sits all day to purchase one of these. Since I can’t change the fact I sit all day, the Gaiam Balance Ball Chair has changed my perspective on it.  Right now, they happen to be on sale at Amazon and you can order yours by clicking below!

 

Protein Packed Chocolate, Peanut Butter, and Banana Milkshake

After a particularly sweaty workout one night this week, I was a little hungry but craving something cold. Using some of the ingredients we already had in the house, hubs and I decided to make our own milkshakes before sitting down to our missed episode of ‘This is Us’ on NBC. Each milkshake combined:

  • 1/2 frozen banana
  • 1 Scoop Vega One Chocolate Protein Powder (You can use any chocolate protein powder you like)
  • 1/2 Cup unsweetened almond milk
  • 2 tbs PB2 Powdered Peanut Butter (we swear by this stuff)
  • 1/2 Cup Chocolate Mocha Halo Top Ice Cream

Not only was I full after drinking this, but it quenched my thirst after that workout. Next, we want to try combining the same ingredients but replacing the chocolate protein powder for vanilla and the Chocolate Mocha Halo Top for their birthday cake flavor. You can top with sprinkles and enjoy as a dessert!

Sweet Saturday no. 1

Happy Saturday, everyone!

In relation to my 2017 goal (I’m unsure how I feel about the word ‘resolution’) of trying to appreciate the little things that happen every day, and not just on the weekends, I thought I would begin something called ‘Sweet Saturdays’. I’d love to spend some time sharing a handful of the things that made my week a little sweeter in hopes of providing some ideas for you too! 

I will say- this week was a great one. A new mindset, a new year, a new gym, and new episodes of my favorite television shows (Any #Nashies out there?) made for a fabulous first full week of 2017. I hope that you too kicked this year off on the right foot! 

HIIT Treadmill Workouts

I’ve recently become bored with my cardio workouts and needed something to change it up. Unfortunately, Chicago Winters do not provide a lot of opportunity to run or walk outside, so I tend to get stuck to those 30 minute elliptical sessions or runs at the gym. I can still get a great workout in, but find that my body gets used to it after a while. While reading one of my favorite health and fitness blogs, Peanut Butter Fingers, I found that Julie often provides a lot of high intensity interval training (HIIT) treadmill workouts that anyone has time for. HIIT Workouts use a combination of speeds and intensities to slow and speed up your heart rate. This way you not only burn calories, but fat too. And SWEAT like a beast! Here is one of Julie’s 20 minute workouts that I tried out.

 

 

2017 Thankful Jar

Thanks to a friend that posted this idea on facebook, I decided to make my own ‘Thankful Jar’ for the year. Each day, Bryan and I can write one good thing that happened that day or that we were thankful for that day and put it in the jar. On New Year’s Eve we can take turns reading all of the things that happened during the year. This is also a great idea for those with kids! We have a lot to be thankful for so I know it’s going to fill up fast.

 

Halo Top Ice Cream

If I had to pick one dessert to eat for the rest of my life, it might very well be Halo Top Ice Cream. I like to think of this as the hidden gem of Ice Creams. Bonus, it’s completely healthy. Yes, you read that right, it’s healthy.

After trying various healthy “ice creams” from the freezer section at Marianos, I was sold on the idea there was no such thing as a healthy ice cream that tasted like, well, actual ice cream. Then I started to read about something called ‘Halo Top’. I learned that I could buy it at my local Whole Foods and decided to pick up a pint. 

Then I picked up another pint. 

And then another. 

And then I followed them on every social media outlet and anxiously awaited the arrival of their 10 new flavors. 

A pint of this delicious cold treat is low calorie, high-protein, low sugar, and the ingredients are all natural. It also happens to be Weight Watcher friendly! It’s only 3 points for a half cup! They come in a ton of different flavors and you’d never know this wasn’t served up at your local ice cream shop. I purchased the S’more flavor for hubs and I this week and let’s just say another trip to Whole Foods is on my errand list for today. 

Happiness

My main motivation for starting Sweet T and a Honey B was so that I could create a one-stop-shop for all of my ideas and all of the things that make me happy. I love being able to take an idea and turn it in to something that makes me feel good- whether that be a tasty recipe, craft, or a little something to brighten up my home. There are a lot of things I credit this motivation to and I am eager to share them.

In honor of ‘Throwback Thursday’ I want to provide a little background on when and why I decided to begin living a healthier lifestyle. I entered my freshman year of college in 2009 at Indiana University in Bloomington, Indiana. There were lots of mixed emotions starting school. I was excited to begin a new journey, room with my best friend, and experience the (still) most gorgeous campus I have ever seen. I also was terrified of being on my own, guilty leaving my mom who now would live alone for the next four years, sad about being four hours away from my boyfriend, and not confident in myself at all. Let’s just say it my mom was the one having to calm me down before she pulled away from the campus that first day. 

I look at pictures from late high-school years and early college and it’s no wonder I wasn’t confident in myself. I clearly wasn’t taking care of my own body. When you already have not-so-good eating habits and then add in cheap beer and unfamiliar territory/faces at college parties-it doesn’t help the situation. My homesickness was almost paralyzing and the only way to help that was to turn to food and drinking too much at parties. If I wasn’t out drinking with a group of people I wasn’t always comfortable going out with, I was crying on the phone telling my mom I didn’t know if I was going to make it the next four years there. Your freshman year of college is supposed to be amazing- and mine wasn’t turning out that way. 

Then came Melanie. Someone I owe a lot of my happiness to. I met Melanie on the quad of one of the dorm buildings during Orientation the summer before school. She was from Dallas and I was in awe someone could come that far from home when I was scared to move there from Chicago. We bonded instantly and exchanged phone numbers so we would be sure to have a friendly face on campus during those first couple of weeks in the fall. She ended up being in my math class that consisted of 250 freshman. I think it was fate. 

One of the nights during first semester that I was particularly unhappy, I stayed in while the girls on my floor went out for the night. Melanie called me up and told me her and some of her friends from her floor were going to film a ‘music video’ to N*Sync’s “Pop” around campus-all while wearing ridiculous neon clothing and asked me to join. I am pretty certain I was on the bus up to her side of campus before I even hung up the phone. Neon leggings and all. 

I will always remember that evening as one of the most fun nights I had in college. Music Video filming, watching a movie in Mel’s dorm, and a sleepover was exactly what I needed. Melanie quickly became one of my very best friends and I still think I would have left IU if it wasn’t for meeting her. 

I won’t lie and say this is when I changed any of my habits. My comfort was still food (mainly the Baked Ziti from the Sabarro in one of the buildings on campus). Freshman and Sophomore year came and went. I stuck close to Mel, declared a business major, and got involved in a few activities on campus. Though, by the end of Sophomore year I was getting sick of being out of breath when making the long treck to the business school and I was sick of being called ‘fat’ and a ‘cow’ by random guys at parties. It obviously didn’t and doesn’t matter what these kinds of people say- but it was time to change something. 

At the beginning of Junior Year I decided to begin Weight Watchers. My mom had suggested it as a way to start keeping track of what I was eating but it was also a program that gave me the freedom to decide how I wanted to spend my allotted food points. Low and behold, Melanie got to campus that fall and told me she had joined Jenny Craig in order to begin her journey. Again, fate. Having her as a motivation is a big reason I was successful. I brought my food to her apartment for dinner and she would have her Jenny Craig meal. We also bonded over our newfound love for brussel sprouts. 

Junior Year is when I started finding my true happiness. Weight Watchers was the best decision I have ever made. The second best decision was joining Theta Phi Alpha, a new sorority on campus. I found a group of girls (yes, Melanie was a Theta Phi too) that made me feel confident in myself, that I could be myself around, and that enjoyed craft nights just as much as parties. I found another best friend in Ali and spent much of my time Junior Year with her. She also had joined Weight Watchers and we were killing it together :). I found myself spending most of my time with Mel and Ali and to this day I don’t think I could go more than a day without texting them. Little did I know these girls would be my lifelong friends, sisters, bridesmaids, and biggest supporters. 

I lost about 40 pounds on Weight Watchers during the last two years of college. This incredible program and a couple of cheerleaders named Melanie and Ali gave me more than the satisfaction of dropping a few pant sizes. They gave me a knack for turning any recipe in to a bit healthier one, a love for a good sweat after a run or weightlifting session, and most importantly-confidence in myself. I found happiness in taking care of myself and surrounding myself with people that make me feel good. I’m also beyond blessed to have a husband (remember that high school boyfriend? Same one!) that loves me unconditionally, supports me, will eat anything I make for dinner (he joined WW in college too!!), and only judge me a little bit when I make my 3rd trip to Hobby Lobby within a week. With all of this said, I still love food (Have you TRIED the chocolate covered popcorn/cashew mix from Whole Foods? YUM). Though, WW taught me the importance of moderation and paying attention to what you put in your body to make it run the best it can. My goal in writing STHB is to share a lot of the foods, tips, and tricks I use on a daily basis (especially busy days) to keep my body running. I’ll share the ways I channel my creativity through living a physically and mentally healthy lifestyle and hope that it brings a little sweet to your day too. 

–TB

 

Some photos from early college. 

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And some from late college to now. 

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