It is currently 4 degrees and just a wee bit too chilly to make me want to run outdoors this morning. Treadmill it is! I am not opposed to getting out in the cold to run and often prefer it, but 4 degrees is blech. I did my first tempo run today for my marathon training plan and the treadmill is a good option to get the speedwork done. Also with this cold weather, I’ve been focusing on food and tea, the comforts of staying indoors during these cold days.

New Brooks Pure Flow 2

Love! I have already run two runs in them and they are a good fit for me. I love the Newton Gravitys too! This will be a hard decision. One thing I am liking better with the Brooks Pure Flows is that they cradle my narrow foot a little better, so that may end up a deciding factor. But, I’m not ready to make the decision yet.

Hot tea

It is cold and I’m enjoying more hot teas again. I’ve been using the Adagio Tea Kettle for a couple of years now. It is fast and has varied temperature settings depending on if you are brewing a black or green tea. I also have the Adagio infuser mug and really like using it with loose leaf teas. The health benefits of black, white, green and oolong teas are amazing and the caffeine content is so much lower than coffee. I do like a cup or two of coffee in the mornings and a Starbucks latte if I’m in Target, but other than that, I don’t like to have much coffee beyond the morning hours.

My favorite teas this winter have become the Twinings Earl Grey, the Celestial Seasonings Lemon Ginger, and as always, their Sleepytime tea. I still have not found a green tea I completely enjoy despite years of trying so many. Still on the hunt!

How I eat healthy

In an effort to continually focus on foods that are more easily-digestible, I’ve been leaning more toward rice dishes rather than pasta. They go well with hot tea and I just really prefer light and easy foods. My two favorite types of foods are Italian and Asian styled, but I have noticed that I feel better after a rice bowl than a pasta bowl. Rice is reported to be easy to digest. While I don’t believe I have any kind of wheat sensitivities, I just think my body processes the rice more gently. To be fair to pasta, I am having some good experiences with the lower glycemic index Dreamfields pasta, it digests well and it is a tasty pasta!

I do not follow any special diet program other than trying to eat balanced meals, whole foods, and a low amount of processed foods. I just find as I’ve gotten older, I don’t digest things likes I used to, leading to a case of IBS. It is always a matter of trial and error for most folks, but I have found that the idea of 6 smaller meals a day with easier digestible carbs the best way for me to go. I always try to have a good carb/protein balance and make sure not to be too carb heavy during lunchtime so I can avoid the mid-afternoon burnout.

My usual days look like this:

Breakfast: hot oats or protein/carb cereal, dairy, eggs
Lunch: often a quick turkey/cheese/spinach wrap in a Flatout, fruit
Snacks: some dark chocolate, pita chips, or Cheezits now and then
Dinner: chicken or fish, a healthy carb, and always a giant spinach/fruit/tomato salad

I try to drink a lot of water throughout the day, some subbed as hot teas in the winter, and don’t drink sodas or anything else. My splurge treat is a Starbucks latte (sometimes soy) if I am in Target. Our other splurge is Pizza night on Friday and sometimes a quick Noodles & Company Pad Thai over the weekend.

There you have it, my typical way of eating most of the time.

I recently made a Korean-style BBQ wrap and the chicken came out so delicious, it is going in my regular rotation and I will serve it with rice as well. The entire meal is a great pre-race dish to have the day before. A combination of good carbs, proteins, and sodium.

Do you have a favorite tea? How do you like to prepare your teas?