Navigating bar food.

March 14, 2013 | cheriarmour

So I’m adding an element to the blog. Super relevant, yet super challenging. It’s the part where we’re young and we like to go out with our friends – so how do we navigate the downtown bar/restaurant scene without totally wrecking our diets/lifestyles/training programs? Here’s a little guide with a couple of tricks to help you navigate when your frands call you up.

First, don’t panic. It’s tempting to, when you’re training, or when you follow a specific diet, alienate yourself from friends who don’t eat or drink the same way you do. But just because you’re watching what you eat doesn’t mean you’re not allowed to spend a little quality time with friends, right? So your friends call you up and say, “Hey, let’s go get nachos and watch sports (ew) at the bar!”

“Okay girl! Let’s go!”

So second, scope out the scene. Google the place where you’re going to go, check out the menu, and make a plan for yourself. Don’t expect yourself to make a great nutritionally sound decision when under duress.

Third, skip the sodas, skip the bread basket, and skip the appetizers. If you can manage that, you’ve already won half the battle right there! Between those three things, you could add on enough calories for a full meal, so if you skip those, you’ll actually still be hungry when your food comes out!

Eyeball the sides. Can you replace the chips or fries with something else? Is there a fruit option? An option for a side salad? Even sweet potato fries? Go for the one with the least grease, and stick to it! Fries and tots are completely awesome, but trust me, your belly will thank you in the morning on your next run.

Draft 3 — Veggie burger with green beans on the side! Proof that you CAN find better choices, even when you’re at the bar, among the nachos, beer, potato skins, and fries!

Do your thing! Enjoy your meal! And enjoy pretending that you care about sports!

Finally, finally, if you slip up and go for something that wasn’t the plan, that’s okay. Don’t beat yourself up over the stray fry or the dessert that accidentally found its way into your mouth. Food is meant to be enjoyed, and dang it, you’re allowed to have a good time once in a while!

So fear not next time you go out with friends, and hey, maybe your good habits will rub off on a few of them!

Underwears!

March 13, 2013 | cheriarmour

We’ve done a post on bras, nutrition, winter clothing, hair, and how could I forget the most important piece? The rundies!

http://www.oiselle.com/shop/rundies

So Carly (remember Carly?) tweeted the above link the other day, sorta tongue-in-cheek. We both giggled because even though the idea is sorta cute, (who wouldn’t think little panties with running-inspired print wasn’t), we were both absolutely baffled at the fact that they were cotton. Like. Ew?

But if you feel baffled by my disdain for cotton rundies, let me be your guide. What should I look for in runderwear (rundies)? **Ladies only**. Sorry fellahs, I don’t know what you need 😦 perhaps I’ll let one of my runner man friends expound on this thought one of these days.

Cotton is rotten. At least in this case, it is. (In the case of running socks as well). In these cases, quite unfortunately, the last thing you want is cotton. It turns rough and pilly when washed or wet, and will chafe the heck out of your skin. Those little cotton numbers from Aerie are so adorable and extra flattering in real life, but in running life, they’re chafey, and they cause the worst pantylines ever. Just because you work out doesn’t mean you suddenly become an idiot and think it’s acceptable for you to have pantylines everywhere. And those are the worst in a pair of tights. Worse comes to it, just go without for a short workout. The ONLY exception is when you’re wearing a pair of serious compression shorts. They’re so tight, they sort of smush the underwear lines into you, and creates this fake seamless thing. Just go with it.
In a pair of running shorts, you can ditch the underoos. A good quality pair of running shorts usually comes with a liner built in. The liner is built to keep you running light, and will hold everything in. The first time you ditch the undergarments in a pair of running shorts, it may feel super weird, but let me assure you, it will feel and look a lot weirder if you try to double layer the underwear with the liner.
Hanes makes these seamless underwear things.

They’re $10.97 for a three-pack, and they come really really tiny and stretch when you slip them on. The only downside? They’re not super absorbent, and if you’re super sweaty, that just won’t work. But for a shorter workout, these will work just fine.

Moving Comfort doesn’t just have the widest variety of the most supportive sports bras in the world, they also do rundies. They have them in bikini variety…

As well as in thong variety. Whatever floats your boat…

In both black and white. And nude too but nude annoys me because there’s never like a black nude that makes any sense. Both options are pretty seamless, and super absorbent. I will completely honest with you, however. The price is wrong. At $16 a pair, it’s kind of hard to own a pair of these without hiring a bodyguard to make sure that nothing happens to it. But in a race situation when you’re spending 4 hours on a course, you may as well invest in something that won’t cause chafing, right?

But the key before race day is to try things out. Moving Comfort isn’t necessarily the only company that makes a more seamless technically fabricked undergarment, however, it will depend on you and your shape as to what feels good. Happy Tails! 😉

The things I do for love…

Image | March 12, 2013March 11, 2013 | cheriarmour

The things I do for love...

Love of my hair, of course.

In the never-ending saga of “shiz I’ve had to purchase online for my hair because they don’t put sufficient amounts of black products in regular drug stores,” (and that is another post, for another day,) I purchased my ORS (formerly Organic Root Stimulator) Twist and Lock Gel off of Amazon. Because I’m an absolute idiot, for some reason, I inadvertently purchased 4, because I’m completely incapable of reading product descriptions because I get so excited, I just hit “proceed to checkout”. Not to worry though. My swift procurement of four of these bad boys ensures that I will not be on that frustrating hunt for this product in local drug/cosmetic stores while my hair grows at a furiously rapid pace at least until the summer, if not until the end of the year. So rest easy folks. Can’t cut the mane, til I finish the absolutely obscene amount of product that arrived today.

**Correction. I opened the package, and discovered that there were 6 containers in the box, along with 2 free nail files?! My hair’s gonna be down to my toes by the time I finish this stuff.**

Anxiety.

March 11, 2013 | cheriarmour

I was kind of an anxious child.

Let me back it up. So along with all of these absolutely horrifying stories of school shootings, comes the irritating habit of every television personality, person with a Facebook account, or local news channels pointing the finger at everything to blame, because it’s too much work to think about a culmination of factors, both societal and personal, have made this kid do what he’s done.

And antidepressants have taken the fall far too many times for my liking.

I was sort of an anxious child. And sort of is a the under exaggeration of the century. Little things would completely send me into a tailspin. I cried and flopped around like a fool every time our family dog would run away, once, only for moments until my mom found her destroying a neighbors wading pool. I once hyperventilated so badly the fire trucks had to be called to like, make sure I wasn’t going to die right then and there. It’s kind of why I love animals, dogs in particular. Their presence is calming to me. Chihuahuas because they’re anxious like I am. They’re thin, they’re little, they shake when they get scared. They’re also ridiculously smiley, and in general, really good natured. I’m like that chick in ‘7 Pounds,’ with the Great Dane? They have heart problems, she had heart problems, it all worked out.

So when I graduated undergrad in 2008, I was struggling. I was in the wrong relationship. I was graduating. I had no money. I was kinda fat. I was to be starting graduate school with no money and no place to live. It was a lot for a naturally anxious kid to handle! And I hadn’t discovered working out and taking care of myself yet. I had this perpetual lump in my throat. It was a hot sizzling mess.

Everything came to a head for me when, after a day of fun visiting art museums and things with aforementioned boy, I came home, and just cried into his lap. I didn’t know what it was, or why, but the tears just kept rolling. I’m sure the poor thing was really confused, he wasn’t any sort of trained therapist, and I wasn’t either, yet. Eventually, after a few of these crying jags, I paid a visit to a doctor, who prescribed me Celexa. And it was about a year, between the Celexa, the loss of about 40ish pounds, Zumba, running, yoga, burning sage, and not taking everything quite so seriously, that I began to feel like the person who was hidden beneath layers and layers and layers of depression-smog.

Did I turn violent and postal after I started Celexa? No, quite the opposite. Do most people on antidepressants? Nope. The vast majority of us are so ridiculously normal, you would never suspect us for being crazy. (I kid, I kid! We’re not nuts!)

Like I said before, I’m a little sick of antidepressants taking the fall. Beecause.

1. If you’ve been incorrectly prescribed antidepressants, like if you’re actually bipolar and you’ve been misdiagnosed as being depressed, that’s when bad things happen. Not when normal folks, with a mild case, take their meds like they’re supposed to.

2. They do a lot of good things for a lot of people. I’m awesome. I’m happy. I’m chipper. And it’s not just the Celexa, but it certainly helps.

3. Don’t be a jerk. If you’ve never taken them, don’t talk about them. You never know who you’re sitting next to, and you could be insulting a loooot of people. I’m super happy for you that you were able to beat your situation by meditating and breathing, but some of us chose an alternate route, and you should respect that.

Now, I’m off to supplement my lifestyle with some yoga before this marathon! xoxo, ❤

Marathon countdown, 7 days.

March 10, 2013March 10, 2013 | cheriarmour

I still haven’t heard back from my friend at the New York Post. Rude. Call me back, dude, don’t be a turd!

Anyhoo, I haven’t blogged in like two days. Miss me? Ugh, I missed you too, sexy thang.

I’m like a week out from my marathon. My training is done. I did my last long run today in some beautiful Carolina pre-spring weather.

And I’m starting to plan for my week for this marathon. So my plan of action for the next seven days?

–Fiber. Gotta stay regs, right? Don’t want any surprises on the course.

–Tina Fey. Justin Timberlake. At the suggestion of more than a few friends after I told them how much I enjoyed Kathy Griffin’s bio, I downloaded ‘Bossypants’. So far, hysterical. And I know I’m not supposed to laugh, but when she imitated old black folks, I nearly fell over, 6 miles into today’s run. I also discovered how friggin phenomenal Justin Timberlake’s station on Pandora was, and if you have a bad word to say about ‘Suit and Tie’, please excuse yourself from this entry presently.

–Water. Liquids. Gotta hygrate. Hygration is key. Water, Hatorade, water, and water.

–Complex carbs. For sustained energy. So I can’t slam a piece of lasagna and three slices of pizza the night before and expect for things to go my way.

–Sleep. No napping during the day in hopes I can sleep full nights. I’m not running anywhere on three hours of sleep. It just won’t happen.

–Shade of nail polish. Duh. I’m not running around, my hands lookin a mess. You crazy if that’s what you think I’ve worked for.

-And finally, makeup. Waterproof liquid liner and mascara. Make fun of me all you want, I’m a scary lookin person under this.

Besides solidifying my victory dance, ::cross cross, catdaddy::, what have I forgotten?

Q: You’re running a marathon? How many miles is that?

March 8, 2013March 8, 2013 | cheriarmour

First, I haven’t heard from my friend, Kyle from the New York Post. Kyle, darling, if you’re reading, I’d love to hear from you! Seriously, let’s talk.

Nextly (that a word?!), onto our question! I promise you I’m not being silly, and I’m not being condescending, but I’ve been getting this question a whole lot.

So I’m sure you’ve seen these little dooders cropping up on cars. Do you feel a little confused when you see them? Or the 5k? The 26.2? There’s a whole language you adopt when you start racing, and I’m here to translate it for you. I’m extremely multilingual.

Marathon: 26.2 miles – a marathon isn’t an arbitrary term for running around without a purpose. When someone says they’re running a marathon, generally, they’re running a 26.2 mile course. This accounts for those 26.2 stickers and magnets you see on cars.
Half-marathon: 13.1 miles
10K : 6.2 miles
8k: 4.97 miles
5K: 3.1 miles

So your friend tells you they’re running any of these? Or you see one of these stickers on a car? Here’s your cheat sheet!

Q: When is it time to get new running shoes?

March 5, 2013 | cheriarmour

First off, can we just clap it up for me and say that I have my finger on the pulse of female running society? Look what came up yesterday no sooner than I posted that entry featuring all my ladies without makeup.

It’s none other than Miz Tyra, working out and makeup free. I guess I just rock.

Moving right along however, this is a question I get pretty often. How do I know when it’s time to change my running shoes out? So the rule of thumb when it comes to a regular, traditional running shoe, is that you’re going to get, at the absolute MOST, 350-400 miles out of a shoe. That’s it. Sometimes less, but definitely not more.

350-400 miles sounds like a lot, but it’s really not as much as you think. If you’re only wearing your running shoes to run in, and you’re running 15-20 miles a week, you can do the math, and it adds up quickly!

So here’s how you can extend the life of your running shoes: (they’re gonna average you $110 a pair, so you may want to pay attention)

–Alternate between two pairs of running shoes. When you do this, especially between long runs, you give your shoe a chance to recover. The foam/cushioning gets a change to regain it’s original shape, and the shoe gets a chance to dry.

– Stop shoving your feet into your shoe when you’re rushing off to the gym. I know you’re guilty of this. You’re running off to the gym, and you shove your foot in without untying the shoe. You’re not three years old, there’s no velcro, so take the time out to untie your shoe and put it on. When you shove your hoof in, or worse yet, when you walk around on the back of your shoes when you go to check the mail, you destroy the back of the shoe, as well as the structure built to support your heel. So sit down, and take the extra few seconds to tie/untie your shoes.

–Save your running shoes for running only. Don’t go to Whole Foods in your shoe. Don’t go to cycling in your shoe. Don’t check the mail in your shoe. Don’t go to the club in your shoe. And don’t climb a tree in your shoe. All these activities put mileage on your shoe. So if you find you’re going to Zumba or Cycling pretty often as well, buy a special shoe for each of these activities. Usually Adidas, Reebok, and Nike have a pretty decent selection of “lifestyle” shoes if you’re dancing or doing step, and check with your local cycling shop if you need a pair of cycling shoes.

–Let your shoes air out in your home, not in your car, between runs. The EVA foam and cushioning in shoes is temperamental, and doesn’t like to sit in your car, where the temperature can go from one extreme to the next. So between workouts, take a few seconds and let your shoe air out. Untie the laces, and open up the shoe for a while so it can breathe and retain shape.

So if you’re kind of sick of only figuring you need a new shoe when your knee starts to ache, try documenting your mileage a tad better, and the guessing game should be over.

No Makeup Monday!

March 4, 2013 | cheriarmour

Ladies, today we celebrate the beauty that a little sweat brings. Generally, I don’t like to leave the darn house without some eyeliner on, but some time spent on the elliptical has a way of perking you up even better than some liquid liner and a kohl pot.

First up?

Whitney is a camp friend, and if you’ve worked at camp, or you’ve been a camper, you know you never forget or lose touch with a camp friend. Whitney inspired the whole thing with this stunning photo she posted of herself last week.

Hey look who it is! We know her! It’s the super famous Carly Swanson! Carly’s still kicking some butt, and has signed up for yet another half marathon this weekend, so we’ll be expecting for her to share some prize monies with us.

This cutie is an NFL Widow with me. No, our husbands don’t play, but each Sunday last year during NFL season, Jess would knit or read a book, and I would do my nails, while the boys stared intently at the television in general silence for hours. Also, I think Jess is running her first 5k soon, so we may have to go out there and hoot and holler while she crosses that finish line!

Ugh. Kimmy is one of those irritating freaks of nature who has good skin and looks like she has makeup on, even when she doesn’t. Now if you’ll remember correctly, Kimmy is my sister, and has made a few appearances on the blog. Kimmy is wrapping up her senior year at Auburn, and has lost a few lbs eating healthy, and heading down to Campus Rec to take classes a few times a week.

Mollie attended Elon with me for a year, and she rocks. I mean, total package, and we get each other. Mollie love doing nails, she’s hysterical (like comedian hysterical), and has perfect skin. I hope she doesn’t murder me for this, but one of my favorite Mollie moments was when Mollie was dancing in the hallway outside of our rooms, and she attempted to do a split. It didn’t work out and she goes, “Dammit, I forgot how un-flexible I am!”

Jenny is like my work sister. We run together, we complain about it, and we have a blast doing it. We’re also polar opposites but we sort of get each other. Jenny’s moving to San Antonio this summer, so the blog may be going on tour next year for a bit 😉

Erica is a peach. She’s also a camp friend, and she’s just a sweet girl, through and through. I think we took this photo after a Zumba class, and as you can see, the air conditioning was in tip-top shape that day 🙂

This chick needs no intro. She’s beautiful, she’s sweet, she’s got this tiny little speaking voice, and then she sings like Aretha. She’s cool, and guess what? I’m gonna be in her wedding! Here’s Alexa after a little yoga therapy last week!

And finally, this beauty hails from my living room. This is actually challenging for me. I’m one of those folks who like to throw on a teeny bit of eyeliner, some gloss, and mascara for a race, so to be photographed without it is nuts to me! I look about 12, but you know what, that’s what I look like darn it!

So if you’re one of those ladies like me who doesn’t like to go to the gym with at least something of a mask on, next time, skip the extra step, and just hit it fresh-faced. There’s nothing offensive about a bare face, and quite honestly, it doesn’t make a whole lotta sense to be hitting the treadmill with Amy Winenouse (<3) eyeliner and Baby Lips on. Celebrate the beauty that we were born with!

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