Snazzy stuff baby...

First off - yep, day 3 in the 100 Day Workout Challenge. Yesterday (drum roll please) a 5K on the treadmill ! WHAT ??? That’s right people, an entire 3.1 miles without walking or stopping in a blazing 32 minutes … PAIN FREE ! However, the Shrek toe is not pain free today and doesn’t look pain free either. The hip is a little sore, I’m trying to decipher muscle or bone. But, with my tons of ‘no impact’ cardio stuff, I must say that my lungs are pretty good ! Today will be a happy elliptical session. Keep it going !

So in my never ending quest to find more info / better info / snazzier info about health, fitness, food, snacks etc… here’s what my endeavors uncovered today:
From Oprah – (still not a fan… but she does have some good info !) The Best Places on the Web for Women’s info:
The issue: Fitness
The expert: Bob Greene, exercise physiologist, trainer to Oprah, and founder of TheBestLife.com
The pick: "The American Council on Exercise has added an extensive library of exercises to their site, ACEFitness.org . Click on the Get Fit tab and you'll find many moves for every muscle group. The instructions are easy to follow and the information is free." Jodie’s interjection here… I love love love ACEFitness… easy to read, tons of info and tips, and just good stuff overall !

The issue: General health
The expert: Mehmet Oz, MD, host of the Dr. Oz Show and coauthor of the best-selling You: The Owner's Manual series
The pick: "For one-stop women's health advice, I recommend HealthyWomen.org . Experts are available to answer questions, and you can read about women with similar concerns. It's a great place to start researching health issues; they offer a bunch of useful fact sheets on topics like diabetes and aging that you can download."

Next - I’ve been craving some sweets lately, and while this seems like too many ingredients for a cooking goober like myself to make up, I might just have to try it ! And another interjection… HUGE fan of the Torani Sugar Free anythings !! Coconut in hot chocolate = YUM

HG's Cravin' Cap'n Crunch Shake
PER SERVING (entire shake): 182 calories, 3g fat, 245mg sodium, 35g carbs, 4g fiber, 18g sugars, 4g protein -- Ingredients:
5 oz. Unsweetened Vanilla Almond Breeze
1/2 cup Breyers Smooth and Dreamy fat-free ice cream, Creamy Vanilla
1/4 cup Cap'n Crunch cereal (original)
1 oz. sugar-free vanilla syrup (like the one by Torani)
1 tsp. Coffee-mate Fat Free or Sugar Free French Vanilla powdered creamer, dissolved in 1 tbsp. warm water
3 no-calorie sweetener packets (like Splenda)
1/4 tsp. vanilla extract
2 tbsp. Fat Free Reddi-wip
Directions: Place all the ingredients in a blender, and then blend with 3 beautiful ice cubes (I hate lame ice). One at a time, add more ice cubes and then resume blending, until your ideal consistency is reached. (I like my shakes pretty thick, so I end up using about 5 - 7 cubes in total.) Then pour your shake into a glass, and top it off with the Reddi-wip!

With my new work hours, I’ve been eating lunch later, but working out much later as well. Usually, I’m not getting to the gym or setting up the wind trainer until around 7ish. So I need to eat something between lunch and cardio… this was a great idea, especially the raisins (but we all know I don’t eat them out of the little red raisin boxes … ew!) I’ve been eating a 110 calorie Pria bar, or a chunk o’cheese, but the sugar from the raisins / apricots / apple butter might add a little extra energy !

Time Zone: 15 to 60 minutes pre-run

• Need to know: Researchers from Greece discovered that runners who consumed simple carbohydrates 15 minutes before using a treadmill were able to run 13 percent longer than subjects who took in nothing. "Fast digesting carbohydrates that are low in fiber provide working muscles with a quick influx of carbohydrate energy so you can run farther," says Bonci, adding, "A small snack before a run also helps stave off hunger during exercise."
• Eat this: Low-fat yogurt with a handful of raisins.
• How come: San Diego State University researchers found those who consumed the same amount of quick-digesting carbohydrates from raisins or a sports gel 45 minutes prior to endurance exercise experienced a similar benefit to performance. Soft yogurt is a smart choice if you suffer race day butterflies. Plus, a little bit of protein before activity speeds post-exercise muscle recovery, according to several studies.
• Brownie points: According to a 2008 British Journal of Sports Medicine report, distance runners who ingested daily doses of probiotic bacteria, similar to that found in yogurt, fell sick half as often as a group taking a placebo.
• Other eats: Apple or other fruit, rice cake with apple butter, crackers with almond butter, dried apricots, pretzels, small wrap with cream cheese.