Surviving St. Patty's

Like most holidays, there is a lot of drinking involved on St. Patrick's Day. But I'd argue to say that St. Patty's may just be the king of all boozy holidays. To most Americans, it is just an excuse to get wasted, because hey, that's what the Irish do!

I'm not Irish myself, so I'll be honest: all St. Patrick's Day really signifies to me, too, is a good time. * Lucky * for us (no pun intended), St. Patrick's Day falls on Saturday this year. But that may just be too good to be true...

How can you enjoy St. Patrick's Day this year without feeling like a total Healthy Chick failure? Here are my plans:

Say yes to:
1) Drinking most of the day, starting early. Don't wait until 9 PM to pregame because everyone else will be dead by then.
2) Drinking beer. I know, it has a ton of calories. But if you drink vodka on St. Patty's, I'm going to look at you funny.
3) A healthy, hearty breakfast before drinking beer most of the day. Kegs and eggs may not be such a silly idea; eggs are full of protein that's going to keep you full and energized throughout your festivities (and you will be less tempted to binge eat later when your decision making isn't as strong). Just be careful to avoid the carb overload that can sometimes seem acceptable while drinking (say no to a side of hash browns, no matter how much potatoes were part of the Irish culture. They really have no nutritional benefits and will just load you down with unnecessary cals.)

Say no to:
1) Indulging in green baked goods and treats. Growing up in New York, green bagels on St. Patty's morning was a tradition. Maybe it's just Brueggar's that dyes their bagels green for this holiday (?) but with all the beer that is to be consumed, the last thing we Health Chicks need is baked good or dessert. Choose to sin with the drinking on St. Patrick's Day, not with the sweets. Leave those to the other less boozy holidays. On St. Pat's, I'll stick to a breakfast of eggs, thank you very much.

What are your plans for Saturday?

Half Marathon + Wavehouse = Epic Sunday

Yesterday was pretty gnarly. I did what I do most Sundays: work out and chill with friends. But I also did something I have never done before: run a half marathon!

As many of you know, I used to play volleyball in college. Now that my days as a Division I athlete are over, I wanted to give myself a new challenge. Although I have enjoyed running now for awhile, I had never ran very long distances. 5 miles was usually my max since we were told running long distances could decrease your vertical jump.

Around New Year's this year, I decided I wanted to push myself past running a couple of miles each day. The start of training in January wasn't too bad. We are lucky that here in San Diego, it is nice enough to run outside almost every day (okay, let's admit it... every day). I could have never logged the miles I did on a treadmill stuck inside a gym. But as I worked up to 8-mile and 10-mile runs on a regular basis, it took some determination.

In the days leading up to the race, I was getting anxious. I just wanted to get it over with! Finally Sunday I woke at 4:30 AM to do the damn thing! As I began running, I was relieved to find that I was well-prepared. Sticking to my training schedule had paid off. The race wasn't bad with the exception of a KILLER hill near the end. It was a bitch to get up - I could barely keep running. But after that, the last few miles were flat and I completed the half marathon in just a few minutes over 2 hours.

The greatest part of the half marathon by far was how I felt afterwards. I love working towards a goal and achieving it. I hadn't set a fitness goal for myself in awhile, and it was about time. Already I have had several friends ask when I'm going to run my first full marathon! I have never considered running a full, but I never say never...

In true Healthiest Chick in the Bar fashion, I partied after my race. I know what you may be thinking... drinking after pushing your body physically isn't the best idea! I was tired after the race, and knew that drinking alcohol wasn't the proper way to recover. But at the same time, I had cut down on my partying the past few months a lot (with the exception of a few extremely summer-like days we have had here in SD lately... I can never resist day drinking at the beach on a beautiful day). I had stayed pretty focused on my training. It's a lot easier to run 8 miles on a Sunday morning if you aren't hung over, let me tell you! So having fun with my friends yesterday evening was a reward to myself for all my hard work.

I always have fun on Sundays at Wavehouse, and this Sunday was no different. The venue is awesome; I always feel like I'm on spring break whenever I go there! I look forward to more crazy Sundays there this summer.

View from the beachfront house where we pregamed

Sometimes I find myself a little "down" on Mondays coming off the "high" of a fun weekend. Today, I feel renewed. I have a new energy after feeling how amazing it was to push my body to the limits. I have also been meeting a lot of amazing people lately who I feel are going to be in my life for awhile.

When was the last time you set a fitness goal for yourself? Maybe it's time to set your mind to something.

Grapefruit mimosas

You've seen the forecast, girls. It's going to be a beautiful weekend! You know what that calls for... day drinking! What is my day drinking pick? Mimosas.

But this weekend, I demand a change. Ditch the orange, and bring in the GRAPEFRUIT! Here's why:

We've been told since childhood how healthy orange juice is. Every cereal commercial features orange juice alongside its O's or flakes. But while orange juice may contain amply Vitamin C, it's also pure sugar. I avoid it completely... except when it comes to mimosas (there's always an exception to the rule, right?).

Recently during a trip to San Francisco, however, my friend and I ordered a carafe of mimosas only to be asked if we would like it with orange juice or grapefruit juice. I let my friend do the ordering, as it was her neighborhood breakfast joint, and she went for the classic orange, but grapefruit juice in my mimosa was something new to me. Cool, I thought. I want to try.

While grapefruit juice, like orange, is still full of sugar, at least it is something different, and grapefruit is now talked up in the diet world because it speeds up the metabolism. I would never start chugging grapefruit juice to lose weight due to its staggering sugar content, but I will still welcome the occasional glass with open arms.

So I encourage you to switch it up next time you find yourself awaking to a mimosa type of morning, which may just be this weekend.

Cheers, and enjoy the sunshine, healthy chicks!

My Snack of the Week: Pistachios

I haven't posted a Snack of the Week in awhile. Truth is, I've been pretty boring when it comes to snacks lately! I haven't been trying that many new ones, sticking to almonds or protein shakes most days.

However, I realized I failed to share with you one of my favorite snacks from the past few months - pistachios! Did I really just realize this past year how good these are? How am I so late to the game?

Pistachios cure my need for a "crunch" and have many health benefits.

3 reasons to snack on pistachios:

1.) They're a great source of antioxidants, which protect against inflammation.

2.) They have plenty of fiber.

3.) They are one of the lowest calorie nuts around.

Pick up some today! I like getting them from the bulk section of Sprout's :-)

What snack have you been enjoying lately? Feel free to share in the comment section below!

This article was written for us.

I know what you're thinking - this post is long! But I have a lot to say about this...

I am always tickled to find my Women's Health magazine tucked amongst the bills in my mailbox. I truly love this publication, and have learned a lot from it.

Yup, snapped this of my very own issue. As if you couldn't tell. 

But never have I felt that the editors at WH were talking directly to me as much as I did this week. I was browsing through my newest issue when I turned to page 120 and gasped.

The title? "Running on Empty Bottles". The subtitle? "Researchers have turned up some sobering news: The most dedicated exercisers are also some of the biggest drinkers." Bam.

From the article

This is exactly the reason why I created this blog. I want so badly to live my healthiest life, but I like to party, and I know I'm not alone. This article confirmed that several times over.

According to a study conducted in 2009 by the University of Miami, the more people exercise, the more they drink. But why?

The article moved through a few theories. The first seemed like it could explain the rather startling statistics with relatively simple common sense: those who consume more alcohol exercise more to avoid weight gain.

This isn't wrong. After a night of binge drinking, even my least athletic of friends often hit the gym. We all know beers make you fat.

However, I found more interest with another idea the article brought up: the "work hard, play hard" personality type. Bingo.

At my college, the athletes were the biggest partiers. Maybe we didn't go out as frequently as non student-athletes (or NARPS as we liked to call them - non athletic real people) due to traveling for competitions. BUT, when we did go out, we went HARD. The best parties were always at the baseball house, the lacrosse house. Why is this the case?

I had this conversation with one of my teammates several times. We found it difficult to verbalize, but we basically agreed that this was because athletes are a sort of crazy. Not everyone signs up to be a slave to a coach for up to 4 hours every day, 6 days a week. The average person can't juggle 5 courses, an internship, friends, a boyfriend/girlfriend... AND practice 5 times a week and travel every other weekend. It takes a special kind.

These special people that can handle such schedules can handle getting wasted out of their minds and practicing at 9 AM the next morning. While other students sleep until 11 and roll into the cafeteria just before the pancakes are put away, student-athletes can pull off sprinting up and down the court totally hungover.

The article explained the "work hard, play hard" personality type as always seeking sensation. I had never thought of it this way, but the article theorized that those who most seek a natural high from physical activity often seek the biggest pleasure possible from alcohol. They don't just want to get buzzed, they want to get blackout. 


I found myself saying "yup", "mmhm", and "exactly" several times throughout reading this. It describes me and so many of my friends (in school, athletes do tend to hang out with other athletes after all). But I also found myself saying "wow".

This article was an eye-opener for me in a lot of ways. It described in detail how detrimental alcohol in your system is to your fitness activity, including slower recovery, disrupted sleep, and depleted water and nutrients.

"Don't be fooled into thinking your daily trip to the gym gives you a free pass at the bar," it says. I need this reminder, and chances are, if you're reading this, you do, too.

So what am I going to take away? Am I no longer going to be the Healthiest Chick in the Bar?!

This article didn't encourage all fitness fiends to stop drinking. But let's all put the wise words of "everything in moderation" to practice once in awhile. Next time you go out, do you really need to consume 5 drinks? Cut back to 3. For starters, I'm going to start drinking water in between every drink, which "keeps you hydrated and slows down the alcohol intake". Will my friends do a double take when they catch me sipping h2O? Maybe, but I owe it to my body. I don't want to completely throw away all the miles I ran, the strength I built from yoga, or the calories I burned playing volleyball. It's a small move to make, but implementing small changes like this can make a huge difference.

If you haven't picked up the newest issue of Women's Health, I encourage you to, if only for this article alone. Oh yeah, there's also a short interview with David Beckham!

Have a great weekend, healthy chicks. And don't be afraid to ask the bartender for some water!

Mysterious MACA

Have you heard about maca powder?

I have... sorta.

Maca powder is said to have many beneficial qualities, including boosting energy and moods, improving immune system function, and fighting disease. It is also said to be a sexual enchancer! But is it really worth the $9.99 at Whole Foods?

While I don't believe maca powder is essential or even particularly important to our diet, I would like to know if I am able to notice any benefits from it. So, here I go adding it to smoothies and oatmeal. We'll see how long it lasts.

What do you know about maca? I'd love to learn more.

To order this weekend: vodka gimlet

It happens every weekend. You walk up to the bar and wonder what to order. You are left speechless for a moment each time, struggling to decide between what you really want to drink, what your "skinniest" options are, and how sober you are (I usually only order beer when I'm trying not to get too wasted... or when I'm already too wasted). Ideally, a cute guy is asking you what you want to drink...

Anyway, you know the scenario. This weekend, don't hesitate. Ask for a "vodka gimlet". You'll sound sophisticated actually knowing the proper drink for a cocktail, and you won't slurp up too many calories.

VODKA GIMLET 
1 1/2 oz. vodka 
1/2 oz. fresh lime juice 
1 tsp. sugar 


Place all ingredients in a cocktail shaker. Add ice and shake well. Strain into a chilled cocktail glass. 


(Source: The New York Times)

Have a fun and healthy weekend, loves!