How do you fit in workouts + baked sweet potato tacos (SO good) + fritter recipe!!!

Let’s go ahead and rewind to Tuesday night!  Brooke, Andrew and I met my parents for dinner at Cafe Rio.  We won’t see my parents until after Christmas so we went out to celebrate a bit together.

I think all of us had this same look on our face because it had been way too long since our last trip there.

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The pork salad.  The tortilla that they use as a base needs to come with every salad from this point forward.

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After dinner we went for our FOURTH year together to drive through Christmas lights together.  Paige’s family, Jess’s family and our family… all in one truck.  We lucked out and it wasn’t very cold so riding in the back of the truck for the lights wasn’t even that cold.  Please note, Jess is wearing her Slytherin sweatshirt;)  You can take the official sorting quiz here… Andrew is in Gryffindor which he was pretty happy about.

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Paige brought donuts and hot chocolate for all of us.

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This was our first year going to Christmas In Color and it was incredible.

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That’s Santa in the tunnel lights!

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Wednesday morning started out nice and early for a ten mile run.  I haven’t hit double digits for a while and it felt like it was time.  As much as I wished the hat was for the sunshine, it was more for the rain.  Luckily the rain stopped after just a few miles but hats save me in the rain.  I remember running Boston a few years ago when it rained nonstop and wondering what I would have done without a hat.  They make running in the rain a lot more enjoyable for me.  So do hand warmers, but I’ve already told you that 300 times this winter so far.

Yesterday was one of those runs where the miles just flew by and I felt fresh, which felt quite different than the last few runs.  I love it when this happens.

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A few other scenes from recently!  Andrew attempts to teach the kids how to play Monopoly.

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We went to Target for another tradition of picking out their own Christmas tree ornament for our tree.

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I ended up dropping one and shattering it everywhere, they did not.

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Dinner was an all-time new favorite.  We baked sweet potatoes in the oven and then sliced them open and topped them with taco goodness!  Ground turkey (cooked with taco seasoning), avocado, lettuce, tomatoes and salsa.  This will be a new thing for us.

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After dinner I went caroling.  I mentioned a few weeks ago that I am now working with the teenage girls at my church so we went singing in our area and needed hot chocolate to warm up afterwards.

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Andrew got in a night ride on the spin bike last night!  I worked, he rode and the kids joined in with both activities;)

I LOVE seeing different ways that people fit in workouts with whatever stage of life they are in!  When I was in the teacher stage (and then taught drivers ed and then spin after school) I would run daily at the gym at around 5 a.m.  When Brooke was a newborn I ran on my treadmill on the deck with her in the swing on the other side of the sliding glass door.  Once she was old enough to go in the jogging stroller I would usually do that or run on the treadmill.  When I was living with my parents, it was early morning runs (Josse and I met pretty much every morning at 5:30 a.m.) before Brooke woke up.  Then when I was living on my own as a single mom I would run on the treadmill, run outside when Brooke was at school or sleep at my parent’s house and just go early for the key workouts that I wanted to get done outside.  Now my workouts depend on when the kid’s are in school and Andrew’s school schedule but I do get outside more than ever before to run which is really nice.

I always loved including Brooke on the workouts I could (i.e. stroller runs, strength workouts at home with her next to me, treadmill runs while she played by me) but I also love my alone time while running too.  I really enjoy hearing how everyone continues to get in their workouts with their current schedule.  I also love hearing how people fit in workouts with kids!  Share so we can all come up with new ideas of doing things.

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I had a few of you request the recipe for the amazing Blueberry Fritters that Andrew’s aunt made last week for us (she came up with the recipe herself).  They were incredible.  The recipe below is for apple fritters (my favorite donut on the planet) but it also has what she did differently for the blueberry fritters!

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Heather’s Apple Fritters Batter:

1/2 cup mashed potatoes

1 1/4 cups warm water

1 scant tablespoon yeast

1/3 cup sugar

3 cups bread flour

1/4 cup butter, melted

1 egg

1 teaspoon salt

3 cups diced, peeled and cored apples (I use honey crisp if I’m feeling lazy and don’t want to make the apple recipe below)

1/2 teaspoon lemon zest (optional)

Cinnamon to sprinkle on finished dough and cake flour for dusting.

Put all ingredients in mixing bowl except for the cinnamon.  Mix throughly.  At this point let rise until doubled.  Heat oil to 375 degrees.  While oil is heating, spread out dough on surface that is well coated with cake flour.  Sprinkle a good amount of cinnamon on the dough.  Roll dough up quickly and chop up in small pieces.  Cut away 3-inch pieces, dredge in cake flour and flatten slightly.  At this point they are ready for frying.  Fry for 2 minutes on each side.  Remove from oil and let sit on paper towels to absorb excess oil.  Dunk in prepared glaze then set on baking sheet to set.

Apples:

3 cups diced, peeled and cored granny smith apples (1/4-inch dice)

2 tablespoons sugar

1/2 cup apple cider

1 1/2 teaspoons lemon juice

3/4 teaspoon cinnamon

1/4 teaspoon nutmeg

1 tablespoon cider vinegar

Saute all ingredients in large saucepan until apples are tender and the liquid has been absorbed

Glaze:

1/3 cup fresh apple cider

1/3 cup cream or whole milk

2 cups powdered sugar

Whisk all ingredients together and set aside until ready to use.

Makes 11-12 fritters

For the blueberry fritters she made the following changes:  The frosting was made of powdered sugar, milk and some maple syrup.  The filling was made by simmering a bag of TJ’s wild blueberries with sugar, lemon juice, maple and cinnamon to taste.  They simmered in a saucepan until the sauce thickened.  One time when she made these she had to use some cornstarch to get to the right consistency.

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How do you make working out/running work with your life?  With your job?  With your kids?  With your schedule at this point in your life?  How has it changed?

Ever made donuts at home?  What was your recipe?  Where is your favorite place to get donuts?

Who takes spin classes or has a spin bike at home? How often do you do it?

Three words to describe your day so far—>  ____, ______ and _______.

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66 comments

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Hot sweaty humid

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The last week or so fitting in running has been really difficult with moving + work + general life stuff. I finally got in a great run last night and felt like I was flying (even though I wasn’t because it was super hot/humid out haha). I think the majority of the time I fit running in by not even thinking of it as optional. It’s just such a normal part of my routine. I drive straight to the beach to go running after work. It’s like brushing my teeth or combing my hair, just something I do! When life is super, super busy though I just remind myself that I am not a professional runner, so it’s okay to skip a run or cut a run down in mileage etc. :) Being a runner is part of my identity, but it is not my whole identity, so I have the freedom to do other things when I need to!

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Hi Janae! I’ve been reading your blog for years. You are an inspiration to me, not just in terms of running, but also your approach to life, love and family. Thank you for making my day every day with your wonderful stories. I’m so happy you have found Andrew and have a wonderful family.

In terms of fitting running in, right now I’m doing the Runners World holiday running streak. You have to run 1 mile each day from Thanksgiving to New Years. I am, and always have been, an early morning running. I was an early morning runner before kids (I have 3), and now running before everyone gets up is the only way I can get it done. I have even, to maintain my streak, run at 3:15am on a day I would be traveling. While sometimes I miss the sleep, it is the best way to start the day and it is my “me” time, even though it is dark and cold.
Merry Christmas to you!
Mary

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Mary, thank you so so much for your sweet comment. It means the world to me! Thank you for reading and for commenting! WAY to go on your running streak, you are rocking it! 3:15…. you are hardcore. I agree, it is SOOOO nice to have that ‘me’ time. My whole day goes better with it. Merry Christmas to you too Mary!

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Oh my goodness! You just made my day (again!) by responding to my comment! Feel like I won the lottery…thank you for the kind words! And yes, I’m determined to finish the streak….but tomorrow it is treadmill for me. -10 degrees with wind chill in Boston tomorrow! Brrr…
Take care,
Mary

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Thank YOU for your kind words! -10 degrees WITH wind chill!?!? Yeah, I’m glad you were on the treadmill!

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Running is my main physiotherapy for cystic fibrosis so I have to fit it somewhere in my schedule. As a working mom, it is not always easy but I do make it a priority. To be a good mom, wife and employee, I have to be healthy, right?! I usually wake up around 5am and run on a busy street. This way, I am certain the run is going to happen and my lungs feel great for the rest of the day. The boost of endorphins and the feeling of “clean” lungs make it all worth it! ;-)

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I was actually thinking about you when writing this post and hoping that you would comment about it. You are incredible and I am SO happy that running helps you so much!!

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This is a great post, and I truly appreciate the topic! It’s great to see how other people manage to fit running into their busy schedule. And how great is it to read in the comments that some employers recognize the importance of exercise and that they give time to their employees to do it! That is awesome!

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There was a time when I really couldn’t exercise–I was a single mom, so there was no one else to watch the kids, and my commute was already 1.5 hours each way. But then my organization decided to offer employees 3 hours of exercise time a week during working hours. On top of that, I now telework a lot more and moved closer to work, cutting my commute down to 30 minutes door-to-door, including dropping the kids at school. I am so grateful to have the time to exercise now that I very rarely miss a workout. I’ve always been active so that year where I couldn’t was super rough on me.

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That is great that your commute is so much shorter and that you get time during the week at work to run! Oh I bet that year was incredibly tough!

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I wish we had a Cafe Rio near us. We went there on a trip to Utah and it was awesome!
I enjoy waking up early to fit my run in before the family gets up. In the summer it’s running outside, but in the winter it’s in the treadmill in my basement. I don’t mind it one bit! My rest days feel quite odd when I don’t get to enjoy those early AM endorphins! My other workouts (biking or weights) are usually on my lunch hour at work so I can spend as much time with my kids as possible.

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3 words to describe my day so far: not too bad!

I used to workout in the evenings when I went to a gym or a kickboxing class but when I started running I found it so much easier to fit in. Whether on my lunch break or in the morning (although I hate mornings) I’m super lucky now to work from home and for the last month have been going for a late afternoon run a few times a week. I usually get back just before sunset. It’s been great. I’ll shower, have dinner and then do work or watch tv and if I’m being good I’ll stretch while watching tv.

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Lately I’ve been running before work to get in my run! It means waking up super early and running when it’s freezing and dark out, but I’m happy to get it out of the way and not have excuses to not do it later on.

The words to describe my day are COLD (below 0 when I woke up), HAPPY (my manager gave me a christmas present), and RUNGRY (starting to marathon train so I’m hungry all the time)

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My workout schedule is pretty crazy, because I have to start my run every weekday morning by 4:30 at the very latest. It can be brutal sometimes getting up that early, especially if I don’t make it to bed until 11 p.m. :/ But I usually am unable to run after work, so the mornings are my only option.

I currently have some kidney stones wreaking havoc inside of me, so three words to describe my day so far are painful, tiring and painful (again). Sorry for the negativity–hopefully this mess will be behind me soon! 2016 has been ROUGH.

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LOVE this post and discussion. I love yoga and these days I have two classes I’m committed to going to- Sunday afternoon and Wednesday night. I work and go to school part time and have a boyfriend and other friends so it’s a challenge to fit it all in. I do everything in my power to get to those two classes- it helps to tell your people that those are really important and everything else is icing on the cake. I go to a yoga studio near my house (~15 min walk). I do wish they had a locker room but oh well. I try to get to the early morning classes there often but the only other one I prioritize is Tuesday morning Pilates at 7a. It’s early enough I can come home and get ready afterwards but late enough I can get up at 5 to study if needed.

I also LOVE spinning and am lucky enough to have three fantastic studios near my place. It is expensive but high intensity cardio is nottttt my jam so I am okay spending $ on someone helping me to get in the spirit. I love a specific instructor near my place and he teaches Monday nights and a few times a week in the morning. Also helpful is that they have early morning Saturday classes.

As far as fitting in fitness goes, I just bought free weights and have been lifting at home a bit! It’s great when you only have an hour including shower time. I also try to walk places often and my boyfriend is so supportive/ has gotten hooked on the walking train.

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I love the topic today. I have a 7 week old and fitting in workouts is a challenge. She doesn’t like being set down. If I get some sleep in the night, my husband gets up at 5:30 and takes over baby duty. If I can get pumping, laundry, and food done quickly enough, I run then before my husband leaves at 7:30. If not, I have to try to sneak a treadmill in while she naps. But, as she tends to wake up when you set her down, this isn’t that successful. I look forward to other suggestions!

Donuts- tiny donut shop up the street with waving cats inside. They have awesome cake donuts.

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I have this same problem! My son is 7 weeks old as well and will only nap laying on my chest. The second I put him down in the swing he wakes right up. I was thinking about moving the swing downstairs next to the treadmill just to see if the white noise from the treadmill helped him stay asleep? Good for you trying to run that early I haven’t attempted that yet! But it’s been 7 weeks I’ve gotta get my runs in again or I’ll go nuts!

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I had the same thought! We put the rock n’ play next to the treadmill and she does respond to it as white noise. As long as she is clean, fed, and sleeping when I turn on the mill, she stays asleep. She wakes up the minute I turn it off, though, so showering is rough. Of course, I’m sure you can see thats a lot of ifs to get a run in. It is comforting to hear someone else is a mommy mattress!

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People were teasing me that by running so much during pregnancy I was guaranteeing that my baby would only sleep when he could hear the treadmill…yep, that turned out to be accurate! I’ve found that he wakes up if I stop before five miles but not if I go at least eight…so I just make sure I’ve got everything I need before I start!

Also, on the postpartum running, I started again at a much higher intensity than after my other babies (ran a half when he was 3 weeks old) and I could really feel the pain in my groin for about the first six weeks if I went over ten miles. But after six weeks it was SO much better and totally gone now at ten weeks!

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Spin instructor right here! teaching two classes today and I’m already tired just thinking about it. I’m lucky that I can work from home, so I schedule in my workouts like I would schedule in a meeting. I try to get it done before work in the morning though just so it’s crossed off the list and out of the way.

three words to describe my day thus far: frigid, pancake-filled, and non-stop.

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Oh that is awesome Steph! How long have you taught? I need to get back into teaching, I MISS IT! I think that is an awesome idea to schedule them in, then they happen! Now I want a pancake!

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I’ve been teaching officially since July and I love it. It’s such a workout like nothing else and I love helping others get through the pain and get better class after class. And it looks like you got that pancake wish! loved today’s post and just inspired me to make more haha!

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Oh that is awesome Steph! Seriously… so many benefits to teaching spin for you and the class. I love it! HAHA I hope your pancakes today were amazing:)

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YES!! The fritter recipe!! Interesting to see that there are mashed potatoes in them! I’ve actually never made fritters before so that might be totally normal but new to me!

Three words to describe my day:
-Cold – Because it’s zero degrees outside
-Stressful – Because I lost my iPhone yesterday evening and need to go deal with that this morning
-Open! – Fortunately have no work meetings on the calendar today and no social commitments tonight so have the day all to myself :)

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I don’t have children but my schedule can get chaotic. I never know if I’ll have to go somewhere/do something in terms for my husband. This morning there was snow emergancy and I had to be up at 4:30 (which I wasn’t expecting!). I just ran out there….I think being flexible is really important. I like that you do a lot of stroller runs and incorportate Brooke.

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i haven’t taken spin since june but it’s been on my mind to pop in for a class really soon! I somehow make my running schedule work – so long as I get it done early, I rarely miss a routine day for my workouts. I have a donut pan so I have made baked donuts at home! so fun

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Right now my favorite time to workout is after Hope goes to bed. It is a great transition for me to go from mom mode, to my time. It means I run on the treadmill, but I do not care. I really like the treadmill in the winter because I hate the cold. I watch a show that does not have a singing puppet and I consider that me time too. When I really need to spoil myself I take down some chocolate and use it for fuel for my 4 mile jog. Ha.

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That is the PERFECT transition Erica! I agree with you about the love of treadmills during the winter! HAHA sounds like my kind of show. I need to copy you with the chocolate thing though! xoxoxo

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I’m loving reading how every fits in their runs/workouts. Everyone is awesome! I am currently running in the evenings. My hubby is coaching our local HS basketball team, so running has been the perfect companion on what could be some lonely nights at home. He is doing a great job balancing everything and I’m proud of him and the team!

I love basically all donuts! My all time favorite is the long johns for my hometown bakery :)

3 Words: “Feels like -8F” (Brr!!)

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I use my spin bike at home ALL the time. We’re about to invest in a treadmill too for late night runs now that we have two kids!! The majority of my workouts are done at lunch, but I love trying to incorporate my daughter by taking the stroller. It’s hard to find time as working parents, but it’s so important to have that space for yourself!! I can’t wait to start running again in a few weeks!!!!! ☺️

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I need to get those bowls that you have the sweet potato in! They are perfect for all kinds of big bowl dishes!

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I work out twice a week at 5am (420am alarm!) at Orange Theory. I also work from home twice a week so during lunch I do a run outside or on my treadmill. So I get in 4 workouts a week when possible. Sometimes my husband travels so I have to move my 5am workouts to the weekends but other than that I still fit them in which I’m so grateful for, especially with a 2 year old!

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I used to love running in the morning at the gym and on weekend mornings but now that I have my daughter mornings are out and with my husband working second shift I have been hitting the treadmill in our living room hard! I have been getting my runs in after she goes to bed at night! :) I have no trouble falling asleep afterwards, it actually helps!

Now I want an apple fritter! lol ;)

3 words so far? Hectic, coffee, and cold! It is -4 in Wisconsin today! Brrrr :)

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Don’t hate me, but I am not a big donut person. I do like fritters, tho! This recipe looks great, but I have a question about the mashed potatoes. Do you mean homemade/prepared or the powdered spuds? Thanks and happy holidays!

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I will forgive you because you love fritters! I just emailed Heather to ask. I’ll let you know ASAP! Sorry about that!

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I’d honestly never thought about wearing a hat to run in…but now I might!

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Try it! I hope you are having a great day Pippa!

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Janae, I love reading your blog, I think your personality is so sweet! I have a question for you about running:
You mentioned you used to take out Brooke in the jogging stroller when she was younger, did you ever do that when it was cold? I signed up to run a race in February, and right now most of my running is on a treadmill, but I do want to get outside. But I’m up in Midvale, Utah, and now that it’s cold, I worry about taking my 18-month old out in the cold to run. Do you have any suggestions?

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If you want tips on dealing with COLD, check out http://nicholerunning.blogspot.com/
She and her husband have two littles now, and she’s trained almost exclusively outside through who-knows-how-many Minnesota winters! I know that lots of blankets and snowsuits are usually involved. (Nichole is my running coach, which is why I’m linking you to her blog; not to say that Janae doesn’t have any suggestions, but Nichole is a true winter warrior and could probably write a novel on the topic :D)

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HEY RACHEL!!! Thank you for your sweet comment! I wish that I had suggestions for you on this but when I did my running with Brooke in the jogging stroller it was while I was living in California. I wore shorts year round running there and so it was always warm enough I never had to worry about that!
I am going to have to check out that link that Jenn left for future kids while living in Utah!! Let me know if you figure out anything. Also, what race are you doing in February!

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I’m just finding this thread – I really *could* write a novel about winter running with kiddos. Greta (my first) and I ran through everything – plowing through snow piles left by snow plows at the end of sidewalks (ug!), -20 (not kidding), anything. I tried to find recaps and pictures of our winter running adventures, but don’t have good ones – I’ll have to post about our Chariot set-up! Here are a couple that mention some of our winter adventures:
http://nicholerunning.blogspot.com/2015/01/training-in-cold-with-newborn.html
http://nicholerunning.blogspot.com/2014/12/training-weeks-8-9.html
Any questions, definitely, just let me know! nichole.porath (at) gmail.com

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I made doughnuts once using the pioneer woman’s recipe! They were so good!!

I want to make them again but I could have had a grease fire over here. When I started to do the dishes I heard a sizzling noise and realized the oil was still way too hot. So I didn’t wash the pot for another day.. I will make them again but it a little scary making them all by myself.

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I don’t have any children but I always find it difficult to juggle a social life with running and the gym – I love running but I also love going to the gym and getting a really good weights workout in. At the moment I’m doing 4 gym sessions and 4 runs a week which is quite difficult and I feel super tired sometimes so I need to try and find the balance :) I’m terrible at running in the morning so I always do my gym sessions then and then go on runs in the evening. I love being able to run in the evening, jump in the shower and go to bed :)

Thank you so much for another great blog entry – I look forward to reading them every single day! :)

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That sweet potato topped with turkey and avocado looks so good! I’ll definitely have to try recreating that soon.

I’m lucky that my university has a great gym, so I can go workout after classes are done for the day. It’s also kind of nice that when we’re in the gym for a class we usually get in a great workout, so I don’t have to do anything besides that. It’s one of the perks of being in school to become a personal trainer.

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I typically do my runs during the daytime when my kids are at school and my husband is at work. Being a wife, mom, and runner can be difficult at times, especially on the weekends when I get in my longer runs. But running is something I cannot live without and I am thankful to have the support of my family. There is something about running that brings me a sense of freedom, escape, meditation, nature, beauty, relaxation and peace. Every time I step outside to run and I look out at the sky, I just release a sigh of relief and think, “Thank goodness! Here I am again!”

FlyWheel is my go-to spinning studio. Just as good of a workout at Soul Cycle, with less of a cult like feel, less attitude, and less of a mob scene. It’s also easier to get into classes (getting into a Soul Cycle class was like getting into Harvard!) and closer to home (there’s one right around the corner from me)

xo,
Anika Yael Natori, aka ‘The Josie Girl’
[email protected]

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Ever since I started reading your blog I have been on a mission to try ALL of the apple fritters in Portland. So far, my favorite place has been Blue Star Donuts – they are amazing! I don’t think I’m brave enough to try cooking them at home on my own, I’m afraid they won’t be nearly as good! My day so far has been snow, coffee, and blogging! Hope you’re enjoying the holiday time with your sweet kiddos!

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What an amazing mission to be on! Okay, thank you for the Blue Star recommendation… Andrew and I will have to make it out there to have a fritter there. Keep me updated with any that you try;) I hope you are having an amazing week Katherine and thank you for your comment!

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I am so glad you shared the Apple/Blueberry Fritters recipe. Thank you!!!!! My workout/run schedule has evolved over the years. When I had three kids four and under, I would run on the treadmill during nap time. As they got a little older, I would go to the gym at 4am before my husband left for work. Now that I homeschool and they are 9,7, & 5 I either run before my husband leaves for work (outside) or I run after we complete our school day on the treadmill. I made donuts once and they were sugar and cinnamon caked but haven’t made them since. I am thinking of surprising our friends and kids with the Blueberry Fritters for our White Christmas party. I have never taken a spin class. I want to but being a newbie scares me a little. Three words that describe my day so far…Early, flight, Vegas!

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My day so far: kids throwing up. ???

I have six kids so my treadmill is my BFF! Especially with a ten-week-old baby…it is impossible to get out early right now (my preference) so almost all my runs are either during naptime or when my older kids are asleep! Normally I get up and go before everyone is up for school, but my sleep schedule is so messed up right now that I’m just getting back to bed at 4:30 instead of heading out to run. Baby likes the sound of the treadmill so sometimes I run at night just to put him to sleep! I really try to work runs into my daily life, so I will do things like arrange to meet my husband and kids at the park or the orchard or something…I always pick one that’s at least ten miles away. ? And I have my kids bike with me for parts of my really long runs! This spring our whole family is doing a marathon relay together and my kids are SO excited…mostly because they know this race has really good post-race food, haha!

I’m also doing the holiday run streak…so great! I always tell myself “You’re tired, but you only have to do one mile!” And then I end up with eight or nine, which is definitely helping keep my stress level down this year! ??

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NOOO I hope that your kids start feeling better soon. SIX KIDS!!! Rachael, you are amazing! Keep up the amazing work and I loved the things that you do to keep running (ten miles away… BOOM) with such a busy life right now! Thank you for sharing! AHHHH a marathon relay together with your kids, that is awesome!

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I’m glad for this online discussion today. I’ve lost ALL motivation to workout. I think it’s the holidays. This is what I have recently been doing for workouts. Running 2 miles on the treadmill and then doing intervals of running/walking for 3 more miles 5 days a week in the early morning, like 5:30 am. Plus my step-mom, myself, sister-in-law and friend do a strength class twice a week. The first few weeks were great. I was all-in and I was eating healthy. Now I’m at the point where I don’t see big results on the scale nor do I see big results in my body shape. And there are holiday gatherings with lots of good food. I try to be easy on myself and tell myself to trust the process and keep-on keepin’-on.

Three words for today: Three Day Weekend!!!!

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I TOTALLY think a big part of it is because of the holidays… I feel ya on this and every December seems to feel like this! You are doing an AMAZING job! Your workouts look awesome… way to get up so early and way to go on the strength class too! Me and Andrew’s philosophy this time of year is to fill up on lots of healthy nutrient filled meals but also enjoy all of the fun gatherings/treats/cookies with the kids:)

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Hello! I love this topic, I love to hear how other people fit in their runs. I am always so impressed at everyone’s dedications, especially the really early in the morning runners! I run 5 days a week in the 45 minutes that I have as work ends and my kids get off of the school bus. I run on the treadmill in cold weather and outside in spring and summer. It really has helped so much since I started this plan last January. It is such a mental and physical pick me up to take care of myself everyday before I have to take care of my family. Happy Holidays and Happy Running to you all!

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Ugh, cold, colder, coldest. The wind chill is supposedly -10 or so today. How is that even a temperature?!

Yes, I have a spin bike at home . . . but I absolutely do not use it often enough right now! Working out right now is tough because my husband has been working long hours, I work 36-40 hours per week from my home office, and my twins just transitioned to 1 nap per day . . . it’s been crazy!

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Too funny that you posted about the taco sweet taters, I made them last night after the screen shot of them the other day and oh boy were they yummy!! Thanks for sharing that one!

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Before kids I typically worked out after work. As crazy as it sounds, it’s usually between 4-5am now. I like having my workout done first thing and then I’m not taking any time away from my kiddos. I also have to be at work at 7:15am.

I’ve made donuts by just frying up broken up pieces of canned biscuits and then dipping them in sugar.

3 words –> Driving, friends, trip. We’re meeting up with the besties in Vegas for my birthday weekend!

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I had the sweet potato taco on Monday and loved it!!! I have been having massive stomach issues since the spring and have had trouble figuring out what is ok for my stomach. I actually am basically underweight at this point because I just like to eat what I want and pay for it! So… I need to be good. That was a meal that was ok for me and it is awesome to have taco meat not on a salad for a change!!!

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I generally get my run/workout in early in the morning so nothing can derail me. But every once in a while life gets in the way and I’m learning to be OK with it. Sometimes a big workout just isn’t possible, so I do whatever I can that day. Sometimes 5 minutes of planks is all you can do, and that’s better than nothing! Carrie Tollefson has some great 5 minute workout videos at CTolleRun.

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Oh boy, I’m right in the middle of learning this right now. Benaiah is almost four months old, and I’m figuring out just how and when to run/cross train. Right now, I’m working out whenever I can. Usually I can get it done in the am, but if not, it is when my husband is home for lunch or later in the evening!

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Hi – long time follower of your blog and expecting my first little one, so this was a great post for me!! Question: What treadmill do you have? :)

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AHHH congrats on your new little one! I am so so excited for you! Keep me updated on how you are doing! Here is the treadmill I have:
https://www.nordictrack.com/treadmills/nordictrack-x11i-incline-trainer

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First, all of the food you post on your blog looks amazing all of the time. Also your blog inspires me to go run even when I don’t think I feel like it. Thank you!
I am in grad school so my schedule is currently any time of day I can fit my workouts in (usually in the evening or around lunch time). Which is has been a weird transition- last winter I trained for my first marathon and almost exclusively ran early in the morning (5:30ish) and I loved it. But I’m trying to sleep enough and I had a few scary experiences with creepy people so daylight is better anyway.
I would love a spin bike for home!!!
Day so far: study, prep experiments, 3 hour final at 7:00PM. Bonus words: cookie after final!

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I have to really schedule in my workouts and stay consistent — If I don’t schedule them, I won’t have time (since life fills in all around me) and if I’m not consistent, I lose focus.

I’ve never made donuts at home, but this one time (in the 2nd grade) we took refrigerated biscuits and used them to make donuts! You take one of those rolled cans that pops open and use the biscuits as donuts by just shaping a hole in the middle. I didn’t do the frying, but I did shake them in paper bags filled with cinnamon and sugar once they were golden brown and delicious — AMAZING!

I’ve taken a spin class just once in my life. It was at a gym back home — and it was many many years ago — but all I remember is not being able to walk afterward (think baby deer) and my bum hurting from the seat.

Three words to describe your day so far—> Cozy, productive, and chill!

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Andrew is a patient saint to teach the kids to play Monopoly!!!!! I guess I’m just not a big board game person–patience is not my strong suit! :)

Love the idea of the taco sweet potatoes! Love the idea of the blueberry fritters, too. I just need/want someone else to make those for me :) ha ha

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There is a kids version of monopoly. Snag it up : )
My 3 kiddos love it.

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