Staying Fit in Sin City

I love living in Las Vegas! The lights, the glamour. The overindulgence.

It's a fabulous city, but isn't exactly a place synonymous with healthy. Being a local for several years now, I have learned a few ways to make your visit to the Las Vegas Strip a bit healthier.

Walk. Everywhere.

Skip the taxis, Ubers, and Lyfts. Instead slip on a pair of comfy shoes and walk, walk, walk. No better way to see the Strip and really experience Las Vegas (a.k.a. people watch) than on your feet. If you're a step counter, you'll quickly see that number skyrocket.

Be forewarned that while some of the casinos seem relatively close together on the map, they are deceivingly far apart. I definitely recommend good walking shoes.

Run the Strip.

This is one of my favorite things to do in Las Vegas! I live about a mile from the Strip and run it at least every couple months. I love it because it also incorporates a lot of stairs with all the pedestrian bridges, so I feel like I get an even better workout.

If you do this, I recommend going early in the morning. 6AM is the sweet spot, but I wouldn't go much later than 8 or 9, or you'll be dealing with large crowds. It's about 4 miles from the Stratosphere to Mandalay Bay, so you could easily get in any distance up to 8 miles. If you're looking for an even longer run, take it all the way downtown. It's about 6.5 miles from the Welcome to Fabulous Las Vegas sign to the Fremont Street Experience.

Make your visit to Las Vegas a bit healthier with these tips from @EnjoytheCourse.

Do a Stairs Workout.

There are a LOT of pedestrian bridges along the Strip to help the flow of traffic. They make for a nice and convenient workout, too. Here's my favorite stairs workout at the Wynn / Fashion Show Mall. It goes up and down escalators and stairs and crosses a bridge over the Strip.

Again, I'd recommend doing this early in the morning. Not staying in this part of the Strip? I'm sure you could come up with a similar workout using any of the other many pedestrian bridges.

Go for a Hike.

You could do an Indoor Hike at the Aria (after you've clicked to their site, hit the + symbol at the bottom of the fitness section to see all their fitness services). I've never done this but it sounds fun. This is not just a simple walk through the resort. It's a guided tour of the Aria's art collection as well. Your guide also throws in push-ups, squats, and other fun exercises. You will definitely get in a good sweat, according to this review in the Review-Journal. A little spendy for this girl, this indoor hike/tour of the Aria costs about $50, but I believe it also gets you access to the spa.

There are numerous excellent hikes off the Strip as well. The most popular is probably Red Rock National Conservation Area, which is gorgeous and only $7 per vehicle entrance fee. Of course, you'd likely need to rent a car, taxi, Uber, or Lyft, since it's about half an hour from the Strip. There are so many more places to hike as well, but all would require transportation off the Strip.

Take a Fitness Class.

Most of the resorts have a Spa and/or Fitness Center that offers a variety of fitness classes. You could do Dolphin Yoga ($50) at the Mirage or learn to pole dance at Stripper 101 ($39.99-$149.99) at Planet Hollywood.

We all know that staying fit is more than just exercise. What's the saying? You can't outrun a bad diet.

Well, Vegas has you covered in this respect, too. Many restaurants on the Strip have healthier options. Just peek at the menu before deciding which restaurant to dine at. If you don't see something that meets your needs, move along to one that does.

YES! You CAN eat healthy while visiting Fabulous Las Vegas! Check out these healthy gems that @EnjoytheCourse found.

I don't actually eat out that often, but I did a search for healthy eating in Las Vegas and found these gems.

The Juice Standard, in the Cosmopolitan. If you're into the juice craze, this is THE place to go on the Strip. Maybe even if you're not. 😉 They have juices, nut milks, & smoothies. Cocktails. Salads/wraps, toasts, & other snacks.
Harvest by Roy Ellamar, at the Bellagio. Only open for dinner, this is Farm to Table goodness. Everything sounds so good. Some options, of course, are healthier than others.
Mon Ami Gabi, in Paris. This came up on a few different lists of healthy options. I think mostly due to the variety of seafood.
Bruxie, at The Park. Their menu is filled with lots of decadence, but their killer salads look divine!
Nordstrom's Marketplace Cafe, in the Fashion Show Mall. Lots of delicious options! Plus their menu shows calories for each item, so you know what you're getting into.
Vegenation, Downtown. I threw in one off-the-Strip option, but still tourist-friendly. 😊 This is one I really need to try! They are 100% plant-based and support local farms. Win-win.

Ok. Now, I'm officially HUNGRY!
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While you're in Fabulous Las Vegas, be sure to also check out Vegas.com for great deals on hotels, shows, tours, and more!

Fun fact: In June it will be 5 years since I came to Las Vegas on vacation and never left! That's just crazy to me because it seems like just yesterday. Of course, most people do make it back home after a trip to Sin City. 😉

Have you ever been to Las Vegas?
What's your favorite tip for staying fit while traveling?

I'm linking up with Angela for Sunday Fitness & Food.

5 For Friday - April 10

It's been a very, very long time since I've done a 5 for Friday type post. I've been feeling unmotivated and uninspired lately when it comes to blogging, but I've got a few exciting things going on that I wanted to share.

1. We are headed to the Grand Canyon this weekend. Neither of us has been before, so we're pretty excited. We're making a mini-weekend of it. We'll drive out Saturday morning and drive back Sunday afternoon/evening. I'm not sure why I decided it was important to go in April! Maybe it will be less crowded...?

Note: Deciding if it should have been "neither of us has been" or "neither of us have been" resulted in a long grammatical discussion before deciding that has been is correct. It still sounds weird, but according to Purdue Online Writing Lab, neither is singular and should use a singular verb - even if it sounds wrong. lol. So, there's your grammar lesson for the day. You're welcome. :-)

We're staying the night at the Yavapai Lodge - just one mile from the South Rim. I can't wait to, of course, see the beauty of the Grand Canyon, but also to do some trail running/walking/hiking. And maybe some outdoor yoga. It's going to be chilly, but I still can't wait!

2. I went shopping. To prepare for our chilly weekend at the Grand Canyon, and Ragnar Trail Zion in 2 weeks, and for a little retail therapy, I bought 3 pairs of running leggings at Walmart yesterday afternoon. Plus a few warmer tops. I needed a little color and a little fun for the cooler temps that I don't usually have to deal with here in Vegas.

3. I tried beets. I got 2 beets in our Bountiful Basket last week, and I kind of freaked out. Thank goodness for Pinterest! I ended up roasting them in a little olive oil/S&P to use in smoothies, of all things. The smoothies were delicious! Tangy, sweet, and probably very nutritious. Right? Right?



Waste not, want not. Instead of tossing out the stems and greens, I used them to make these delicious quesadillas.



The pesto was perfect. So savory! And combined with the squash and beet stems. SO GOOD! Of course, Jeff thought it was one of the most disgusting things he'd ever put in his mouth. MORE FOR ME!!

4. I started a new routine. Back on March 30th, I started a new morning routine to get me moving in the morning and to ensure I get at least some exercise every day.

I started with 10 and have been adding 1 rep every day. I'm now at 21. I'm going to keep increasing until I hit 25, and then I'll stay there for a couple weeks (probably through the end of April).

In addition, I've also been doing sun salutations every morning. I started with 1, worked up to 10, and will stick to 10 for a couple weeks now. Or until May 1st.

To keep me on track, I've also started using DailyMile again. If you're on there, we should totally be friends. :)

5. I joined the Tone It Up Bikini Series challenge.

It starts this coming Monday, and I'm kinda excited about it. Or at least hopeful for some good results. It's an 8 week program and sounds like it will be a really good one! I know I'll get out of it what I put into it, so I'm hoping I'll be able to give it my all. For real. I've been feeling very self-conscious and unhappy with my midsection lately, so here's to getting bikini ready!!

Well, that's all I have for now. Hope you all have a fabulous weekend! I promise it won't be another 17 days before my next post. :)

Have you ever been to the Grand Canyon?
Anyone else doing the Bikini Series?
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Tuesday's Tip #3 - How to Drink More Water

Do you struggle with drinking enough water? Maybe you forget to have a glass or maybe you don't enjoy the taste (or lack of taste). Or maybe you just get busy. Or you drink too many other things and water takes a back seat.

Way too often, I get to the end of the day and think... Damn! I didn't drink enough water today. After several days, I can really feel it. My body feels heavier and lazier. Even my outlook tends to be more negative.

So, this post is possibly more for me than anyone, but hopefully you'll find it helpful, too!

How to Drink More Water

1. Always have a water bottle nearby. Not only is it a visual reminder, but it's also very convenient.

2. Drink a full glass multiple times a day. Sipping isn't usually enough for me. I find it difficult to get in enough by sipping alone.

Try setting an alarm to help remind you throughout the day.
The best times to drink a glass of water are first thing in the morning, 30 minutes before meals, and right before bed.

3. Alternate with your other beverage of choice. Jeff drinks a lot of soda and is trying to drink more water. Instead of grabbing another soda, he'll have a glass of water first. Or he'll have both a glass of water and a soda together and alternate taking drinks from each.

4. Buy expensive bottled water. The guilt of spending the money and not drinking it may be just the motivation you need to drink up. This is definitely not the greenest of options, so be sure and recycle.

5. Infuse your water with fruit, veggies, and/or herbs. Probably the most common is adding lemon or lime, but how about strawberries, grapes, or watermelon? Cucumbers? Lavender, rosemary, or mint? The possibilities are endless.

Like the idea of infusing your water, but don't like the idea of choking on the pulp or herbs or whatnot floating in your water?

Here are a few items on Amazon that can help: Zing Anything water bottles, Jokari Healthy Steps Water Infuser, or the Deco Infusion Pitcher.

Check out my Pinterest board for more fun ideas.

Follow Clarinda's board Drink Water on Pinterest.

What other tips do you have for drinking more water?
Do you have a favorite flavor combo to drink?
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An Epiphany about Produce

November is moving right along!

November 13: An epiphany you had this summer

Runners often joke about being able to eat whatever we want.

Will run for ice cream. Will run for cupcakes. I thought you said rum.

But most runners recognize the importance of proper fueling - not just during the long runs, but always. There are lots of theories out there on what exactly is the best way to eat.

No matter what you choose - paleo, low carb, clean, etc - fresh produce is probably a key component.

CONFESSION: The produce department freaks me out.

I realized this summer just how intimidating the produce department is for me. I want to eat more veggies. I really do. They make me feel so clean and healthy.

But I can't stomach buying produce. There are so many choices, and I don't always know what they are or what to choose. I find myself just grabbing some bananas, packaged salad mix, maybe a couple roma tomatoes, and getting the hell out of there.

Becaue of this, it seems we really only have fresh produce during the weeks that we purchase a Bountiful Basket. I ♥ Bountiful!

Mostly because it takes the stress and anxiety out of produce shopping. Plus I get to try new things that I'd never try on my own.

Where do you get your produce?
Does the produce dept freak out anyone else?
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Other ways to follow Enjoying the Course:
Twitter → @EnjoytheCourse
Instagram → enjoyingthecourse
Facebook → EnjoyingtheCourse
Google+ → Enjoying the Course
Pinterest → clarindad

Volunteering with Bountiful Baskets

This morning, I got up very early for a Saturday, and Jeff and I headed to our Bountiful Baskets location. For once we actually left early enough to get there in time to help volunteer with the set-up.

So early in fact, that we were the first to arrive.

We chilled in the the van while we waited for the truck, the coordinator, and the other volunteers to arrive.

All the veggies come stacked on one pallet.

After unloading the pallet, we started sorting the fruits and veggies into all the baskets.

Imagine a pic of Jeff or me putting produce into the baskets. #bloggerfail

All finished distributing!

The extra add-ons are all lined up and organized, too.

It was super fun! And went by quickly.

Before I knew it, we were back home with all of this goodness.

Our regular basket included:

Fruits: red grapes, blueberries, peaches, canteloupe, watermelon, mangos
Veggies: lettuce, yellow onions, eggplant, lots of broccoli, grape tomatoes

We got a few add-ons as well.

• Delicious fresh bread
• A crazy amount of wraps - 20 each of chipotle, garlic & herb, spinach, and tomato basil
• 8 lbs of strawberries. Well, I'm only keeping 2 lbs. The other 6 are going to a couple co-workers.

We've been doing Bountiful Baskets on and off since the end of May, and so far, I'm still loving it! It forces us to eat better and try new recipes.

With all those wraps in my fridge and freezer, I'm off to Pinterest to find exciting recipes for wraps.

What's your favorite way to enjoy broccoli?
How about your favorite wrap recipe?
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Other ways to follow Enjoying the Course:
Twitter → @EnjoytheCourse
Facebook → EnjoyingtheCourse
Instagram → enjoyingthecourse
Pinterest → clarindad

Eat More Veggies - Bountiful Baskets

In an effort to eat better and include more veggies in our diet, I posed the question to my Facebook friends about the best place in Vegas to buy local or regional produce. One friend mentioned Bountiful Baskets. I immediately remembered reading a blog post about this last summer and remembered how much I wanted to give it a try.

So, I read everything on their website and decided to try it out.

If you're not familiar with the program, it's a co-op way of purchasing produce. Basically, you choose a location for pick-up, make a contribution on Monday or Tuesday, all the money gets pooled together to purchase whatever is available, you show up Saturday morning to pick-up delicious produce.

It's all run by volunteers, so all your money get put toward the produce. Since it's run by volunteers, they ask that you volunteer at least every 6-8 times that you contribute.

We picked up our first basket this past Saturday, and it was so much fun!!

The two nearest locations were about 5 miles away. An easy bike ride. We chose the one location because it had a later pick-up time and we are not at all early morning people on Saturdays.

We fully intended on getting there early enough to help volunteer. The website said the volunteer time was 7:15. We arrived at 7:10, and everything was all finished. I guess we'll have to get there earlier next time. :-)

With your order, you get one basket of fruit and one basket of vegetables.

All packed up and ready to head home.

Ewwww!

Yep. That's ketchup splattered all over my legs and shoes.

About a mile or so from home, I ran over a ketchup packet. I'm not sure why I didn't really think to avoid it, but I definitely learned my lesson as I scrubbed the dried, sticky ketchup mess from my legs and shoes. Ugh!

Here's everything we got in our baskets!

Fruits: 4 mangoes, 3 grapefruit, 1 pineapple, 1 cantaloupe (not pictured, as it was already cut and in the fridge)
Veggies: 5 ears of corn, 2 cucumbers, 1 head of romaine, 1 box of grape tomatoes, 1 butternut squash, 1 pound of carrots, 1 head of cauliflower

It seems like kind of a lot for just the two of us, but hopefully it will force us to eat more veggies.

We've already eaten most of the fruit, but writing this post reminds me that I still need to cut up the cauliflower and carrots into snack-size portions, so we actually eat them.

I'm going to need to get a little creative on some of the veggies, because we already committed to week #2. :-)

We also purchased some additional add-ons like bread, tortillas, and a Mexican blend of veggies. So excited for next Saturday!!

Hope you all enjoyed a lovely Memorial Day weekend. Back to the grind in the morning...

Have you ever tried Bountiful Baskets?
Where do you get most of your produce?
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Diet-to-Go Really Delivers

I was recently given the opportunity to review Diet-to-Go, an amazing diet meal delivery service. I was beyond impressed with my 3-day trial, and I thought I'd be able to express that better with a video.

I apologize, but I got a little rambly and the video is around 9 min. Still, I hope you'll take the time to watch it.



What I loved

• Super delicious and convenient
• 3 different menu types with lots of variety
• Customizable menu plan to fit your needs
• Delivered right to your door
• Very little prep time and clean-up is a breeze

What I didn't care for

• Packaging is annoying (but unsure if that was just my sampling)
• An a la carte options would be nice
• Kind of spendy (but not really compared to other similar services)

I would absolutely recommend this for anyone looking for a diet meal delivery service, or anyone wanting to take control of their portions and to eat a bit healthier.

I'm excited to share with you an opportunity to try this for 20% off any meal plan. Just visit Diet-to-Go and use the coupon code: fitfluential.

Have you tried Diet-to-Go?
How do you feel about diets, in general?
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Disclosure: FitFluential LLC compensated me for this Campaign. All opinions are my own.

Dumpster Diving

Have you ever been?

I think maybe I've done a version when I was much younger, but never, ever for food. That just seems wrong.

But what seems even more wrong is the amount of food that is wasted in America - especially considering the number of people who are going hungry every day in this country.

I was reading this post on a friend's blog this morning, who mentioned eating her first meal featuring food from her local grocery store dumpster.

At first I was a bit shocked.

More than that, I was intrigued.

I had to investigate this more. I still haven't had much time. I really just watched the trailer for Dive! the film, but I do plan on downloading the whole movie (also available to watch via Netflix streaming).


Dive! Trailer from Compeller Pictures on Vimeo.

Their website also has a page of things you can do. They list plenty of things, but obviously, their biggest suggestion is to get there there and DIVE IN.

EAT TRASH
An important first step to really caring about the issue of food waste is hopping in a dumpster, bringing home the food, and eating it. Eating trash is a subversive act. It goes against a culture of over-consumption and gratuitous wastefulness. Experience that initial rush, shame, fear, and exhilaration of "stealing" trash and eating it will change you in good ways.

Second, it's important to go to your local grocery store and ask what they do with their food waste. They might not tell you. Or they'll dodge the question by listing organizations to which they donate. Ask them about all the FRESH food--meat, dairy, fruits and vegetables. Ask them if they would be open to allowing you to pick this food up and bring it to a nonprofit that serves the needy. Do all of this with a pleasant tone, big smile, and servant's heart. Bring the Good Sam act with you!

Third, you'll need a place to bring the food, so you'll have to locate a shelter or food bank in your area that could use the food. This is where logistics comes into play. They'll need to be able to immediately use or temporarily store fresh food....shelving space, refrigerators, freezers. This step actually happens at the same time as visiting your local grocery stores. You will probably need a letter from the shelter or food bank stating their needs, requesting donations, and naming you or your family/friends/organization/church as the volunteer designated to pick up the food.

Are you in?

#HBBC, Week 3 Recap & Myplate.gov

Well, Week 3 of the #HBBC was a bit of a dud, but there were a couple of successes as well.

Week 3
12/3: 0 points

• Visited The Russian Museum of Art with my Russian history class. It was fascinating, but somehow it kind of drained me. I was pretty worthless after returning. Well, I do think I got *some* homework done.

12/4: 7.5 points

• Ran 7.5 miles - On the treadmill. I was not looking forward to such a long run inside, but I didn't want to run out in the cold, either. I brought A Bug's Life to watch and that helped a LOT, but next time I need to find something a little more engaging (i.e. something I haven't watched a million times already). After my run, I felt like I was positively gliding on my walk home. Bonus!

12/5: 0 points

• This was my designated rest day. Aaaaahhhhh!!!!!

12/6: 0 points

• I got distracted after work doing something on the Internet, I suppose. Boy, this week was really off to a rough start!

12/7: 2.6 points

• Ran 2.6 miles - Outside. It was a beautiful afternoon!! I couldn't resist taking Sallie out for a run. I'd intended to go 4 miles, but her little tootsies kept getting too cold. She had to stop several times to lick out the snow/ice. Before you think I'm a bad doggie-mom, we turned around after the first time she stopped. Poor girl.

12/8: 4 points

• Ran 3 miles - Back on the treadmill. Mostly I just don't feel comfortable running outside when it's dark, and I can't clearly see the ice patches on the ground. I was attempting 4 miles to make up for the miles I missed the day before, but just around 3miles, the power went out at the gym. Well, the whole neighborhood, actually. I'd intended on visiting the weight room, but once the power went out, I headed home instead.
• I ate 7 servings of fruits/veggies! I. am. shocked!

12/9: 1 point

• This was another designated rest day. Aaaaahhhhh!!!!!
• I ate 7 servings of fruits/veggies TWO days in a ROW!

Week 2 Total: 15.1
Challenge Total: 49.45

Yes, I'm as shocked as you are that I managed to get in 7 servings of fruits/veggies TWO days this week. I find that it's much easier to accomplish if you have a plan. Making a meal plan ahead of time is really something that I struggle with. It's so time consuming! Towards the middle of the week, I decided to stop fighting it and let SparkPeople do the work for me. They have system generated plans that are super easy, super filling, and loaded with fruits/veggies. It makes it tons easier to just bring up the website and know what I'm going to make. If I don't like something they suggest, it's super easy to swap out the entire meal suggestion or just one of the components.

I've also discovered MyPlate. This site is produced by the USDA and is a great resource. I haven't spent too much time on the site yet, but it appears you can create meal plans and track your foods. I think you need to sign up for an account of some sort, of course. They also have something they call MyFood-a-pedia where you can look up over 8,000 foods for nutritional info. You can even compare two different foods. There aren't name brands, but it's more general in nature.

I think I'll play around with the site more in the future and do a full write-up/review of the website at that time.

Have you visited the MyPlate website? What do you think? Do you plan out your meals ahead of time or just wing it?

Very first delivery

Farmers, at least in Minnesota, have really been having a tough time this season. Cool temperatures and lots of rain have not produced very good conditions. Many CSAs (community supported agriculture) in the area have postponed the start of their deliveries because of this.

Fortunately for us, the folks at Treasured Haven Farms have decided to stay on schedule. We only purchased an every other week package, and our first delivery was scheduled for today.

After work, we rode our bikes to our pick-up location to pick up this week's yumminess.

Baby Leaf Lettuce Blend, Green Onions, fresh green Shallots (scallions), assorted Radishes

Looks to me like the makings to a very delicious salad.

With a few cherry tomatoes and chopped walnuts, topped with a Mediterranean vinaigrette.

Our box was lacking in quality and variety, but I'm sure that as the season progresses, both will improve greatly! Right now, I'm just very grateful for what we did receive. :)

Ick!

Today I am feeling fat...and that just ain't right the day after a weekend of kayaking, running, biking, and hiking!

I ate like crap today.
I'm 99% sure that's why I feel so icky now.

I can't wait for our CSA deliveries to begin. Fresh veggies just sound sooooo gooood right about now.

A New Reputation...

I've got a new reputation at work!

At AFP, I was always known to never turn down food--chocolate, donuts, pizza...you name it. If it was offered, I ate it. I would even make special trips to HR, where I knew there was a jar of candy--usually chocolate--just waiting for consumption.

At H&F, I'm now known as the girl trying to be good. It's been kind of good for me. It makes the temptation for snagging a free donut so much easier to resist. :-)

I'm currently in Week 3 of the ChangeOne (R) diet--snacks. Snacking has always been my downfall, but I've been very good this week. Each day so far, I've only had my 2 (100-calorie) snacks.

If you don't know what ChangeOne is, check out this website: www.changeone.com. Basically it's a 12-week program that focuses not only on weight loss, but on making healthier choices. You start off tackling Breakfast, then lunch, then snacks, then dinner. I've never made it past Week 4, so I don't know exactly what the focus is of each of the following weeks. I know there is one on eating out, one on exercise, one on keeping off the weight (I think). I know that so far, I've really learned a lot about how much I should be eating.

I haven't lost any weight yet, but I think it will come in time. Hopefully by the end of the 12-week program...