Hungry Meets Healthy

The Friday Five

2012-01-27T23:59:00.001-05:00

1. What I’m Reading:

You think I’m joking but I’m not.

2. What I’m Listening to: Thanks to Carly, I can’t get enough of this song. I used to be irked by Jason Mraz, but his newer music is, simply put, good. As much as I like this song, it does make me want to eat prozac for dinner.

3. What I’m Watching: Oh, I gave up on t.v. again. I’m too busy.

4. What I’m Eating: Chicken & vegetables stir-fried in this:

I love you Trader Joe’s.

5. What I’m Bookmarking: Vietnamese Shrimp & Quinoa Salad.

HAPPY WEEKEND!

What are YOU reading, listening to, watching, eating, or bookmarking? GO!

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Labels: books, magazines, music, recipe, recipes, video, videos, yoga, youtube

7 Little Thoughts

2012-01-26T19:26:00.001-05:00

1. It makes me chuckle that so many of you sent me Joy the Baker’s recipe for Chocolate Beet Cake. At least one person sent the link to my email, facebook page, or twitter. I’m glad you guys think of me when you see beets…I think. Either way, I feel the love.

2. February cannot get here fast enough. The first weekend I’m going to see Aziz Ansari at Theatre 99! Soooo excited. I might propose to him from the audience.

3. Two weeks after that, I’m taking a cooking class at Bacco! GOCharlestonDeals had an awesome deal for a 2-hour pasta making class. Have you signed up to receive their daily deals? You should!

4. The chalkboard wine glasses you have seen in previous posts can be purchased at Pier 1. They are only 3 dollars. That’s a steal for being able to drink out of personalized, stemless glasses. They’re great for the creative and the clumsy.

5. I think this is a perfectly acceptable flavor combination. And no, there is no child growing inside of me.

6.Apparently I am one letter away from being a Special Agent. SO CLOSE.

7. Enjoy another video of Boding’s and my superior Xbox dancing skills. Get ready, this one is so much worse. Yet more entertaining…

goPerformance Workout at ESAC

2012-01-25T20:41:00.001-05:00

My gym recently converted the Kids Play Zone into a new fitness room. Move over kiddos, ESAC has added goPerformance to its Johnnie Dodds and Park West locations. Much like Crossfit, goPerformance entails “performance style training, with the ability to scale to all fitness levels, in order to sculpt lean, athletic bodies in the most time efficient manner.”

This week was open for free trial sessions with Todd Fox, an awesome personal trainer. I signed up for a class on both Monday and Wednesday knowing that I’d have a blast.

There are two types of classes: conditioning and private personal training. The conditioning classes are for 6-15 participants and last for 30 minutes. In Monday & Wednesday’s class, we completed 8 different activities for 45 seconds with a 15 second break before switching to the next. After each of the 3 circuits, there was a 2-minute break.

1. Step Ups– These can be done with weights/kettle bells or without.

2. Row Machine – I love this thing. It’s like rowing a boat. At the gym. Out of water. Nice analogy…work with me…

3. Ring Push Ups – This was my favorite part. Your friend Christina loooooooves push-ups. Seriously. Love. The rings make them harder and you work your core as well.

4. Ropes – See those ropes down there. We had to swing them up and down like a snake. This is way tougher than it looks.

5. Wall Balls – In the same picture above, we took the medicine balls and threw them up at the “go” sign. We squatted, jumped, and threw the ball so it would bounce back at us. Ouchy.

6. Pull-Ups – This little one can only do assisted pull-ups using the giant rubber band. I LOVE doing them. But I think I love bouncing in the rubber band more.

7. Mountain Climbers – Instead of your typical mountain climbers, we used these little pads on the floor that helped us sweep our feet back and forth. No, this doesn’t make it easier. It makes it harder. It was like dancing in push-up position.

(source)

8. Kettle Bell Squats – OUCH MY BEHIND. That’s pretty much what I said (in my head) during this part.

In Wednesday’s class, we had a couple people who had already been on Monday. To make our workout harder, Todd had us run on the track outside instead of taking 2 minute breaks. Because I can’t run right now, I stayed inside and did cartwheels and flips on the rings.

After 30 minutes, we were all pretty tired. It’s a great workout because your heart right stays up and you’re using a ton of strength and moving in ways you don’t typically in the regular gym. If you’re an ESAC member, CHECK THIS OUT! Both days I left with a huge smile on my face because I had so much fun.

Happy Chinese New Year! 新年快乐

2012-01-22T23:08:00.001-05:00

Look at those fancy symbols, you guys! That’s Chinese for Happy New Year. This is the year of the Dragon, so you Dragon babies should have a lucky 2012. Want to know your Chinese zodiac sign? Take a gander at this chart.

My zodiac animal is the Rat. Lovely.

To celebrate, I hung out with my one and only Chinese friend, Boding. When I told him that I thought I might have another Chinese friend he told me, “Well go ahead and just unfriend them because I’m the only one that matters.” Boom.

Before our celebration, we started off Sunday with a matinee showing of Extremely Loud and Incredibly Close. When I first saw the preview a couple months ago, I cried, replayed it, and cried again. Wait, what? I cry like twice a year and a movie trailer was making me produce tears? No way. Needless to say, I was dying to see it.

I assumed that I’d become dehydrated from crying so much, but in reality, it wasn’t even that sad. Or that good. It wasn’t a bad film, but I think I set my expectations too high. I didn’t regret spending $7.50 to sit on my behind for 2 hours and 9 minutes though. Especially because I was quite comfortable wearing my snuggie in the theater. Boding was impressed with my “lack of dignity” as I walked back to the car like this.

For dinner we made, oh, you guessed it, Chinese food.

NY strip + bok choy + snow peas + red peppers + water chestnuts + carrots + onions stir-fried in a sesame ginger marinade.

That is one happy Chinese man.

Before cooking, we stopped at a nearby Chinese restaurant to purchase two fortune cookies. I always hope that cracking open my cookie will reveal one of my life’s burning questions, but it never happens. This fortune is 100% inaccurate.

I am an impatient mess. That didn’t stop me from eating the cookie though. It was one of those orange flavored fortune cookies. Have you ever had one of those? They actually don’t taste like crap like the regular ones.

For those of you who have been slacking on your New Year’s resolutions, you can just say you’ve been waiting for the Chinese New Year and start NOW!

Currently…

2012-01-21T15:20:00.001-05:00

It’s Saturday survey time thanks to Laura & Laura…

Current book:
Um. I’m still on Chapter 3 of The Hunger Games. I have to read it by Tuesday for our Book Club meeting. They are going to kill me if I don’t finish…

Current playlist:
Ellie Goulding’s newest album

And Selena Gomez’s. DO NOT MAKE FUN OF ME.

Current food:

I haven’t found this new PopChips flavor yet, but I NEED TO NOW.

Color:
Green. Always.

Current favorite show(s):

I started watching Parks & Recreation again. I want to marry Aziz Ansari. He’s from SC!

Current needs:
I need my knee pain to go away. I need to foam roll.

Current triumphs:
I made it through my second Barre class at Pure Barre. I really love this studio and the type of workout. My butt, excuse me, “seat” loves it too.

Current #1 blessing:
Everything around me is a blessing!

Current outfit:

Green & blue yoga tank
Black cropped yoga pants (I wear these very single day after work/at the gym.)
Grey Victoria’s Secret sparkly hoodie
Polka dots socks

Can I get any more comfortable right now?

Current excitement:
I’m excited about meeting friends at Bin 152 wine bar and then possibly dancing/breaking an ankle.

Current favorite quote or verse:

Current favorite app:
First and foremost, Twitter. Duh. But for a new app, I like Wine Free. I use it to keep track of wines that I try.

Current favorite product:
Honestly?

Dork.

HAPPY SATURDAY!

Factual Friday

2012-01-20T01:26:00.001-05:00

Um, I love surveys. I’m sorry that this food blog sometimes turns into my diary but because I own it, I can do that. Yeaaaah.

I stole this survey from Katelyn who stole it from Janetha -- two awesome bloggers that you should check out.

1) What is one of your favorite ways to spend a Saturday?

Sleeping in
Working out in the morning
Making pancakes
Spending the day outside either at the beach or walking around downtown
Going to a wine tasting, catching a movie, or dinner w/ friends
Dancing at Trio!

2) List your top three favorite TV shows.

Golden Girls
The Nanny
Jeopardy

(No, I don’t really watch new TV shows.)

3) Would you rather be in pictures or take them?

I’d rather be in them, but I do love taking them too.

4) Why do you blog?

I love meeting new people through my blog, especially those who share the same passions as I do.
It’s like a giant online diary.
It helps me keep my focus on maintaining a healthy lifestyle.

5) Share five websites that you visit regularly…

Gmail
Facebook
Twitter
Google!!!
Geek Sugar

6) If you could have lunch with one person from your Twitter list, who would it be?

BETTY WHITE!!

7) List a few of your favorite snacks.

Hummus
Iced Oatmeal Raisin Luna Bar
Bananas
Pickles
Greek yogurt

8 ) Do you have a pet? If so, what kind?

No. No. No. I just have a really big purse.

9) Which three material possessions would you struggle to live without?

phone
laptop
camera

10) What’s your favorite drink?

Chick-fil-A Diet Lemonade

11) Do you enjoy cooking?

Of course! But I enjoy eating more.

12) Do you have children?

My blog is my child.

13) What are your favorite hobbies?

Playing w/ friends
Baking
Blogging
Exercising
Reading
Beaaaachhhh

14) Would you consider yourself to be shy or outgoing?

Outgoing, 90% of the time

15) If you could change one thing about yourself, what would you change?

I think this question is dumb. Why would you want to be something you’re not? Embrace yourself.

16) Who is your favorite actor/actress?

Don’t have one.

17) What’s the coolest thing you’ve done this week?

Spending the day as tourists with Rachel was really fun.

18) Do you live near your family or far from them?

I have family in SC, NC, MA, and NJ.

19) List three of your talents.

I can write backwards.
I can hula hoop for a really long time.
I bake awesome cookies.

20) What is your greatest attribute?

Charm

This week’s workouts:

S: Rest

M: Long run

T: Strength training (lower body), yoga

W: Pilates

T: Kickboxing, strength training (upper body)

F: Rest

S: Pure Barre class

HAPPY WEEKEND!!

What I’m Loving Wednesday

2012-01-18T23:28:00.001-05:00

1. The responses to the 2012 Valentine’s Day Blogger Swap. So far, 34 of you have signed up, including 3 guys! (Good ones, I promise.) I’m even more excited about all the new readers I’m hearing from. Please don’t be shy -- comment more! It’s very appreciated.

2. New (to me) classes at ESAC. Since my knee injury last week, I’ve been forced into low intensity workouts. This kills me a little inside, but has forced me into trying different classes. I went to another yoga class and actually enjoyed it for once. I still laugh when everyone says ohmmmmm though. I mean what is that!? I feel like everyone is competing to see who can go the longest. I also went to a different teacher’s pilates class and loved it. Tracy @ ESAC is hilarious and offers a challenging class.

I also found a good article on Fit Sugar on how to keep knee pain away. Perfect timing. My best friend:

3. As if I needed another magazine subscription, I received my first issue of Prevention. This smaller-sized magazine is packed with information on health, nutrition, fitness, and more. I really like it. My first issue contained a fun recipe for Parsnip Beet Sauce With Ravioli. DESTINY.

4. This Kashi bar is delicious. They weren't kidding when they named it a Crunchy Bar.

Speaking of bars, the Luna Peanut Honey Pretzel has been added to my top Luna Bars. If only it had chocolate was an ingredient…

5. I tried this hat on as a joke. A week later I went back to Target and bought it. $3 to look like a nut? Sure, why not. At least my brain won’t freeze in NYC next month.

TELL ME WHAT YOU LOVE!

You can say me, I won’t be mad.

Valentine’s Day Blogger Swap

2012-01-17T16:14:00.000-05:00

For some, Valentine’s Day is about spending time with a significant other being all romantical and crap. For others, including me, it is about shoving pink & red colored candies down your throat and rejoicing in your singledom. (I like single – boyfriends get in the way. Literally and physically.)
The past few years that I have been boy-less, I exchanged gifts with girlfriends (Hi Callie, Jenna, Heera!) to celebrate this mushy day of romance. I’m 100% sure that I had more fun and received better presents from these ladies than all of my ex-boyfriends combined. With that said, I thought it would be fun to host a Valentine’s Day Blogger Swap, for both bloggers and readers.
The Plan:
Should you choose to join in on the swap, I will match you up with another blogger/reader to whom you will send a love package by the 14th of February. In return, you will receive a package from a different person. Package content ideas include: candy, snacks, small gifts, trinkets, etc. Be appropriate people. I don’t want to hear about anyone receiving creepy stuff.

What You Need to Do:
Email me: christinaorso @ gmail dot com
Please provide me with your name, address, and some information about yourself. Let me know things I can tell the person who will be sending your goodies. This information can include: your favorite colors, favorites candies, hobbies, interests, etc. If you have a blog, provide me with a link. If you have any allergies, you might want to list those as well. I would imagine we’d each spend around $10-15, but really, it’s up to you. Get creative! Have fun!

Rules:
You must sign up for this by noon on Monday, January 23rd. You will receive your partner’s information by January 25th. Please be sure to mail out your goodies in time for your partner to receive them on Valentine’s Day, February 14th.
Grab the button to spread the word!

In love & chocolate,
xx!

Weekend Update Part II: A Tourist In My Own City

2012-01-16T21:50:00.001-05:00

In case you missed it, you can catch up on Weekend Update Part I! Please don’t miss out on my awesome dance moves in that video…

Sunday: Sunday morning, my friend Melissa and I went over to Sandpiper Nursing Home to volunteer. Volunteering twice in one weekend? YES! So fulfilling. Every Sunday, Melissa and 2 of her family members visit the home to do Sunday School with the residents. We listened to her grandmother speak, sang songs, and chatted with some of the residents. They were so cute, and I had to laugh because half of them were either asleep or falling asleep!

A bit later, Rachel and I took advantage of the sunny weather for a bridge run/walk. It was in the low 50s but beautiful out. We walked the majority of the bridge and down the pier at Mt. Pleasant Memorial Waterfront Park for a total of 4.62 miles.

Unfortunately my knee started acting up on the incline of the bridge. I must have done something nasty to it during my 10-miler last week. I told Boding about the pain, and he came right over to the rescue! With him he brought “something to heal the pain, something to dull the pain, and something to forget about the pain.” In other words, he brought over glucosamine pills, wine, and a movie. He truly is my brother from a Chinese mother.

Monday: Rachel and I decided it was imperative that we take advantage of our day off and be tourists in our own city. To start off our day, we walked from her apartment to Gaulart & Maliclet French Café, otherwise known as Fast & French. This quaint little restaurant on Broad Street is one of my new favorites. Its menu has everything from breakfast, brunch, lunch, snacks, dinner, wine, coffee and more!

I had the Croq’ Baguette: ham, Dijon, Swiss & mozzarella. There was so much cheese on this warm, crusty bread. I really wish I had ordered the tomato vegetable soup to dip it in. It was perfect. Even better, my sandwich with tax was around $6. Score.

Rachel’s lunch was just as delicious. She ordered the Sandwich Provencal: black olive tapenade with tomato, basil, and goat cheese on a baguette. If you like olives, you must try this.

We agreed that we have to come back for some wine and cheese…oh, and brunch and dinner too.

Our next stop was Goat. Sheep. Cow. to pick up what we both consider “the best piece of chocolate we’ve ever had in our life.” Remember when I blogged about Sweeteeth Chocolate? Yep, their “Sea is for Caramel” bar is incredible. It was the perfect post-lunch treat.

But dessert didn’t stop there. As we walked from Church Street down East Bay Street, popping in stores here and there, we landed at Charleston Candy Kitchen where snagged a piece of chocolate praline.

We then moseyed down to Market Street Sweets and picked up another praline sample! As if our teeth weren’t already hurting, our final dessert stop was at Godiva where we both got a Crème Brulee truffle. I promise that we both saved this piece for later, as our teeth were at risk of falling out of our heads.

On our walk back Rachel’s, I found my dream house. I’m not in love with the structure, but look at those colors! Hot damn. Purple and lime green are my favorite, but on a house? Yikes.

We covered 4.3 miles and felt like accomplished tourists. My poor knee hates me, but the company and fun was well worth it!

On the way back to my house, I snapped a pretty picture of the sun setting from the Cooper River Bridge.

Oh Charleston, how I love thee.

Weekend Update Part I

2012-01-15T18:28:00.001-05:00

Friday: Charleston friends, you know Joe Girard, the afternoon DJ for 95sx? Well he’s a good buddy of mine and I think you should vote for him in the Charleston City Paper Awards! He deserves it! Speaking of Joe, he and I went to a tweet up on Friday night. Random! We were invited by a mutual twitter friend who I had never met. A few girls that I knew (in real life) were also going, so we figured the party was a great way to meet new people that we had already connected with online. It was so fun! Just like blogger meet-ups, but Twitter style. It’s also one of the few opportunities you get to introduce yourself by your twitter handle. Too bad mine is my actual name!

Saturday: Around noon, I went downtown to volunteer with my friend Dane from work. This particular group, called God’s People, meets every other Saturday for a picnic in the park, offering food, clothing, and other goods to the homeless. Not only do they provide meals and such, but they establish friendships and help them get off the street. It was really nice to see how everyone connected and I would love to go again. If anyone is interested in volunteering, please let me know!

After that, Boding and I went to a wine tasting at Winestyles in Town Center. I’ve been to their wine tastings several times and always have a lot of fun. You taste 5 different wines, learn about their pairings, and meet new people. We tried 2 whites and 3 reds. My favorite was The Federalist – a rich, full-bodied Zinfandel with bright berry character. I had no idea I liked Zinfandel. It had such great flavor.

After some shopping, we headed over to Papa Zuzu’s for dinner. Papa Zuzu’s is a casual, family-run Greek restaurant in Mt. Pleasant. Everything is made to order and extremely fresh. We started out with a platter of warm pita bread, hummus, and tzatziki sauce. Delicious.

I had the standard Chicken Gyro with a side of cucumber salad. Holy moly, this thing was huge. I could only finish half and was stuffed to the brim. It was loaded with chicken and lightly topped with tzatziki sauce and tomatoes. Boding got the lamb gyro and I can’t even begin to tell you how jealous I was. The meat was out of this world. If they weren’t closed on Sunday, I would be there tonight. Get there now!

Later that evening, I met some friends at the bowling alley. Ummm have I ever told you how much I love bowling? I really do. And I get kind of competitive. Guess who won all five games? This girl! Oh, such dorky things I’m proud of.

It’s like a trophy case on my blog right now. My friend Chris pointed out that my bowling name (well, what shows on the screen), XTI, sounds like a stock symbol.

Now don’t think that my bowling skills have pumped up my ego or anything. I’m still the same dorky little girl that cannot dance. I’m so white. It’s great. Enjoy a little clip of Boding and me dancing to “Can’t Touch This.”

Points of Interest:

:24 – Boding’s face. Omg.
1:46 – I think I just choked on my gum.
1:49 – I tell my roommate, Jenna, to join in. She declines.
2:14 – Oh, just blowing a bubble.
2:37 – Hi Jenna! Watch her stand on the table to blow the candle out. She’s even shorter than I am!
3:17 – “Yes, I have the crown!” Competitive little brat.
3:24 – Ironic that I have the crown, as I pretty much lose it here.

Weekend Update Part II coming soon!

Hope you all have a wonderful day off. Happy Birthday, Mr. Martin Luther King, Jr.!

Tagged on Thursday / Factual Friday

2012-01-12T23:14:00.001-05:00

Thanks to Amanda, I was recently tagged in a blog game. So fun.

1. I get more excited about new food products than I do about new clothes, shoes, movies, books, etc. My friend Jess picked up the new Peanut Honey Pretzel Luna Bar just a few hours before I did and I was going nuts! I picked it up from Whole Foods right after kickboxing class. My thoughts on it are coming soon.

2. Running and strength training will always be my go-to forms of exercise, but I’ve fallen head-over-heels in love with my kickboxing class. My teacher does a great job at mixing up the music and routines. If you’re an East Shore member, be sure to check it out or come with me!

3. I absolutely cannot stand when people stand too close to me. Unless you are a close friend of mine, please back up at least 2 feet. My bubble does not want to be popped. The worst is when someone stands too close to me in line. EEEEEEEEK.

4. My favorite things to learn about are: Egyptian history, the science of baking/cooking, personality disorders, nutrition, the Holocaust, the Spanish language (my major in college), and grammar. Random, I know.

I like this lady.

5. I don’t think I will ever understand fashion, decorating, gardening, how to play an instrument, or how to match colors. I might not be a woman.

6. I have no shame in admitting that I love to read my horoscope. I am a true Cancer: loving, protective, devoted, loyal, stubborn, sensitive, overly competitive, and moody.

7. I am the oldest and have 3 younger brothers. Maybe this explains #5.

8. My favorite candies are: peanut m&ms, pretzel m&ms, heath bar, kit kats, and sixlets. I also love gummy worms (but not bears) and Swedish fish.

9. I can’t read maps. Okay, so I am a woman.

10. I am easily distracted, scatter-brained, and clumsy. All three of these traits lead me to live a very amusing life. Adderall makes me boring.

11. I have been bitten by three different dogs: a Scottish terrier bit my face at 3 (still have a scar), a Chihuahua bit my leg, and a Boxer bit my thumb. Although they were all small, I don’t like big dogs now.

Instead of tagging others (I hate doing that), please watch my current favorite video. Enjoy!

HAPPY WEEKEND!!

What I’m Loving Wednesday

2012-01-11T20:49:00.001-05:00

1. Remember last summer when my team at work hired an intern? I blogged about him here and here. Well, Sean came back over winter break and he’s been a delight to work with again. We’ve exchanged cookies (my carrot cake cookies for his (mom’s) dark chocolate biscotti)…

…and one day he even made me a mask for when I wasn’t feeling pretty.

Sean: “You’re pretty every day.”

Me: “Pssh, that’s a lie.”

Sean: “I know.”

Boys and their brutal honesty.

2. The weather in Charleston and the views from my 10-miler:

3. There’s a new Luna bar and a new Clif Kid Z Bar!

I just picked up the Z Bar from Trader Joe’s, but haven’t found the Luna bar yet. When I find it, I’ll probably eat it in the store as soon as I get my fingers on it. And then pay for the wrapper in line.

In case you were curious, my top 3 Luna Bar flavors are: Iced Oatmeal Raisin, Blueberry Bliss, and Chocolate Peppermint Stick.

4. Tweets from Men’s Humor. They are sarcastic and often crude, but hilarious and worth following.

5. I’m going back to NYC!! Yes, I went last March and August, but when my best friend Lucy moved there in September, I was determined to visit her as soon as she settled in. I booked my ticket for President’s Day weekend and I’m so excited to go back. 37 days!

Have you tried the new Luna or Clif Kid Z Bar yet?

Whose twitter feed is your favorite to follow?

Favorite place in NYC? Meet-up anyone?

Southwest Meatloaf and Half Marathon Plans

2012-01-10T20:58:00.001-05:00

Don’t be scared when you see a meatloaf recipe. Chances are, it’s not like the meatloaf you shuddered at in the cafeteria line. There are so many variations to this classic dish that you’d be surprised to find a modern-day recipe that’s anything like what those hairnet-donning women were serving you in grade school. Did you just shudder? I did.

Southwest Meatloaf

Ingredients:

1 lb. angus ground beef, 96/4 extra lean
1/2 cup panko breadcrumbs
1/2 cup frozen corn kernels
1 4 oz. can fire-roasted diced green chiles
1/4 cup skim milk
2 large egg whites
1 tsp. ground cumin
1/2 tsp. chili powder
1/2 tsp. salt
1/2 tsp. ground pepper
1 oz. goat cheese, crumbled

Preheat oven to 350*. Combine all ingredients in a large bowl, mixing lightly. Add meat mixture to a greased loaf pan and press down to smooth top. Crumble goat cheese atop loaf. Bake for 55 minutes or until a meat thermometer reads 165*. Let rest for 20 minutes until slicing. Makes 4 servings.

Black Bean Salsa

Ingredients:

1 14.5 oz. can of diced tomatoes with green chilies, drained
1 15.5 oz. can of no salt added black beans, drained
1 clove of garlic, finely minced
1/2 tsp. ground cumin
juice of 1/2 a lime
chopped cilantro, if desired

Combine all ingredients in a medium bowl, mixing well. Serve along with meatloaf.

Hot damn, that did not photograph well. But let me tell you, it was delicious! If you make this, be sure to let it rest before slicing or else you will make a huge mess. I wonder who did that? Hmmmm.

…

In my very first post of the year, I mentioned that 2012 is the year I complete a half marathon. My grandfather immediately suggested that he and I run the Clemson Easter Bunny Run in April. Racing around Clemson in bunny ears? Sure! The course starts at the South Carolina Botanical gardens and goes around the University with views of Lake Hartwell and the surrounding community.

With that said, I looked up some training courses and found a 12-week schedule. This meant I had to start, like, today. I took one look at the schedule and found it extremely boring. Instead of following the schedule, I set out to run in the gorgeous 70 degree weather to see what I could handle.

10 miles later it was dark and I had to stop. Apparently I can run almost a half without training. Who knew?

It may not have been my smartest move to run that far, but as I do run on a regular basis, my body wasn’t going to go in complete shock, right? Or maybe I am just Superwoman.

Needless to say, when I got home, I wanted to eat everything in sight. I refueled with coconut water, almonds, walnuts, cranberries, Greek yogurt, and a big bowl of vegetables. Honest to goodness, I don’t even know what I’m doing, so if you have any tips, let me know. Just please don’t tell me that I’m going to break my body or something because that will make me sad.

I know I have to be smart, so I will follow the rest of the “schedule”, but the competitive side of me took over during that 10-mile run. I couldn’t help it.

Tips on running your first half marathon – give them to me! Seriously, tell me everything you know. Write me a book in the comment section, send me an email, sing me a song. Goooooooooo!

Citrus Walnut Beet Dip and Bad Xbox Dancing

2012-01-09T21:05:00.001-05:00

Let’s face it. Beets are a weird vegetable. They grow in the ground, which makes them taste like dirt, and when you cut into them they bleed all over you. What other vegetable does that?

AND THEY MAKE YOUR PEE PINK.

Well, some of you. According to World’s Healthiest Foods, “an estimated 10-15% of all U.S. adults experience beeturia (a reddening of the urine) after consumption of beets.”

Are you one of the 10-15%? I am and I don’t mind it. I also don’t mind sharing that fact with you. Sorry!

Over the weekend, I furthered my love for this creepy vegetable by making a dip.

Citrus Beet Dip

Ingredients:

1 15 oz can beets
1/2 cup chopped walnuts
1 clove garlic
¼ cup plain Greek yogurt
2 tbsp. orange juice
1 tbsp. honey
1 tsp. coriander

Preparation:

Place all ingredients into a food processer and puree until smooth. Enjoy the pink stuff!

Three of my favorite things: wine, beets, and blogging!

My poor friend Robert was hanging out with me on Saturday when I decided to make this and boy, did he think I was disgusting. I guess it was payback for when I (briefly!) made him carry my purse at Target. He didn’t seem to mind much, but what did bother him was my extreme case of a.d.d. while in the store.

You see, we went for gum. Just gum. That is all.

We left with:

a jewelry organizer
two pairs of green socks (I love socks!)
more spandex pants
wine
huge box of clif bars
popchips
and the gum

$64 and an hour later, I couldn’t tell if he was annoyed or entertained by my ability to destroy Target. He said I was going to be an expensive wife. I think that’s a compliment.

Later that evening, I spent, oh, maybe 6 hours playing Just Dance. My calves were so sore on Sunday morning. In case you ever doubted my hyperactivity, feel free to watch this clip (of a clip) of when I was dancing. Maybe one day I will show you the full footage.

“My watch is weighing me down.”

Who wants to come over and dance?!

The Friday Five

2012-01-06T00:00:00.000-05:00

1. What I’m Reading: I have read a page of The Hunger Games. I think I told you guys a month ago that I was starting it. And then the holidays happened. This weekend is my first that isn’t jam-packed with festivities, so I will start it, I swear. In the mean time, I’ve been catching up my favorite magazines.

2. What I’m Listening to: The new Mute Math cd, Odd Soul. This is my favorite song from it. Best lines: Everyone has an hour glass / To turn back upside down … Don't waste a whole life / On just a half try / It's all or nothing

3. What I’m Watching: Well, now that I’m a nerdy xbox owner, I’ve been streaming videos/tv through Netflix. Now I understand why people don’t want to leave their couch to work out. It’s a sick habit!! I’ve started re-watching Nip/Tuck from Season 1.

4. What I’m Eating: Last night, my aunt made another recipe from Skinny Taste. This time it was Stuffed Cabbage Casserole. I loved it!

(via)

5. What I’m ~~Pinning~~ Youtubing: I’ve watched this video a bunch, and it cracks me up every time. Yoga lovers (and haters, like myself) will enjoy this:

YOUR TURN!

What are YOU reading, listening to, watching, eating, or youtubing? GO!

What I’m Loving Wednesday

2012-01-04T00:00:00.000-05:00

1. Classes at my gym. Along with my other plans for 2012, I plan on try more new classes at the gym. First class of the year: yoga. Shocking, I know, but I hadn’t given yoga a try since I left Eco. Although it was a nice change-up from my typical routine, I still didn’t love it. It just doesn’t thrill me and I feel like I’m just getting way too much personal time with the floor.

I do, however, like that I can take off my sneakers and just wear socks. Halfway through the class, I realized that I was the only one actually wearing socks. Whoops.

2. Moist Chocolate Beet Cake.

YumSugar recently posted this recipe by David Lebovitz. I haven’t made it yet, but believe this epitomizes “hungry meets healthy.” Holly and Trish, this could be great for our beet extravaganza dinner.

3. Ashley, Kaye, and I had brunch at Leaf on New Years Day. I laughed so hard when I saw what the bartender named our tab. We were a party of three, yes, but with how much I love Trio (the dance club), I couldn’t help but laugh.

There is nothing wrong with signing your receipts with your nickname. Nobody even looks. Nobody even cares.

4. This tweet from my friend Boding.

Smart girl!! I promise it wasn’t me. Whoever this girl is, I want to slap her high-five.

5. Chick-fil-A has a new menu item! Say mmm to their Chicken Tortilla Soup.

In the bowl is: “shredded boneless breast of chicken, navy, northern and black beans in a white creamy base with a perfect blend of vegetables and spices.”

The nutritional stats aren’t too shabby. Packing over 14g of fiber, I’m wondering if this is actually a NYE detox soup. Ha. Have you tried it yet? It’s gooooooood. Get it now, as it’s only available for a limited time!

6. You!! On the past few posts, I have some received some really genuine comments that have made me so happy. I really appreciate those of you who have recently commented for the first time. Ooooooh you make me smile. Huge thanks to those of you who have already voted for my blog in the Best of Charleston awards.

Best of Charleston 2012

2012-01-03T01:29:00.001-05:00

Last year, I was lucky enough to win the 2011 Charleston City Paper award for Best Local blog. You can read about the day I won here and the Best of Charleston party here.

I pretty much jumped out of my pajamas the morning I saw this in the paper.

The party was a lot of fun and I got to bring my friend Margaret with me.

We had a lot of fun. Too much fun.

I am so grateful to have won and appreciate all of you who voted. CCP is now accepting ballots for the 2012 awards and I would love for you to consider voting for me.

Vote here.

THANK YOU!!!!

2012 Is the Year I…

2012-01-02T01:18:00.001-05:00

…run a half marathon. I mean why not? I may have short legs, but they are strong and will take me far. Hopefully 13.1 miles.

….read at least 12 books. One per month is not asking a lot. Why I still haven’t started this book, I’m not sure.

…use my camera more! And I don’t mean this one.

…have less stuff. Clutter drives me crazy and as mentally unstable as I am, I think less tangible goods will make life easier. I just called myself mentally unstable. Do you still love me?

…date more nerdy guys. I mean there is no way any not nerdy person can handle me so…ok, bring on the geeks. #geekchic

…be a better listener. I like, no love, giving advice, but should hone my listening skills. I want to start a column called Ask Xtina. But that sounds semi inappropriate, so let’s go with Ask Christina.

…eat less crap. I consume wayyyyyy too much sugar for my own good. Candy is fun but my teeth and waistline don’t appreciate it as much as my brain does.

…compliment people more. If I have a nice thought about a person, I’m just going to go all word vomit on them.

…be a better blogger! I love you guys. I do! So much. I’d marry my blog and all of you followers if that was legal.

…eat more pickles. Duh.

How To Have a Successful New Years Eve

2011-12-31T16:06:00.001-05:00

1. Wear as much glitter, sparkles, or sequins that your body will allow. The shinier the better people. Get glowing!

2. Drink champagne! Obviously this is the beverage of choice when the clock strikes midnight. Bubbly beverages = bubbly personalities, so start sipping!

3. Sip SLOWLY! Do not overdo it just because you may be at a party with an open bar. Do you want to drink like a classy individual or do you want to wake up feeling like crap? The choice is yours! My suggestion is to drink a glass of water between every adult beverage.

4. Don’t forget your bar snacks! Having something in your stomach will help with the effects of the alcohol, both tonight and tomorrow. I recommend bringing a protein bar, banana, or a handful of nuts. Or cookies! You guys know I love my bar snacks.

5. Be safe! Do not get behind the wheel. The wheel of a car, truck, boat, bicycle, or moped. Shoot, don’t even get on a skateboard. If Prince Charming shows up, maybe you can hop in his ride.

HAPPY NEW YEAR!!

Questions I Need Answered by YOU!

2011-12-30T15:34:00.001-05:00

Warning: This will be random.

1. Where can I good, inexpensive yoga pants? I currently wear ones from Victoria’s Secret and Target. I like them, but I want more!

I know you all want to say Lululemon, but I’d rather spend my moolah on…

2. What’s the best mascara? I don’t need a lengthening one – my lashes already touch my eyebrows and it tickles! I want one that volumizes them so they look like fans for my face! haha. Could be helpful at the gym when I get really hot, right? Here’s what I currently use:

3. What’s your favorite cell phone app? I can’t get enough of Words with Friends.

Please don’t say Angry Birds – I refuse to download that!

4. Does anyone celebrate half birthdays? I just realized mine is today. I didn’t need another reason to celebrate, but now I have one. YAY. 27 1/2, here we go.

5. Are you going to say 2012 as “Two thousand twelve” or “Twenty twelve"? Major life decision right there.

What I’m Loving Wednesday

2011-12-28T00:12:00.001-05:00

1. I am the queen of last minute…everything. Procrastinating is my specialty. 5 days before NYE, I realized I like none of the dresses in my closet. Typical female right here. So, I purchased a new one. Piperlime is my friend.

2. This chart. That grey area is why I try to stay single. Ew.

3. I go to Hall’s Chophouse a lot. Their beets make me drool. After blogging about them here, they put me up on their website. Boom.

4. So I guess I have to go back to NYC. Several reasons to travel have popped up (HELLO LUCY), including a new restaurant in the Upper West Side. @PetrossianNYC tweeted me to inform me of Jacob’s Kitchen. Should I book my flight now?

Fried pickles in NYC = #bestofbothworlds. SERIOUSLY.

5. My Xbox avatar wears spandex!

I just remembered that I have cookie dough in my freezer. Gotta go.

Sorry I’m Not Sorry…

2011-12-26T22:20:00.001-05:00

…that I haven’t blogged in days. Tis the season! To be a lazy blogger? Sure!

…that 2 of my favorite gifts this year wers a Chick-fil-A gift card and a foam roller.

The best part was that when I originally asked my aunt for the foam roller, she confused it with a sex toy. Hmm.

…that my grandparents know how accident prone I am and got me a gift certificate to get a RoadID. This little bracelet will have my name, emergency contact #, allergies (NKA baby!) and blood type. I also got to put a quote on there. Sorry I’m not sorry that instead of something inspirational, I put “Run for more cookies!”

It’s true. I run for more cookies.

…that on Christmas, my family and I got really weird. Wine may have been to blame, but honestly, we’re a strange group sober. My cousin Gabrielle jokingly handcuffed me so I couldn’t drink more wine.

And when I snapped out of the cuffs, she slapped on some duct tape. Fancy duct tape, if I do say so myself.

Did you guys know you can make crafts with duct tape? Gabrielle made me some bows. If you’re wondering why my eyes look possessed, it’s because I am.

…that clearly huge possessed eyes run in the family. Hi Zachary.

…that on Friday I bought an Xbox + a kinect. What! I bought it for one main reason: to dance. Jason and I may or may not have stayed up until almost 5 a.m. dancing. It sure does beat Trio’s 1:45 a.m. closing time.

I have danced to Party Rock Anthem like 45 times in the last 2 days. I also bought Your Shape.

…that all these Xbox workouts are being refueled with peppermint Hershey Kisses.

…that this post was really random and weird. What else would you expect from me?

Talk to me, people! I miss you! I love you!

Pure Barre Charleston and a Blogger Meet Up!

2011-12-22T00:00:00.000-05:00

Twitter is constantly making me happy. Reason #298529875: The owner of Pure Barre Charleston recently discovered my blog via my friend Danielle, who happens to be one of her instructors. Jen offered to let me try some classes at her studio, so Wednesday evening, I stopped by.

Pure Barre is located to the left of Whole Foods in the Houston Northcutt shopping plaza in Mt. Pleasant. The studio is very sleek and has good energy. Upon walking in, I was immediately greeted by Danielle, Jen (the owner), and Margaret (who would was teaching the next class). Everyone was so friendly and I instantly felt comfortable. I think this is very important in new fitness situations.

The Pure Barre workout “utilizes the ballet barre to perform small isometric movements set to motivating music.” These movements, which Margaret kept calling “tiny,” really are just that. I noticed that I paid much more attention to the individual muscles as I worked on them rather than just letting my body flail around. The workout targets the abs, hips, thighs, back of the arm, and seat. Each area is worked until fatigued and then stretched .With that said, each muscle group was on fiiiiiiiiiire and stretching them felt so good.

Margaret was an excellent instructor. She was very motivating and cheerful. I appreciated her coming over several times to improve my form. Proper form during a workout is key to maximizing your results.

In a nutshell:

Pure Barre provides a great full-body workout that is sure to strengthen and tone females’ problematic areas.
The staff was very welcoming.
The music was up-to-date and fun, but just a tad loud.
All the equipment we used (dumbbells, mats, balls, and double tubing) were brand new.
To clean up, they use disposable wipes rather than spray & rags – this made me so happy.

For more information see Pure Barre’s:

Huge thanks to Jen, Margaret, and Danielle for inviting me in. I had such a good time. Charleston friends: if you’re interested in taking a Pure Barre class, I have a pass for you! Tweet me or email me at christina orso at gmail dot com if you’re interested.

In blogger news, I met Sierra from Posh Meets Pavement on Monday! We met for drinks and dinner at Hall’s Chophouse. After reading her blog for several months, it was great to meet in real life and just chat! We had so much to talk about and I wish she lived here so we could hang out more. Maybe I need to vacation in South Africa… ;)

We both had a glass of red wine and my favorite salad, but I added beets. I’ll tell you again and again that their Blackened Salmon Salad is one of my favorite salads ever. It has sliced pears, oranges, buttermilk blue cheese, candied pecans, and white balsamic dressing. Although this picture does not do it justice, here’s photo from earlier this summer.

After dinner we snapped a photo in front of the Christmas tree. How bad is it that Amanda and I took the same photo less than a week ago? #hallsobsessed

What new fitness classes have you taken recently?

Who’s your favorite blogger that you’ve met in real life? (Btw: blogger + friend = blend)

Celebrating the Holidays

2011-12-21T00:08:00.001-05:00

December is pretty much over. Okay, okay, we still have Christmas and New Year’s Eve but um, where did the time go? I’ve been so busy that I wouldn’t even know what the date was unless I had an advent calendar. And then I got so busy that I forgot about the calendar and just started eating random days out of chronological order. Who does that? One day was really special because I got to eat four days that I had skipped. Nothing better than a morning chocolate overdose.

One of the first holiday celebrations was going to the Festival of Lights on James Island with TJ. (Gosh he hasn’t been on the blog in a while.) You drive through 3 miles of light displays.

Reindeer:

Our bridge!

A mermaid. I flipped over this one.

In the middle of the drive, you can get out for shopping, food, and SANTA. Yes, I went there. Straight to his lap!

I was definitely the only adult (until they made TJ sit with me), but according to this sign, it was legal.

After I made Santa’s day (trust me, he told me he liked it), we roasted marshmallows. So festive.

Naturally I got marshmallow all over my face.

This past weekend, I went to a friend’s Christmas party. Amanda and I had a little too much fun with the new Bethenny Frankel Skinnygirl cocktails. She brought the Sangria and I bought the Cranberry Cosmo. I didn’t love the Sangria, but the Cosmo was delicious. Amanda preferred the Sangria, so it was a win win. I’m sure our faces prove that.

The mistletoe headband came on for the second party I went to. As much as I want to explain Boomer’s strange outfit to you, I just can’t. Let’s just say we went to a “future” themed party and he doesn’t typically dress this way. I’m glad I can embarrass him in front of all my readers though. #notsorry

As you can see, not everyone dressed like a mountain man. Say hi to Jason.

How have you been celebrating the holidays?

Do you celebrate Christmas, Hanukah, Kwanzaa, or are you a Scrooge?

At what age did you stop sitting on Santa’s lap? I’m not stopping!!!

Survey Saturday

2011-12-17T16:51:00.001-05:00

Sure, why not.

1. What time did you get up this morning? Don’t ask me that on a Saturday. Just don’t even go there.

2. How do you like your steak? I don’t care for steak really. But when I do eat it, I want it rare.

3. What was the last movie you saw at the theater? Breaking Dawn!

4. What is your favorite TV show? Um. Jeopardy? I don’t really watch t.v.

5. If you could live anywhere in the world where would it be? That’s a major life decision. I don’t make those. I always thought I’d end up in FL but I do love Charleston!

6. What did you have for breakfast? Plain Greek yogurt + peanut butter + raspberry preserves + an orange.

7. Do you wear glasses or contacts? Glasses as needed. Like when I eat froyo.

8. What food do you despise? Raw onions.

9. Favorite Place to Eat? LBH – Chick-fil-A brings me more joy than any other restaurant.

10. Favorite dressing? White balsamic or any fruity vinaigrettes.

11. What’s your favorite movie? American Beauty.

12. What are your favorite clothes? Dresses, sandals, bathing suits. I hate Winter clothes.

13. Where would you visit, this weekend, if you had the chance? NYC! To see Lucy and Kaye.

14. How many tattoos do you have? 1 1/2. Okay, 1 and 1 in the removal process.

15. Where would you want to retire? Doesn’t everyone go to FL?

16. What is your desktop photo? Dom. Tiled.

17. Where were you born? Concord, MA.

18. What is your favorite sport to watch? College football, but let’s face it, am I really watching?

19. How many siblings? 3 brothers.

20. Favorite pastime/hobby? Blogging, hello!!

21. Coffee Drinker? Yes

23. Are you a morning person or a night person? Night owl for sure.

24. Do you have any pets? That would be a bad idea.

25. Any new and exciting news you'd like to share? The mistletoe headband is coming out tonight.

26. What did you want to be when you were little? In 5th grade I wanted to be a brain surgeon. Then I thought about being a librarian but obviously I am way too loud for that.

27. What is your favorite color? Green.

28. Are you a cat or dog person? Dog.

29. Are you married? To my blog.

30. Always wear your seat belt? Most of the time.

31. Been in a car accident? Pshhhhhhh

32. Any pet peeves? Loud chewers, gum smackers, slow talkers, slow walkers, slow story tellers, slow computers, slow music, slow anything. Except for slow cookers, those are pretty cool.

33. Favorite Pizza Toppings? Margherita pizza. Or chicken.

34. Favorite Flower? Don’t have one. I’m not a female.

35. Favorite ice cream? Cookie dough. Oreo. Peanut butter coffee. Or Chick-fil-A IceDream.

36. Favorite fast food restaurant? Chick-fil-A

37. How many times did you fail your driver's test? I think only once.

38. From whom did you get your last email? Kaye.

39. Which store would you choose to max out your credit card? Just one?! Um. Piperlime.

40. Like your job? Yes!