recipe | Preppy Runner - Theodora Blanchfield

While, yes, I work out so I can be happy with how I look and perform well in races (and stay healthy and stuff), it’s amazing how it makes the other things in my life come together, too.

For example, I was awful at time management until I started working out. I pack 10 times more things into my day now than I ever did because working out helps me prioritize things.

Even though it’s something can add up to an extra hour in my day, most days it’s worth it for the clarity of mind I get afterwards and how it tends to make me think of everything else like a game.

Like, if I can do this tough workout, what ELSE can I do?

This morning, I did Jaz’s 6:30 abs class (she mixes up OH PRETTY MUCH EVERY AB MOVE YOU COULD EVER DO–lots of planks, sit ups with the weighted bars or medicine balls– with cardio intervals like mountain climbers and jumping jacks) for an intense thirty minutes.

Afterwards, I came home and managed to make some kale chips and get some work done before going to work. (Oh, and showering, obviously.) On a day I fight with the snooze bar, there’s no way in hell I’d make kale chips before going to work.

Before becoming active a few years ago, I would come home from work around 6 or 6:30, walk Bailey and plop on the couch for a few hours. Yet I felt like I didn’t have time to do anything. I’ve since added working out, blogging, working longer hours, taking on a much bigger commitment in Junior League, and while, sure, I feel a little overloaded at times, I do fit so much more into a day than I used to–and I think working out is a big part of that since it clears my mind and makes me take a good look at my schedule to see where I can get a workout in.

BRACE YOURSELVES, I THINK WE HAVE A RECIPE.

I was randomly craving turkey meatloaf yesterday, and looked at a bunch of recipes but ended up going for putting my own together.

(Why muffin tin? I think my mom threw out my loaf pan when I moved.)

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BBQ Turkey Meatloaf (Muffins)

Ingredients:

1 pound ground turkey

1 medium onion

1 egg

1/2 cup rolled oats

1/2 cup BBQ sauce

Salt

Pepper

AND THAT’S IT. (I hate long ingredient lists.)

Directions:

Chop onion, beat egg and add to ground turkey. Combine all with your hands (and try to get over that gross feeling) and add oats and BBQ sauce, salt and pepper. Bake for 40 minutes at 375 degrees.

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I think they turned out pretty well–I had them for lunch with the kale chips and a roasted sweet potato and for dinner with just the kale chips.

So, how does working out help you with time management? And/or, what’s the most random thing you’ve ever cooked before work? I made risotto once before work. I think that qualifies as my most random.

To be honest, every day I still don’t have a job, I wake up with my heart pounding.

The days that I have interviews or meetings are stressful, but having something that I need to do makes me feel like I’m not a waste of space.

I’m trying to freelance and create some of my own work so that I feel like I’m accomplishing something, rather than just being a drain on society and not furthering my career, but it’s still hard.

Especially days like today when there’s nothing I *have* to do. (Of course, all week, I was waiting for a day like today so I could relax.)

So I tried to do calm-making things.

I cleaned my kitchen.

I went to a yoga class.

And then some dude walked in half an hour late, made a big show of throwing all his stuff down loudly, sighing, and then walking out twenty minutes early. (It was an hour class, so he was only there for ten minutes. Um?) Thanks for interrupting my zen, buddy. There was also a woman next to me breathing so loudly that I first thought it was the air conditioning. I finally unwound by the end of the class, and then I walked out and the late dude and his wife were having a loud fight with their child. In the gym. And then I got in the elevator and heard a woman tell her friend that she “owed effing $40,000 because of his mistake.”

You know you live in NYC when the zen lasts for about three minutes after class.

But I was still determined not to let any of these people mess with my zen, so I went to another happy place: the running store. I’m obviously trying to curb my spending, but running socks and Gu definitely count as necessities during marathon training.

I’m trying new socks, because my feet seem to be swelling a bit with all this summer running, and I’m trying new fuel for my 15-miler tomorrow so that I don’t bonk. I definitely under-fuel on my long runs. (I’m not planning on taking all of that tomorrow!) Running retail therapy always helps.

I realized my diet has been lacking a bit in green veggies lately, so I stopped at the Stiles Farmers Market on my way home. (Well, to be honest, I stopped at Whole Foods first, just picked up kale and spinach and immediately put it down when I saw the length of the line.) If you ask me, this market is definitely a hidden gem in Hell’s Kitchen. It’s not the least bit fancy, but it has fresh produce at awesome prices. These two big bags were $14.00. Serious win.

I came home, sauteed a tiny bit of kale in olive oil and put it over my scallops and couscous from the other night, and sprinkled it all in nutritional yeast for a little extra flavor.

I was still feeling motivated to do more things for myself, so I tried my own take on Mama Pea’s dough balls. (Yes, I’m so late to this party.)

I did a little substitution: all whole-wheat flour instead of mixing whole wheat and regular; sunflower butter for peanut butter; all chocolate chips instead of peanut butter chips and no powdered sugar.