Eating at Night and Running at Lunch

Good Morning Folks! How are you today? Well I HOPE after that Steelers victory last night! Youll be happy to know I was in my jersey with my ladies watching with excitement!




This is the only pic I have in my Steelers Jersey that I would post haha Steelers v Browns game

 Because my work schedule has been made slightly longer I am trying to figure out the best time to go to the gym today. I cant go after work like usual because I wont have time before class. I am thinking I may have to do the impossible and work out during my lunch break : / I hate the thought of working up a sweat and getting back to work but I also hate the thought of going to the gym at 9pm tonight after working 9 hours and then class for 3. I just want to go home after a long day like that.

I am trying to make sure to hit the gym more than before (hopefully 6 days a week) because I know the holidays are coming up and that means good food, alcohol and very little time or opportunity for exercise. I want to get my body ready for that time so I don't come back with a little holiday love around my waist.

Today I want to tackle a big question about myself but first I think a little bit of back story is necessary.

Since I moved to Pittsburgh for college I have always lived with people. In my freshmen year I lived in the freshmen dorms (awful places) with my room mate Emma. I am pretty sure she thought I was a crazy person because I barely ever went out, I worked almost every night and weekend, didn't drink and Oh yea.. had a crazy ass, jealous, anger management case for a boyfriend when I came to college. (PS I think that last part had a lot to do with it! HAHA.. don't worry didn't last too long in the grand scheme of things and I was 18.. don't judge me : p)



One of my favorite photos from freshmen year.

 Then for the rest of my undergrad I lived with two of my best friends on campus and off.. these girls were crazy and I loved them.. even though their craziness and my goodie two shoes-ness (word?) sometimes clashed.



From left to right: April, Kayla, me



Hear no Evil?

And then for my first year of graduate school I lived with these lovely ladies...

Kelly, Me, Rachel and Whitney

So once I realized the steps that I wanted to take in my life after graduation from the Masters program. I realized that this 2nd year of my MBA will hopefully be the only time in my life I will be able to live by myself. So I went for it and I told myself that I was going to use this year or so to really focus on myself and figure out exactly who I am and what I want in life. Ya know? The "what would you be doing if you knew no one was there to interrupt" type of thing. Unfortunately my life has become so busy that its usually laundry..wah wah wahhh but one of the questions I have yet to answer about myself has to do with my self control.

I always have the tendencies to eat at night.. I don't know why.. its when I crave salty, sweet and carbs.. but its 11 o'clock at night and there is no need. I am not even hungry. I work so hard during the day to work out, eat right , pack a healthy lunch and snacks but when I get home and finally stop running.. all I want to do is eat. Then I get mad at myself because there was no need and then it screws up the next days healthy eating because I am not hungry when I wake up (which if you know me.. you know that breakfast is my favorite.. I am ALWAYS hungry when I wake up) I just lose my self control. Its never bad food bc I don't have bad food in my apartment.. but I might have some toast or whatever.. just something that I definitely didn't need.

So I guess this is something I need to figure out and I need to figure out how to stop it.. so that I can feel good about my healthy decisions from when I wake up ridiculously early in the morning to when I go to sleep at night!

Always be improving yourself to be who you want to be .. because at the end of the day.. you are all you have : )

Marilyn Monroe Exhibit and Hilarious Pumpkins

Good Morning everyone!

This weekend was amazing! Filled with friends, cooking and excited Pittsburgh inspired adventures for every Yinzer to enjoy! (If you are reading this and are not actually from Pittsburgh .. a "Yinzer" is a name for someone who personifies every ridiculous Pittsburgh stereotype.. this might include:)

- Have a Pittsburgh Steelers inspired Christmas Tree
- Sitting in the same chair for every steelers game with the same beer soaked terrible towel because one time 20 years ago when you sat in that chair with that towel.. the Steelers had a miraculous victory
- Using words like "yinz= you guys" or "dahn-tahn = downtown"
- Perhaps calling people F'ing Jagg offs

All characteristics of the Yinzer.. but I digress this weekend I got to see the classier side of Pittsburgh by going down to the North Shore with some good friends to the Andy Warhol museum. My friends and I stopped at Atrias on the way and sat down to a nice dinner where we shared a bottle of wine and dinner. I had a delicious Hawaiian chicken dish with island rice, grilled chicken and steamed vegetables. Although the portions were huge and I was sad that I couldn't take leftovers because I didn't want to carry them around all night. After we were done we all laughing and sharing funny stories we headed to the museum!

Usually I am not a fan of Andy Warhol but this exhibit was special because it was inspired by Marilyn Monroe! We walked in to a big party filled with artsy types and families..and even tables of popcorn and candy since Andy inspired "pop art"..

It was really fun to walk around all the levels and see all the art that she had inspired. While some of it was rather risque it was nice to see a woman glorified who wasn't a size 2. Marilyn Monroe was considered one of the most beautiful people in all history and she was a size10-12. Remember that ladies next time you re down on yourself for having to buy a size 8. I know its hard to realize sometimes and I struggle with it all the time too .. but its about health and strength .. not about jean size.. Marilyn is proof!



Me attempting to be as cute as Marilyn : ) Did I succeed?

There was even an opportunity to do some silk screens..

I chose James Dean


The next day was our long awaited Harvest Fest for my friends and I. It was a day to watch Halloween movies, eat good homemade food and carve pumpkins!

We sat down to eat some delicious home made food. There was a delicious chicken Marsala, salad full of greens and veggies, pumpkin bread and acorn squash.



I was the one responsible for the pumpkin bread and pie

 We even managed to have some pumpkin inspired drinks with apple cider and pumpkin beer :  )

We ate dinner and watched Hocus Pocus and the Charlie Brown Halloween special. Both absolute Halloween classics and then we got to carving up our pumpkin ideas!

Mine is quite the doozy because I decided to carve Big Ben walking into a women's bathroom at a club. If you have heard about his recent indiscretions in the newspapers then you understand that there is nothing that  could be scarier!

As an after carving treat I took the seeds and baked them so we could have some roasted pumpkin seeds for afterwards. I was shocked to find out that my friends had never had them before! I guess maybe it was only something my family did? Maybe it meant less clean up haha Never made them before? Here's how!

Roasted Pumpkin Seeds
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees
- rinse off pumpkin seeds and remove all pulp
- spray baking sheet and put down a thin layer of seeds
- sprinkle with a good amount of salt, pepper and garlic salt
- baked for 15-20 minutes or until crispy and enjoy!

So what Halloween traditions do you guys have? Do you have any special recipes?