Lately...What I have been up to

This semester has been quite relaxing compared to last semester. Remember last semester, I took 19 units, one of which was chemistry? It was so stressful and I was so busy. Take into account that I was training for my first half-marathon during that time, I was pretty wiped out. I don't know how I survived last semester. 

This semester has been quite different. I am not taking any classes for my major (the upperclassmen got priority). However, I am taking classes for my General Education (GE). I'll be pretty much done with my GE. I am taking 13 units this semester. They are all cultural classes. Asian American Woman, Society and Culture of the Middle East, Spanish and English. I am loving my classes. Even though these classes are not for my major, they will help me in my career. I'll be in contact with many people from different cultures. Learning about these cultures will help my understand my clients/patients better. Along with that, I have been volunteering more. It's a great resume builder!

As you see, I am trying to balance my workload with volunteering (and from last semester). Anyway, there is something that I have been wanting to talk about. 

Listen to your body. That is something I should have done after my half-marathon. Training for one puts a lot of pressure on your body. I was running 30+ miles a week, along with doing boot camp. I slept an average of 5-6 hours a day. I was so busy with school. I overworked my body. I felt my calves tightening and starting to hurt. My knees started to hurt as well. I still worked out after my half-marathon. Even though I wasn't putting in as many miles, I should have let my body rest. 

I am paying the price for it now. I feel more tired and exhausted. My body still feels sore. After my half-marathon, I should have given my body a week rest to recover. Instead, I'll be doing it now, starting tomorrow. I may do pilates, yoga, and walk. But for the most part, I'll be resting. My body needs it. Hopefully, my muscles recover and grow. Hopefully, I won't feel as tired anymore. 

Have you ever overworked your body? If so, how did you deal with it?

What have you been up to lately?

Weekly Goals + Updates

Happy Sunday everyone. How are you guys today?

I'm doing fine, thank you very much. I ran 11 miles again this morning and it felt great. Well, not really. Last week's run was much better. I tend to get stomach issues on long runs, when I run on an empty stomach and when I eat a snack at least an hour before my run. Do you guys have any suggestions?

Anyway, let's go over my last week's goals. For one thing, I did try a new food. It was some sort of Chinese vegetable. As for randomly doing squats and push-ups, I did them but not everyday. And, I did get ready for school (for the most part). I have most of my textbooks and I bought a lab coat to use for one of my classes. By the way, here's a tip for buying textbooks in college. The school bookstore overprice their books. Try buying them online or renting them (especially if you don't plan on using the book after the class). If the book is used for a class for your major, maybe it's best to buy and keep it.

So, here are this weeks goals.

Hopefully, I can do this!

And here are a few eats.

This is the Skinny Cow chocolate. I received a coupon in the mail, so I decided to try it out. Even though I love chocolate and sweets, this was a bit too sweet for my tastes.

 I bought this veggie English muffin breakfast sandwich from Fluid on Friday. It has eggs, veggies and pesto sauce. It was so good!

Yesterday, I went to McDonald's. Yes. I can't believe it but I did. I decided to try their grilled sweet chili chicken wrap. I wish there was more filling in the wrap. I won't be buying it again. I did like the sauce though.

I guess that's it for now. Be on the lookout for this recipe later on this week!

How was your weekend?
Do you like wraps or are you more of a sandwich person?

For me, it just depends on my mood. 

What Running has done for Me

I never considered myself a runner. I was that overweight kid in junior high that hated PE.  I hated that I got tired and sweaty after running. I used to think that running 1/2 a mile was a lot. However, that changed near the end of junior high. I wanted to lose weight before entering high school.

I started off my weight loss by running. My mom made me wake up early in the morning and run in the backyard. I ran for 10 minutes. That's how it was when I was in 8th grade. It was either running in the morning or a little before dinner time. I was happy when I was able to run for 14 minutes!

I didn't really think about the benefits running gave me until my junior year of high school. I started running for longer periods of time and it really helped me deal with the stress I was going through during that time. Talk about an hour of running! You can say that running is a type of therapy for me. After dealing with the stress, I started running for shorter periods of time (30 minutes instead of an hour). I had already lost the weight half-way through freshman year of high school and I just needed to maintain my weight. I didn't have that stress anymore.

Come to freshman year of college, my uncle started to pick up running (the one that loves to drink Dr. Pepper, if you've read my weight loss journey post)! He joined a local running group and told me all about it. He runs 5ks and runs when he can. He motivated me to start running even more.

By the end of my first year of college, my weekly mileage increased! Starting mid-July of this year, I decided to start training for a half-marathon, which my uncle fully supports. My training has really helped me deal with the stress I dealt through during college and the summer. I noticed that I tend to run better when I'm stressed.

I don't know where I'd be right now if I hadn't picked up running. It really has helped me get through the hard times. I also supplement my running with yoga, which helps quite a lot!

There are so many benefits to running. You should try it out if you haven't already. All you need are shorts, a t-shirt and a good pair of running shoes (sneakers). That's the great thing about running. You can run anywhere and at any time. There's no need for fancy equipment either!

What's your favorite activity to do?
Do you run?

Half-Marathon Training Update + My Week

Happy Saturday everyone! There's one more week until my first fall semester class starts. I can't believe it. I shall have as much fun as I can this last week.

I really hope it doesn't get in the way of my half-marathon training. I always run first thing in the morning. That is when the weather is nice and the sun isn't directly in my face. Also, I know that there won't be any excuses to not train, if I do it first thing. There is always time (to train and to exercise!). You just have to figure out how to fit it into your schedule. Whether it means waking up earlier or skipping your favorite TV show, just get your training/exercise in.

I love running. It's a way for me to clear my mind for a bit and to relieve stress. I also like pushing myself to train for a half-marathon. I see it as a goal to accomplish. It's very possible! Since I've already ran 10 miles, I think I can get up to 13.1 miles! I also like running because of its health benefits (mentally and physiologically speaking). I've been averaging 30 miles a week. Yes, running makes me more hungry but as long as I fuel my body the right way, it'll work out in the end. There is one topic I'd like to touch upon about half-marathon/marathon training but that will be in a different post. Stay tuned!

I plan on running 11 miles tomorrow. Wish me luck. Last week, when I tried running 11 miles, I ended up having some stomach issues during the last few miles. Sorry if it's too much information! I ate a snack an hour before my run and I guess it upset my stomach. I talked to a friend that has ran half-marathons and marathons. He said that the eating probably caused the stomach issues (and I agree!). He said that since I run in the morning, it's better to load up on carbs for dinner the night before. He suggested that I eat pasta (I'll stick to whole wheat pasta). Then, just drink water and then run the next morning. I can eat something after I run. I plan on trying that. I'll see how that goes.

And, now, my week!

Do you guys remember when you were children and played at the playground? Well, that's exactly what I did on Wednesday. I played at the playground with a VERY good friend of mine. We went down the slide, ran around, tried going across the monkey bars and went on the swings. I love the swings!

We also ate at Chipotle for lunch.

I ordered the Sofrita Bowl. It came with brown rice, sofrita, black beans and salsa. It was so good! The sofrita had the right kind of spiciness to it. I love tofu, which is the reason why I loved this meal. I can't believe that Chipotle is now trying to cater to vegans. That's awesome! My friend liked it too and he LOVES meat.

Anyway, I guess that's it for now.
Stay tuned for the recipe for this!

Do you like playing at the playground (or remember those days)?
Have you tried the sofrita from Chipotle? Do you like tofu?
Take a guess at what is pictured!

Changing my Routine

I changed my workout routine.

WHY? 

I changed it because I feel that weight lifting isn't for me. Yes, I will be doing strength training but it won't be in the form of lifting weights.

Instead, I will be doing body weight exercises along with yoga.

You see, I want my body to be like how it was a couple years ago. In my opinion, I had the right amount of muscle and fat. My weight was perfect too. At this time, I did yoga nearly everyday and I ran for 20-30 minutes. Here's a picture.

And here's a picture of me from last year in Hong Kong, before I started lifting weights. I also had increased the amount of exercise I do.

My thighs (now) have grown in size due to muscle and I don't like it. I liked how my body looked BEFORE I started lifting weights in the weight room. I'm hoping that changing my routine back to the running and yoga will help lengthen and lean out my thighs a little bit.

It's also good to change your routine once in a while, which is also why I'm changing it. It's good to have muscle. It's good to strength train. But, lifting weights is not for me.

I will still do body weight exercises (push-ups, squats, lunges) and yoga, but I won't be lifting weights. Hopefully, that's enough for me to preserve some muscle.

How often do you change your workout routine?

Do you think it's beneficial to change your workout routines?

Do you have any advice on how to lean out muscular legs (thighs in particular)?

Tip of the Day

Hey everyone. How are you guys doing today?

I can't believe that finals are over. It's summer vacation for me now. And, my first year of college is over. The year pasted by so quickly! I enjoyed my 2nd semester better than my first. I guess it was due to the adjustment. Anyway, it is summer until I start my summer classes next month. What was scary there was an earthquake in Northern California yesterday and my city felt the aftershock of it. I was so surprised! My cousins who live 10 miles north felt it but I didn't feel it. But, then, someone 1 mile East of where I live felt it. Strange.

Anyway, I know that I posted about HoW and the Spanish post each week but it's too much. I'm sorry I haven't been doing that. I will be discontinuing it. Instead, I will have a daily tip of the day.

The daily tip of the day will be about nutrition, health, and fitness. It will be a quick tip. I feel that having a daily quick tip is more beneficial than doing a HoW. Having a daily tip will reinforce the idea of living a health lifestyle.

I will be starting this on June 1st, 2013. If you guys have anything you want me to post tips on, feel free to email me or comment on this post. You can also follow me on twitter and tweet me. Thanks!

Healthified Double Chocolate Chip Frappuccino

Hey hey everyone. How are you guys doing?

I'm doing great, thank you very much. I only have 2 more weeks of school left. Then, it's finals week! It's crazy because I have a debate for my sociology class on Thursday. Then, I also have a group psychology research project presentation coming up. There's also my psychology exam on Thursday.

Anyway, on the bright side, the weather has been great. It's been in the 90's all week. On the downside, it's going to get a bit colder now. But, as of right now, it's warm and it makes me want something cold to drink. So, I thought, why not a frappuccino? I thought about buying some from Starbucks, but they are so expensive. They are having the half of promotion right now but I don't want to waste all that money when I can make some right at home.

And, you know what? It's delicious! My brother even likes it. You can make it even healthier if you want to by substituting some ingredients. It'll still taste great. Here's the recipe.

Ingredients:

• 1 cup milk (any milk of choice)
• 1/3 cup chocolate chips (you can use dark chocolate chips or carob chips)
• 2 tablespoon chocolate syrup (I used the sugar free kind)
• 2 cups ice
• 2-3 tablespoon sugar
• whipped cream (optional, you can use the fat free kind if you want)

Directions:

1. Place all the ingredients into the blender container. 
2. Blend until it's thick. 
3. Top with whipped cream if you want to and drizzle it with some more chocolate syrup, Enjoy! 

It's that simple! And, it tastes pretty good. My brother loves it! 

It's great to drink on a warm day. I love warm days. Shorts, tees, dresses and skirts. It's great! Once it gets warmer, I get to go swimming. I love swimming. The only thing is that I don't like getting tanner than I am right now. I'll have to deal with it though. It's not that bad. I was born tan. It's probably due to my dad's farming genes. He was born in a village in China and they were farmers. 

Anyway, my week has been alright. I've been lifting weights, doing cardio, studying, doing homework and hanging out with friends. 

My breakfast as of late has been oatmeal with pb2, chocolate chips, truvia and ground cinnamon. I drink coffee with this. Sometimes, I use real peanut butter instead or I add in apples. It depends on my mood. Here's an ugly picture: 

By the way, the Trader Joe's Spicy Black Bean Dip is alright. I feel that there's too bit much of a vinegar taste to it. It took forever to open the jar. It was on too tight so I had use a knife to go under the lid to get rid of some of the air. The Trader Joe's  dark chocolate with raisins and pecans was a disappointment. I didn't like the taste of it. My favorite Trader Joe's brand items so far are the Cookie Butter and their almond milk. Yummy!

Here are a lot of other items I've tried. 

 This is Annie's Light Honey Mustard Dressing. I love that it's all Natural. There's no artificial flavoring or preservatives that are bad for the body. It also tastes good! It doesn't taste healthy at all.

 The Unreal candy is so good! Sure, the color isn't that pretty but it tastes like regular M&M's. It's healthier though. No GMOs, no high fructose corn syrup and no artificial coloring. I also bought the Yes2 blueberry wipes stuff so that I can use it to clean my face after my workouts.

 I've been using the baby spinach in my salads with black bean burgers. The pretzel chips were alright.

The LUNA Bar Carrot Cake is new and I love it! It's like a chewy carrot cake without all the fat. There's not much of a frosting like the regular carrot cake but the actual cake part is spot on!

I ate this whole bag of sweet potato chips before my night class on Thursday. It was so good! Good thing it wasn't regular potato chips, right? Haha. Don't judge me. I'm trying to make myself feel better. 

What made me feel even worse is that I went to Ecogrounds during the 15 minute break and bought the Mocha Javalanche. At least I said no whipped cream and asked for soy milk instead of the regular milk they use. It was a bit too sweet. It was hot that night and I needed the energy to stay awake. 

I also tried Starbucks Java Chip Light  Frappuccino. It was so good! 

Yesterday, I stopped by Fluid, the coffee shop where I go nearly every week when I go to work. I bought their Zen Smoothie, which is a green tea smoothie. They used soy ice cream in it! I also bought their oatmeal cookie, which had coconut, white chocolate chips and some dried fruit in it. It was so good and chewy. the smoothie had too much soy ice cream in it. I couldn't taste much of the green tea. Here's how both of the items look:

Well, I guess that's it. I just finished typing up my history paper and now, I have to work on my debate. I'll see you guys next time. My next post will be about school lunches.

How was your week?

What's your favorite thing to eat or drink when the weather gets hot?

No Body is Perfect

Fat. Thin. Fit. Slender. Chubby. Overweight. Underweight. Anorexic. Normal. Average.

Do you guys understand what I'm talking about? Well, I sure hope you guys do.

There are so many labels and names people call each other when it comes to the body.

"Wow. That person looks fit." "That person looks fat." "No, that person is not fat. They are normal."

Can you see where I am going with this? Our perception of what a normal body, an overweight, or thin body is skewed! We all have different views of it. And, you know what? It screws with how we view our own body. This is especially common among woman.

image from http://www.k-state.edu 

I'm going to be honest here. I don't like my body, but I am trying to accept it. My thighs are not the size I want them to be. It's the same with my arms. I want them smaller. However, I know that they are made of muscle. It's the good kind of bulk.

My friend who's naturally skinny wants to gain weight and bulk in her body. She says her thighs are small and she wants them bigger. So, she started weight training and running. And, you know what? She lost weight and got smaller and thinner. She's mad that she lost weight and inches. However, you can see her muscle definition better.

I, on the other hand, gained muscle and bulk was added. That's what happened when I added weight training to my routine. My thighs did not get smaller. They got thicker with muscle (which you can see). She wants her body to look like mines while I want mines to look like hers. As you see, the type of body one desires is different. Some want to be stick skinny while others want to look fit, curvy, and a bit muscular.

What I am trying to say is, everyone has something about their body they don't like. We shouldn't compare our bodies to others. Everyone is built differently. As long as you eat right and exercise, you will be at a good healthy weight and have the body type that's right for you.

Social Media and the Web: The Good and the Bad

In the past 10 years or so, the internet has grown larger and larger in size, in relevance to how many users there are now. It's become a revelation and now, it seems that everyone is becoming more dependent on the web. 

First, came search engines. Then, came the creation of myspace and facebook. Soon after, twitter became popular. It seems like we depend on search engines for research and we depend on the social media sites to stay or become connected to others. 

In the past, people had to go to the library and check out books to do research. In the past, people depended on the phone or random chance to keep in touch. What the heck. People even sent snail mail back then. 

What affect does this have on society? A lot of things. Here are three things I've noticed.  

1. People are having a harder time communicating in person. Have you noticed that a few of your 'friends' on facebook constantly update their facebooks and have hundreds of friends? Most likely, those are the ones that are depressed and lonely. They don't know how to connect with other people but yet want human interaction. It's become harder for people to have a normal conversation in person now that there's the internet. There's this one case I heard of when two people met online through instant messaging. They agreed to meet in person one day. They tried talking but were unable to. They got on their computers and were able to talk that way. 
2. The use of search engines, twitter and other social networking sites have an affect on the writing skills of the younger generation.
1.  One writing skill that is greatly affected is something as simple as spelling and punctuation. There are things called spell check and grammar check that people can use to look for errors in their papers. People are starting to forget how to spell and punctuate! 
2. Another reason why there are spelling and punctuation errors is the use of internet language, especially in twitter and instant messaging. The younger generation is generally used to typing things such as "lol", "wat", "how r u?", and "y?". Those are just a few examples but you guys get the gist of it. It shows up in their papers and writing and it gets mixed up. 
3. Twitter's 140 character limit is limiting the user's cognitive function. Instead of expressing themselves with how many words they want, they are limited to 140 characters. How can one express their whole thoughts in such a small space. 
4. The use of search engines make it easier for students to plagiarize other people's works. There have been cases in which students are A students and graduate with honors while taking AP classes. But, their work was not their own. 
5. The use of the kindle and search engines make it harder for students to synthesize information. Before, students could have many books spread out on a topic they are researching and read what the authors have said. They could think and synthesize the information to make sense of it. If they want to go back to remember what the author has said, they can go back and forth between the books. With the kindle, it's harder. 
6. As evidence, my history professor says that he has seen the writing abilities of his students go down as the years have passed. That's saying something, when he's been a professor for at least 15 years. 
3. The social media and the web has an impact on our health. Many of us are now sitting in front of computers instead of going out and exercising. We're becoming more sedentary. It'll impact our heart health and our weight. However, there is evidence that suggests that reading health articles, calorie counter apps, support groups, pininterest (pinning healthy recipes and fun exercises) can motivate others to move more. It depends on the individual but most likely, people are sitting in front of the computer all day. 

The social media and the web is like a double edged sword. It's a curse and a blessing. It makes our lives easier but it can also have an impact on your relationships and health. 

Now, here's two questions for you. 

How often do you go online?

What do you mainly use the web for?

Peanut Butter Agave Protein Balls

Hey hey everyone. How are you guys today? It's my first official day of Spring Break and guess what? It's spent at home, relaxing.
I guess it's okay, even though I'd like to travel instead. I want to visit Spain, China, Hawaii or some other places. Anyway, I'm satisfied that I've been pretty much productive on my first day of break. I finished writing my history paper and I ran 6 miles today. For my history paper, I had to read Slaughterhouse Five and write a response paper to it. As for my running, I had to run on the treadmill. It was okay though. I wasn't even planning running that long but I guess I just kept going since I was listening to my favorite songs.
Anyway, I'm here to post this recipe, my Peanut Butter Agave Protein Balls. I just made them recently and they are delicious and addicting. If you add dark chocolate chips, it tastes even better (well, if you like chocolate, that is). These still taste great just as is. So, here's the recipe.

Servings: ~ 21 peanut butter agave balls
Calories: ~ 70 calories each

Ingredients:

• 1/2 cup all natural peanut butter
• 1/4 cup agave
• 1 cup oats
• 1 scoop vanilla protein powder
• 1 tsp ground cinnamon

Directions:

1. In a mixing bowl, cream together the agave and the peanut butter. 
2. Mix in the oats, protein powder and ground cinnamon. 
3. Form into balls and place on a plate.
4. Refrigerate for at least 1 hour. 
5. Enjoy!

I hope you guys enjoy the protein balls. 

So, the past weekend has been fun. On Saturday, I went to Starbucks and In-N-Out Burger. It was fun and it was nice. It's been such a long time since I last ate a cheeseburger. I felt like a pig eating it but it was alright. I ordered the White Chocolate Mocha with Soymilk from Starbucks.

Yesterday, I went to Six Flags with the family. It was fun. I'm just scared now, since for the roller coasters that go upside down, it doesn't feel that secure. The safety belt is kind of loose on me. Other than that, I love roller coasters. 

I also ordered the Shamrock Shake from McDonald's after spending a few hours at Six Flags. 

It actually looked somewhat like the actual picture. The cherry looked fake though. I didn't eat the cherry. However, the rest of the shake tasted like a vanilla milk shake with mint flavor mixed in. It wasn't bad. It looked kind of cool since it's green but it's not something I would order again. I just wanted to try it since it's only available in March. 

After, my family and I went shopping and I bought these heels. 

I know, I bought heels on Saturday but I couldn't resist buying these. They were only 10 dollars! They look good on me too. I'm getting obsessed with heels now. Well, maybe it's because I'm short....Anyway, I just hope I don't trip while walking with them on. They're 5 inch heels. The other pair is 4 inch. 

Also, I've been using this No. 7 Total Renewal Micro-dermabrasion Exfoliator

I actually really like this product. After using it, it makes my skin feel softer and smoother. My acne also is looking better too. I'm not breaking out that much and I've been using it for a couple weeks. 

I guess that's it for now.

So, do you like writing papers?

What's your favorite type of shoe?

What exercise do you do?

2nd Week Back and Recent Eats

Who said college was easy? 

image from: http://www.pamsclipart.com/clipart_images/a_stack_of_school_text_books_0515-0908-1721-0833.html

It's not. You have to study. You have to read, do homework, make charts, do projects, keep in touch with friends and make time for yourself. If you have a job, it adds even more stress!

You see, it's not easy. 

That's how it has been for me. There is so much reading that I have to do, and there's no teacher nagging you to do it. You're independent and on your own when it comes to homework and studying. 

Don't slack off and be lazy. You go through the material twice as fast in college. Do your "assigned" readings and homework. Study for tests. Take good notes. That's what I'm doing and it does help!  

As for friends, it can be easier or harder to make friends. If you live in a dorm, you make friends with people within. If you live at home, you have to depend on the classroom. And, you know what? People don't usually stay and hang out after class or talk much to others. They mainly mind their own business. Its up to YOU to start the conversation and make acquaintances or friends. It's also up to YOU to keep in touch with them. 

Do you know why I am saying this? I started talking to my classmates more this semester and I'm starting to make new friends. It's a great feeling, different from last semester. I was so shy last semester, but I know I have to break out of the shell. 

As for making time for yourself, it can be hard once you are bombarded with homework, studying and "hanging out with friends." It may be hard to find time to get a good workout in or do some things you like such as baking, playing an instrument , keeping up a blog, or what not. It's all about balance. I'm still trying to figure it all out. I admit that I am getting better at it though. One thing that can help is making a schedule!

Now that I have said all of that, here are some recent eats:

I went to PitaPit con mi primo the past week and I got the Spicy Black Bean with a whole wheat pita. I asked for spinach, carrots, lettuce, cucumbers, bbq sauce, and craisins. It was delicious!

 Then on Thursday, I got the Berry Fulfilling from Jamba Juice. Yummy!

 I just had to show you guys a picture of the Belgian Chocolate. It has a cello on it. It also tastes pretty good!

On Friday, I went back to that local coffee shop and ordered the Mexican Mocha with soy milk. It was awesome! It tastes better than the Mayan Mocha I had from EcoGrounds (which was still good though!).
The bread is a Chocolate AnPan Man from a local  Japanese Bakery.

We went to Hometown Buffet for brunch on Saturday and I finally ate a cinnamon roll. It was so good! I also ate some carrot cake, which I haven't really tried before. I love carrot cake now! Also, they had an omelette station where you can order an omelette. It was pretty good.

What's cool is that I received this from my parents. It was my grandmothers:

It's a rice cooker with a steamer attachment. I get to cook quinoa and steam veggies and meat at the same time! Look at the pictures below. I steamed quinoa on the bottom, with shrimp. cauliflower and green beans in the steamer portion. It's super healthy. Maybe I can steam fish next time. Also, I made a sauce with sriracha and soy sauce. It's so good! I'm so happy I have this. I get to make my own easy, healthy and fast meals! 

I guess that's it for now! My weekend has been busy with Chinese New Year stuff. I love eating the vegetarian dish (Buddha's Delight or Jai)  my mom makes every year for Chinese New Year. It's delicious!

How was your weekend?
Are you a meat lover or a vegetable lover (or both?)?

Yummy Foods I've Been Eating

The Mayan Mocha from EcoGrounds is AMAZING! 

I bought this yesterday and I'm so glad I chose this. It's basically Mexican Chocolate with coffee and nonfat milk. I savored every sip I took. It's so rich and creamy! 

Anyway, I just had to say that because I've been obsessed with coffee, if you haven't noticed. 

So, let me take you guys back to the weekend. We went to Costco and we bought some foods. 

Remember the Alpine Valley bread I tried before? Well, it's delicious and I finally found it at Costco! I was so happy. I've been eating it with SmartBalance Creamy Peanut Butter.  I also bought some multigrain rounds. 

We also bought European Cookies with Belgian Chocolate. 

They are so good! I love these cookies (and chocolate). 

We also bought these chocolate crepe crisps and the Kashi GoLean Crunch cereal. 

We haven't opened the crepes yet but I've been eating the Kashi GoLean Crunch with almond milk. I also added it to nonfat greek yogurt with a little bit of stevia. So good! 

We also bought Kirkland's brand of Gatorade, called VitaRain SPORT. 

I personally like these better than Gatorade. These taste closer to the actual flavor than Gatorade. They don't have an artificial taste.  

And, today, I ate Clif Builder's Chocolate Peanut Butter protein bar. 

It's so good. It tastes like snickers but without the crunch. It's one of my new favorites! 

I also received some samples from AboutTime. I received the samples because I was a winner of a giveaway from Erica's blog (Erica House). 

I received a T-shirt and 6 samples of protein powder. They are: 

• Chocolate
• Vanilla
• Chocolate Peanut Butter
• Mocha Mint (I can't wait to try this!)
• Banana
• Cinnamon Twist

I will tell you guys my thoughts about these once I try them! They'd be great to consume after my weight lifting sessions. I've been lifting weights for the past two weeks and I've gotten stronger! I'm so happy. 

Anyway, I guess that's it! 

What's your favorite food? 

Are you a coffee person?