Category: dogs

dogs · health · nutrition · running · wellness

friday favorites (running shoes, cookbooks & burgers)

kellyhoganrd4 Comments

It’s mid-August! How did that happen, exactly? I always fantasize about moving to the Bay area this time of year, when it’s so hot and humid in NYC and my friends across the country in San Francisco are wearing sweaters and talking (bragging?) about Karl the fog. I’ll start to love New York again in the fall, but in the meantime there are a lot of other things I’m loving that make up for the ever-present heat, humidity and triple digit air conditioner-induced electricity bills.

Saucony Rides
The Ride 10s were on a Running Warehouse super sale thanks to the newer edition coming out, and I snagged two pairs (with much restraint to not get a third and fourth pair). I used to work at a running store during my dietetic internship days, and have a pretty good understanding on what shoes work for me – neutral with some cushioning and not a lot of fuss. I’ve worn and liked the Rides, Brooks Launch, Brooks Pure Flow, Asics Cumulus, Mizuno Wave Riders and the Nike Pegasus, and currently my rotation is mostly Launch, Pegasus and now the Rides. Yes, this is borderline hoarder-status, but the Rides! They are a dream. Cushioned but still light, and perfect for longer runs when I want a bit more shock absorption. Big fan. And also pro top, Running Warehouse has the best prices and selection, and I always get the older versions of stuff I like when they go on sale, hence the large shoe collection (probably 14 pairs and counting, yikes).

these are the Ride 9s from last year, and the cutest girl

Run Fast Cook Fast Eat Slow
I swear I’ve been looking forward to Run Fast, Cook Fast, Eat Slow since the publishing date was announced in the spring. There are so many recipes in the first book that I LOVE and make on a regular basis because they are so good and satisfying. I am such a big fan of the message Shalane Flanagan (who is running New York again this year!) and Elyse Kopecky have in regards to nourishment and fueling runs appropriately without skimping on fat, carbohydrates and protein. In a world where the trendy diets are almost always vilifying certain foods and taking them away, it’s so refreshing to see the positive impact a book like this has on so many athletes. And I mean, the proof is in the pudding if you take a look at Shalane’s career thus far and how she still continues to kick serious butt.

peanut is a fan too

Burger Friday
Since training started ramping up – I’m aiming for the Philly Marathon this fall – I’ve been craving more chicken, fish and red meat than usual. It’s definitely my body’s way of telling me it needs a bit more right now – protein, iron, etc. I include one of these foods in at least one meal per day, and the other I might have tofu or eggs to mix things up protein-wise.

It’s fairly common for female runners to be anemic – this could be from blood loss secondary to menstruation, inadequate nutrition and/or exercise-induced mechanisms specific to endurance athletes. It’s often a combination of all of these things, and can be a real detriment to running and racing. I’ve actually never been anemic myself, but have clients who struggle with it, and the first thing we look at is their diet. It’s completely possible to obtain adequate iron from plant foods if you’re a vegetarian or vegan, but it’s a lot harder and takes some vigilance. It’s also usually worth a conversation as to why vegetarianism or veganism is important to the individual, and there is often some underlying disordered eating present to work through. While sometimes an iron supplement is necessary, dietary changes are my first line of defense with anemic athletes without other medical issues. I myself have become a fan of self-imposed “burger Fridays” because it’s a great way to stay on top of iron intake and because burgers are delicious and easy to make after a long week.

yum

Favorite iron sources:

  • Red meat (organic, grass fed if possible)
  • Chicken
  • Fish
  • Turkey
  • Lentils
  • Whole grains
  • Tofu
  • Leafy greens

*pro tip: if having a plant-based iron source, consume it with a vitamin C source to enhance absorption (think bell peppers, citrus fruits, tomatoes, berries, leafy greens, potatoes)

Vacations
My last real vacation was when I went to Rome in March, and it was awesome. In the past couple of years I’ve tried to prioritize taking time off (I get a very generous number of PTO days at work) and investing in experiences. I’ve never really been on a summer, beach-type vacation before and this year my sister and I proactively booked a house on the beach in Cape Cod for a week. I can’t wait to relax, eat some lobster and see what Peanut thinks of sand and ocean. And run a ton, of course!

dogs · health · nutrition · running · wellness

day in the life, monday edition

kellyhoganrdLeave a comment

Usually during initial sessions with patients and clients, I’ll have them take me through a “typical day” or “yesterday.” What they’re eating, what they’re doing, from the time they wake up until the time they go to bed. I find this to be helpful not just in getting an idea of their food intake, but to spark a conversation about daily habits, emotions that come up and some common challenges. Oftentimes when starting their recall, people will say something along the lines of, “well I know I should have done this, but…” or “this was bad, but…” and get all judgy with themselves. This is human nature today, but also probably partly due to the assumption that I’m judging them too, which I’m not! It’s not my job to judge and that’s not why I ask those questions, but moreso because it’s a good way to start to get to know someone and figure out how I can best help.

Anyways, I thought I’d turn the tables on myself today. There’s something appealing about reading others’ “day in the life” type posts, so here goes one of mine.

Morning (4:52 a.m.)
Peanut wakes me up either by licking my ear, pawing at my eyeball (gently), walking on my back or all of the above. She is so consistent that I haven’t used an alarm clock in months. I give her a belly rub and then we get up. I put my running clothes on, eat some banana with peanut butter and we head out for our morning walk. Now that it’s light and warm out, we probably walk for about 20 minutes with lots of stops and sniffs and attempts to eat gross old food off of the ground. When we get home, Peanut gets breakfast and I head out for my run.

the cutest girl

Recently I started working with Mary, and it’s so nice to have a (really smart and super nice) coach to think about and plan my running schedule for me with some goals in mind. Right now we’re still focusing on easy runs and building a base, but I can’t wait to start doing workouts, long runs and marathon training again! This morning was an easy 6 miles mostly on the bridle path in Central Park (i.e., my happy place), and felt amazing. It took probably about a month post-injury for my runs to start feeling even a little bit good, but I knew that going in and kept telling myself the out of shape feeling was only temporary. It was really helpful!

When I get home I do some stretching and planks while Peanut goes crazy trying to lick all of the sweat off me. It’s hilarious and a highly recommended strategy to get through planking. Then I start brewing coffee, shower and eat breakfast. I’m a big fan of the substantial breakfast – a hearty amount of carbs, protein and fat to refuel from the run and to keep me satisfied for much of the morning. Breakfast is the meal my patients and clients skimp on most often, and once we work on beefing them up a bit there is a noticeable difference in energy levels throughout the day. This often translates to better running performance and recovery too!

Sprouted grain toast, whole milk Greek yogurt with pear and honey, peanut butter with blueberries, hemp & chia seeds with some dried coconut flakes.

Once I finish two very big mugs of coffee (very into Linden + True coffee at the moment), get dressed and snuggle Peanut, we head out for a quick pee break and then I go to work.

I love my job, (and my other job) and my work schedule is different every day depending on patient appointments, groups I have in the evenings (like yoga, Pilates, cooking classes, etc.), meetings, and other patient needs like phone calls and visits during chemotherapy. Today it’s a mix of sending and answering emails, calling a few patients and visiting one during treatment. I don’t know if it’s because my mornings are busy or my breakfast is super satisfying, but I usually don’t get hungry for a mid-morning snack. I’m almost always ready for lunch on the early side, though, and hit up the hospital cafeteria between 11:00 a.m. and 12:00 p.m.

I think we have a pretty decent cafeteria, and usually end up getting some sort of salad bar situation of greens, a grain, protein like chicken, tuna, tofu or hard boiled egg, with steamed vegetables and/or potato from the hot bar. When I remember, I also bring half an avocado and sometimes leftover roasted veggies from home. Even though I encourage people to try not to eat in front of their computers/technology, I’m usually scarfing this down at my desk while reading studies or patient charts. Shrug emoji.

greens, tofu, cauliflower, carrots, roasted potatoes, avocado, brussels sprouts

Afternoon
My afternoon is pretty similar to the morning, but with more emails because I’m planning an employee wellness event this week and I want everything to run smoothly. Patients are my number one priority, but I’m also involved in our employee wellness initiatives and it’s really fun. This week’s events have a “game” theme, and my inner 6 year old is excited to play things like connect four and taboo. I get hungry around 2:00 p.m. so have some grapes and Babybell cheese, which hit the spot. I’m a big fan of afternoon snacks and they are definitely key on preventing “hanger” in the late afternoon/early evening. I don’t have any groups tonight, so I can head home for the day in a few hours. When I do have groups, I go home in the late afternoon to take Peanut out and feed her, and then I come back to work. It’s kind of exhausting, but this is life as a single dog mom.

Coming home to a dog is probably the best thing ever, and Peanut is always really excited to see me. After I adopted her, it probably took a good 3-4 months for her to get up the courage to greet me when I got home because she was so fearful. Now she goes nuts and I’m never not grateful for that. When I get home, I quickly change into running/yoga clothes (because comfort, not because I’m actually doing those things), eat a random Brazil nut and we head out the door to the park. It’s super hot outside, so we do an abbreviated park walk. We say hi to some of our usual dog friends and doormen along our route (Peanut really likes this one doorman and it’s so cute), but she gets tired and I have to carry her most of the way home. Sometimes she refuses to walk home because she wants to stay at the park, but this time I think she’s pooped from the heat. When we get home it’s time for her dinner and then mine. Lately I’ve been making big, hearty salads on the weekends for quick dinners during the week that don’t involve much cooking since my evenings have been pretty busy. Tonight it’s a twist on a Run Fast Eat Slow farro and kale salad with my own tahini dressing and a hard boiled egg. So good. I love tahini.

she’s into it

Evening
After dinner, we watch the news and I start getting ready for a client. I just have one follow-up tonight, so I prep a bit and then get on the phone. My typical follow-ups are between 30-45 minutes long, and this one is closer to 45 minutes because I love my client(s) and there is a lot to catch up on. After our call I’ll draft a recap and goals we talked about.

I have a bit of time to wind down before bed and decide to stretch and foam roll for a few minutes and then choose to try and finish the book I’m reading, A Gentleman in Moscow, over watching an episode of Queer Eye. It’s a tough decision, but the book is so good. I started reading it after Des Linden recommended it on a podcast and then during this live NYRR event I went to a few weeks ago. She’s awesome, so I figured her book recommendations would be too. A while ago I made a self-enforced rule of “no social media before 7:00 a.m. or after 7:00 p.m.” – it’s really great and helps me feel more productive and present. I snack on some dark chocolate with raspberries, which is my absolute favorite. Around 8:00 p.m. Peanut and I head out for our last walk of the day, usually a quick one around the block or so, and it’s uneventful. She gets spooked by a ton of different things – trash bags, people dining outdoors, trucks unloading things, any sort of noise, etc. – but this walk was quieter and Peanut happier. I’m hungry when we get home so I have some yogurt (been digging this vanilla flavor lately and it was on sale at Whole Foods!) and give Peanut a spoonful when I’m done because she loves yogurt and is the cutest girl.

We end the night with some journaling, which I try to do on most nights, and then get into bed to actually try and finish my book. Peanut usually sleeps above my pillow so that’s where she settles. Both pairs of our eyes are closed by 9:00 p.m. because we know that pre-5:00 a.m. wake-up is coming soon.

 

 

dogs · health · nutrition · wellness

all inclusive wellness and self care (not $elf care)

kellyhoganrd1 Comment

A few months ago I was asked for my thoughts on a new baked good developed by a company to specifically help manage and/or prevent PMS symptoms. I had heard rumblings about the company on social media, but didn’t know their baked goods sold at a premium price (I mean, I should have guessed, but…). The “PMS-curing brownie” in question was I think around $15. For a brownie. Literally, a brownie with ingredients you can buy at most grocery stores, nutrients that are abundant in a variety of very reasonably priced whole foods (like fruits and vegetables) and an added oil that is allegedly “a known warrior against PMS.” Other health claims for this magical brownie are that it’s great for a “stronger libido” and the ever popular “adrenal support.”

these foods have most of the nutrients in this questionable brownie (and then some!)

What gets me really fired up here isn’t just the potentially bogus and totally exaggerated health claims – these are maddening, yes, but they’re also everywhere, all the time, and impossible to control.  It’s the insinuation that in order to achieve better health, or in this case, ease symptoms that 51% of the population will have, currently has or has had on a monthly basis, you have to have the means to shell out an insane amount of dough for a damn brownie (pun intended. HA!). This is just one example of a sort of “elitist” culture in the health, wellness and self care area, and it seems to be growing rapidly thanks to social media. So many of my patients and clients are led to think that wellness and self care are unattainable unless they have some pretty hefty resources to use towards them. Hell, sometimes I’m led to think this too! And it just isn’t true.

So I thought I’d list out some really great ways to care for yourself that are affordable and likely more beneficial than an overpriced brownie or so many of the other extravagant specialty foods and practices circling the inter-webs.

Go for a walk outside. This is very simple, but immersing yourself in nature can have profound stress-reducing, mood-boosting effects. There have been studies on this (here’s a report on one), and there are also physicians who prescribe nature walks to depressed or anxious patients before medication. I also regularly include nature walks in my recommendations for clients, and have seen first-hand how helpful they can be. Parks totally count if you’re a city-dweller.

Pet a dog. Yes, I am absolutely biased here, but there is research to back me up! Dog owners live longer, happier lives, and even the simple act of petting a dog can lower stress levels. I see this every time our therapy dog comes to visit patients getting chemotherapy, but also every time someone starts smiling goofily when they see Peanut walking down the street and she stops to say “hi.” If you don’t have a dog, shelters always need volunteers to walk dogs or spend time with dogs, and it can be so fulfilling to both parties. Dogs are way more magical than any brownie, if you ask me.

I mean… ❤ 

Keep nutrition simple. These days, we tend to over-complicate nutrition. Buzzwords tend to make us think foods have to have specific special properties or be “free” of something, “adaptogenic,” “superfood,” “gluten/grain/soy/dairy/etc. free,” “immune-boosting,” “anti-inflammatory,” “clean,” … I could go on. This stuff makes my head spin and I can’t imagine how someone who isn’t a nutrition professional weeding through the research every day feels. Add in dietary supplements and it gets even more overwhelming. There seems to be a supplement marketed to “support” so many things – the immune system, the adrenals (again with the adrenals!), the liver, the gut, “beauty,” the list is endless. It’s so important to keep in mind that dietary supplements are not regulated by the FDA. Manufacturers can almost literally say anything on their packaging and do not have to show efficacy, safety or even prove that what they say is in their product and the amount listed on the label is actually there. Stick to a variety of whole, delicious foods that you crave and keep it simple. This is healthier for your body, your brain and your wallet.

Shut off and censor the technology. Feeling present is becoming increasingly hard, and even going 30 minutes without instinctively checking your phone can seem like a lifetime. How did we get here? And what do we miss while being totally buried in our phones? Take a self-imposed break from social media, email, even texts for a day (or more!) and notice what you notice. And what you don’t miss. I try to do this for at least part of the weekend, and have a rule of no social media before 7:00 a.m. or after 7:00 p.m. every day. It’s so nice to have a sort of “cut off” point, and I’ve definitely found myself being more productive and present. While you’re at it, unfollow, de-friend or block anyone who makes you feel inadequate, exudes negativity or promotes $15 brownies for optimal wellness.

Cook a simple meal. The act of preparing a meal, from shopping for ingredients to chopping, following a recipe and enjoying a finished product can be so therapeutic. It’s nourishing beyond actual nutrients (though those are great too!), and usually a lot less expensive than ordering takeout. Cooking for someone else can feel fulfilling and nurturing, but I find just as much satisfaction cooking for myself. If it’s just “you” and you’re hesitant to put together an entire meal for one  – so many of my clients are – know that you’re worth it. And leftovers exist for a reason!

this is an easy but so hearty and satisfying option – curried lentil soup from Run Fast Eat Slow (one of my favorite cookbooks!)

dogs · running

how this running injury is different

kellyhoganrdLeave a comment

or alternate title: how I’m different and happen to have a running injury? I never thought I’d be sitting here in almost February writing about how I’m still not running from an injury that slowly crept up this past summer and then bit me hard in the ass (or foot) in early fall. Needless to say, it has been a minute since I’ve gone for a pain and care-free run. I also never thought I’d be sitting here at the same time, no plan for running in sight, saying I’m the more content and happy than I have been in a while.

reason #1

in the past, a lot of my happiness has been contingent upon my running. This is not good, I know, but it’s also reality and I know I’m not alone here. For me, I think the mindset of “athletics is everything” stemmed from being a gymnast for ten years and having that be THE MOST IMPORTANT THING IN LIFE. When I wasn’t at the gym, I was thinking about gymnastics, practicing in my living room or watching elite gymnastic meets on repeat (via VHS. oh, the good old days). I loved the sport of gymnastics, I loved identifying myself as a gymnast and I loved the success I had with it. I also thrived on working really hard physically at something for specific goals. I feel the same way about running – there is something so satisfying about all the miles, sweat and pain with goal races and times in mind. It’s also a wonderful escape. Running and everything that goes along with it – the nutrition, the long runs, the extra sleep, exhaustion, training plans, the racing – can take up a lot of brain space if you let it. And just like I used gymnastics to get away from a pretty fraught adolescence, I definitely used running as an escape from lots of adulthood stressors. Changing careers and work stress in general, family drama, friends and relationships coming and going, trying to figure out life… it’s a lot. And when so many things around you are always changing you gravitate towards a constant that you know will make you feel good and more whole.

i think that’s fairly normal and it’s ok, to a point. But there comes a time when priorities have to shift, and it’s a lot easier to notice this when something happens outside of your control or there is an external stimulus of some sort. This could definitely be an injury, but big life changes and experiences can also shake things up in a way that helps you question your priorities. For me, it was a combination of a big change – getting Peanut – and the ongoing nature of my job in which I work with people who would give anything to be as healthy as I am with a running injury.

❤

let me explain. Adopting a rescue dog was a huge undertaking, and even though I honestly had no idea what I was getting into, I was committed. Taking Peanut to the park as much as I could, the only place she was comfortable at first because it wasn’t as loud and crazy as city streets, and slowly building her confidence became a priority. I was still running my usual amount, though not training for a marathon, but it wasn’t all I cared about. I had a tiny little dog that was terrified of life and totally dependent on me. For someone who has lived on my own for all of my adult life and was the appropriate amount of selfish, putting something first other than myself was a big shift. But it was also so easy, because I loved Peanut from the second I saw her and wanted to take the best care of her. Priorities shifted seamlessly. She also helped me see the value in intangible things that maybe I took for granted. Since adopting her, I’ve started valuing friendships and relationships a lot more (and make more time for them), and also appreciate small joys like being able to take a long walk in Central Park on an unseasonably warm day in January.

it’s so much easier to focus on what I can do (mostly all the things), as opposed to what I can’t (run) right now, because life just feels more full. Even though she can sit like a pro, I think I’ve learned way more from Peanut than she has from me.

dogs · nutrition · running

social media “detox” + presence

kellyhoganrd5 Comments

it’s been a little while again, but I’m still here. I so envy the people who write interesting and thought-provoking posts multiple times per week and still manage to have full time jobs and a life. Most days lately I feel like I’m barely managing the job part, running, sleeping and keeping Peanut alive let alone having an actual life. And that’s something I’d like to change.

keeping peanut alive: priority. and also: the cutest.

so little by little I’ve been trying to think of things that take up my time but may not be the best use of that time. The first and probably most important thing that came to mind was social media. It’s almost embarrassing to think about how much time my 3X year-old self has been spending scrolling through Instagram or other social media platforms lately, especially since Instagram added “stories.” My god are they a time suck. Last week I found myself getting more and more frustrated with some of the accounts I follow – dietitians fueling the prevalence of disordered eating and diet culture by showcasing their restrictive diets or talking incessantly about eating “clean,” other folks with a genuine interest in nutrition but lacking credentials/education/experience and completely misinterpreting research. This can easily influence hundreds of thousands of people, and makes me crazy in so many ways both personally and professionally. I’ve seen how this stuff can negatively affect my patients and clients and I know how it can negatively affect me.

so I went on a social media detox/cleanse
probably the only type of detox and cleanse I’d recommend, since our bodies’ physical detox system is pretty fantastic and thorough all on its own. I made a goal (and wrote it in my journal so I’d stick to it) of not checking any social media for 24 hours – from the time I woke up on Sunday until at least mid-morning on Monday. And it was hard! I caught myself a bunch of times thinking that I could just check this or that really quick, but then I really took a step back and asked myself – why? Does knowing what so-and-so is doing or posting really matter? Not really. Is it totally necessary to post a photo of my breakfast? Maybe not. And, do some posts have the ability to affect me negatively? Totally yes. I’m not immune to falling into the comparison trap – this person ran X amount of miles or did this workout, and I only did X, or this person ate a beautiful meal in their expensive, immaculate kitchen while wearing a cute outfit with their hair and nails done perfectly and here I am in my zero counter space 900 year-old appliance tiny kitchen lacking any natural light with my hair frizzing out of control in old gross running shorts eating a bunch of leftovers all mushed together.

i post pretty stuff sometimes, but the reality is that this becomes more of an un-beautiful (delicious) mush more often than not

so, the best solution here is probably to unfollow those accounts that bother me so much and impose some limits on how much I use social media. Duh. Then I won’t get frustrated and I’ll save time. Part of me still wants to be in the know as to what is being said “out there” because I’m bound to get questions from patients at some point about this stuff, but I think there are other ways to do this.

presence
another thing I’ve noticed lately, and especially during the social media “detox” is how much more present I felt without having my eyeballs glued to my phone every two seconds. Presence is something we talk about a lot at yoga and with meditation, and I’ve felt so out of touch with that these days – even during yoga class! So continuing the “detox” on a lower level, like only checking social media during certain times of day or a few times per day is something I’m working towards now and I’ve already noticed a difference this week. Like, I had time to write this post! So progress.

most nights I’ve been making time to do a bit of journaling as well, which easily fits into the time I used to spend perusing social media. It’s mostly a brain dump of the day or talking myself through any issues to help clear my mind before bed. Doesn’t seem like much, but I find it also helps me feel a bit more present and calm.  And I usually have the added bonus benefits of the journaling being done with a snuggly pup in my lap.

dogs · nutrition · running

catch up – nutrition news, running & puppies

kellyhoganrd9 Comments

I reallllly want to make posting a regular thing on here, but it will probably always be the first thing to go when life gets busy. And that’s ok, I have to be nice to myself on this one. Half-assing a blog post when I should be snuggling with Peanut on the couch isn’t useful for anyone anyways. But! Here I am with a little bit of time, so let’s catch up.

I was on a podcast!
I’ve recently gotten into podcasts – they make for some excellent walk to work or afternoon baking listening – and my favorites are of course running and/or nutrition-related. So I was super excited when Ali started her own podcast earlier this year, and it’s (not surprisingly) fantastic. She’s an excellent interviewer and always has interesting and inspiring guests. I’m lucky to have known Ali personally since our very early blogging days (in 2010, perhaps? WOW), and was super honored she asked me to be on the show last week. I love any excuse to talk about nutrition, my job, running and dogs and it was so nice to have an hour on the phone to talk to Ali, whom I don’t see very often anymore now that she’s an official New Jersey resident.

on the podcast we talked about my job, the difference between a registered dietitian, a nutritionist, a health coach (etc.) and why it’s so important to know the difference, did some nutrition myth-busting and also chatted running and rescue dogs. It was so, so fun and I’m thankful for anyone who listened already.

post-run overnight oats with all the fixings from the other day

the new york times wrote this
if you have ever been on any sort of “diet” (so, 99.9% of us, right?) this is such an important read. Actually, read this even if you are one of the few who has never been on a “diet”, because you likely know someone just like the author. Her first-hand account with chronic dieting and body image issues is heart-breaking and so common among the women I see and women in general. This kind of disordered eating (and yes, dieting can absolutely lead to disordered eating) is often overlooked in society today because it’s so normalized and accepted. But it’s not normal to categorize foods as “good” and “bad,” to restrict foods, food groups and calories, adhere to strict food “rules” and always be striving to try the next weight loss miracle. This passage especially got me: “I decided to stop dieting, but when I did, I realized I couldn’t. I didn’t know what or how to eat. I couldn’t fathom planning my food without thinking first about its ability to help or hinder a weight-loss effort.”  Having this sort of relationship with food is a terrible and unnecessary way to live your life, which food is and always will be, a big part of. It’s so hard to break out of, especially under the influence of social media, but it’s totally possible and so freeing (especially with the help of a non-diet dietitian!). I think surrounding yourself with positive and accepting people, messages and influencers is a great way to start. And be nice(r) to yourself!

running has been A+
maybe it’s the no pressure, not really training for anything mindset, but I’ve really been enjoying my runs lately. So much so, that I’ve been incorporating some regular workouts like weekday speedwork and a weekend tempo/long run combo. Right now my long runs (or “long runs” if you are reading this in the midst of marathon training) are about 12-13 miles, which is a nice happy place that doesn’t feel too long or take up too much time but also is significant and not easy. If that makes sense. I still want to do a few fall races – right now thinking of a 10 miler and a few half marathons – and see what happens. The no pressure mindset is key, though, and I don’t want to lose the simple enjoyment of running by making training super structured and rigid as I’ve done in the past.

peanut is a doggy school graduate
peanut graduated from her six week adult doggy training class with flying colors. She passed her “test,” where she had to do all of the commands we learned, on the first try. I was and am such a proud dog mom. She has come so far in the past six months, and this class was perfect to help build her confidence and learn some basic commands. The class was at Petco, and I highly recommend for anyone with a similar rescue dog situation.

is there anything cuter?

other stuff to talk about (help!)
I feel like there is so much nutrition-related stuff I want to write about that I don’t know where to start! If you’ve made it this far in the post (anyone? Bueller?), I’d love to hear what nutrition topics you’d like to hear about. I need some inspiration!

dogs · nutrition · running

day in the life

kellyhoganrd2 Comments

in thinking about the blog posts I like to read the most, the more personal ones usually come up. I really admire people who just put it all out there in the internets, and while I don’t think I’ll ever quite get there (consider yourselves lucky…), a “day in the life” kind of post seemed like a fun idea. I picked last Thursday because it contained a little bit of everything work-wise and was non-stop busy until around 8:00 p.m., which is pretty typical lately. Here we gooooo.

5:30 a.m. wake up right before my alarm and Peanut staring at me from her “spot” in my/our bed above my pillows. I like this spot because she is comfy and there is little chance I can roll over on her. She sneezes and it’s too cute, and we snuggle for a few minutes before getting up. I’m reading Rebecca Scritchfield’s new book Body Kindness, and the chapter I read before bed the night before was all about sleep. So naturally, I think too much about how important sleep is and couldn’t fall or stay asleep. Oh well.

she woke up like this

6:15 a.m. we are back from our walk around the neighborhood and I feed Peanut her breakfast before heading out for my run. She is excited for breakfast and then not excited that I am leaving, but Mommy wants to run. I have about half a banana with some peanut butter and head out. This was a cool-ish morning and I felt pretty good. As I come out of my sleepy haze about 2 miles in, I remember that I have an interview with Runner’s World about marathon fueling (!!) and think of things I want to say. And also pinch myself because, #livingthedream. I see my friend Baker just after I get pooped on by a bird. That’s good luck, right? I ran for a little more than an hour, which is my current happy place.

7:30 a.m. get home and say hi to Peanut, quickly shower and make breakfast.

sprouted grain toast, greek yogurt, berries, nuts butter, more berries and coffeeeeeee

8:45 a.m. after getting ready, practicing Peanut’s new commands (we are learning the simple stuff like sit and stay during our weekly training class), checking emails and watching a little Today, we head out to daycare.

9:00 a.m. drop Peanut off at daycare. We just started going this week and I was so nervous that she wouldn’t make dog friends or there would be a mean dog or she would hate it. But, so far so good. I say goodbye to her and get a little too emotional when leaving. I am an unapologetically crazy dog mom and I’m ok with it.

9:15 a.m. stop at Whole Foods to buy the perishable ingredients for my meal prep class at work that night, like veggies, shrimp and tempeh. I do one of these classes every month or so for my patients and it’s super fun. I’m not allowed to use heat because it’s a fire hazard, so thinking of things to make requires some creativity. Tonight we’re making Vietnamese spring rolls with a peanut dipping sauce and I’m pumped.

9:45 a.m. arrive at work. Check my patient schedule and the treatment schedule of ladies receiving chemo that day to see if there is anyone I need to follow up with. I don’t have anyone until noon so I prep for my Runner’s World interview at 10:30.

11:10 a.m. the interview went well (I think, stay tuned for the October issue!). I head to the hospital cafeteria for lunch because I’m usually always starving by 11:00 a.m. and that’s when they switch over to lunch. Get my usual and head back to my office.

greens, tuna, avocado (brought from home), broccoli, chickpeas, quinoa salad and baked sweet potato

12:00 p.m. after having lunch at my desk reading some articles, I head down to our chemo suites to see a few patients. A lot of my work is with women who have already undergone treatment for breast cancer and who are doing very well. They are survivors and they are all amazing. Another good chunk of my work is with ladies currently undergoing treatment (i.e., chemotherapy), and while the day to day mix changes, today was a mostly treatment day.

1:00 p.m. run upstairs to meet a dietetic intern who will be with me for the afternoon. I love having interns and always find myself talking non-stop about all things nutrition and breast cancer I want them to learn. It’s also interesting to hear what they’re doing during their internship, since most of them that come to the hospital were in the same internship I did. Still not nearly enough talk on intuitive eating and embracing a non-diet practice, but hopefully we’ll get there.

2:30 p.m. we see another patient after picking her up some fruit ice from the cafeteria, and then get to work on some meal prep class prep. Ha. Today this was basically chopping a lot of vegetables, putting down table cloths, that kind of stuff.

3:30 p.m. leave work to pick Peanut up at daycare, take her for a little walk and feed her dinner before heading back into work for my class. I live about 25 minute walk away and am usually too stubborn to take a cab or even Uber, so walking wins. Before heading back, I inhale some whole milk Greek yogurt and Purely Elizabeth granola (my fave, so good) straight from the 32 ounce yogurt container and remember that I forgot to have a snack in the afternoon.

5:00 p.m. get back to work and finish prepping, check some emails and do some other admin things.

6:00 p.m. my class starts and I’ve got about 15 ladies participating. They are skeptical at the preparation of rice paper for the rolls, but they go with it and it actually works! I am relieved. I usually talk a bit about nutrition as we’re preparing our meals, so we touch on things like cruciferous veggies (we had some cabbage) and healthy fats (in the peanut sauce!). We also have shrimp for the rolls and I ensure them that although shrimp does contain cholesterol, it’s absolutely fine to eat and won’t affect blood cholesterol. Ditto for eggs. I love telling people they can eat eggs. We chat, we eat, and start to clean up.

success!

7:30 p.m. I save the cutting boards and knives to clean the next day and make sure the conference room (where I have my classes) is clean. Head out into the gloriously lovely summer evening and walk home with my intern, who was a huge help.

8:00 p.m. try not to think about how tired I am and take Peanut for her last walk of the day. I wish she could tell me about the friends she is making at daycare and if she likes it or not, and then think that I worry too much about her having human feelings. She tries to say hi to another dog on the walk and I think daycare is making her more brave and social. Hooray! When we get home, I have more yogurt and granola because I was talking too much to eat enough during the class. Typical. Peanut looks at me with her little puppy dog eyes and I give her some yogurt.

impossible to resist

9:00 p.m. we wind down and get ready for bed. I remember to do some journaling, and then we get into bed while I read a bit more Body Kindness before shutting the lights off. Thankfully, this chapter was not on sleep and I drift off instantly.

dogs · nutrition · running

running these days

kellyhoganrd2 Comments

i really appreciate everyone who took the time to comment on my last post! It’s nice to feel supported and to hear your thoughts. I’m sure I’ll write more about the topics of disordered eating, being a non-diet dietitian and nutrition myth-busting in general as I’m super passionate about these and there is just so much misinformation out there.

taking a break from nutrition-talk for a little bit of running talk, though, since I don’t talk about that nearly as much in my daily life. Running and I are in a weird place right now – I’m still enjoying getting out to the park regularly for some miles, but my desire to race is very up and down and my race times reflect that. In fact, I just ran a 10K at a pace slower than my marathon PR pace and felt like total crap.

race in which I felt like total crap. 

up until then I had been on the fence about a fall marathon, but took it as a sign that maybe this called for a hard no on the whole 26.2 thing this year. 2017 will be the first year I haven’t run a marathon since 2009 and honestly, it feels weird. Like, what is summer without an early Saturday morning 16-20 miler, or the fall without a marathon to look forward to as the temps cool down? Am I going to have so much FOMO during NYC Marathon week?

is this an existential crisis?

so dramatic, I know. But for a long time, I seem to have defined my seasons and scheduled life things around marathon training and everything that goes along with it. And thrived on it, really. I’ve always been an athlete and running marathons has been a way to fulfill that need to push physical limits and work towards new goals. It feels so strange to purposefully not do something that I have so enjoyed in the past, but I have to admit now that it also feels pretty darn good both physically and mentally. I have been loving waking up on weekend mornings and taking Peanut for a nice walk without worrying about getting in a crazy amount of miles before it gets too warm out or the park too crowded. And I love not being exhausted after said crazy amount of miles with little motivation to do much or make plans to go out. It’s also nice to go to yoga, take a barre class or day off without worry about how that affects weekly mileage, workout performance, etc. It is, dare I say, liberating.

it took me a little bit to realize that I’m still a runner, even if I don’t run a marathon this year, and that aside from all of the workouts, long runs, races and paces, I love the simple act of running and how it makes me feel. I think I lost touch with that a bit. So the non-plan plan for right now is to just run. If I feel like speeding up on some days, I’ll speed up. But if I don’t, that’s fine too. I’d like to do some shorter races in a few months – maybe a 10 miler and a half marathon – but not if it adds unnecessary stress or I start to feel burnt out again. Enjoying the fact that I can run is the only real goal for this year, and I think that’s a pretty good one.


peanut agrees. 

dogs · nutrition · running

the {life, dog, work, nutrition, running} updates

kellyhoganrd7 Comments

the other day I was thinking that, hmm, I wish I had an outlet to write about what’s currently happening in my life, my nutrition philosophy and how they have both changed and evolved a lot in recent months. And then I was like oh right, I have a blog space! It’s terrible how I’ve gotten away from regular blogging because I used to love it so much, but life happens. The blogosphere and social media has changed a ton lately too, with Instagram and podcasts and whatnot, it’s kind of hard to figure out which one to focus or say what on. I don’t even read a ton of blogs anymore, but the ones I do read are awesome, and I so appreciate people still putting out great content! I’m going to try to be one of those people again.

life updates
I guess the biggest update on the life front is my new-found dog mom status. In February, I adopted a ~3 year old Dorkie rescue from a shelter here in New York and she immediately became the light of my life.

peanut butter hogan. 5 lbs of ridiculous cuteness (i mean, that face…)

peanut was rescued from a puppy mill after being used as a breeding dog for most of her life. Before getting her, I had no idea that even occurred, but it does and it’s awful. The animals are kept in cages with little to no human interaction or medical care, and bred over and over again to make puppies to sell at pet stores. The Amish are HUGE offenders here – something else I didn’t know – and the way they treat their animals is appalling. Here is more information if you’d like it.

as a result, Peanut is a VERY fearful dog. It took her weeks just to walk around my apartment, and a few more weeks before she even wagged her tail. She is more afraid of people than other dogs, and any loud sound or big object (etc.). It breaks my heart in a way I never thought possible to think about what she went through. But! The good news is that she is making progress every day, and is the sweetest little girl who will be spoiled for the rest of her life. So here is my PSA – adopt don’t shop! Rescue dogs are the best.

work updates
since I’m a single dog mom, it has been an adjustment juggling work and dog momming, and if I’m being honest, I’m still trying to figure it out. I live within walking distance of my job, which is awesome, so I can come home during lunch and take her out. This is also exhausting, however, and a bit time consuming. I try to schedule my patients accordingly and for the most part it works, but I’ve been feeling lately like something has to give so I can spend more time at work and so Peanut can hang out with other dogs a bit more. We’re trying out a daycare next week, so fingers crossed on that one! I worry about her so much because she is really tiny compared to other dogs (are helicopter dog moms a thing?).

anyways, in January I was promoted to “clinical nutrition and wellness manager” at the breast cancer center where I work. I love this title – it really encompasses what I’ve tried to build into my position since I started about 1.5 years ago, and that’s looking at the patients wellness as a whole in addition to nutrition. Sleep, exercise, stress management, etc. These play such a pivotal role in overall health and in the case of my ladies, the prevention of breast cancer recurrence. There is so much great research coming out about it as well!. Which brings me to…

nutrition updates
gosh, where do I start! I think I’ve mentioned on here my interest in intuitive eating, and that has only continued to grow after reading the book, continuing to practice yoga and meditation and following like-minded dietitians on social media, blogs and podcasts. My favorites are Robyn of the real life RD, Kylie of immaeatthat, Heather of the RD real talk podcast, Anne of fannetastic food, Alexis of hummusapien, Kara of the foodie dietitian, and Christy Harrison’s food psych podcast. I want to be friends and have such a brain-picking session with them – intuitive eating, body positivity and a non-diet mentality is hard to come by in the clinical setting, and I’m working really hard to make this a part of my practice.

cornmeal blueberry pancakes are never a bad idea!

my passion for this philosophy stems from my own personal struggles, as well as seeing so many of my patients come from years of yo-yo dieting, food restriction and poor body image that has left them totally miserable and lost. I’m also fascinated by the hormonal affects these behaviors have on the body and how we can heal them. This for sure is a whole new post(s), which is my goal for next time.

she comes to work after hours sometimes to help me with my groups 🙂 

I just told Peanut to hold me accountable for posting here, and she’s pretty hard to say no to, so…

(in proofreading, I realized I forgot to mention running. that’s for sure an indication of how my running has been going lately, for the most part. to be continued on that one…)