Lessons We Can All Learn From My Crazy Dog

If you’ve been around here for a while, you know that it’s no secret that I’m obsessed with my dog. She’s the most crazy, energetic, perfect thing in the entire world and she never fails to entertain me.

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One of my favorite things about Lily is the lessons that she teaches me… Every. Single. Day.

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I wanted to share these lessons with you guys too, so here we go!

Lesson #1: Eat as much peanut butter as possible as often as possible.

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Peanut butter is Lily’s own personal version of heaven.

I get a little bit too offended when people are afraid of eating peanut butter, or claim that it isn’t good for you. Sure, if you’re looking for a low-calorie sandwich topping, peanut butter (clocking in at 100-200 calories a serving) is probably not what you’re looking for. But if you’re looking for a deliciously nutritious add-in with protein for staying power, peanut butter is right up your alley!

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Peanut butter is a delicious source of protein and healthy fats. Not to mention that it is jam-packed with a bunch of other nutritional benefits too!

“A serving of peanut butter has 3 mg of the powerful antioxidant vitamin E, 49 mg of bone-building magnesium, 208 mg of muscle-friendly potassium, and 0.17 mg of immunity-boosting vitamin B6. Research shows that eating peanuts can decrease your risk of heart disease, diabetes, and other chronic health conditions. One study published in the Journal of the American Medical Association found that consuming 1 ounce of nuts or peanut butter (about 2 tablespoons) at least 5 days a week can lower the risk of developing diabetes by almost 30%.”

For more on the nutritional benefits of peanut butter, click here!

Don’t be afraid of peanut butter! And let’s be honest, pretty much everything tastes better when you add the good old PB to it.

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Lesson #2: Take time to snuggle.

Whether it be snuggling up in a blanket after a long day..

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Snuggling up with one of your favorite people…

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Snuggling up with a furry friend..

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Or even just snuggling up in a pair of your comfiest pajamas..

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Snuggling makes everything better. Take it from one of the best snugglers around.

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Lesson #3: Eat when you’re hungry, stop when you’re full.

Lily is weird. She only eats when she’s hungry, and she stops when she’s full. But if you’re at all familiar with the term “intuitive eating”, she might be onto something.

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At one time or another, we’ve all eaten when we weren’t really hungry. I’ve done it. You’ve done it. We’ve all done it.

Whether it be ordering that box of popcorn at the movies after dinner, snacking during a TV show for no particular reason, or even just eating meals at the same time every day because that’s what we’ve learned that we’re “supposed to do”, it’s not at all uncommon to eat just to eat.

Fitness Magazine claims that the 7 reasons that we eat when we’re not hungry are:

1.) To cope

2.) Out of boredom

3.) Because other people are eating

4.) Because food is there

5.) Because you’re tired

6.) Because the clock says so

7.) Because it’s free

…..and I have no problem admitting that I am guilty of all of those. But I also want to try not to be. I think I need to be a little more like Lily.

Lesson #4: Set aside time for naps when you need them.

Sometimes life gets downright exhausting.

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Lily is a constant reminder of the value of a good nap.

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She hits the pillow hard, and wakes up ready to go. I think we all need to take more naps.

Many studies have shown that napping has amazing health benefits such as boosting alertness, improving learning and memory, increasing creativity, lifting your spirits, reducing stress and boosting productivity. Are you serious? I have all of the excuses I need.

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Lesson #5: Running will bring you happiness. Run as often as you can.

There is nothing that makes Lily happier than the opportunity to get outside and run like the wind.

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And even though some days it might be a little hard for me to lace up my shoes and get out the door, I am ALWAYS happier after a long run with my favorite running buddy.

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Endorphins are a wonderful thing.

Lesson #6: Dance like no one’s watching.

Don’t be afraid to let loose and get your groove on every once and a while.


 

Lesson #7: Everyone is a potential friend. Don’t be afraid to say hi.

Lily is the least shy animal in the history of animals.

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Sometimes I’m jealous of her ability to put herself out there and be BFFs with everyone she comes into contact with.

Lesson #10: Don’t be afraid to bark back.

Lily is not afraid to let everyone/anything know how she feels about whatever happens to be going on in her life at that time.

If you wake her up in the morning before she’s ready..

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you’ll know it.

Sometimes I have a difficult time saying “no” to people and/or speaking up about my true feelings and it is something that I am trying to work on. I think it’s important to know how to “bark back” when you need to.

Lesson #11: If at first you don’t succeed…

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try, try again.

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:)

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I Am An Iron Girl! & You Can Be Too!

Have you guys noticed the new button on my sidebar? Probably not, but that’s okay because I’m going to tell you all about it!

Have you heard of Iron Girl?!

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A couple of weeks ago, I was contacted by Natalie at Iron Girl, and offered the opportunity to be an ambassador for Iron Girl and to participate in the Athleta Iron Girl Triathlon in Pleasant Prairie. To say that I was a little excited would be an understatement!

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Many of you might not know this, but I was a swimmer for my entire life. It was basically the reason that I was put on this planet for the first 18 years of my existence.

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My Feelings About Finals In A Few Dramatic GIFs

Right off the bat this morning I was like:

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After I had a sufficient amount of coffee running through my veins, I tried to do something productive with my life but everything’s like:

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And I was like, “COME ON BROOKE…”

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But obviously that was a waste of everyone’s time..

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So I did what any sane college kid would do and had a total meltdown..

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Then proceed to text Lauren for a girl’s night,

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Ignore reality,

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Contemplated walking a marathon with Lily,

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Before ultimately deciding to stare at my computer screen until these papers start to write themselves.

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Finals, you win again.

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How RIH Readers DIG DEEP

I was so inspired by all of your thoughts and motivational words in response to my post last week about digging a little deeper! So many of you shared your amazing mottos and mantras with me, and I was itching to go for a long run after just reading through your responses!

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I just knew that I had to share your mottos with Running In Heels readers! So here are a few a bunch of my favorites..

From Chelsea @ Run Like a Princess: “I do PulseTread work outs and the trainer always says “you can do anything for 30 seconds” when he wants you to sprint really hard or run on a really high incline, so I find myself changing the time measurement to suit my runs, like “you can do anything for two minutes.”

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From Becky @ Olives and Wine: “I always set a minimum distance for myself and then once I get there, I tell myself okay 2 more minutes and oftentimes that turns into 20-30 more minutes added onto my run.”

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Glossybox Giveaway WINNER!

And the winner of my Glossybox giveaway is…

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Congrats, Becky @ The Saved Runner!!

Contact me with your shipping address and I will send your box to you ASAP!

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Chicago Recap That Is Mostly About Food, Of Course

With all of the hustle and bustle of finals week coming up in a few days, I haven’t had any time for writing or reading any of your amazing blogs! I promise I’ll be back in full swing soon! I miss catching up on all of your lives every day!

On Wednesday, Andy and I took a little break from reality to hang out downtime and have a short visit with his brother in Chicago on his day off.

On Tuesday night, I stopped at Culvers for a quick dinner on the way to my dad’s house.

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I chose a slightly healthier option than most items on the menu… Culvers originated in Wisconsin, and if you have one where you live, you can probably tell by taking a quick glance at the menu. Frozen custard, cheese curds and burgers known for their buttery buns? It really doesn’t get more Wisconsin than that. I guess it would if you added beer to the mix, but I love Culvers just the way it is.

Even though Culvers is definitely known for their deliciously unhealthy foods, their Strawberry Fields salad is TOO GOOD. Seriously. I opted to leave out the tomatoes, but aside from that, it is topped with fresh strawberries, blue cheese, pecans and grilled chicken. So amazing.

I enjoyed my salad while watching TV and snuggling with my favorite kitty at my dad’s house, which is close to Andy’s workplace, while I waited for Andy to get done with work.

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It’s always good to see my kitty.

We arrived in Chicago around midnight, and woke up early Tuesday morning for a breakfast that is becoming a tradition for the three of us.

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For all of you Chicago kids out there.. have you ever been to Wildberry Pancakes & Cafe??

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The Things We Tell Ourselves To Dig A Little Deeper

Dinner last night was a “grab everything in the fridge and add it to spaghetti squash” kinda’ meal.

I ended up adding broccoli, chicken, a little bit of ground turkey and two chicken sausages to some roasted garlic spaghetti squash and made a faux spaghetti dish that looked absolutely disgusting.

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I’m sorry that I made you look at that.

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I promise that it tasted WAY better than it looked.

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Taco Fest and Does This Count?

This year’s Cinco de Mayo celebration was only further proof that I am getting old.

Usually, my Cinco de Mayo revolves around a whole lotta’ margaritas and a cerveza fueled festival called Rusty’s Backwater Bash that happens in my college town every year. It doesn’t always fall on Cinco de Mayo (It did last year, this year it fell on Saturday), so my Cinco de Mayo was a lot more relaxed than last year’s festivities.

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A Glossybox GIVEAWAY! [CLOSED]

Have you guys ever heard of Glossybox?

I hadn’t until I was given the opportunity to review the April box on Running In Heels this month, and I couldn’t be more excited to tell you all about it!!

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If you’re no stranger to the blog, you know that I’m a sucker for a good monthly subscription box. I really, reallly love getting mail, and the idea of a company that is focused around the concept of sending me goodies every month is pretty much a dream come true for me. If I could, I would sign up for every subscription box in the world, but then my bank account would be all:

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So I’m just going to stick to signing up for the good ones. And Glossybox is no exception.

This months box focused on welcoming the warmer weather back with spring/summer beauty products and embracing your natural beauty. I am all about the warmer weather, natural beauty, and fun, new products, so I’m pretty sure I couldn’t have picked a better month to jump on the Glossybox bandwagon!

“This April, GLOSSYBOX has a thirst for beauty wellness and we are quenching it with feelgood products! After a long winter, it‘s time to be good to your body, whether it’s an invigorating wash or an indulgent soak. Feel the sun‘s warmth and bring on beachy waves and sun-kissed cheeks. Bare some skin and go the no makeup-makeup route. Work your natural beauty and be your best you with GLOSSYBOX this month.”

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The adorable box was STUFFED with awesome full sized and travel sized products, and I was sold as soon as I saw a full sized blush. I have been looking for a new blush and I am LOVING the TIGI blush that Glossybox sent me!

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Where I Am Today

If I’m M.I.A today it’s because I’m off to see this lady..

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See ya soon CARRIE UNDERWOOD.

Can’t. Even. Wait.

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