Good morning, friends! It’s another very cold day here in DC, but I managed to get out for a run this morning. With a big snowstorm forecast for tonight and tomorrow, I figured this might be my last chance to run outside for a few days, so I took advantage of it.
My running partner was my friend Heather. As usual, when my alarm went off at 5:51 a.m. (that extra minute makes all the difference), I wanted to stay in bed. But once I was out there, I was glad I made the push.
It was pretty cold — upper teens with a “feels like” around 9 degrees thanks to the wind — but I think I’m getting used to it because it didn’t feel as brutal as it could have. Heather and I chatted while we ran and enjoyed a gorgeous sunrise full of orange, pink, and purple hues.
We ran together until downtown, where Heather headed northwest toward home and I continued toward the monuments. At the Lincoln Memorial I discovered the November Project workout was happening — I’d forgotten it was Wednesday morning. Since I was there, I figured I might as well join in.
There were only about ten minutes left, but everyone welcomed me into the group for a few rounds of stair runs, squats, and burpees. I was surprised there were so many people out in that cold — the November Project draws a friendly, committed crowd.
The workout finished with a group challenge I’d done the last time I joined: teams of five held a plank while teammates ran up the stairs one at a time. Since I’d joined late, I volunteered to be the last person running so my group’s planker could hold the position longer. It was a fun, spontaneous addition to the run — the November Project is great because it’s open and welcoming to newcomers.
I’ll have to come back another day for the full workout — I keep forgetting they meet regularly. They’ve started offering sessions on Friday mornings now too, which is great. Free, friendly, outdoor workouts with monument views are hard to beat.
After the November Project warm-up, I ran solo across the Memorial Bridge, up to the Iwo Jima memorial, and then tackled the long climb back up to Courthouse/Clarendon. It was tough, but I finished about seven miles total, plus the extra stair action from boot camp — a solid workout.
On the food front, I wanted to share a few convenient finds I picked up at Target and Whole Foods that make healthy meals quicker.
I discovered 90-second microwave lentils — the ingredient list is just lentils, nothing weird added. I love lentils but often don’t want to deal with cooking them, so this is a perfect shortcut. I also like the pre-cooked lentils from Trader Joe’s, which are lightly seasoned and sold near the fresh produce.
Another time-saver I use is 90-second brown rice. I usually cook quinoa from scratch, but brown rice takes too long when I don’t plan ahead. I picked up a plain microwave brown rice at Whole Foods, and the simple Uncle Ben’s 90-second brown rice is another widely available option.
I put together an easy lunch using the 90-second rice and lentils plus a can of beets. I don’t mind canned beets — they’re a convenient pantry staple I reach for when I don’t want to cook from scratch. For the salad I layered baby kale, half a container of lentils, half a container of brown rice, and half a can of beets. I grated some Parmesan on top, added salt and pepper, and dressed it with a simple homemade balsamic vinaigrette (equal parts oil and balsamic vinegar, a squirt of Dijon, and a squeeze of lemon). I wish I’d had avocado to add, but it was still a satisfying and quick meal.
Now it’s back to work: clearing emails, doing AnneTheRD client work, and prepping for a class I’m scheduled to teach at GW tomorrow morning. There’s a chance tomorrow’s class could be canceled because of the snow, but I’ll prepare anyway just in case.
Today also marks a personal milestone: it’s the one-year anniversary of passing the Registered Dietitian exam.
I can’t believe it’s already been a year since my grad school friends and I nervously walked into the testing center after a week of nonstop studying. It’s also been more than a year since we finished grad school. Time really flies. I still remember how overwhelmed I felt when I started researching how to become an RD and how uncertain I was that I’d make it through.
I miss my grad school friends and am proud of how far we’ve come. Both Maria and I are working in private practice focusing on wellness and weight management, and Elle is a dietitian at MyFitnessPal in San Francisco. We’ve come a long way since meeting on the first day of grad school at UNC in 2010.