How do I know I ran a marathon yesterday? Sore legs? Nope. Aching feet? Nope. Feeling of accomplishment? Nope. Well, yes, but… ALL I CAN THINK ABOUT IS FOOD! OK, so I will turn this into a positive. I saw a cool, new website for folks in the Northeast that reminds me of Meez Meals here in Chicago (that I reviewed in this post)
Plated is a new meal delivery service that provides all of the fresh ingredients and a recipe for health meals that can be cooked in 30 minutes or less.
How does it work?
1. They feature a variety of new chef-designed meals each week. Choose the meals you want and order online. No need to grocery shop or recipe hunt (they do it for you).
2. They deliver the ingredients to your door already portioned so you don’t need to worry about measuring and waste.
3. You conveniently create chef-designed meals in your own kitchen by following step-by-step recipes. You can enjoy a fresh, healthy meal in under 30 minutes
Plus they offer a special deal if you get your friends involved (and you KNOW I like that!)
It’s easy. You create a free account, forward your personal referral code to friends, and you’ll both get two free plates when they make a full priced purchase! Grab a friend and try it, Northeastern friends!
This is all very similar to Meez Meals in Chicago. You choose from new tasty & healthy recipes, they deliver a cooler with everything you need (prepped & measured) and you follow the simple instructions to make delicious dinners from scratch. I recommend it – especially this time of year when time is short. They also give good follow up deals. (It is also so simple, even I couldn’t mess them up! check out my review in this post.)
These are great ways to stay healthy during the hustle and bustle of the busy holiday season! (And cheaper and healthier than a lot of take out, too!)
In keeping with the food theme, I found a cool new site, Goldbely, for ordering regional foods (and regional food gifts). This is a great idea for friends, and relatives, who have moved, but love something from a previous city or hometown. (Hello Greenberg’s black and white cookies from NYC!) Goldbely is “on a mission to discover all things delicious! On [their] journey, [they’re] seeking out legendary local dishes that have become sources of great pride for their communities.” Could make for some great holiday fun for hungry marathoners… I mean relatives!
If you are in Dallas or Chicago, you can also check out awesome local goodies from Artizone!- similar idea without the geographic reach. In Chicago, their “Part of the Loop” program supports my local food pantry. They have great food and great service (and are fun to chat with on Twitter!) Give them a try!
Since my marathon training is over, I found some links with great tips to help me manage my eating and weight over the holidays:
> Healthy Holiday Party Nutrition : Check out the panel of nutritionists’ suggestions for keeping your diet in check at holiday parties. Some great common sense ideas!
> 5 Reasons for Holiday Weight Gain and What You Can Do About It from Well and Good NYC. Stress, Cold Weather, Changing Schedules, Food Everywhere and Peer Pressure – check! Read the article to learn some easy tricks to stay on track.
> Try These Psychological Tricks to Prevent Mindless Snacking and Avoid Holiday Weight Gain by James Clear for Lifehacker – use smaller plates, make them white (studies show this matters!) and consider “intermittent” fasting after extreme holiday eating (24 hours of fasting midday to midday). I am not sure about the last one, but the first two have scientific backing! (Interesting quick read!)
> I also liked this blog post from WebMD on Keeping Positive About Food. Researchers found that warning women to avoid chocolate because it can make them fat had the opposite effect – it caused them to want it more. Phrases like “a moment on the lips, forever on the hips,” increased cravings and consumption. In the end, the author suggests no foods should be taboo and that positive message about what is good for you are more motivating to keep you on track than their negative counterparts.
OK – I will stop talking food and start talking deals (and sweepstakes!)
> In addition to the Saucony Marathon of Giving (still time to register, friends!), I found another daily give away from Time Out Chicago . As a special holiday treat for readers, they’re giving away one great prize every day from November 14 through December 24. Enter daily for your chance to win and treat yourself to a night out on the town, dinner, electronics and much more!
Have anyone ever won anything from any of these sweepstakes?? I am getting a bit discouraged, but am still trying!
> Gearbuzz has a great deal on a Timex Ironman Race Trainer Kit. It is regularly $175 – now $95 and it includes shipping. A great gift!
> Living Social still has a 50% off deal on Harry & David’s pears – an awesome healthy deal for the holidays!
> Daily Candy Deals has 60% off of the “I Like Book” for kids, women or couples. These books seek to foster communication, build self esteem and positive attitudes. What’s not to like??
> Like KlutchClub for your pup, for the dog who has everything! Daily Candy Deals has 52% off of Bugsy’s Box a curated box for dogs. It includes five to seven hard-to-find items, from squeaky gorilla plushies to organic biscuits, all of which are dog-tested and “Bugsy Box-approved”. Packages come in three varieties, depending on your dog’s size and owners can expect a treat, too, in the form of a coupon or other surprise.
> Need a gift for someone who likes jewelry? Google Offers has $75 for $150 at Blue Nile. It’s a start!
> Have someone crafty on your holiday list? Gilt City has 45-50% off of 3 and 6 month membership to For the Makers – engaging monthly DIY projects delivered for the “crafty and fashion forward”. A gift that keeps on giving! (and they still have 50% off at Red Envelope, too!)
> Want to give and give back, this holiday season? There is still time to support our friend, Christy Matson’s, art fundraiser with USA Projects. USA Projects is a great, non-profit organization that helps artists by providing them with a platform to run fundraising campaigns to support artists in their practices. Check out Christy’s project here. She is offering great incentives in return for your support (and you can gift them!) The cool thing about USA Projects is that you can support artists you like and also get a piece of their work – not to mention a tax deduction (Another win-win!) Check it out!
OK – that’s all I have for now. What are you doing to stay healthy and eat right over the holidays??