Morning, friends! My favorite day of the week has arrived. I just love Saturdays and they always start out on the good side with a long run. Even when not my strongest run, I always feel so accomplished after finishing up my long run of the week. It’s a fabulous feeling and today was no different.

I had 8 miles on the half marathon training plan and I decided to take on the slower pace approach to see how it would work for me, especially considering I have only run one other eight miler before. I ended the eight miles with an average 9:46 pace and felt like I could have gone more. My legs weren’t screaming at me at all.

This morning also happened to be my first run in the rain. You can’t really tell in the photo but running six of my eight miles in steady rain left me soaked through! And refreshed! I actually really liked running in the rain.

After getting home, I immediately changed and got to work on breakfast.

Handfuls of Love Grown Granola while waiting for a smoothie to blend anyone??

I ended up with another peanut butter, banana (the victorious fruit!), and Power GY vanilla protein powder smoothie thickened up with the xan (my new nickname for xanthan gum). All topped off with the Simply Oats granola from Love Grown. 

Favorite fruit? Check! Favorite thing to add to every breakfast (aka peanut butter)? Check! Favorite protein powder? Check! Favorite granola? Check! And now Love Grown and I get to share an even more special, loving bond.

I have been bursting at the seams to announce that I will work to represent Love Grown as they sponsor me for the Healthy Living Summit this year!!!

I have shared on more than one occasion how much I love Love Grown – for the quality of their products, for what the company stands for, and for the inspiration they provide as driven and caring ambassadors to healthy living and eating. I have supported Love Grown ever since originally tasting their products and we decided my spreading the love at the conference would make a natural fit.

While all of this certainly excites me, it should hopefully excite you too. This bond means I get to share all sorts of special updates, promotions, giveaways, etc with YOU! After all, I hope to share the love daily and Love Grown lives and breathes spreading love. I wouldn’t want to connect with a company that did any less.

In fact, I already have some cool news to give you:

• Florida Residents: You should now be able to find Love Grown Granola in your local Fresh Market stores!!
• Check out the Love Grown You Tube Channel:  Find fun videos like a ping pong battle over their Cocoa Goodness granola or watch the story of Love Grown Foods. It’s pretty amazing.

Well, now that my belly is full of love (cheesy pun, I know), I must get a start on my day. First up = picking up those healthy grocery staples, of course. Catch ya later!

• How do you like to start your Saturday mornings?
• What’s a company you simply adore?

I’m a lover. I love helping others. But…I’m also a fighter. I will fight tooth and nail to not give in to particular things. I ended up giving in today on some of those particular things. I guess waking up at 1 am will shatter will power. Yes. You read that right. I woke up at 1 am. Not I woke up and fell back asleep an hour later. No. I tossed and turned for an hour and a half before finally giving in to chilling on the couch by myself in the wee hours of the morning.

I even decided to head to the gym for when it opened at 5 am because I figured a dose of endorphins couldn’t hurt. I ran three miles on the treadmill and almost instantly felt more energetic. Then, I came home and got going with my day…when I suddenly realized the fatigued body was now a fatigued, achy body. My inner thighs, around my knees, and my IT band seriously needed some rolling pin action.

After rolling pin rolling (is that what you would call it??) while reading to Makenzie, I determined we needed new library books . So, we packed up and headed to the library for the morning. I had another motive as well. A pit stop by the grocery store to use a $1 off Kashi coupon while Kashi cereal was on sale at Kroger lead to this…

I gave in to the $12 bag of xanthan gum. I told you. Diminished sleep = diminished willpower. I always want to buy the special powder others swear by to help make thicker, creamier smoothies but stop myself because of the price. Of course, I had to try it out to determine whether I should rejoice or glare you all down for lying to me all this time.

Shake consumed after giving in to a long, much needed nap. Thank heavens!

I added vanilla almond milk, a frozen banana, a spoonful of peanut butter, a pinch of xantahn gum, and 1/2 a serving of vanilla protein powder to the blender to whirl into creamy oblivion.

It works. Creamy, thick, shake-like consistency achieved. I tried to capture the better texture on camera but I’m not so talented.

And the shake’s taste? Ohmygoshsogood!!!! I have wanted to pick up some protein powder to add to my shakes for awhile since I usually enjoy my shakes post-workout. The extra protein makes a good option for post-workout fuel. Then, Power GY came to the rescue offering me to review some of their whey protein powder geared for workout recovery.

I like that the product has less ingredients than other powders I have seen, but still has similar statistics with 110 calories, 26 grams of protein and no sugar – just sweetened with stevia. I appreciate that it blends up smoothly with no grit and has a smooth vanilla taste most of all. Not kidding when I say ohmygoshsogood!

My will power would have succumbed to ordering myself a full container had I not ended up giving in to something else.

I now have an iPhone. I kept fighting the smartphone, but here we are. I knew I would give in eventually. Now…HELP ME!!!

• What are your favorite apps? Especially for things like social media (anything special for Twitter/Google Reader/etc?), practical stuff (like weather/music?), or other fun. Clue a girl in!
• What’s something you thought you would never give in to trying or using but eventually did? A food item? A workout? A big purchase? A popular trend?