Healthy Meal - Nutri-Bullet and Fitness Updates

So it's been awhile since I've blogged about my healthy snacks, running updates, or fitness in general (which is weird because fitness is such a big part of my life) so without further ado here are some long overdo fitness updates!                                                     We recently purchased a Nutri-Bullet and it has been a staple in my daily routine. I was skeptical at first that a "juice" could fill me up as if it was a meal, but I'm not kidding I was actually full! This photo to the left was of my first concoction: blueberries, half of a banana, half of a peach, three stalks of kale, an apple, a tablespoon of chia seeds, and a splash of water for good measure. It didn't taste at all like kale and it was absolutely delicious and I'll be making a drink for one meal each day. I can't wait to see what other mixtures are yummy. Have any of you tried the Nutri-Bullet?

I've backed off a lot of my running since I last checked in. I believe I had just completed my first half-marathon when I last posted so my mileage was up to at least 25 or 30 miles a week. After finishing the race the plantar fasciitis flared up a lot more, and I injured my foot from wearing shoes that I'd destroyed during training. I run about an average of 5 miles per week now, and recently ran a 5K at Irish Fest! Below is the Milwaukee Hurling Club (MHC) team for the run.

Speaking of hurling, that brings me to my main fitness obsession. I've been playing hurling all summer and I'm sad to say the season is almost over. I don't want to get back to normal life with no long summer Sundays at the pitch. I love hurling and I love the MHC. Hurling is a great outlet for me because the game includes a lot of running, but it's also very physical. Hurlers in my position (halfback/midfield) in Ireland will run up to 7 miles per game and will take open field shoulder to shoulder body contact. If you've never heard of or seen hurling I definitely recommend checking it out on YouTube, or finding a local club. Below is a photo of me in a scrum near the beginning of the season.

I've also been quite serious about Pilates. I finished up my Pilates class at school in the spring and it was the best class I've ever taken. I always felt energized and ready for the day after I'd attended. I've decided I want to become a Pilates instructor and work to get certified over this next year. It should be challenging and fun, but in the end it will be mentally and physically rewarding.

I've been sticking to the gluten-free/dairy-free diet, and occasionally eating Paleo. It's hard to stick to Paleo for a long period of time because sometimes a girl just needs to eat popcorn or corn tortillas. The Nutri-Bullet will help me stay on track because there are so many meal options with smoothie/juice drinks and other recipes in the Nutri-Bullet recipe guidebook.

I think I'll start being more regular with my fitness posts because I like to keep track of exercising and eating habits myself anyway. It might be helpful for some of you to see it too.

What are your recent fitness faves/updates?