current obsessions

Runyon Canyon

Okay, so maybe I made it clear yesterday how much I adore Runyon Canyon……. but let me reiterate this fact since I’ve been there 4 times this week.

I love that there are multiple trails to take, with varying levels of difficulty, steepness and length.

Yesterday I did an incredibly difficult 2.8 mile route that took me a little over an hour… and according to my heart rate monitor burned 505 calories. these trails are serious!

I had to climb up this bad boy

and make my way down this death trap

it was definitely worth the fear of slipping for the beautiful LA views

Todays route was less of a killer, a much easier paced 3 mile walk in a little under an hour.

and a side note, as a New Yorker I’m kind of obsessed with seeing cactus on the trails

Polar Heart Rate Monitor

I’ve been talking about getting a heart rate monitor forever, yet I have a terrible fear of electronic commitment and never buy the gadgets I say I wanna buy (example 2, the nook. I want that baby so bad but just can’t commit….)

Anywho…. I finally got me a Polar Heart Rate Monitor and I loveee it. Setting it up was relatively easy, and using it each time so far has been super easy.

Test run one: the killer hike at Runyon Yesterday

(not gonna lie, like 20 of those minutes was me gabbing on the phone with my mama….)

Test run two: zumba class this morning

My only complaint is that the chest strap didn’t want to stay in place during zumba and kept slipping down. I feel like the straps can’t be tightened as much as I would like them to be which is surprising considering it’s a female model. I mean, I know I’m petite, but I’m not that petite.

I think it also stayed in place better yesterday while hiking because I was wearing a tight lululemon top that probably held it up, compared to this morning when I was wearing a loose tank top.

Nike + running app

this app has become my new bff for all my mile tracking needs. I used it in New York a few weeks ago to track how long my bike ride was (correct, that is not running, but it still tracked it pretty accurately) and the app has been great for tracking how long my recent runs and hikes have been. I love that every mile it gives you an update about your pace, and it works flawlessly with the music on my iPhone.

the death hike

 

the way less terrifying hike

Amande yogurt

Since cutting out most dairy from my diet there’s a bunch of foods I miss terribly. Cheese for one, god I loved cheese until I realized it did not love my belly. I also love yogurt. So much that I actually ate yogurt every single day during Fall of my Sophomore year for either lunch or dinner. I like to think of those 16 weeks as my yogurt phase… my roommate kept asking me how I could still crave yogurt. Because it’s tasty?

I found me a new yogurt love: Amande Yogurt from Whole Foods

[source]

So far I’ve only tried the coconut flavor, but its delicious. I loved the texture, there were bits of coconut which reminded me up when I would eat coconut flavored everything in Club Med. Yogurt that makes me feel on vacation? What’s not to love. Sprinkled with some granola and fruit and I am one happy lactose sensitive gal. Can’t wait to try the other flavors.

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Any products, apps, etc you are currently obsessed with?