On the Run: fitness made simple

(My first restaurant review! It’ll be printed in Synapse this week! How do I become a legit food critic???) 

Nabe- New  Hot Pot Restaurant on 9^th Avenue

                Since Nabe’s opening in January, I’ve walked up and down 9^th Avenue scoping for this new nabemono hot pot restaurant.  After a couple weeks, Synapse finally decided to take closer look. It’s easy to miss because steam from the cooking pots clouds the glass windows while shielding its patrons from the cold night. We went on a chilly Sunday evening, bleak enough to make the Muni look tempting to the most avid of walkers, and stepped into Nabe’s  warm interior thinking only of savory noodles and vegetables.

                Inside, the décor is simple, smart, and cool. It seats 32 people with a long communal table and separate tables on the sides. Along the slate-colored walls are display cases for finished bottles of high-end sake. Although Nabe adopted a modern design, its small size, focus on DIY hot pots, and steamy interior make it an intimate spot for a casual catch-up session with a friend, or a fun date night. Couples and small groups of friends occupied the separate tables, while a large family birthday party reserved the extended center table.

                The juxtaposition of comfort food and sleek design make Nabe a unique destination. Our party of four all ordered different nabemono sets, but because I follow a vegan diet, I can only describe the flavors of the Kinoko Nabe entrée. Each set comes with meat/seafood/tofu, broth, noodles, vegetables, dipping sauce, and rice soup (regular size is $19, large for $24). In the Kinoko Nabe, the broth is brimming with several varieties of mushrooms, bok choy, spinach, tofu, carrots, and to my joyous surprise…kabocha squash. One type of mushroom maintained its tough, chewy texture no matter how long I cooked it. The Miso broth is not overly salty, but added flavor to the fresh produce.  Our table also ordered the Kimchi + Kurobuta Pork Belly, Shabu Shabu (Washygyu beef/Kurobuta pork), and the seasonal Kamonanban (duck breast). For omnivores, I would recommend the Shabu Shabu because it of its variety: two dipping sauces as well as the most impressive plate of vegetables and tofu. As if ramen, udon, and soba noodles weren’t enough, our waitress came to prepare our Zosui rice soup using Japanese style rice and our remaining broth. After simmering the rice, she added green onions, egg (optional), and nori seaweed toppings to the soup and served each of us a hearty bowl. At first I was discouraged from trying my rice soup, but my fellow diner, Carly, gave me the courage by saying, “There’s always room for rice!” It was worth the extra cardio-workout during the preceding week.

                Although Nabe is new, it’s already gaining popularity! Here are some of my tips for a good time: 

• Go early. Nabe only takes reservations for 6+. We waited 40 minutes starting at 7:30pm on a Sunday. Probably not the best place for Valentine’s Day because of this.
• Have to wait? Grab a drink at Social across the street.
• Regular sized hot pot sets are $19; larges are $24
• Excuse some minor service flops because of newly trained staff. (i.e.  I never got my share of noodles and also had to remind our waitress about the tea I ordered.)
• Don’t cook the squash too long.
• Bring friends to try different broths!
• And most importantly…invite me!

Hi everyone, so I’m about 4 months into my first year of medical school and we just finished our Pulmonary exam today. I wanted to tell you a little bit about how I stay active, healthy, and semi-social while learning to be a doctor! One caveat is that first year is the least busy year! 

My school schedule varies, but on weekdays I’m generally in class, studying, doing something medically/medical school related from 8am-6pm, then I work at home from from 8:30-11:00/11:30pm. Sleep before midnight! Sometimes I start class later, and on those days, I go running in the morning! 

Exercise: I’ll start posting my weekly workouts again because I’ve been doing a variety of things. Currently, I’m working out 5-6 days a week, for 45-60 minutes each time. 

• I always try and walk at least 30 minutes a day. This consists of walking 1 mile to and a 1 mile back from campus each day. I’ll walk anywhere less than 2 miles. I LOVE walking! It’s so relaxing and the only thing that feels better than a brisk walk is a brisk run! It really wakes me up in the morning and lets me wind down after a long day. I also like to explore and wander into coffee shops and boutiques. 
• I take 5-10 minute walking breaks between lectures. Sometimes my classmates ask me why I’m walking around aimlessly…
• Weekdays, I go to the gym around 6pm and take a group fitness class, do cardio on the elliptical, or use the rowing machine. Then I head home for dinner. 
• I take one day off when I have class from 8-8pm. My goal is to do 15 minutes of NTC at home on those days. 
• On weekends, I do my running! 
• I use the standing desk at school! They even installed some walking-stations! 

So one week looks like this:

• Monday: BodyJam 1 hour (FAVORITE CLASS ever! I stay late on Mondays until 7pm to take this class! It’s such a party. Shamelessly, the dance we do to J-Bieb’s Girlfriend is one of my faves!!) 
• Tuesday: Ellipitcal 45 minutes
• Wednesday: Easy 4-5 mile run 
• Thursday: Rest day
• Friday: BodyCombat/Pump, or CXWorx (core class) + 30 minutes ellipitcal (1 hour total) 
• Saturday: hard hills day (45-1 hour)
• Sunday: Beach run day! ~6 miles  

For me, working out is a stress reliever and the fun part of my day! I have a premier membership at my gym so I can take as many classes as I want for just $20 a month! I try and exercise in a way that’s convenient too. Also, during exam weeks, I always work-out! I’m sitting and studying so much, that I definitely need the exercise. It’s also a way for me to have fun and go outside while I’m studying. 

FOOD: Okay…so I’ve been spending more on food than I should because I shop mostly at Andronico’s (a fancy store with prices comparable to Whole Foods) and buy organic items. The other day, I spent $8 on vine-ripened tomatoes! But anyways, I eat whole grains for breakfast, salad for lunch, make my own dinner, and crackers/bread for snacks. I also go the farmer’s market on Sundays after my run!

• Breakfast is super easy: Lately I’ve been loving whole wheat bread/English muffin, PB2, bananas, and sprinkles of cinnamon and a tablespoon of pistachios! It’s sooo delicious. 
• Lunch: I get a salad at school and power it up with beans and lots of cherry tomatoes. I’ve been bad lately and have been putting in 1/4 cup of Craisins which I KNOWW have lots of added sugar to them…But it helps me finish my salad with only balsamic vinegar for dressing. I get a soup too if it’s vegan. Also, sometimes I cave and get the specialty salads at this Italian cafe at my school…especially when it has butternut squash in it..mmhmm which is expensive and has a lot of olive oil. Basically, it’s easy for me to have a healthy lunch because I frequent the salad and soup bar at school which is pretty cheap. 
• Dinners: If I’m on campus, I’ll go get another salad. If not, I try and making something easy and healthy at home. Currently, I’m eating tofu + tomato stirfry over a bed of greens and bread. I actually eat too much bread… 
• Lately, I’ve been going out to eat lot because 1) it’s San Francisco! SOO many cute, yummy places to try, 2) I want to catch up with friends, and 3) I go on dates with my boyfriend. I always get something that has a lot of vegetables, keep my drinks simple, and eat until I’m satisfied. 
• Desserts: Okay…so each week we have small group and there’s ALWAYS yummy cookies. I’m still working on limiting my cookie consumption. But for the most part, I tame my cravings on a daily basis with lemon ginger tea, whether’s original sugar-free caramels, unsweetened soy lattes, chopped up dried plums, and oranges. Sometimes, I’ll split a cookie between friends, or just eat half of it to try it! My boyfriend and I split a yummy apple-cinnamon cupcake with cream cheese frosting a couple weeks ago =). I’ve learned to define what I consider dessert. For example, fruit is my sweet snack. Also, there’s this bakery that I love which makes chocolate-cherry sourdough and fig fennel sourdough which are delicious! A slice of either is dessert for me =) It’s pretty much the same has having raisin bread if you’re craving something sweet. I’ve found that my tolerance and taste for sweet foods has decreased. Also, I always make note of what’s really good and what’s not so great so I don’t waste calories on it again later. Like the cafeteria white chocolate pecan cookie…not so great…But the cranberry-raisin oatmeal cookie from Wooly Pig Cafe…sooo perfect!
• I actually haven’t been counting calories, but I’ve been very good at eating just until I’m satisfied. I can’t remember the last time I was uncomfortably full in med school. I list things I eat on a few days of the week.  
• Snacks are plain and healthy: carrots, whole wheat bread, low-sugar cereal, or unsalted crackers. 
• I keep track of how many hours in-between eating. I try and eat every 3-4 hours and not earlier. 
• Stop eating after 8pm (but honestly, I’ll still have a couple hard candies or a handful of cereal around 10pm if I’m up studying) 
• Buy pre-washed and pre-cut vegetables to save time and motivate me to cook vegetables. 
• I bring healthy-ish snacks for small group! Still gotta please the people…This week, I’m bringing carrots, pretzels, Somersault cookie crisps, Puffins cereal, and oranges =). 

…This is a lot of information. Can I do how I maintain somewhat of a social life later? 

Oh and the pictures! First one is from my birthday last month. And the other two are from post-exam meals =) Today my friends and I got sandwiches, and last time, we ordered major salads! After the salads, we went to a holiday party and had kahlua hot cocoa and cookies… 

Btw, overall, I’m at a healthy weight, haven’t gained any weight…although a couple less layers of tummy chub would be nice… =/ I’m working on it! My strategy is less bread snacking and more carrot chomping! 

What about you?! Here are my questions:

• What’s the best strategy, rule, tip, or app you have for balancing a hectic schedule? 
• Also, what keeps you from exercising and eating healthy regularly? 
• How often do you eat dessert? I.e. a cookie, cupcake, chocolate, etc.? 
• Would you like to see what I order when I go out?