Reasons to Stop Running

From the title, you might think this post is going to highlight warnings signs of injury. When to take it easy or lay off completely if you feel an ache or pain while running. Actually, it's about something else entirely.

Sort of.

Have you ever been out for a jog and --halfway through -- just not felt right? It happened to me today. I felt dizzy and dehydrated despite having guzzled water all day. I ended up walking a mile home. Weird.

Or maybe you've had pesky digestive issues fare up after a warmup mile? I've been there. Multiple times. That's dull knee pain suddenly turn sharp? Happened to me. Maybe you were far away from home and lightning starting to light up the sky. Yup. That too. And I'm terrified of lightning. Ever get lost? I did once when I squeezed in a 4-miler 6-miler during a business trip.

Or perhaps you, like me, have been followed for a mile or more by creepsters in a truck or on a bike. No, really. Both of those things have happened to me in the past couple years. And I'm sure it's happened to more of you than I'd like to think.

I could go on.


There are a number of reasons to stop running or to modify your original plan. It's a day-by-day, assess-by-the-moment sort of thing. Rarely -- OK -- never have I encountered a complete emergency, but I always thought it's good to be prepared and plan for if something does goes horribly wrong. (I'm a worst-case scenario planner, can you tell?)

I guess I started thinking more about this issue when I was pregnant. Especially when my belly got bigger and bigger. I became worried that I wouldn't feel well on a run and I'd be far from home. So, I started running a mile loop. And eventually I found a couple different routes where I was never far from home. I now use these same paths if I don't trust the weather report.

I don't have a list of tips for this post. It's more of a conversation. I am interested in what you do to stay safe. What plans you have if you need to stop or if something stops you.

Have you thought about it?


If not. Have you thought about it now?

I'm planning to do a follow-up with some tips. For example, carrying a cell phone is probably a good bet. But it's something I've never done. Something I have done: Identified different "safe" or "useful" places along my usual routes. Like Wegmans if I need to use the bathroom. Or a certain long-hours convenience store if for some reason someone follows me. I'll list more in part II.


Bonus: Later this week, we'll be reviewing ICEdot, which is an emergency identification and notification service via a lightweight, silicone bracelet. And we'll be hosting a giving away where one of you could win one for yourself!

Stay tuned . . .


And today on Writing Chapter Three, we have the third installment of the Baby Must-Haves series. This time, we're looking at 6 to 9 months.

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Hello!

Hope you're having a lovely Friday the 13th. I just wanted to hop online quickly to offer a big T.H.A.N.K.Y.O.U for your support during our blog vacation. You've all been so, so great, and we've missed your comments and other day-to-day interactions.

Life's been good.

Yeah. We needed the rest -- that's for sure -- as it's been a crazy couple months. Though it seems that things are continuing on a hectic trend, we'll be happily returning to you all (officially) on Monday.

Till then, have a great weekend . . . and thanks again!

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A Homemade Life: Foodie Book Club Posting

Good morning, everyone! Here's the post where you can share a permalink to your Foodie Book Club review/recipe/photo essay/or whatever else you've come up with to discuss Molly Wizenberg's A Homemade Life: Stories and Recipes from My Kitchen Table. I can't wait to share with you all my write-up and recipe. Hoping to get it up on the blog by Monday morning.

And here's how you share your own creation: Simply enter your information in the following format in the list below -- something like Ashley M. [at] (never home)maker (but use your own info, of course). Again, please provide the specific link to the post about Wizenberg's book so we can all easily find your post.

You have until Friday, May 7 (that's one week) at 11PM EST to post to this page. I'll be making a sidebar graphic for easy access. Thanks, and please let me know if you any questions! (Psssst: If you just can't get enough of Molly's fantastically crafted prose, check out her blog -- Orangette -- her latest recipe is roasted rhubarb!)


Image Credit



New to (never home)maker? Have questions about the Foodie Book Club? Check out our Foodie Book Club Details post. And if you'd like a button for your sidebar so everyone can know you're in the club, just grab the one below!

<a href="http://www.neverhomemaker.com/2010/02/foodie-book-club-details.html" target="_blank"><img src="http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4052/4383030070_e9ba2a2324_o.gif"></a>

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How to Protect Yourself from the Sun

We got thinking about the whole skin protection program after we discovered that during our marathon training, we were spending at least 7 hours outdoors each week. And that doesn't include non-running time. It's easy to soak in all those rays without thinking about the consequences. After all, it feels good. And some exposure is important to absorbing vitamin D (thanks to Erin from Domestic Adventure for reminding us of that). However, too much unprotected fun can also lead to premature aging of the skin, wrinkles, cataracts, and skin cancer.

What to do? Well, we've all read the tips in magazines and heard them on the news. We also likely all say we're doing enough to protect ourselves. But, people, it's high time we all start putting the SPF 30 chapstick where our mouth is. Here are some tips and tricks submitted to us by readers, as well as a few of our own.


Cover up from Head to Toe. The sun can't get you if you're wearing clothes. So, if it's not incredibly hot, try wearing longer sleeve items. Slip into some warm weather running tights versus short-shorts. Stick on a hat (I always wear a hat while running because I used to get horribly sunburned on my scalp. It is not fun at all). But if you choose to follow this step, also choose your attire wisely. Of course, some fabric is better than none, but if your singlet is basically see-through, it certainly defeats the purpose.

You may have also heard about the new UV protective clothing. I'm no expert in this area, but I found a site with some active wear (Solartex). If anyone has tried this kind of fabric, we'd love to hear what you think about it!

Tess writes: I always wear a baseball hat or a visor when I run. I have a bunch from work but I've been thinking about getting a proper Nike Running Hat because I think it will be easier to wash. Unfortunately the hat doesn't always cover my whole face (depending the the time of day and position of the sun), but overall I think it's much better than sunscreen.


Image from Amazon

Wear Sunscreen. Yeah. It makes sense. And we all KNOW to wear sunscreen. But I will be honest. I rarely ever slather the stuff on my body (I wear some in my face moisturizer) unless I'm at the beach. Make sure you choose a kind that blocks both UVA and UVB rays (to guard against skin cancer).

Bre from The Red Bungalow writes: I HATE thick sunscreen . . . no matter how little you put on you can still...FEEL it. I started using Neutrogena's Ultra Sheer Dry Touch and I think it does a really good job of not feeling like sunscreen. I also just got some of the spray kind from Costco that I'm going to try out too (I would think this would feel less icky and is really quick to apply).

Iris writes: For over-the-counter I would suggest Neutrogena Ultra Sheer Dry-Touch Sunblock SPF 100+ with Helioplex. This one is super dry and soft to the touch. While it protects, it also works to reverse existing damage. A definite plus! It runs around $12. Good deal for the money.

Iris also suggests the following for those of you (like me) who are concerned with breaking out: La Roche-Posay Anthelios Products are great! They range from $20-$60 depending on the SPF level and body specific product. I personally use the 60SPF on a daily basis in the summer. For running purposes I would suggest the 60 Melt in Sunscreen Milk as it's not face-specific but can be used all over your body.

Meg agrees: That Neutrogena Dry Touch stuff is amazing! I have been using it for 2 years. It comes in a small blue and white tube/bottle and it really does feel dry and my skin never gets oily. I wear sunscreen on my face every day, and even most days in the winter. For the rest of me I use Ocean Potion for sensitive skin (pink bottle). It is non-scented! And not thick and greasy either.

And Tess suggests the following brands, if you're especially concerned with staying natural: Loving Natural, Heiko Kids, and Badger.


Protect your Peepers. You don't need to spend a mint to be protected. But during the summer, I often wear both a baseball cap AND sunglasses. Make sure whatever pair you choose -- just like with sunscreen -- blocks both UVA and UVB rays. Protecting your eyes will ensure you can continue your outdoor activities for years to come. Plus, it's much more comfortable than squinting at the sun for 20 miles!


Choose your Workout Time Wisely. Truth is, we know when it's the worst time to head outside for a long run or walk. UV rays are most intense between 10AM and 4PM. And with all that summer heat, it's usually more comfortable to be outdoors earlier or later than these times. If the sun is high in the sky, consider waiting until later in the day to get your sweat on.

Bre (The Red Bungalow) writes: Because I'm so easy to burn, my hubby always makes a point of having us try to do our outdoor activities when the sun isn't at the highest point in the day (when we go to the pool or go for a bike ride we usually go before 11am or after 2:30 or so).

Do What's Right for You (But Consider the Consequences). If you don't find a method that works, you likely won't do anything at all. Becca from FashionFlirt told us the following story that has us shaking in our running flats!

A friend of mine who is an elite marathon runner never wears sunscreen on his long runs because he finds that when he DOES wear sunscreen his ability to sweat normally is compromised. According to him, he finds that when he wears sunscreen, he struggles through his summer runs quite a bit more than he does if he doesn't bother putting on sunscreen at all.

That being said, his skin looks like leather already, and he is my age (28).

We got so many fantastic suggestions, we simply couldn't include them all this morning. So, we're planning another sun care-related post for the near future. If you would like to read all the comments shared with us, head over to the Here Comes the Sun post. And if you have some of your own tips and tricks to share -- please do! Just leave us a comment or email us at neverhomemaker@gmail.com.


And if you haven't already -- be sure to enter our giveaway, which ends this evening at 9PM EST.

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Weekend Spending Habits: EATING OUT

We consider (never home)maker a healthy living blog. And financial health is so very important to keeping the mind and body stress free. That's why we've been focusing on things like grocery receipts and other bills. Money's the stuff that keeps us up at night. Today's topic is one we continually struggle with: Weekend Spending.

For us, weekend spending comes in many forms. Eating out. Catching or renting a movie. Hosting parties. Running races (those that have fees associated). Miscellaneous shopping. Seems like everywhere we look, someone's hand is out, just waiting for us to hand over our debit card. Of all these pricey amusements, going out to eat literally eats up the most cash.


Over the next several weeks, I'd like to focus on one of each of these kinds of spending. On Friday, I'll post to get the discussion started. The following week, I'll provide some tips and reader advice. Yes -- you're a big part of this, and we'd love to get your input and words of wisdom! Since we got such great response to our grocery bill post earlier this week, we'll start with EATING OUT.

I'd like to know from you all . . . how often to you eat out? Once a week? Twice? Three times? More? Or perhaps you set a scale for it like we do. For example, we eat out typically three times a week. One of these instances is a take-out night. Something like a $10 pizza. Another night, we actually go to a restaurant, spend maybe $45 to $60, depending. Another night, we go to Wegmans and buy all the fixings for a fabulous dinner in. Maybe more to the tune of $25.

I guess I didn't realize we were spending so much until I just wrote those sentences. But that's over $100 in food on top of our grocery costs each week!


So, please leave a comment or email us at neverhomemaker@gmail.com to weigh in. We'll be sharing some of your responses next week!

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GUEST POST: Jennifer's Gooey Caramel Corn

Hi! I'm Jen from Woman Versus Food, a blog about living abroad and losing weight.  I happen to be an avid reader of (never home)maker and am very excited to have a guest post here!  Today I'd like to share a recipe that I've come up with for homemade caramel corn that's calorie free!  Psych! (Has anyone said that since 1993?) It's very much not calorie free, but we all need to splurge once in awhile, and this will help you with that.

I never really thought of making caramel corn from scratch until I moved to South Korea.  In fact, there's lots of things I never considered making from scratch.  I just thought things like bagels, crackers, and caramel corn could only be produced in big, specialist factories and must come in a nicely designed box or plastic sleeve and purchased off the shelf of the nearest giant, corporate supermarket.  I've learned that's not true.  People actually used to make stuff at home, in their kitchens.  I know, it's so weird. 

Thanks to a lack of many of our favorite western foods, and my budding interest in all things cooking and baking, I've learned how to make a thing or two from scratch.  The best part is most of the time it's not difficult, it saves money, reduces waste, and you know exactly what you're putting in your body.  Oh, and it gives you an underlying sense of superiority...erm, maybe that's just me.

So let's get on with it already, shall we?



Perfectly Gooey Caramel Corn

The kind of caramel corn I make is nice and gooey. 

This is because:
a) It's much better this way, and
b) It replicates some sort of stove-top popcorn my husband used to eat as a kid and when he eats it all the wrongs of the world are righted.

Ingredients

• 5 cups of popped popcorn, unpopped kernels removed.
• 1/2 cup brown sugar
• 1/4 cup water
• 1 tablespoon butter or butter substitute
• Salt to taste

Method

1. Make sure to have your popped popcorn ready to go before starting the caramel, things will happen rather quickly and you don't want to be distracted.  Be sure to remove the unpopped kernels as chomping down on one stuck to a popped piece of corn will really ruin your day.

2. To make the caramel you should use a light colored saucepan that is fairly deep so that you can see what's going on and you don't get splattered.

3. Place the brown sugar and water in the pan and place over medium-low to low heat.

4. The sugar will begin to melt and bubble, make sure to stir often with a metal spoon or whisk so that the sugar doesn't stick to the bottom and burn.

5. The more the sugar cooks and melts the more bubbly and foamy it will become.  Continue to stir and check the consistency.  When the consistency is that of maple syrup, and easily coats a metal spoon, remove pan from the heat and quickly but carefully add the butter and stir until combined.



6. Place half of the popcorn in a very large mixing bowl.  With a metal spoon drizzle half of the caramel over the popcorn.  Place the rest of the popcorn in the bowl and drizzle the remaining caramel over the top. 

7. Using a large spoon or spatula toss and mix the popcorn so that the caramel is well distributed.  Sprinkle with salt.

8. Place in a popcorn bowl and serve.



It is best served and eaten right away, as if you could stop yourself...but if you had to you could make it a few hours before and after it cools store in a plastic bag and reheat in the microwave for 10-20 seconds before serving. 

Thanks for reading my post, I hope you enjoyed it as much as I did making it!



And thanks to Jennifer (from Woman versus Food) for sharing with us her awesome recipe. I've actually been looking to learn how to make this stuff for quite some time. Can't wait! And if YOU'D like to write a guest post or be featured on (never home)maker, just head over to our Reader Spotlight page for all the details!

Like what you just read? You can subscribe to the feed of these posts or follow us on Twitter or Facebook to be the first to know what the (never home)makers are up to. And we’ll love you forever!

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What's the Deal? Reader Spotlight on (never home)maker

Do you read (never home)maker? (Check!)  
Do you have something you'd like to share with us? (Maybe?)

Then you might be interested in our new READER SPOTLIGHT series. The best part is, you don't need a blog to participate. We were looking at all the good great reads we've been collecting in this month's Blog Love Fest, and it got us thinking: You're all making such tasty stuff, DIY-ing such amazing projects, writing such wonderful posts, taking such gorgeous photos . . . and we'd love to share it with everyone!

The Deal: Every Friday (starting as soon as we get submissions -- so we're talking you could perhaps be featured tomorrow if you get back to us today!) we'd like to dedicate an entire post to YOU -- and you, and you, and you, and you.

The Criteria: Just follow the guidelines below . . .

• We'd appreciate if what you send us fits with the theme of our blog. DIY projects, recipes (of the vegan or vegetarian persuasion), budget-friendly tips and tricks, style suggestions, running and health-related musings, yoga poses, etc.
• We'd love you include at least one photo to help describe, illustrate, etc. what you're writing about. You don't need to be a photography king or queen, but attention to detail (good lighting, etc.) is appreciated.
• We'd be smitten if you write something brief -- however much text you feel you need to, but no more than 150 words or so (recipes can be longer, of course). So, if you don't need many words -- less is more. Don't feel you need to go on and on if you just have something short to share. 
• We'd like if recipe submissions could be proofed carefully (so if people try to make your stuff, it will turn out right).
• We'd be totally cool with you sharing previous posts from your blog. Just write up a brief summary and provide a link to your site.
• We'd also very much appreciate if you include some information about you. This could just be a brief one-sentence bio . . . a photo . . . a link to your blog . . . or whatever else you think will help us know YOU more.
• We'd be more than happy to answer any questions you may have. Just leave us a comment or email us at neverhomemaker@gmail.com.

What's in it for me? Our humble site gets around 1,000 visitors a day. We have a dedicated and much-loved subscriber base of 545 people (and that's as of today, but it's growing, thanks to wonderful folks like you!). Basically, what's in it for you is an eager audience just waiting to bask in your creative genius. What's better is that sharing creates a sense of community, and you get to know your fellow readers and showcase your well-honed crafts at the same time!

Where do I sign up? If you'd like to send us something for our consideration . . . just email us at neverhomemaker@gmail.com. Please include all the information we've outlined above. Note: We likely won't be able to publish EVERYTHING we get. And sending us stuff isn't a guarantee for posting. However, we're not as picky as some other sites. We like to consider (never home)maker a blog for THE PEOPLE. No elitism here. As well, please don't send more than one item for consideration just yet. We want everyone to have a fair chance at their moment in the spotlight!

Also: If you have your own blog and would like to write something more lengthy. Consider guest posting! More details can be found on our Support (never home)maker page, as well as via email. Just send us the details about what exactly you'd like to write, and we'll chat about possible inclusion on the site. Note: All guest posts should be original material that has no been published elsewhere.






Pssssst: If you haven't had a chance yet, go check out our BLOG LOVE FEST. You can add your blog to the list we have going -- it's a fantastic way to learn about your fellow readers and find great sites to browse.

Like what you just read? You can subscribe to the feed of these posts or follow us on Twitter or Facebook to be the first to know what the (never home)makers are up to. And we’ll love you forever!

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