9 Most Challenging Days of the Year

Today starts a stretch of the most challenging days of the year that will challenge my healthy eating habits and regular exercise routine. In a few hours I will be arriving at our annual deer camp in Central Wisconsin - there will be an unlimited supply of nacho cheese sauce, venison sausage, cheddar cheese, hot beef sticks, old fashions, hearty beers, and left over halloween candy.

Throughout the weekend I will be mostly sedentary in a tree waiting for a wary whitetail to wander by. The sitting will only be interrupted by more of the above plus a venison roast, venison chili, scrambled eggs, bacon, homemade pies, and fresh baked cookies.

After surviving the weekend the challenges will continue with the kids having 3 days off of school, a road trip over the river and through the woods to grandma's house, and of course the Thanksgiving feast. Oh and then we have the leftover pie, snacks, and turkey.

Somewhere a midst all of this traveling, hunting, and eating I hope to take several bike rides and have a 30+ mile running week.

And oh yeah ... the dog will need walking, there is yard work to finish, Christmas decorations to unbox and scatter, a tree to fell and raise, and it goes on and on ....

Challenging days for any runner, but also favorite days for this hunter, friend, father, son-in-law, and husband.

Snacking ... before and after running

Runners World sent me a link for 5 Healthy Snacks.

These are some of my favorite snacks:

1. Roasted and lightly salted almonds
2. Corn chips (with as few ingredients as possible - ideally corn and salt)
3. Banana, lightly yellow not green and not brown
4. Gala, Honey Crisp or Granny Smith apples
5. Pistachios
6. Spoon hits of crunchy peanut butter with chocolate chips
7. Strawberries and natural applesauce (no sugar or corn syrup added)

Since Halloween I have been supplementing with kid candy (I call it Daddy Tax). My favorites are butter fingers, snickers, and peanut m & m's. 

How about you? What are your favorite snacks before and after running?