Chicago is for Healthy Livers!

(not the organ!)

Healthy Living Summit 2010 has officially come to an end! Major sad face. While everyone travelled back home today, I took a train to the ‘burbs of Chicago to extend my trip a wee bit. I wanted to take FULL advantage of my plane ticket!

I’m still behind on blogging though, so you’ll have to wait to see what I’m up to over here.

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The morning after the HLS Cocktail Party came way too early. I had plans to run some hotel stairs at 6:30 AM but I decided against it as I didn’t fall asleep until around 3 AM (!!!). My mind was racing all night long–so many thoughts about life, new friends, and interesting conversations floating through my noggin.’ Just too excited!!

Saturday (conference day) started with an amazing breakfast buffet. The choices included oatmeal, granola, Greek yogurt, fruit, croissants, muffins, juice, tea and coffee.

I didn’t have a single serving of fruit the day before so I was more than ready to dig into some fresh fruit.

I also picked up a carrot muffin. Looks can be deceiving….those carrot chunks on top were the only ones in the entire muffin! I was totally shafted. I didn’t really care for the muffin so I just ate the top.

As I was walking to get some coffee, the fruit trays were magically replenished so I grabbed s’more berries.

I also grabbed a Chocolate Oikos. I wanted to try the caramel flavor, but they were all gone by the time I arrived. It was my first time trying this flavor…it tasted like chocolate pudding and yogurt mixed together.

Much. much. much. needed. coffee. (Still ~32% decaf )

I ended up adding the granola and berries to my yogurt like so. Surprise surprise, huh?

Afterwards, I loaded up on some more swag–this was only the beginning of the swag train….

A BPA-free water bottle and a thermos.

Chips and Attune Chocolate Bars.

Except my salty tooth friend, Meg (my exact opposite), loves chips and I love chocolate so we swapped.

Muahahaha.

After the first session, my roomies (M+S) and I went out for a 30 min. walk. We walked to the Bean and back to get our legs moving a little.

We got back just in time for a snack.

I picked the Chewy Cocoa Chocolate Swirl granola bar and ate about half during the Stepping Up Your Photography session. It tasted like a Cocoa Puffs bar!

Then it was time for lunch!

Check out this humongo platter of grilled veggies (!!!)

Various salads (greens, fruit, and chickpeas)

Quinoa, which had some sort of dressing mixed in…totally hit the spot.

I had some of everythang

+ fruit salad.

I grabbed a bag of Terra Chips but didn’t end up eating them.

Then came dessert!

I passed on the above because I had Gina’s life-changing macaroons on my mind! Let me tell you they were hands down, the best I’ve ever had. I also got to chit chat with the macaroon lady herself after lunch and she was such a doll. Of course we talked about our hopes/dreams of starting a baking business.

I also had a sample of Attune’s Apple Cinnamon granola with yogurt chips <–the best part!

Later in the afternoon, I won a giveaway from Stonyfield–a reusable shopping bag, a razor and a toothbrush made from recycled yogurt cups.

After the sessions, Meg and I head over to a super nice gym, XSport Fitness, to get in a workout. I had walked on Thursday and Friday so I was more than ready to get my heart rate uppity up. The gym provided HLS attendees with free guest passes.

I did 45 minutes on the ArcTrainer (shown below) while reading blogs, tweeting, and watching a tennis match. I used to use this machine almost every day in college–I sure missed it! Afterwards, I did a quick 15 min. on the good ol’ elliptical.

Post workout, I snacked on the rest of my rice cakes and sesame almonds while getting ready to head out to a lovely dinner.

To be continued….

Tagged as: Almonds, Artichokes, Berries, Blueberries, Chickpeas, Chocolate, Coffee, Eggplant, Fruit, Granola, Granola Bar, Greek Yogurt, Grilled Veggies, Macaroons, Muffins, Pineapple, Quinoa, Raspberries, Rice Cakes, Salad, Veggies, Yogurt, Zucchini