Lunch was SO good today!
To make Sneaky Protein Pizza, I mixed 1/4 cup (measured dry) cup cooked lentils with 1/4 cup pasta sauce, slathered it on top of a Flat Out Wrap, topped it with cheese, and baked it for about 10 minutes at 350.
Truly a fabulous and quick dish (especially if you have the lentils pre-cooked like I did), and I will definitely make it again!
Plus, broc on the side:
And something sweet to end it with:
Check out the cute Operation Beautiful supplies I bought last night — including a marker that attaches to my keychain! Now, I’ll never be without my Operation Beautiful supplies!
I wrote myself a new motivational note and stuck it on my computer screen. My previous notes were old and I was looking past them instead of actually reading them.
How I Started to Run
Thanks for your positive feedback on my Race Diary video! I’m glad some of you found it interesting and motivating. 
A few of you asked if I could explain how I went from ‘couch potato to runner’ in 3 months.
I started to run in Spring 2006 after my BFF Lauren (Hi, Lauren!) had an intervention with me about my unhealthy habits. She is very blunt and something about the way she told me to shape up or shut up really affected me (in a great way; I owe her so much for her honesty). This is me and Lauren back in the day:
She was training for a marathon at the time and I decided to go on a few runs with her. I could barely run 1/4 a mile when I first started. I remember heaving and quitting within three minutes of that very first run.
I’ve always been super goal-oriented. If you tell me I cannot do something, I want to do it even more. So, I started to run on a regular basis almost immediately after the "intervention."
I ran before work on the treadmill at the gym, doing the Galloway Method (walk/run/walk/run) and gradually decreasing my walk time. I signed for a 10K race within four weeks of starting to exercise, and I raced 8 weeks after that. I finished in 1 hour and 1 minute and honestly… I don’t think I’ve ever been as happy as I was at the end of that race (except my wedding, of course!).
And that was it — I started to run, and I was hooked. Sure, it was hard (really hard!), but I kind of liked that it was hard because I could really see improvements in myself. My eating cleaned up the more I ran because I could tell how eating crappy food affected my runs. I also began to calorie-count (I don’t do this anymore) and portion-control my food, and I lost 10 pounds over the course of a year or so!
The whole point of Healthy Tipping Point is that I am everywoman. I am not especially fast. I was not born especially athletic. I did not play sports in high school. I just try hard and put my best foot forward. If you want to run a 5K, a 10K, a Half, or even a Marathon, you can DO IT if you put your mind to it! Seriously, if I can go from couch potato to runner, anyone can!
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Operation Beautiful
I always seem to be one of the first people to comment on your posts – I promise I'm not stalking you!
Thanks for telling your story again. I've been having 'I can't do it' moments lately regarding my upcoming 5K, and this had reminded me that actually, I CAN!
Thanks
Caitlin you're a genius!!
I have leftover lentil tomato sauce (recipe from Eat, Drink, and Be Vegan) and italian herb flat out wraps that I was trying to figure out a creative way to use –this is perfect! It's totally going to be my dinner tomorrow, thanks for the idea =).
Great post Caitlin – very inspiring!! Great pizza too – love making those Flat Out Wrap pizzas!!
An old friend from high school asked me why I was training for a half marathon, and she just couldnt' believe that anyone would want to just RUN.
People can do anything they set their minds to, but to make a change you have to really want it from within. You are all you've got!
What a fabulous looking lunch! LOVE that you got in extra protein in pizza-ish form! Enjoy the rest of your Thursday
This post right here = why I love the blog community! So inspiring!
"If I can do it, anyone can"- that's what I said after my half-marathon! I am SO not genetically predestined to be run or be athletic at all. But I said "screw you, genes"- I'm doing it anyways!
I carry a special purse with me now for OB! It's a fake Coach filled with sharpies post-its, camera, charge, and cable
(My Mom bought me 3 more pads of post-its after she saw my note)
As for the pizza, if you rolled it up, you would get a lentil burrito pizza… easier to eat on the go! I might just try that… Your pizza reminds me of the Bolanis at Whole Foods. They're SOOO good.
Great post and keep it up!
Egg Beaten Angel
I would be interested in hearing what your friend Lauren had to say to you… as an intervention. I have a friend of mine that is always complaining about being bigger, tired, drinks 4-5 cans o soda a day plus coffee in the morning, very irritable, and I would like to help her, but don't know where to even start. any advice would help.
What a great story, thanks for sharing it.
As a vegetarian, I could always use a little protein punch so I'll try the lentil flat out wrap pizza idea!
americangourmande.wordpress.com
teacherwomen – i don't remember her except words but she basically said:
"your behavior is ridiculous. you complain about being overwight, tired, and feeling gross, but you smoke, drink, and binge eat cookies. you are a really smart girl and your behavior just does not make sense. if you want to be happy, you can be… it's not this big change you have to make. just little changes. if you want to start working out, i will run with you."
she laid down the law. but i respond to that! so you have to think about your friend's personality.
Caitlin, you're extremely blessed to have a great friend like Lauren.
Running is such a great workout. When I first started I was like you, I could only run for a few minutes at a time. But I did find that it didn't take much to build on it. By just adding 10, 20, 30 seconds to each running interval each session adds up quickly!!
YUM your lunch looks so yummy! You are so creative, I might have to try that!
that pizza looks great, i love flat out pizza's but have never tried lentils on there.
and i'm so glad someone pushed you into running! the reasons we start and the effects that running can have on our lives and personalities is always interesting to root around in. everyone has different reasons and goals, but the results are the same. we all end up as runners.
i love that you put lentils on your pizza!! such a smart idea
Great idea on the lentil pizza! Sounds very yummy.
I love those flat out wraps. They're so great!
Hey Caitlin! Silly question, but I was just wondering where your first 10k was. I also go to school at Pitt, and wanted to see if it was one that I have run over the past 2 years!
Love your last paragraph, Caitlin. It reallys says it all. I'm not a runner per se, but my story is very similar to yours.
alex – it was martha's run. i think they do it every year!
Great pizza idea! The rest of your post was great, congrats on all you've accomplished – your blog is really inspirational.
Your lunch looks delicious! Thank you for sharing your story with us!
Goos story! You started out similar to me!
Hi Caitlin!
Thanks so much for putting together that video and explaining how you got started. I have just started training for a women's 4 mile race in September. I am following the Galloway method and I am so excited about it! I am a serious couch potato, but you & many other bloggers have inspired me. I know I can do this and I think it's going to be fun! Thanks for the inspiration:)
Isn't it AMAZING how human beings have the ability to change like that? I love your story. I should tell my story soon on my blog..I just feel like it would take hours and hours to complete. haha
Congratulations- you are an amazing woman!
i love the lentil pizza idea!
your running story sounds a lot like mine, but I haven't run as many races as you have!
Hey Caitlin!
I did a Flat Out Pizza today, too. I just added a slice of swiss and some turkey pepperoni-oh, and some pasta sauce!
My question for you—when you first started running/walking on the treadmill, how fast did you run and at what incline?
superdots – i cant remember! but im sure it wasnt too fast or too inclined. sorry!
Interesting pizza idea! I'll have to try that out sometime
google my blog– rachelsworkbites.com
I'm loving the flashbacks. I'm not brand new, but I haven't been around from the beginning either. Thanks!
Such a great post – I need to sign up for a run so that I get to running again! Thanks for the motivation!
Lentils on pizza?? YUM I have had black beans, but not lentils. a must try!
Thanks for sharing your story of becoming a runner. Mine is similar and people don't believe me when I tell them that if I can do it they can do it, too.
Love the pizza idea and what a great story!
Love the pizza idea!!
And thanks so much for sharing about how you first got into running! I was the same way, barely running 1/4 a mile when I first started, so I can totally relate.
Thanks for sharing your story again. I have read your "about" page sooo many times, simply because your story parallels where I am in my life right now in many ways. I was most inspired by the fact that you admit you couldn't even run a 1/4 mile when you started, since most people I know personally and it seems the majority the blogs I read that everyone just started out being able to run a mile or more! I'm proud to say that I can now run a steady 1/2 mile after a few weeks of serious training and and still aiming for that 5k come August. So thanks again.
What a tasty idea for using lentils! I love it!
Hey Caitlin- your running story sounds a LOT like mine. My first run was absolutely terrible and absolutely exhausting. I finished thinking "can i REALLY do this?" And I too finished my first race, a 10K in 61 minutes
And I think I tell people the same thing when they ask me about my running: If I can do it, anyone can. I'm not super speedy, but I work hard
I never would have thought of lentils on pizza- but it looks quite delightful!
Thank you for sharing your running story- you are quite the inspiration.
I LOVE Flat Out wraps but they are NOWHERE TO BE FOUND up north!
When I visit my dad, who lives in Melbourne, I STOCK UP!!
Thanks for sharing your story! I know it's so inspiring to so many! Love flat out wrap pizzas!
The fact that you're an "everywoman" is really inspiring. Oftentimes I'd feel discouraged because I was never athletic at school or involved in any sports. Still, I enjoy exercising and it is important to remind people that anyone can find an exercise they enjoy and it's not about being the best at what you do, it's about enjoying what you do and seeing yourself improve. Thank you!
Great post! I loved hearing your running story – it's very inspiring!! People always think they "can't do" stuff (even the littlest girls I coach, 6 year olds!) but that makes me want to strangle them. With hard work and determination one can do anything!
What a motivating post! I think it's great that started eating healthier because you could tell how unhealthy food made you feel. I think a lot of the time we're out of touch with our bodies, and exercise can help us get back in touch with what we need. Keep up the great posts!
So for dinner I attempted lentil sloppy joe mix on toast and found myself pouring more bbq sauce on it while I ate.. did you have an amount of aunce that made it gooey? or was it light on the sauce mix?
just curious
your lentil pizza idea looks rockin. how you you think of this stuff?!
mel – light – it was half lentil, half sauce!
The pizza looks yummy!
And I love that song that you used for your video, great choice
Happy Thursday!
Thanks for writing about how you started running. I've been running for almost a month now and this post is great motivation for me to run 10K next week. Yay!
I also wrote an Operation Beautiful post this week. Thanks for the inspiration.
I hope you don't mind if I add you to my blog roll. I've been reading your blog but somehow never commented.
Awesome lunch!!
I love that you are an everywomen!
Very inspiring.
Awesome pizza idea!!
Everytime I read about your running journey it gives me more confidence for my own! I missed running a 3.5mile race tonight since I am sick
But theres always another one!
I didn't realize that your running love started that way… that gives me hope, but I always feel like I go so slow and can (actually) run so little that I'll never reach my goals… Glad to hear from someone who started where I did!
Very true Caitlin – ANYONE can start running! That's what I try and tell people. I, too, started with run/walk and could barely run 2 minutes! But as time went on, I soon became crazy enough to go on longer and longer runs and decided to train for a full marathon! I try and convince people that with the right training, anyone can eventually get there.
Keep inspiring everyone!! It's wonderful!
hey caitlin, just got around to watching the video now – very inspiring! quick question for you (and so non-food or running related, sorry): what's the song that's on the video? thanks!
prinny- Dare You To Move by Switchfoot
What a great story, you go girl! I'm thinking about a sprint tri in October. I've never done it before, but I'm going to put my mind to it!
-kristen
This was so helpful for me to read — I'm training for a 5K in September and can run just over a quarter of a mile. Thank you!!