A dose of pep

I love a good pick-me-up.  Especially after yesterday’s events had me feeling just a tad bit grumpy.  Despite having issues with a friend of my parents yesterday, I still wanted to join them for breakfast at my favorite joint, The Broken Egg.  I was quite happy when my usual arrived (strawberry pancakes sans butter and hard-boiled eggs for easy yolk removal) and the same woman who made some unsettling comments said that she ”finally understood.”  I’m not quite sure what her understanding was and I wasn’t about to ask, but it certainly helped her return to my good graces.  But in all honesty, doesn’t this

  look far more appealing than this?

(source)

I’d say that’s a no brainer!

Janetha hit the nail on the head today for me and I completely agreed.  I don’t choose what food I eat because I feel that I have to.  I eat it because I crave it; because I WANT to.  I get out of bed craving custard oats.  During lulls in my day, I crave Flat Out wraps with Laughing Cow, spinach and grilled chicken.  I don’t often look at corndogs and cry out with the gusto of Fat Bastard, ”Get in my belly!”  5 years ago, that may have been the case.  I could have slathered that thing with mustard or ooey gooey cheese sauce and been a happy girl, but my taste buds made a big change when I did.  

I’m grateful for that.  I’m equally as grateful to awesome bloggers like Janetha, Susan, Lori, Lily, Jenna, Tina, Sarah, Kath, and Heather for constantly giving those taste buds new entertainment, because even custard oats becomes old news after a while, no matter what type of fruit or toppings you add.  I am also grateful that I am surrounded by a community of bloggers that find it okay to indulge once in a while; to skip a workout or two; to either get upset or not give a rat’s patootie how other people live their lives.  We all have weaknesses.  There are days that I can’t turn down a chocolate chip cookie.  A butter-filled, sugar-packed, chip-loaded ”full-throttle” (what my Daddy calls them) chocolate chip cookie. 

Some days one of those cookies is all I need to be happy, but those days don’t swing by often.  Like I said yesterday, I feel better eating those oats, egg whites and fresh fruit!

 I feel better spending an evening with a new book;

 a good cup of hot cocoa;

a warm, cuddly soul;

and some good baseball (especially when the Yankees and Braves win).

I’m feeling 4 times better than yesterday!

Dear winter, please go.

I am now a devotee of early morning workouts.  I am not, however, a fan of the frigid temperatures that await me as I walk out of my front door.  I believe this has been the coldest winter that we have experienced in Hampton Roads in a very long time.  It’s cold.  It’s uncomfortable. And it’s just plain icky!

Luckily, it did not slow my momentum.  I’ve had really great workouts the past 4 days.  Let’s rewind, shall we?

Monday – Leg Day + 30 minutes HIIT elliptical and 15 minutes of steady-state elliptical

Exercise	Weight	Sets	Reps
1. Leg Press	90#	1	10
	110#	1	10
	140#	1	10
2. Calf Press	90#	1	20
	110#	1	20
	140#	1	20
3. Dumbell Boxing	8# DBs		30 seconds
4. Side Lunges	15# DBs	3	5/leg
5. Front Lunges with Kick	15# DBs	3	5/leg
6. Jog			2 laps (1/5 mile)
7. Leg Extension	75#	3	10
8. Reverse Leg Curl	70#	2	10
	75#	1	10

Tuesday – find it here 

Wednesday – Back & Bi Day + 45 minutes of HIIT elliptical and 10 minutes of steady-state biking

Exercise	Weight	Sets	Reps
1. High Row	60#	2	10
	70#	1	10
2. DB Cross Curl	10# DBs	1	12/arm
	12# DBs	2	12/arm
3. Rear-Kick Jog		3	2 laps (1/5 mile)
4. Back Extension on Ball	Body	3	15
5. Incline DB Curl on Ball	12# DBs	3	12
6. Jump Squats		3	15
7. Kneeling Bench Row	30#	3	8/arm
8. 21′s	10#	3	21..duh
9. High Knees		3	30 seconds

I had some SERIOUS issues during this workout.  During my first set of kneeling bench rows, I pulled my left trap.  I have never had pain that strong in my shoulder – so much that it radiated down my entire arm and lasted a good 2 minutes.  It was like having a charlie horse in the arm.. ugh!  Once it subsided and I stretched a bit, I continued and felt ok for the rest of the day.  It’s pretty sore now though!

Thursday – Chest & Tri Day + 65 minutes of steady-state elliptical (avg HR = 144) and 15 minutes of steady-state crosstrainer elliptical (avg HR = 127)

Exercise	Weight	Sets	Reps
1. DB Chest Press	20# DBs	1	10
	25# DBs (woot!)	2	10
2. High- Pulley Overhead Cable Tricep Extension	40#	1	10
	45#	1	10
	50#	1	10
3. High Knees		3	30 secs.
4. Incline DB Chest Press	15#	3	10
5. Bench Dips	Body	3	8
6. Jump Plie Squats		3	15

Not gonna lie.. the weight-lifting was sorely lacking today, but after 65 minutes of cardio, I didn’t have much strength left in me for the weights.  I’m sure I’ll make up for it tomorrow! 

I’ve been a bit lazy with the food pictures.  It’s been pretty monotonous due to work, but I FINALLY remembered to capture my favorite meal at my favorite breakfast joint, The Broken Egg in Chesapeake.  Yes, I did eat part of my breakfast yesterday when I finally remembered that my camera was nearby, but it was heavenly -

Blueberry pancakes (no butter + sugar free syrup) and fresh fruit.  They never do me wrong!

They also serve Tazo teas so I had a Zen green tea to go along side my yummy jumpstart!

After work last night, I wanted a snack that wasn’t popcorn (shocker, I know!).  I am really trying to incorporate some protein if I need a snack at night, so I ventured into the world of custard-ish oats.  I cooked 1/2 C in the microwave with a bit of water.  About halfway through the cooking, I added 2 squirts of Egg Whites Int. (about 2.5 whites), and some frozen berries and finished cooking.  What I got was a HUGE bowl of oats that were super yummy!

My oats somehow don’t look as pretty as my fave bloggers, but I’m sure they tasted just as good!  Breakfast food for snacks just feels so right.

This morning, I returned to a more traditional breakfast. 

Egg Whites + spinach, 1/2 Sun Dried Tomato Flatout with Laughing Cow + fruit.  I love this combo and it keeps me full for several hours on only about 350-400 calories (depending on how much fruit I have).  Yes!

And now – a new snack to go with my hot cocoa and then it’s off to work!  Gotta tell ya, I really like this Kashi Crunchy Chocolate Caramel Bar, and it’s stats.  Maybe because it’s got whole pieces of popcorn in it..  maybe.

Work calls!

over the hump

It’s been a very speedy week thus far!  It’s been nice to spend the past 2 nights with the hubby and enjoy some much-needed time together!  Work usually gets in the way of my subtle reminders of why I love him so much!

Who couldn’t love this silly man?!

Today was supposed to be spent overseeing a heating guy replace a part in our heater, but the owner of our condo finally wised up or the repair company is very persuasive.  Whatever the case, he decided to replace the entire, outdated unit!  Praise God!  The fixes will occur when all of the parts come in.

The other upside to that is that I could enjoy a morning in the gym!  I didn’t get there until 8 so it was more crowded thanI like it to be.  I started with 20 minutes on the elliptical, then hit Chest and Triceps:

 

Flat Bench DB Press	10 reps	15# DBs
	10 reps x 2	20# DBs
Bench Dips	12 reps x 3
Flat Bench DB flye	10 reps	10# DBs
	10 reps x 2	15# DBs
Skull Crushers	10 reps x 3	10# DBs
Cable Tricep Pressdown	10 reps x 3	40#
(strangely, on 1 machine I can only go up to 40#, while on another I can press 70#..odd)
Cable Crossovers	10 reps x 3	10# each arm

I finished with another 20 minutes on the elliptical, while constantly listening to my tummy rumble.  Envisioning a yummy batch of protein pancakes, I came home and made the best-looking (well, best-tasting too!) cakes EVER!  I think the key was only heating the pan on low heat. 

You can see that I had good intentions to make a crock-pot meal tonight, but a headache kept that from happening.  Instead, Steve suggested Chinese food.. another reason I love him so much!  He knows when I really don’t need to cook.  He ordered his usual pork lo mein.  For me?

Steamed mixed veggies with some stir-fried turkey tenderloin that I had on hand:

No sauce or rice.. just a sprinkle of garlic powder and a dash of low-sodium soy sauce.  Perfection.

In an effort to make it to the gym by 6:30 tomorrow, I must hit the hay now.  Night!

Back, back, back it up.

Happy Flashback Friday.  In keeping with last week’s Christmas theme, I had to find another old Christmas picture.

The holidays, apparently, have always been exhausting.  My mom was putting on a good show,  huh?  Fast forward about 15 years..

I venture to say I was about 17 or 18 in this picture (judging only by mom’s hairstyle).  The activity got to Frisky too.  He crashed right along with us.  It will be unusual this year to not have Frisk with us, playing with his new catnip toy on Christmas morning, but he’ll be watching over everything from the tree..

Today has been extremely productive – and it’s only noon!  I woke up at 6:30 to hit the gym.  I made an AMAZING pre-workout snack.  I have fallen in love with Laughing Cow wedges and spread one on a light sun-dried tomato Flat Out Wrap.

Such a nice switch from the TLC Kashi bar I eat every morning.  I got in a good 20 minute run before hitting shoulders:

1. Lateral raise with 10# dumbells: 10 reps x 2
2. Front raise with 10# dumbells: 10 reps x 2
3. Lateral raise with 12# dumbells: 10 reps
4. Front raise with 12# dumbells: 10 reps
5. Upright row with 20# dumbells: 10 reps x 3
6. Bent over lateral raise with 10# dumbells: 10 reps x 3
7. Seated shoulder press with 15# dumbells: 10 reps x 3

Another 10 minutes on the elliptical and I was pooped!  Homeward bound to make a yummy apple protein pancake breakfast.

These apples were perfectly crisp with just a hint of tartness.  I love Gala’s!!  Now, off to make a batch of double chocolate biscotti for our Christmas cookie trays then it’s a night at work.  I wish I could bottle the energy that I currently feel and sell it!

Rain, go away!

After the Nor’Easter that passed through during Dana’s wedding weekend, it has been nothing but constant rain with intermittent sunshine.  It’s like monsoon season in Hampton Roads!  It’s actually a bit depressing.

I did get a good pick-me-up from my morning workout!  I always feel so good after I finish at the gym, no matter now much time I spend there.  Everyone that says it is a natural high is spot on!  Today I did 40 minutes on the elliptical and kept my heart rate between 138-142.  Today was back day:

1. Reverse flye: 10 reps at 45# x 3
2. Low row: 8 reps at 70# x 3
3. Bent over row: 8 reps at 20# (+ bar) x 3
4. Kneeling bench row: 8 reps at 30# x 3 each side
5. Iso-lateral row: 10 reps at 50#; 10 reps at 70# x 2

Followed up with 15 minutes on the bike, keeping my heart rate around 125 and an ab circuit.  Total burn was 725 calories; max HR was 153 and average HR was 118. 
I was uber hungry when I got home, so I whipped up a batch of protein pancakes.  Yesterday’s batch had apples and unsweet applesauce, but today’s were amazing!! I made a blueberry sauce from frozen blueberries and water.  As I sit here munching on it, I have to admit it’s the best batch I’ve created thus far.  It definitely was a bit more like work, but so worth it!!

Today’s plan is to finish up the Christmas decorating before I have to go in to work at 2.  Sadly, I no longer look forward to working at Bally’s.. at all.  I am so bummed to be missing so many evenings with my hubby.  He constantly eats leftovers and our DVR is filling up quickly!  I just miss my husband..

I am still on the hunt for a full-time, regular hour job and am optimistic, but that optimism is quickly fading.  Until then, I have my morning workouts and protein pancakes, along with the merry decor and holiday feeling to keep me going.