Thank you all so, so, so much for sharing your injury stories, words of encouragement, and good advice!!  Yesterday was a rough day, but it helped to read all of your comments.

Today I woke up with a whole new attitude though.  I’ve decided to just roll with the punches.  Resting my foot and recovering is my main priority, followed by making sure I find another energy outlet that won’t hurt my foot!  I’ve decided to try out the gym tomorrow, since I get a free membership as a student.  I’ve never been much of a gym rat, and I have to admit it’s actually kind of intimidating since I don’t know how to work any of the machinery!  But I’m also really excited about trying new things, improving my fitness and seizing a new opportunity that I normally would never have done.   So as long as school doesn’t get cancelled tomorrow with the expected snow, I’ll be heading to the gym!

This morning I made a delicious bowl of pumpkin oats:

• 1/4 c. each of oatmeal and oatbran
• 1 c. milk + 3/4 c. water
• cinnamon, nutmeg and cloves
• 3/4 banana, sliced (other 1/4 saved for top)
• 1/3 c. pumpkin
• 2 T. flax
• scoop of peanut butter

Totally hit the spot!

I went for a 4-mile walk with mom, but my foot was definitely feeling aggravated by the end.  I think I’m going to have to keep my walks shorter from now on and focus on just resting it.  It’s so true, that most runners lack patience when it comes to recovery.  But I’m determined not to let this happen.

Before skipping off to classes, I sliced a pear-to-go.

I was pretty excited about my sandwich today.  There was leftover guacamole from the super bowl party, and I was dying to add it to a turkey sandwich.  I love this combo!  The turkey meat was Boar’s Head Low-Sodium Turkey, which I think is even tastier then the regular version. 

I added some lettuce and called it lunch!

I packed it up with a cheesestick and an icepack to keep things cool.

For snacks, I packed a sliced orange, a handful of almonds, and some raw veggies for snacking. 

I got a ton of homework done in the library today, and I was absolutely beet by the time I came home.  It was such a lovely sight to see dinner on the table!

Mom was busy in the kitchen, making a very delicious cod dish.  Super easy too.  Just melt about 3/4 T. butter, add a couple handfuls of crushed Late July Organic Crackers (look and taste exactly like ritz) and top the cod.  Bake at 350 for 10-15 minutes or until it flakes easily.

On the side, I had brown rice and steamed broccoli & carrots. 

Such a busy week, so I’m going to hit the hay early tonight!  I have to think about what I’ll need for the gym too…it’s so much different then just walking out my front door!

My morning started off on the right foot (no pun intended…more on this topic later!)

• 6-oz. plain yogurt
• 2 T. flax, crushed
• 1.5 c. kashi go lean crunch
• 1 banana
• dollop of peanut butter

Eaten in the sunny living room…

However, from breakfast on, my day became increasingly awry.

I think it officialy started after I ate an orange and a cheesestickand embarked on my run.  I was less then a quarter mile down the road when the mild foot pains that I was feeling over the weekend came in full force.  I reached the point of not even being able to run.  It almost killed me to turn around and trump back home, but I knew it wasn’t worth limping my way through a run!!  My dad’s words of wisdom when I had achilles tendonitis a couple years back flew into my head: “you have your whole life of running ahead of you…don’t skimp on taking care of an injury right now.”

So I didn’t.  I turned around, googled “foot pain,” and decided that I may have plantar fasciitis. 

Between the pain and knowing that I couldn’t run, I found myself feeling really grumpy and sulky.  I think my attitude could have used a major adjustment, but I simply felt like crying. 

I made up for my lack of running by going out for a 4-mile walk with mom.   I was happy to at least be outdoors soaking up the sunshine.  I’m still not sure if walking is okay with this type of injury though, so I should do some more research.  It didn’t hurt too bad while walking, so I’m hoping this will be okay?

I made a quick wrap for lunch, including about 1/2 c. kidney beans, 1/2 c. whipped cottage cheese, salsa and lettuce in a whole wheat wrap.

With a big bowl of raw veggies on the side.

And an apple for dessert.

The rest of the afternoon was kind of strange too.  Things like losing $40 and then finding $40.  However, there were a few perks. 

Like finishing my dietetic internship application!    I’ll be handing it in by the end of this week!

Dinner was a big salad topped with 4 chicken skewers, a dollop of gaucamole (about 1/4 avocado, lemon juice, garlic powder, salt, pepper and tomatoes) and a splash of balsamic + orange juice.  I had some whole wheat bunnies on the side for crunching and dipping into the guac.  Yum!

+ a kiwi for dessert.

Tonight I had a delicious bowl of yogurt with flax and granola.  It’s my absolute favorite night snack.  The protein keeps me full and the granola provides some crunchy sweetness.  Love it!

My attitude was totally off today after realizing that my foot pains were a little more serious then I thought.  But you know what?  I have the choice to face this injury with a positive attitude or not.  My pity partying does no good, and I’m totally over it!   Plans for facing this right:

• Take at least a week off from running before seeing how it feels.
• RICE!  Rest, Ice, Compress, Elevate!  I’m icing it 3x a day with an ace bandage and a bag of ice for 20 minutes.  Plus exercising it by rolling a tennis ball and flexing my toes!
• Exploring new forms of staying active!!  As far as I know, I can still walk.  And it gives me a chance to take up more yoga, biking (once the warm weather comes!!) and aerobic style workouts.

Have you ever had an injury that left you feeling a little down?  How did you deal?  Two summers ago, I had achilles tendonitis, which meant I had to take about 4-6 weeks off from running.  At first I thought it was the end of the world, but then I realized there was a lot of activies I had been missing out on.  I fell in love with long bike rides and yoga, and it made me appreciate running so much more when I could finally run again!

Most Sunday mornings, I’m up early and scramble to get ready for church service.  Today, however, I decided I needed a Catch Up Day.

What is a Catch Up Day?

I started this when I was a freshman in college.  There were long weeks of classes, friends, and everything.  I loved it, I really did.  But I also needed my personal time to catch up.  I would usually take an occasional Sunday and catch up on things: journaling, strength training, just sitting in the warm sun without feeling rushed to go anywhere, e-mailing friends I hadn’t spoken to in ages, cleaning my dorm room, etc.  This week had been super busy and my lack of sleep only enhanced my need for a Catch Up Day.  I loved my slow moving morning.

Do you ever have Catch Up Days/mornings/hours/minutes?  I like taking a few minutes now and again to just sit still and do nothing.  It helps to slow things down.

I had a repeat breakfast from Friday morning because it’s one of my old faves.  Except I topped the bowl with peanut butter in place of the cashew butter.

• 6-oz. plain yogurt
• 2 T. crushed flax
• 1.5 c. Kashi Go Lean Crunch
• 1 banana, sliced
• scoop of peanut butter

I had a Souper Salad Lunch.

Simple side salad…

+ the last of the homemade minestrone soup with some annie’s whole wheat cheddar bunnies on the side.  Delish!

I spent the rest of my afternoon going for a 3-mile walk and visiting my grandparents.  I brought an apple-to-go.

Then came home to nibble on a quick snack that would hold me over for a later dinner: 1/2 c. whipped cottage cheese, 1/2 c. puffins, and a tsp of almond butter.  I love this snack.  It’s subtly sweet and salty at the same time with a major crunch factor. 

I didn’t originally have any plans for the Super Bowl tonight, but last week we asked Nicole and Nate to come over and watch it.  So happy they were able to…it makes it so much more fun to enjoy it with family and friends.

We made things easy by ordering from our favorite pizza place down the street and having munchies on the side.  I loaded my plate up with mixed veggies and went with a slice of mushroom & onion pizza and one and a half slices of ultimate veggie—black olives, peppers, broccoli, and onions.  So chewy, crusty, saucy and amazing!

I made a second snacky sized plate with a handful of doritos, some more veggies (Nicole was laughing at the amount of veggies that I was eating by this point ) and another small slice of veggie pizza.

Then I grabbed a couple of these chicken skewers.  This was my contribution to the super bowl snacks, and I snagged the recipe from Cooks Illustrated Light.  Super simple to make.  I can’t list the recipe because of copyright, but let me just say that orange marmalade and red peppers go perfectly with chicken.

Off to make a quick yogurt snack and enjoy the rest of the super bowl!!!  Hope you’re all feeling refreshed after the weekend.  If not, take advantage of a Catch Up morning/day/minute.  Even taking a few minutes in the morning to soak up some sun, drink a cup of tea, or journal does wonders for feeling refreshed.

I love sleepovers with Nicole.  It’s kind of like a mini-vacation, spending it with my best friend and sis…+ 2 crazy and adorable cats!  

We didn’t go to bed until pretty late last night, and we woke up early too.  This morning, Nicole told me to help myself to the egg whites and peanut butter…she knows me so well!   It was the perfect way to energize my morning…

• 1/3 c. Hodgson Mill Multigrain with Flax & Soy Hot Cereal
• 1 c. milk
• cinnamon, nutmeg and cloves
• 1/2 apple, diced (ate the other half while prepping breakfast!)
• 2 egg whites
• dollop of peanut butter

Totally hit the spot!

You have to excuse the photographs, by the way…I decided to use an old point and shoot camera instead of my other one, because I didn’t want to leave it in the car since it was so chilly today!

After breakfast and playing with the cats for a bit, it was time to go shopping!!!  I had good reason not to splurge too much today, because I’m in desparate need of new running sneaks!  But I did find one really cute artsy vest.  It’s one of those peices that has endless possibilities.  Can’t wait to play around with it.

For the ride up, I snacked on an apple and some almonds, holding me over until we could eat our packed lunches.  Mom brought some of the homemade minestrone soup in a thermos…

I ate a bowl on the side of my packed turkey sandwich and a cheesestick.  Way better then subways, in my opinion.  Only whole wheat sourdough bread could have made this lunch even better.

During the mid afternoon, I felt as if I were slowly starting to bonk.  I think the lack of sleep over the past few nights has finally caught up with me.  A coffee stop at Starbucks could not have come soon enough.

I had every intention of asking for my tall soy skinny vanilla latte to be decaf, but it disappeared from my thoughts as soon as I ordered.  Although it was probably a good thing, because the caffeine definitely perked me up for more shopping.   The three of us also split a juicy fruit cup.

I was pretty beet by the time we left the mall, which is strange for me.  Usually I could keep on shopping.  Like my sister always says, my mom and I could drag ourselves across the mall beyond the point of shopping-till-dropping.   It’s true.  But today I was ready to leave with one adorable artsy vest.

On the ride home, I pulled out my emergency purse snack: an amazing grass energy bar.  I think these bars are starting to grow on me.  Either that or I was starving at this point.   The color still gets to me, and I’m not sure if I like the fruity flavor that goes along with it.  But I do like the chewiness and the pumpkin seed crunch.

I was craving a fresh, chilled salad for dinner, so that’s what I made.  Along with some kashis too.

+ a piece of Endangered Species Orange Dark Chocolate.  Love this bar!

Off to make a yogurt snack, put my pj’s on and relax!

Tomorrow is the SuperBowl…any plans?

This post is going to be super quick!  My sis is coming by and we’re heading out for a girly night at Panera and the movies if there’s something good showing.  I really want to see Dear Jon, but I’m not sure if I feel like crying my eyes out tonight! haha…the book had me sobbing throughout!

There were some interesting points about the Body Fat discussion, one of which was that fat in the diet isn’t the culprit for body fat.  Very true!!  I’m glad that was mentioned.   Another point worth considering is that even while BMI is oftentimes used as a useful indicator for healthy weights, it’s not always an accurate measure of one’s health.  Someone who has a higher BMI might have lower body fat if they’re regularly working out, and this person would be very healthy.  On the other hand, a thin person who is sedentary might have a low BMI but a higher percentage of body fat.  Just some food for thought.

On to breakfast…

I was super excited for oats this morning until I noticed that I had a box of Kashi Go Lean Crunch sitting in my closet.  I haven’t had this cereal in ages, but I love how tasty and filling it is.  I decided to make a yogurt mess out of it.

• 1.5 c. Kashi Go Lean Honey Almond Crunch
• 6-oz. plain yogurt with 2 T. crushed flax
• 1 banana, sliced
• big scoop of cashew butter

Yumminess!!!

Mid morning, I had a homemade Bran Flax muffin and an orange.  Perfect pre-run fuel!   Speaking of running, my 6-mile run was lovely today, but I can tell my body needs a rest, so it’s a good thing that I planned on taking the weekend off.  My body will thank me.

Lunch was fabulous.

I’m a huge fan of minestrone soups, but I had never tried making Moosewood Cookbook’s version.  I loved how simple it was to put together—very different then other minestrone soups that have taken me hours to simmer and cook!  The flavors were wonderful too.  The only sub I made was in using barley instead of the macaroni.  Not exactly authentic, but I loved the switch!

+ a grilled cheese sandwich on the side, made with 2 slices of Trader Joe’s whole wheat sourdough and a slice of American cheese.  I love how the holey pockets in the bread soak up all the melted cheese.  Yum!

+ dessert

I decided to eat a snack around 4′ish, since my sis and I are going to be eating a bit later tonight.  About 1/2 a cup of cottage cheese, 1/2 c. cheerios and a tsp of almond butter.  This should hold me over pretty well!

She just pulled in the driveway….later gators!

 ***Edited to add dinner:

I swayed away from my normalcy (ie, black bean soup and the mediterranean veggie sandwich) and ordered a Fuji Chicken Salad.  Funny, because when I first walked in, I was saying how I was in the mod for a salad, but it was just too cold outside!  But then I saw apples and gorgonzola cheese, and I was sold.

On the side I had a whole grain baguette and enjoyed each and every delicious bite.  Yum!!

We ended up watching When In Rome, because neither of us felt like crying over Dear John.    We were both laughing throughout the movie.  It was cute, but a little corny at the same time.  Definitely worth watching once.

Tomorrow we have a fun day planned at the mall, so I should go and get a good nights rest. 

Hope you’re all enjoying the weekend!!

You see it everywhere.  Tips, solutions, supplements, advice…all to help you lose body fat.  I’m here to tell you the opposite story: the upside of body fat. From a female perspective, it’s crucial that our body fat doesn’t drop too low.  Why?  Well, for one thing, body fat keeps us warm (girls and guys here! )  But there’s more to it then just that.  When body fat stores are brought too low, nutrient deficiencies can occur, along with an increased risk of stress fractures, amenorrhea (loss of menstrual cycle for 3 or more months,) decreased bone mass, and/or loss of reproductive function.  Basically, it just realy messes up our hormones!  So even while we do have a problem with too much body fat in this country, don’t forget that having a body fat that is too low isn’t healthy either!!

Body Fat Levels   

Guys:     

• Too Low: <5%
• Acceptable (low): 6-15%
• Acceptable (high): 6-24%
• Too High: >25%
• Average: 15-18%
• OPTIMAL: 12-18%

Gals:   

• Too Low: <10%
• Acceptable (low): 9-23%
• Acceptable (high): 24-31%
• Too High: >33%
• Average: 22-25%
• OPTIMAL: 18-25%

BREAKFAST   

I was determined to sleep in late this morning.  But then 4 am rolled around, and I was wide awake with not a chance of falling back asleep.  Thankfully tonight will be different…I’m so determined…haha.  You all had some great tips and I’m glad to hear that I’m not alone in having that occasional restless night of sleep.  I plan on putting your tips to good use!    

Anyways, I ended up lying in bed for a while before getting up to make breakfast.  Oats in a jar!  Simple bananas and oats in an almost—not quite—empty peanut butter jar.      

   

Then it was time to move, move, move!   

I knew not to expect much from today’s run, because lack of sleep always interferes with my runs.  If I’m tired, it doesn’t make sense to expect myself to run as fast or as hard as normal.  So I cut myself some slack and went out for an easy-paced 6-miles.  I came home feeling way more refreshed and energized then when I left.    

Post-run snack: glass of milk and a crunchy apple.  I guzzled the milk and took the apple to-go!   

   

I hereby promise that this will be the last rice picture you will have to see for a while.     

I have to say, though, that this was definitely one of my favorite rice concoctions yet. :D   

• 3/4 c. of last night’s Turkey Fried Rice
• 1/4 c. brown rice (also leftover)
• sauteed zucchini, summer squash, and onions (also leftover…noticing a pattern? )
• 1/2 c. black beans
• 2/3 c. green peas
• 2-4 T. tabbouleh

I literally cleaned out the fridge with this meal.  I have a crazy obsession with eating leftovers and managing to not throw things away…haha!   

   

All packed up and ready to go!   

Also coming along for the ride: carrot sticks, handful of almonds, last of the homemade granola bars, and a pear.  I ate them here and there, scattered throughout the day.   

   

Lunch and snacks held me over really well today, but I was definitely read for dinner tonight.  And with Thursday kind of being my Friday, I just wanted something quick ‘n’ easy that didn’t require much prep-work.    

Thank goodness for Gardnerburger Black Bean Chipotle burgers on such a night.   I ate it with a slice of cheese, lettuce and tomatoes, between two slices of Trader Joe’s Whole Wheat Sourdough bread.   

   

Served with a side salad, complete with black & green olives + my favorite dressing combo (1 tsp each olive oil, balsamic, orange juice and garlic + dry mustard.)    

It was easy and delicious.  Exactly what I wanted for tonight.    

   

I’d like to crank out some homework tonight since I’m sleeping over my sistah’s house tomorrow.  Can’t wait for that…we’re both excited for taking the night off from cooking and work/homework for a girly night out.    

Question of the Day: What’s your “Go-To” meal when you just don’t feel like cooking?  Tonight I went with the veggie burger, but usually I go with eggs or French toast. 

Last night was a restless night of sleep for me.  There wasn’t a thought on the brain.  Nothing.  Nada.  But still, I could not for the life of me get an ounce of sleep.  I used to have a major sleeping problem when I was younger.  There were some nights that I would be at the point of tears because I couldn’t sleep.  Yeah, crazy, I know!  Thankfully this rarely happens anymore.  Once I came to the conclusion that a night of no sleep wouldn’t kill me, I relaxed and slept better.  Amazing how simple a solution can be.  

Anyways, despite the restless night of sleep, I woke up happy and ready for breakfast.

Overnight Apples ‘n’ Oats

• 1/2 c. oatmeal
• cinnamon, nutmeg and cloves
• 1 diced apple
• 1/2 c. milk

…put in the fridge…the next morning, mix in…

• 6-oz. plain yogurt
• 2 T. crushed flax
• dollop of peanut butter on top

Strength Training went well today.  I decided that I need to start a journal of my reps and sets though.  I love setting up a unique and different workout depending on what I’m in the mood for, but it would be nice to see where I’ve been, where I am and where I’m heading.  Speaking of which, I love this new arm workout that I learned from the one and only Jillian Michaels.  She calls it the “lawn mower” and it literally replicates the motion of starting the mower, but with weights.  I’ll have to snap a picture of someone—or myself—doing it one of these times and share it with you all.  I can feel my arms burning by the end of the reps and it’s one of my new favorites.

After a quickie strength workout, I grabbed a snack (kashis and a slice of cheese) and headed out the door for a busy and loooong day of classes & meetings.

Thankfully I was well prepared with snacks and meals to hold me over throughout the day.  Lunch was a mix of leftovers, and it actually turned out to be a really tasty concoction.  I loved the grated carrot.  I think grating it made the entire dish taste sweeter and more flavorful.  And it paired wonderfully with the olive oil and balsamic vinegar.  Oh, and letting it sit and soak together overnight was key.

• 1 c. brown rice
• 1 c. garbanzos
• 1 carrot, grated
• 1 celery stalk, chopped
• a lil’ salsa (about 2-4 T)
• 1 tsp olive oil
• splash of balsamic vinegar

I also packed along two snacks for the afternoon, because I knew I wasn’t going to be able to eat dinner until late tonight.  These almonds and an orange were eaten in Counseling class.  I had a nice conversation with my teacher about eating in class.  I felt bad about it, and asked her if it was okay that I was always eating in the classroom.    She started laughing and told me her own personal story of having to eat every three hours, or else her blood sugar dropped too low.  “Always bring your lunch,” she said with a laugh.  Phew…that’s what I love about the nutrition department—crunching is encouraged!! 

My second snack was another homemade granola bar…the supply is running low on these guys!  I think I’m going to need to find a new recipe or tweak this one to change things up a bit!

Dinner was pretty yummy tonight!  Although, I didn’t really realize I was eating rice for the second time today (!!!) until I was actually done eating…haha.  Ah well!   They were both very different in taste, so I didn’t mind at all.

Turkey Fried Rice (adapted from Eat Well, Live Well)

3 T. low-sodium soy sauce
2 c. turkey, cooked and diced
2 tsp. olive oil
1 c. brown rice, uncooked
2 c. chicken broth
1/2 c. green peppers, chopped
1/4 c. celery, chopped
1 medium onion, chopped
1 egg, slightly beaten
1/2 c. romaine lettuce, shredded

1. In a small bowl, pour soy sauce over turkey; set aside.
2. Pour oil into a skillet; add rice and “fry” over medium heat, stirring constantly until rice is toasty brown.  Add chicken broth; cover and simmer for 45 minutes until all liquid is absorbed.  Add turkey, green pepper, celery and onion.  Cook uncovered for 5 minutes. 
3. Push rice to side of skillet and add egg, stirring constantly until set.  Combine with rice mixture.  Stir in lettuce.  Serve immediately.

On the side, I had a big serving of frozen peas, cooked and some roasted turnips.

And for a dessert/snack, I had a small bowl of honey nut cheerios with 1/2 a banana and some milk.  Totally love the combo of honey nut cheerios and bananas. I wish cereal held me over in the morning, because I would have this for breakfast tomorrow!

I am drained for the night!!  I love having Mondays and Fridays off, but the three long days that I do have school wear me out!  I hope I can get a better night of sleep t’night.

Do you ever have a hard time sleeping, and what are some “remedies” that you’ve used to help?  Like I already mentioned, I usually just tell myself that it’s not that big a deal.  If I can just relax, that’s the most important thing.  Sometimes taking a bath or reading a magazine helps too.  As long as the magazine isn’t too interesting, because then I stay up way later then normal.

Most of my “aha” moments are found through running.  I’ll be running along, thinking about nothing, and then bam!  A life lesson is learned. :mrgreen:  Today on my 5-mile run, I was thinking about how goal oriented I can be.  Goals are great, but sometimes I forget about the “in between” time from now and until I reach that goal.  It’s called LIFE.  And sometimes I need to remind myself that even though it’s important to achieve goals, I need to enjoy right where I am.  Slow down, Sarah…live in the moment.

What are some of the “aha” moments that you have had throughout your life? 

I knew this morning was going to fly by in a flash since I wanted to fit in a run.  Hence, the gingerbread breakfast cookie came in to play.  The banan was a little less ripe then I like them to be, but it was still delicious.   On the side I had a glass of milk for a boost of protein.

Post run snack: about 1/2 a cups worth of cottage cheese + an apple.  I’m not always a fan of fruit with cottage cheese, but this apple was perfectly tart-sweet so it paired perfectly.

Lunch was a hodge-podge of leftovers and snacks.  I’ve definitely been bringing the perfect amount, as I feel just hungry enough to eat dinner once I arrive home.    

The first part of my lunch was eaten in Management class.  I absolutely love cold, leftover pizza.  And since this was made with veggies (fiber!), whole wheat flour (more fiber!) and reduced fat cheddar (protein!), it was actually pretty filling.

I wanted to sneak in some more veggies, so I brought along a big salad with about 1/2 a cups worth of garbanzos, a carrot, and some tomato/cucumber slices.  The dressing was kept “smelly free” by using a tsp olive oil, balsamic, orange juice, and dry mustard with ginger in place of the garlic. Loved the ginger addition!

I spent a good two hours in the library, tackling homework with a friend between classes.  An orange and some almonds (about an ounce or 20 almonds) held me over.

As expected though, the hunger struck again around 4:30′ish, when my stomach knew that dinner was coming closer.  I decided to break into my extra snack that I had packed, which was a homemade granola bar.  I love refrigerating these, because they get all dense and chewy.  But this one was in my pack all day, and had gotten really warm in the classroom.  It was actually kind of melty and gooey, which I loved!

By the time I arrived home, I felt like a frazzled mess!!  The drive home always gets me into this zombie state.  All I wanted to do was throw on my pjs and eat dinner.  So I did. :mrgreen:

Brown rice.

Sauteed zucchini, summer squash and onions.

And sardines with mustard.   I know a lot of people get grossed out by these little fishies, but I adore them.  They’re super, super cheap.  Super healthy (great source of protein and omega-3’s + low in mercury!)  And, in my opinion, they’re super tasty. :D

+ a cherry cordial which mom bought me.  So good! 

Off to make a snack and watch Biggest Loser!!

Appetite Thoughts:

I thought it was an interesting point that a reader brought up, about what to do if you’re not hungry on days you exercise.  I’m not for force feeding in that type of scenario, but it is important to refuel directly after a workout to prevent muscle breakdown as well as to restore glycogen.  It’s especially important after high intensity, long workouts.  That could be a mini meal such as half a peanut butter and jelly sandwich with a glass of milk.  Or it could be a larger meal if you’re feeling hungry.

That’s the most important thing, but aside from that, let your body tell you when it’s hungry.  If you get hungry the next day and refuel really well, providing your body with the energy it needs, then it’s probably okay not to force feed yourself on the high intensity workout days.

I absolutely loved reading all of your thoughts and personal stories about working out and appetites!   I think part of feeling ravenous on days following a hard workout is related to the fact that we may have underfueled on the days that we did work out and our bodies are just trying to compensate.  But the reasons behind why some of us feel hungry on workout days while others just don’t have that appetite?  It blows my mind how unique we all are. :D

Another interesting article today was on all the hormones that are involved with our appetite.  Ghrelin is a hormone that tells us we’re hungry (I remember it as: ghrelin = grrrowlin stomach! )  Different foods do different things with this funny little hormone.  Most of the time, it goes down after a meal.  But certain foods make it go down followed by another spike.  Apples, for example, do this (perhaps partially explaining why some people feel hungrier after eating one!)  Of course, if you eat it with something, it might not have that same effect (such as almonds, cheese, milk, etc.)  Strange, huh?

Anyways, let me tell you, there was plenty of grrrhelin going on this morning.  A hungry girl calls for a big bowl of fluffy oats!

• 1/4 c. each oatbran and oatmeal
• 1 c. milk + 1/2 c. water
• cinnamon, nutmeg and cloves
• 1/2 apple (+ eating the other half!)
• 2 egg whites (stirred in once milk was boiling)
• toppings: 2 T. granola, and a big scoop of melty peanut butter

YUM!

I’ve said it time and time again, but I’ve got to say it again:  I love productive mornings!   I got so much done, I barely moved from the couch until 11:00 when I decided to head out for a run.  It felt so good to finish a ton of homework!

Pre run fuel: Homemade Bran Flax Muffin and 1/2 a banana

Today’s 6-mile run was perfect.  There was not a thing wrong with it.  The sun was shining, it was a warm 25 degrees (which feels like a heat wave considering what we’ve had the last couple of days! ), my legs felt fresh, and I literally found myself zoning out into running bliss.  It was perfect, perfect, perfect.  I almost didn’t want it to stop.

Once I returned and showered, it was time to warm up with a hot bowl of the last of the mushroom-barley soup from a couple days ago.  It was even more delicious today, with the mushrooms giving off such a vibrant, earthy flavor.  And since it was the last of it, there was a ton of barley to be scooped up.  I love this chewy little grain!

I paired the bowl of soup with a large salad, which I added about 1/2 a cups worth of black beans for a healthy boost of protein and fiber.

+ kashis!!!

I enjoyed some more sunshine outdoors this afternoon, by venturing out for a walk with mom.  We haven’t been walking together as much lately, with different schedules and such.  But I love it when we do, because she’s always so encouraging.  I can be worried or stressed over something, and she somehow knows exactly what to say which leaves me wondering why I was ever worried in the first place.    Moms are so great!

After our walk, I had a little bowl of about half a cups worth of whipped cottage cheese, 1/2 c. cheerios and a tsp of cashew butter.  Crunchy with the cheerios, sweet with the cashew butter, and salty with the cottage cheese…it was exactly what I was in the mood for.

Tonight we made Turkey Tamale Potpie, a delicious recipe from Cooking Light.  At first there was a little minor hiccup (I accidentally shut the oven off while it was still baking! whoops!) but after taking it out, noticing it was still doughy, and popping it back in at the right temp, it came out divine.   Aside from the goof-ups, this recipe is easy as can be.  And it comes together relatively quickly too…

Turkey Tamale Potpie

Filling:
Cooking spray
1 cup chopped onion
3/4 cup chopped red bell pepper
4 garlic cloves, minced
1 pound ground turkey breast
1 tablespoon chili powder
1 teaspoon dried oregano
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 (14.5-ounce) can diced tomatoes, undrained
1 (15-ounce) can kidney beans, rinsed and drained

Topping:
1 cup all-purpose flour (I used whole wheat)
3/4 cup yellow cornmeal (I used Arrowhead Mill, all natural cornmeal)
1 teaspoon sugar
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon baking soda
1 cup low-fat buttermilk
1 large egg, lightly beaten

Preheat oven to 425�.
To prepare filling, heat a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Coat pan with cooking spray. Add onion, bell pepper, garlic, and turkey; cook 5 minutes or until turkey loses its pink color. Add chili powder, oregano, 1/2 teaspoon salt, tomatoes, and beans; cook 3 minutes. Spoon turkey mixture into an 11 x 7-inch baking dish coated with cooking spray.

To prepare topping, lightly spoon flour into a dry measuring cup; level with a knife. Combine flour, cornmeal, sugar, baking powder, 1/2 teaspoon salt, and baking soda in a bowl. Combine buttermilk and egg; add to dry ingredients, stirring just until moist. Spread cornmeal mixture evenly over turkey mixture. Bake at 425� for 18 minutes or until topping is golden.

Yield: 6 servings (serving size: 1 3/4 cups)  (I turned it into 4 servings)

NUTRITION PER SERVING (will differ if you use whole wheat instead, and/or turn it into the 4 servings as I did)
CALORIES 329(8% from fat); FAT 3g (sat 0.9g,mono 0.5g,poly 0.4g); PROTEIN 27.6g; CHOLESTEROL 67mg; CALCIUM 120mg; SODIUM 705mg; FIBER 6.8g; IRON 2.4mg; CARBOHYDRATE 47.6g

Served with broccoli and green beans.  Total yumminess!

Off to make a yogurt snack and get my stuff ready for tomorrow’s day at school.  All part of my goal of having a more relaxing, stress-free morning.  I hate rushing, and if that means getting everything ready the night before, then I’m all for it!

Hope you all had a good Monday back into the work/school week!!

I woke up absolutely starving this morning.  It’s funny, because I was reading this article the other day from a reputable scientific nutrition journal, and they were talking about the possible reasons of why we tend to eat less on the days that we work out.  Many people claim that they’re just not hungry on the same day as working out, and the hunger usually hits within the next few days.  Although the hows and whys of it went undetermined in the article, I have to say…this article does not relate to me!  I eat a lot on the same day that I workout, in response to a huge increase in hunger. 

How about you?  Do you tend to eat a lot after working out or does the appetite “hit” after a few days?

Anyways, back to my morning hunger issues.   I resolved that problem with a big bowl of banana oats.  I added in some flax this morning, and I have to say I really loved the addition!  It thickened the entire bowl and added a nice touch of “nuttiness.” 

• 1/4 c. each of oatmeal and oatbran
• 1 c. milk + 1/2 c. water
• cinnamon, nutmeg and cloves
• 1 large banana (1/4 saved for the top!)
• 2 T. crushed flax (stirred in towards end of cooking time)
• toppings: 1/4 banana, 2 T. flax, scoop of peanut butter

After breakfast and church, I met up with Nicole to head over to Target.  I’ve been running low on all kinds of necessities (shampoo, mouthwash, etc.) at the same time, so little by little I’m attempting to restock the supplies!   Nicole and I also had to stop at Starbucks because we are equally in love with the Skinny Cinnamon Dolce Latte.  It was the perfect cup of warmth for a chilly morning.

I arrived home literally seconds before my dad did.  Thankfully we were both in the mood for the same lunch—larger then life salads!

• mesculin greens
• carrot
• 1/2 tomato
• 1/2 cucumber
• 1/2 c. black beans
• 1/2 c. whipped cottage cheese
• salsa
• green olives
• 1 tsp olive oil

+ kashis on the side.  I love adding a teaspoon or so of olive oil to my salads for healthy fats and flavor.  Salads are loaded with healthy vitamins, but many of them are in the form of what is called fat soluble vitamins (vitamin A, D, E and K.)  That means that your body can only use them if there’s a little bit of fat in your meal (think vitamin A in carrots, vitamin K in kale, etc.)  Skip the fat free dressings and add a splash of healthy oils for a boost of flavor and health!

I saved dessert for later in the afternoon and couldn’t resist taking a bite before snapping the pic. :mrgreen:

Afternoon snack:

• 6-oz plain yogurt
• 2 T. crushed flax
• 1/2 c. cheerios
• 1 tsp cashew butter

Mmm, mmm…eaten in one of my silliest mugs.

Time to make the simplest pizza dough ever!  Seriously.  I am no bread maker, so if I can make this—anyone can!  I used the herbed cheese pizza dough recipe from the “recipe section” and used all whole wheat flour in place of the white.

I love how foamy and bubbly the yeast mixture gets.  Check out all that carbon dioxide that the yeast are creating!!

When the yeast mixture sits for a while, the other part of the dough gets put together. 

Then the yeast mixture gets added to the flour, and salt is sprinkled on to “kill” the yeast.  A little oil is drizzled in too.

Then its time to knead the dough.  I like doing it on a floured cutting board that I put on top of a clean towel.  It saves a lot of work on cleanup because I don’t have to spend time scraping down any sticky dough from the table.  Easy peazy, that’s my motto!

While letting the dough rise, I chopped the onions and peppers….

…and made a cheater version for the sauce.

I opened a can of tomato sauce…

…and poured a ton of powdered garlic, basil and oregano into the mix.  The more basil and garlic, the better!

Instead of making these pizzas “individual pan pizzas” like I normally do, I decided to spread the dough out on a cookie sheet instead.  It made it really easy, since one pan pizza made 4 servings (2 slices each.) 

So Good!!!

Since we had salads for lunch, I made an unconventional side dish of sauteed cabbage (1/4 cabbage, 1 tsp olive oil, cooked until caramelizing.)  It was kind of an odd mix with pizza, but delicious all the same.

+ dessert.  I’ve decided that the best part about winter is all the wonderful citrus produce we’ve been getting.  The oranges are at their peak of flavor!

Night-time snack: homemade granola bar

I’m planning on an early morning tomorrow.  I was really productive this afternoon with homework, but I feel as if I still have so much to finish!  A lot of my classes are requiring that I look back and refresh on what I’ve learned over the past 3 years or so.  I love reminding myself of all the information, but it’s a little daunting at the same time!

The question of the day…

Do you tend to eat a lot after working out or does the appetite “hit” after a few days?

I’d love to do more research on that question and see why most people don’t feel hungry on the same day as working out, and why I’m so out of the norm. :mrgreen: