a day of food.. and chocolate.

Morning! How are you all doing? I am having just the most excellent Wednesday. Yesterday afternoon, right as I was finishing up my HIIT session, my dearest, beloved Mom walked into the gym, to my complete surprise! Yay! So my next few days will be full of love and fun! I am a total mama’s girl//my mom is my best friend… if you couldn’t tell.

So without further ado (I’m actually off to walk with mom herself as I finish up this post), here’s a recap of my eats in a day (Tuesday as it happens.)

check out Jenn’s website for some more WIAW inspiration!

Tuesday: My morning started off with a little sip of coffee before I headed out for a 50 minute walk. It was misting the whole time but luckily the rain held off until a little after I arrived back home.

I started my morning off with my “hydration station”. 1/2 the coffee was drank before my morning walk. After the walk I had the rest of my coffee, a little apple cider vinegar + water, and a giant glass of water with lemon.

Breakfast followed: sauerkraut, 2 scrambled eggs,with broccoli, peppers, and cauliflower.

Thirty minute later, I realized breakfast wasn’t going to last me all morning, so I sliced up an organic gala apple and enjoyed it with some almond butter.

Breakfast held me through my classes (even if the classes made me sleepy…) and I finally arrived at lunch for a satisfying meal.

A jumbo salad with 2 grilled chicken strips hidden underneath, and topped with some red wine vinegar.

Afternoon snack (to fuel the studying!): 86% dark chocolate. snap, crackle, give me that chocolate! I think I’m an addict. I might be ok with it 😉

My workout for the day was a 30 minute HIIT workout on the treadmill. 30 seconds sprint, 1 minute walk. Repeat. Feel like a (sweaty) beast.

After my workout I still had over an hour until dinner and I needed a little refuel: chocolate chips (Enjoy Life dairy + soy free) with some raw almonds. More chocolate.. what can I say!

Dinner enjoyed with my mom and a club meeting: salad with all the veggies, topped with salmon that I brought from home (because I am a nutrition nerd.)

And there you have it– my eats for a typical day! Sometimes more, sometimes less, but always chocolate. It’s the best.

Questions of the day:

What is one food you eat (almost) every day?

Chocolate: dark, milk, or white?

Do I talk about chocolate too much? 😉

Paleo Banana Bread #yesplease.

  I have a delicious recipe for y’all! Paleo Banana Bread.. it’s so delicious! First a quick recap from yesterday.

My classes are officially over- but finals are not. Most of my Tuesday was spent packing up and cleaning my apartment. My first final isn’t actually until next Tuesday, but those few days will be a whirlwind. A final Tuesday, one Wednesday, an event for my internship on Wednesday night, and then flying out Thursday night. My goal is to get most of my packing done today (it’s looking good!) so I can study for my finals without that looming over my head.

Breakfast yesterday was simple and delicious- some apple cider vinegar (read about the benefits here and here). For eats- my banana bread with almond butter, and an apple on the side. I was in a flurry of packing, so this quick breakfast was just what I needed.

For lunch, I took a little break from the packing madness and headed over to campus. The walk outside was just what I needed, and a quick meal with friends was incredibly refreshing. Salad– fueling up on those vegetables!

Since I was already over on campus, I headed to the gym for a workout. 45 minutes of HIIT and some abs to finish it up!

The rest of the afternoon was cleaning (and some procrastination..). But some of that was good- like making this delicious Banana Bread!!!!

I’ve been looking for fun ways to use my coconut flour, and decided to try out a delicious bread. It came out really well, and I can’t stop eating it!

Recipe: Paleo Banana Bread

1/2 cup coconut flour
1/4 tsp salt
1/4 tsp baking soda
3 bananas
1/2 cup coconut oil, melted OR unsweetened almond or coconut milk*

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Mix together the dry ingredients. Add the wet ingredients into the dry ingredients and stir until very smooth. Grease a small bread pan and fill about 2/3 of the way full with batter. Bake for 30-40 minutes, or until a toothpick comes out clean.

*I made this with the almond milk, and it was great. Just as a note though, without any eggs or oil, it isn’t very filling. If you are looking for something more substantial I would add 1-2 eggs and the oil instead of the milk!

Enjoy!

November Breakfast Challenge!

So- this month I’m participating in Meg’s November Breakfast Challenge. The idea of the challenge is to have a different breakfast every day of the month! Variety is the key to health {getting all those different nutrients!!} plus- it’s the spice of life 😉

Check it out and join! You can win some awesome Bob’s Red Mill products just for eating an exciting breakfast every morning.

November 1-5:

Thursday:

 

^oats, greek yogurt, almonds, and chocolate chips. A side of watered down apple cider vinegar^

 Friday:

^cashews, greek yogurt, un-pictured apple on the side.^

Saturday:

^pancakes and bananas at my retreat.^

Sunday:

^mini bagels and bananas^

Monday:

^greek yogurt, cinnamon, nuts, apple on the side^

Tuesday:

^greek yogurt and Special K Berry. yum^

I’m really liking the challenge so far! You should all check it out!

biking adventures.

 this morning was rushed y’all! I woke up early to make breakfast for the boy {my little gesture as a good girlfriend}. Then, I ran back to my apartment, and by ran I mean biked. Showered, dressed, make up-ed and got breakfast ready all in about 30 minutes. Not to brag but…I was pretty impressed with myself. Breakfast was some quick apple cider vinegar {I mix it with a shot of all natural apple juice and some water to take down the acidity}, some coffee, and a “banana split” of greek yogurt, and kashi cereal.

 

lunchin’:

After my morning classes, I biked back to the apartment {80% uphill} and whipped myself up a scrumptious lunch. I threw half a sweet sweet potato, a bell pepper, and some spinach in a pan to heat them up. I threw that on top of some romaine and added a side of hummus…yum! Followed it up with a slice of some gluten free banana bread- I couldn’t resist! After gobbling down, I threw on some cozy clothes and got to the homework grind. I definitely wasn’t in a homework mood after morning classes, but I had an afternoon date, so I wanted to get ‘er done!

A bit later, I changed again {how many outfits can I wear in a day? Challenge accepted!} into an outfit for what I thought would be a windy bike ride. I didn’t realize how warm it had gotten in the hours since I had returned to my apartment. Oops. By the time I got .5 miles away, I had to stop and take the scarf + sweater off.

 

On campus, I met up with a friend, and we back 5 miles while chatting away. The 30 minutes literally flew by, it was lovely. We made Swamp Rabbit Cafe our stopping point. It’s literally right off the trail. They are a grocery and a cafe- carrying awesome local goods, and crafting amazing treats and goods of all kinds {plus gluten free and vegan ones too!} Emily and I sat and chatted for a while before heading on the 5 miles back. Just about an hour bike round trip- felt awesome and the time with a great friend was extremely appreciated.

^I had a gluten free, vegan, blackberry scone. Yum x 1000^

^after getting back and cleaning some, this was dinner at the dining hall. Salad with veggies, white beans, some feta, and tortilla chips for crunch.^

^After dinner I headed to the gym where I did some Arc-ing and some stairmaster-ing before heading back…and kicking the chain off my bike. Luckily I {ok my boy} was able to fix it and make it back to my apartment. I also had a great chat with my Dad after dinner, which always makes me smile.

Then I chowed on this beauty- apple, cinnamon, choc chips and some peanut butter. It was a winning combination for sure.^

are you having a good week? Tomorrow is Friday!!

monday, moe’s day.

Monday wasn’t as bad as….Monday. It flew by, mainly due to my busssssy schedule.

breakfast:

Breakfast was quick, cool, and creamy. Perfect for a day when it’s 90 before noon. Greek yogurt, some oat-based granola, and some frozen Trader Joe’s pineapple chunks. With a side of coffee, and some apple cider vinegar. Just another day in the neighborhood.

Then I headed off on my {1.3 mile} walk to class. It’s definitely a leeeeeeetle inconvenient to have to leave 20-30 minutes early for class BUT I have to say I enjoy the quiet time just enjoying my surroundings. Sometimes I listen to a podcast, or call my family, or just have me time. Good wake up !

I spent the afternoon babysitting for my favorite little ones. I babysit them 8 hours a week, and after only 2 weeks, we’re already a little group. They melt my heart…even when they’re being little rascals. I mean…look at those faces! How could I be angry at those?!

^what a babe magnet^

 

When I got back from babysitting, I headed to grab some dinner before starting in on the studying for the night. I had a TON of reading to do, and it took me the rest of the night to get ‘er done.

Mid way through the night, I headed over to the gym for a re-engergizing workout. 10 minutes Arc trainer, followed by 25 minutes on the elliptical. My legs/body was pretty tired {between baby-sitting  and the 9 miler yesterday} but it felt good to just move a bit and stretch my legs out. I also find it such an amazing wake up/study break. When you’re reading 80 straight pages of a novel, that invigorating workout it key to powering through study time!

I made a little friend on my way back to the apartment. I feel so happy when I notice a little piece of nature in my everyday surroundings. Nature is all around, it’s just a matter of taking a moment to see it!

My little snack upon arriving back- some greek yogurt, a little peanut butter, and some carob chips.

Then I headed to bed fully ready for a restful night.

some inspiration:

life round these parts.

moving in has been crazy round here! here’s an update of some eats and workouts:

eats:

^coffee, duh.^

^oatmeal, bananas, peanut butter. pretty solid for a free hotel breakfast^

^ lunch mid-moving in with la madre. salad {with apples, nuts, balsamic, and grapes} that we split. My lunch: veggie burger with seasonal veggies, tomatoes, and mashed potatoes. I ended up giving the mashed potatoes to my mom and stealing a LOT of her sweet potato fries.. so good!^

^dinner out with madre and my dear roomie Madi {I actually have 3 roommates but Mads is the only one moved in yet}. Mediterranean salad to starts {greens, carrots, tomatoes, feta, olives}, followed by tomato basil pasta {with whole wheat spaghetti}^

^coffee and water- the first things ‘eaten’ in my new apartment!^

^jumbo salad,  yummmmmmm! Made in my new kitchen with lettuce, veggies, ‘meat’balls, and apple cider vinegar^

workouts:

Thursday: moving in. hauling boxes up and down stairs from my car, then from my storage unit… definitely a good workout

Friday: Split between the Arc trainer and biking. I did 25 min Arc, 10 min bike, 10 min Arc.

Saturday: I RAN SEVEN MILES. I know. It was crazy. ^^above is my attempt of getting some picture of it {at the halfway point}. It felt really awesome, and I am getting so excited about my training!

other news:

 

^my compression socks finally arrived. I got them with a groupon, woo! Plus the color is perfect considering my half is the Disney Princess Half Marathon….^

^my Hunter boots also arrived. A little pricey, but for as much as it rains in South Carolina.. totally worth it. I got teal and am loving them already. Also just as a side note…I don’t plan to wear them with my pink socks. You can all stop worrying about me!^

  

^going downtown with the boy and his mom for dinner. It was deeeeeeelicious and a nice way for me to stop thinking about how my madre was gone :(^

    ^awesome band downtown! They played for at least 2 hours…impressive^

^first Trader Joe’s run of the year…. love me some TJ.^

happy Sunday! Anyone else moving in this weekend?

a full day.

so I realized that in my ~2 months of blogging, I haven’t give you guys a full day peek into my eats/workout/life. so yesterday I made the extreme effort to photo document everything I did/ate. One question… how does everyone do this?! Seriously, it takes enough effort just for me to remember my own tasks for the day…. how am I supposed to remember to also photograph everything (beforeIeatitin5secondsflat). haha so, needless to say, despite my best efforts, we’ll see how often I am actually able to make this happen….

^my morning started bright and early {@ 5:36 am}. I like to fit in a little movement in the AM because it helps me wake up and feel great for the day ahead! Sometimes is 60 mins, or 40, or just 15…depends what I’m feeling. Usually I do incline walking or go on a walk with my mom, depending on how our schedules match up.^

  

^then coffee. always coffee. seriously, it’s bad. I can’t start my morning without it…. the other drink is a combination of pineapple juice, apple cider vinegar, and a little cinnamon +cayenne pepper. plus a simple bowl of almond milk, oats, protein powder, and half a banana + some strawberries. the oats were raw, which I actually enjoy. Plus. I don’t know about y’all but I just can’t eat  a hot breakfast after I’m already sweaty!^

For my snack for the morning, packed up and ready for class. A little trail mix, an apple, and of course my huge water bottle always comes with me. It means I have to use the restroom about 50 times in our 3 hour class, but it’s worth it because staying hydrated keeps me so energized {which is a must when you’re taking a summer class}

 

^pre class selfies…why not. I usually bike to class (it’s about 1.5 miles) but it was raining so I had to drive. Driving actually ends up taking me a LOT longer because I have to walk from the commuter parking lot (which is at least .7 miles from my lecture hall.)^

^post class lunch. simple and fast. with some whole grain bread to finish it off. And a giant mug of hibiscus tea because…I can^

      

^my afternoon was filled with chemistry, studying my little heart out. this ochem class is my last chemistry! {before med school} so I just have to get through it and I’ll be free. Ugh. Only 18 more days {but so so much material crammed into those 18 days}. sigh.^

 

^a little later, I headed over to the gym for a great workout. I biked there, and took the long way because it was so nice to finally have a day under 80 degrees. Then an arms and abs workout and a sch-weaty 30 minutes on the Arc trainer. bike home, workout done. The arm workout I did was Day 39 of Jamie Eason’s LiveFit Trainer. I love her workouts and follow the strength training part pretty regularly.^

^home for a snack- trail mix mixed with some carob chips- because who doesn’t need a daily chocolate fix? no? I can’t be the only one…and carob chips are at least “healthy-ish” (so I tell myself)^

^more studying, following by a small dinner- I wasn’t too hungry for some reason {oh I know– maybe all the extra carob chips I ate?! silly me… #chocolateaddict}. So for dinner I just went with some veggies and hummus. After this picture I proceeded to finish off the hummus tub (it was almost gone) and then rounded the night out with a delicious plum- seriously! I don’t know how these juicy amazing fruits become prunes (which I’m not a huge fan of)…. they don’t even seem related to me!^

Then a little more studying, followed by a devotion, some prayer, and an early night. I find with class these days, and getting up early to sweat it out, I’m exhausted by 9:30, and usually asleep by 10 or 10:30 at the latest. No complaints here!

So there you have it….a full day in the life! Happy weekend, hope everyone is enjoying some relaxing, rejuvenating weekend things 🙂

workouts, eats, life.

the week so far:

^biking around town!^

workouts:

Monday

• cross training so I did the Arc, which I love! It’s such a good workout without being too tough on my knees
• plus I did a shoulders, biceps, and triceps routine and finished up with some abs!

Tuesday

• 3 mile run (indoors 😦 but it’s so hot!)
• 40 min hill walking workout (on the treadmill). Don’t know incline workouts till you’ve tried them! Even walking gets hard when you’re going up a hill! I do about 3.6-4 mph with a variety of inclines from 6-15%
• stretching! I always forget but I actually did some last night, and my legs are happy!

food:

 

I made a yummy breakfast ‘banana split’- 1 banana, 1/2 c coconut greek yogurt, Special K cereal, and some crystallized ginger on top! Plus apple cider vinegar +pineapple juice (ACV is good for your metabolism!)

      

^Lunch with my usual favorites- bell pepper, lettuce, veggie burger, hummus. Plus Ezekiel Bread! Have you tried it? I had never had it but I’m totally in love now! It’s hearty but so so nutritious!^

 

^dinner was a quick party we threw together to celebrate my brother’s visit home!^

   

^plus, snickerdoodles that were so fun to make! I didn’t actually end up eating any, but my philosophy is, if it’s not a to die for dessert that I can eat any other time, I’m not going to indulge when I don’t really have a craving!^

^and last but not least, some scenes from the first days of my summer class, ew! I’m taking Organic Chemistry II and it’s not easy- especially because I took the first half last fall. But luckily I keep finding cute notes on my chemistry review (from last fall) when the boy and I were studying together! They brighten my day!^

Happy Wednesday!