Afterglow

I'm having one of those oddly content days where I can't stop smiling. A feel good mist surrounds me and I'm just soaking it all in. Maybe it's the afterglow of my glorious weekend?! In any event, I wish every Monday started like this. I'm all smiles today!

BREAKFAST (meal #1) at 9:00am.

I indulged in a rich and creamy treat this morning. I opened my very LAST can of pumpkin puree last night to make my pumpkin pie pudding and had a serving left over. I thought it only fitting to splurge with one more bowl of hot pumpkin oats before I used it all up. SO SAD that you can't find it anywhere anymore.

• 1/2 cup old fashioned oats
• 1/4 wheat bran
• 1 1/2 cups water
• 1 tsp flax
• 1/4 pumpkin puree
• 1 tbs Trader Joe's pumpkin butter
• 1 tsp cinnamon
• dash pumpkin pie spice
• Splenda to taste

Good GRIEF I forgot how much I enjoyed pumpkin in my oatmeal. I'm going to die without it till next Fall. I just know it! SIGH!

LUNCH (meal #2) at 12:30pm.

Lunch was absolutely amazing today. I'm not sure why my salad tasted better than usual but it did! GLORIOUS!

• Spinach
• Kale Chips
• Red bell pepper
• Vine tomato
• Sweet curry sunflower seeds
• Black Bean Morning Star Farms burger
• Drizzle of Spray Butter

We were on a "Find a Birthday Outfit for this Saturday" mission on our break today. We hit up my beloved Macy's, but sadly, we both left empty handed. We'll probably make attempt number two somewhere or another tomorrow. BUT GET THIS! Trying clothes on is FUN again! YAY! Everything fit like it should have. I didn't fall in love with the items I tried on though so I left with nothing. Except my smile!!! I used to fear the fitting room mirrors. It was SO nice to not jump in horror at the girth of my own reflection. HA!

SNACK (meal #3) at 4:15pm.

Plain, 0% Oikos, Braeburn apple, cinnamon, Splenda and a sprinkle of Back To Nature chocolate delight granola. INHALED IN SECONDS!


After work we hit the gym. We were on a mission to get IN AND OUT early for ONCE on chest/back/cardio day. For some reason this day is cursed for us. We always run over with the time and argue about weights vs reps and what machine or move to do next. Just the stupidest things I swear. It's almost comical. ALMOST! Naturally we didn't break the pattern today either. We bickered like fools over absolutely nothing. Every other day goes smoothly at the gym. ???? It will remain a mystery I guess. :)

WORKOUT!

Latteral Pulldown with straight bar

70lb x 15 (3 sets)

Advanced Chest Press

30lb x 20

30lb x 15 (2 sets)

High Row

100lb x 15 (3 sets)

Seated Chest Press

75lb x 15

Reclined Chest Press

20lb dumbbell (each hand) x 15 (3 sets)

Elliptical Cross Trainer, 30 minutes total

Intervals 6 & 8 (2 minute per intervals)

2.55 miles, 355 calories

SNACK (meal #4) at 7:15pm.

When I got home I immediately refueled with a recovery smoothie. Such a treat every day. I can't wait for Summer. If I'm enjoying them this much when it's freezing out I can only imagine how much I'll love them when I'm covered in sweat! So good!

• 1 cup unsweetened vanilla Almond Breeze
• 1 small banana
• 1 scoop chocolate whey protein powder
• 1/4 cup frozen mangoes
• 1/4 cup ice
• 1 tbs sugar free chocolate Torani syrup

After I cleaned my messy self up I started prepping dinner. I was craving roasted veggies. SHOCKING I know. ;)

DINNER (meal #5) at 9:30pm.

I peeled, cored and cut up a butternut squash.

I seasoned it with spray butter, cinnamon, Splenda, salt & pepper and baked it for 30 minutes at 400 degrees. It turned out SO good. Sweet, tender and delicious!

I also baked a massive pile of carrots, brussel sprouts and zuchini.

You can never make too many veggies in my opinion. I love packing the leftovers for lunch the following day so it's not like they ever go to waste. NO WAY!! Not in this house! I enjoyed my veggie party with a black bean burger on an English muffin with cheese. I swooned!


YUM!!

RANDOM.... I wanted to share some goals with you that I want to accomplish this week. They're NOT food or fitness related. Can you believe it?

1. Relax
2. Console Mama about Friday's impending hair cut. She's tried all the classic mama tactics to keep me from cutting it. (short hair makes you look old... I'll kill you... it's your hair so do what you want but you'll hate it... etc.. LOVE YOU MAMA! HA!)
3. Find new B'day outfit for Saturday.
4. BUY NEW BRA! Trust me. The situation has officially hit out of control status! None of them fit right!
5. Give myself a manicure (stop picking cuticles)
6. Relax (I need to repeat this to myself on a regular basis)
7. Hang out for ritualistic ALONE B'DAY time with sis on Friday night. She has to share me on Saturday with Nick and some friends. She's still dealing with the trauma of it all. (LOVE YOU TOO SIS-SIS)...
8. Have dessert on Saturday and feel good about it. Once again, I'VE EARNED IT! What to have... what to have... OMG. I can't choose! It's been too long since I've indulged!

Okay, that covers it for the most part.

HUGS!!!
-Ildie