Swimming with one arm.

Tuesday has tickled the funny right out of my bones. OYE what a day. Business is really picking up at work and I think there's only one thing left to do. I'm going to have to cloan myself!! I think it's absolutely necessary to make a sassy little "mini me" in order to get it all done.

BREAKFAST (meal #1) at 9:15am.

I fed my face with creamy oats, while working, and replying to emails, and taking notes, and setting up new projects all while crying on the inside. HA!

• 1/2 cup old fashioned oats
• 1/4 wheat bran
• 1 1/2 cups water
• 1 tsp cinnamon
• 1 tbs unsweetened dark cocoa
• dash pumpkin pie spice
• pinch salt
• Splenda
• (Microwaved and topped with 1 tbs ground flax, 2 tbs sugar free cherry preserves, 1 tbs Better N' Peanut Butter)

The sea of emails almost washed over me but I managed to snag a lifeboat long enough to make a tasty lunch.

LUNCH (meal #2) at 12:15pm.

I had a super tasty salad with Spinach, Tomato, Sugar Snap Peas, Bread & Butter Pickles, Sunflower Seeds, a Morning Star Farms black bean burger and some spray butter. Once again inhaled while working. I'M A MACHINE DAMN IT!


I managed to escape later in the afternoon and forced a break. Sometimes you just gotta. The sun was shinning, it was 80 degrees and I needed to feel the warmth on my face. An hour in fresh air made a world of difference. I came back to the office feeling rejuvenated!

SNACK (meal #3) at 4:50pm.

I almost missed my opportunity to snack. IT COULD HAVE BEEN A DISASTER! Since it was later than usual I skipped the apple and only had a plain Dannon Greek yogurt with vanilla granola.


I was trying to keep it light since it was so close to my workout. I hate working out when I feel full.

WORKOUT!

Bench Press with straight bar
45lb x 20
65lb x 12
65lb x 8
Lat Pulldown with V-bar
80lb x 8
70lb x 15
60lb x 15
60lb x 15
Seated Chest Press (cable)
90lb x 8
75lb x 15
75lb x 15
60lb x 15
High Row (plate loaded)
110lb x 15
100lb x 15
90lb x 15
90lb x 15
Dumbbell Fly
10lb x 20 (3 sets)
Elliptical Cross Trainer
20 minutes, intervals at levels 6, 8 & 10, 1.82 miles

Total time at gym = 1:13
Max HR = 166
Average HR = 137
Calories burned = 502

I wasn't as motivated at the gym as usual. I think I was just really ready to go home and relax. The long day had me drained.

SNACK (meal #4) at 7:30pm.

I made a quick recovery protein shake as soon as I got home with unsweetened vanilla Almond Breeze, chocolate peanut butter whey protein, water and ice.


My arms and shoulders are actually VERY sore today. I think it's from the upper body workout I did yesterday. They BURN!

DINNER (meal #5) at 9:00pm.

I've been dying for a sweet potato and finally had one tonight. I topped it with spray butter, sea salt and cinnamon. So so good. I also roasted some broccoli and asparagus to have with it. Somehow protein failed to appear on the plate this evening. Oh well. It was super satisfying!


Random: We're currently watching Mad Men and Nick just said that he liked the show because of the demeaning way that the men talk to the women and the way that the women obediently "behave". Naturally I attacked him. It was absolutely necessary! THE NERVE! HA!

Time to call it a night my lovelies. By brain needs sleep so I can dive right back into work tomorrow. Weeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeee.

Tell me about your jobs. You like it? Do you sometimes feel like you're swimming in a never ending pool with one arm? :)

XOXO
Ildie

My Inner Grandmother.

The sun is slowly setting on this glorious Sunday and I'm currently sipping on coffee in my pajamas. Yes, I realize that frolicking in my pajamas at 7:15 in the evening makes me lame but I'm finding it hard to care. I call moments like this "connecting with my inner grandmother". HA! My weekend has been full of fun and I can't think of a better way to end it. I'm curled up on the couch, my coffee is delicious, my laptop is by my side and the sun is peeking through the blinds making my room glow in orange happiness. Ahhhh. Lovely!

Let's recap last nights art show. I made a TRAGIC mistake and left my cameras memory card at home. I could only take 10 pictures before my camera was full. LAMETOWN! Nonetheless the place was hoppin and it was great to see all of our friends. A few of them were taking pictures as well so maybe I can give you a more "photographic recap" in the future. For now, the below is all I have to offer. Sadly the best art they had was not photographed.


There were talks of going to the bar across the street after the show was over. However, the discount piercings they were offering had the place so PACKED that they had several customers left after 11:00 that were still "waiting on their turn". Needless to say the bar never happened. We improvised and just hung out with everyone in the back break room instead. I passed on the beers like a good little girl. I had plenty of "liquid fun" on Friday night. We got home at about 1:00am and I went straight to bed. I was beat!
_______________________________________________
Sunday....

BREAKFAST (meal #1) at 9:20am.

I woke up at 9:00 with oatmeal on the brain. I'm pretty sure I dreamed about it. I immediately went to work on some stove top goodness. I cooked it slow and low until it reached a nice, thick and creamy consistency. It took about 15 minutes or so.

• 1/2 cup old fashioned oats
• 1/4 wheat bran
• 1/2 cup unsweetened vanilla Almond Breeze
• 1 cup water
• 1 tsp cinnamon
• dash apple pie spice
• Splenda
• pinch salt

I topped it with 1 tbs ground flax, 2 tbs sugar free strawberry jam, 1 tbs Better N' Peanut Butter and more cinnamon. It was perfect!


I followed up breakfast with some supplements. I've been doing GREAT with them (Ginseng, Centrum, Fish Oil and Calcium). I haven't missed a single day in over two weeks. However, I had to stop taking the Ginkgo Biloba. It was making me nauseous and I had chronic headaches. :(


I spent the rest of my morning being lazy. That's what Sundays are for right?

LUNCH (meal #2) at 2:00pm.

I visited Mama and Papa Babushka's house at 2:00 for lunch as usual. I sauteed broccoli, mushrooms, cabbage, carrots and onions in soy, teriyaki, Thai chili paste, Thai chili sauce and red pepper flakes till nice and tender. I also seared a turkey cheddar sausage in a pan and boiled some edamame. Lunch was GLORIOUS!


We spent the afternoon chatting and playing Yahtzee. It was so nice and relaxing. AND THEN THE UNTHINKABLE HAPPENED! My Mama busted out my FAVORITE Hungarian desert. Kremes!!! It's a puff pastry, powder sugar covered, custard cream pie full of delicious brilliance!! Resistance was pointless. I caved and ate every single rich and decadent morsel. I only have it once a year, if that. AHHHH. IT WAS SOOOOOOO GOOOOOD!

SNACK (meal #3) at 4:30pm. KREMES!!!!!!!


The rest of my day was very relaxing. I got home at about 5:30 and basically did absolutely nothing for several hours. It was perfect in every way possible. I made some coffee and hung out in my PJ's, on the couch with the Mr. We watched It's Always Sunny In Philadelphia for like 3 hours straight. I love that show. I also love lazy Sundays!

DINNER (meal #4) at 9:30pm.

The plan was to have a very LIGHT dinner because of my Hungarian pastry party. However, I was starving by the time 9:30 rolled around. A full and substantial dinner was absolutely necessary. I was definitely having an indulgent day. It happens!

I dug around and found some vegetarian cocoa chili in the freezer. I jazzed it up with some fat free cheddar cheese, sour cream and fresh avocado. I also had some low fat blue corn tortilla chips on the side. It was so good!


Time for some more R&R. I can't seem to get enough of it today.

ONLY 40 DAYS UNTIL VACATION!

XOXO
Ildie

Surfing the Event Horizon...

OYE, what a day!! It being the last day of the month and quarter almost killed me at work today. I'm convinced of it! I could feel my mind melting into the deep abyss of never ending emails. My computer screen was like a joy sucking massive black hole. Somehow I managed to swirl around in the event horizon without slipping into the blackness. I guess Lady Luck was on my side today. If you can call my close encounter with a mental breakdown, luck. Anyways, I'm rambling. SHOCKING I know!

I promise to stop now. Let's move on now so I can BLOW YOUR MIND with my healthy meals.

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

I had my daily fix of creamy goodness. Naturally! What else were you expecting?

• 1/2 cup of old fashioned oats
• 1/4 cup wheat bran
• 1 1/2 cup water
• 1 tsp cinnamon
• dash pumpkin pie spice
• pinch salt
• Splenda to taste
• (Microwaved and topped it with 1 tbs ground flax, 2 tbs cherry preserves which I microwaved for 20 seconds to make it syrupy and 1 tbs of Better N' Peanut Butter)

Oatmeal makes the world go round! Plain and simple!

I juggled work in-between bites. What can I say. I have the rare multitasking gene. I jug-jug-juggled clear through till lunchtime. Weeeeeeeeeeeeee!

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

I had a very messy wrap today. I stuffed a honey wheat FlatOut with spinach, roasted garlic hummus, red bell peppers and warm pinto beans. It was super tasty but fell apart as I was eating it. Don't worry, not a morsel was left behind! I also had two fuzzy little kiwis. Tasty, tasty.


How I managed to leave the office today for a quick 30 minute break is beyond explanation and all human comprehension. Yet I pulled it off. I ran to Target and picked up a lovely new BRIGHT orange purse and a new water bottle. I was in desperate need of BOTH!


Shopping makes me happy. I INSTANTLY felt better. Sadly though, I had to go back to work. THE HORROR!

SNACK (meal #3) at 4:50pm.

I lost complete track of time and almost ended up skipping my pre-workout snack. I sort of wish I had because it left me feeling full and "off" during most of my workout. Sigh. It was tasty though!

• Plain Dannon Greek yogurt
• Crispy Pink apple
• Udi's vanilla granola

WORKOUT!

I arrived at the gym feeling full and 20 minutes later than usual. Not a good start! Somehow I managed to work through it though and by the time I was done I felt amazing. The stress was gone and so was that nasty "off" feeling in my stomach. I love sweat therapy!!!

Elliptical Cross Trainer
45 minutes, 3.82 miles,
Hill Climb, Levels 6-18

The Elliptical WHOOPED my but today!!!

Ab workouts, 20 minutes
I did a mix of crunches, alternate heel touches, dumbbell side bend (with 10lb dumbbell), sit-ups, scissor kicks, oblique twists, reverse crunches and a 1 min. plank.

Total time at the gym = 1:05

Max HR = 172

Average HR = 144

Total Calories Burned = 559

I wasn't craving a smoothie when I came home. What I was craving was coffee. Yeah, I did the UNTHINKABLE and loaded up the French Press. I know my goal is to only have 1 cup a day but I DON'T EVEN CARE! It's been a rough day! I needed caffeine therapy!


And look what was waiting for me from the AMAZING people at Stonyfield!!! They sent me the most adorable box of Oikos Greek yogurt to try. Isn't it the cutest?


I received two of their caramel flavor and two of their chocolate flavor.


LOOK, they had each yogurt cup tucked inside a cupcake liner. ADORABLE!


I'll probably try the caramel one tomorrow!! They also sent me some lovely coupons. Thank's Stoneyfield! You know I love you! Oikos is by far my favorite Greek yogurt! Hands down.

DINNER (meal #4) at 10:00pm (I only had 4 meals today. :-o )

I ate dinner way later than I wanted to. Sort of lost track of time when I got home. It just felt so good to sit down and do NOTHING for a while. We watched an episode of Mad Men while I sipped on my coffee. Before I knew it, it was 9:00 and I still smelled like the gym (not good) so I cleaned up before dinner.

I was having serious cravings for taco salad tonight. MM, I love it! I made the usual recipe (found ***HERE***) but I used pinto beans instead of black beans. This hit the spot!


I think we're about to watch more Mad Men. We just started watching it today. I guess it got great reviews? Not bad so far. The Mr. ordered it on NetFlix. Gotta go. Time to relax and do nothing for a bit. My favorite! :)

XOXO
Ildie