Cold Day, Hot Breakfast

Brrrr! Another cold day in Florida it is! The temperature is in the 30s and the weatherman said we could even get snow. This is unheard of in Orlando. No wonder everyone is freaking out!

The extreme chill in the air meant only one thing this morning… I needed a hot breakfast!

Creamy Vanilla and Cinnamon Oatmeal

I mixed a pack of Kashi creamy vanilla hot cereal with half of a scoop of cinnamon protein powder and microwaved it until it was steaming! I enjoyed a hot cup of honey lemon tea and a tangerine on the side.

Tangerine

The tangerine was juicy and tasty, but I definitely prefer clementines. Not only are they seedless, but they’re easier to peel too!

After digesting for about an hour, Ryan and I bundled up and went to the gym to warm up even more.

I did 30 minutes of light cardio on the elliptical while reading a magazine before taking a Zumba class. I had the best time at Zumba! The instructor was really into it and had amazing energy. I felt a little goofy swiveling my hips at first, but eventually let go and had a great time doing the salsa and other upbeat dance moves.

Do you feel self conscious during group exercise classes?

I feel self conscious during group exercise classes  if I canot seem to catch on to a routine. Classes like step where it seems like everyone who goes is a regular and knows the choreogaphy by heart make me feel like I’m the only one who doesn’t “get it.”

Post Gym Activities

After the gym Ryan and I ran to Target to pick up some essentials… and a bag of peanut butter M&Ms. The bag didn’t last long and we polished it off while waiting for our lunch to bake in the oven. Dessert before lunch… that’s how we roll. 😉

Thankfully lunch should be done soon. I’m hungry and though those M&Ms were delicious, they didn’t do much for my hunger.

After lunch I have plans to meet up with some girlfriends for pedicures before heading to my friend Ashley’s wedding with Ryan tonight.

Ashley and I worked together at the Orlando Museum of Art when I first graduated college. She’s the graphic designer for the museum and is super creative. I can’t wait attend her wedding tonight. 😀

I hope I can stay warm the rest of the day!

I Made It!

I officially survived my first ever personal training session at Spectrum Sports Performance this morning. Hoo-rah! It was challenging, creative, dynamic and oh-so-sweaty.

I woke up, grabbed my directions and hit the road to meet with my trainer for the morning, Rob.

Directions

Rob was super-friendly and immediately told me my friend Merri (who referred me to this place for my free one-day training session) instructed him to kick my boo-tay. Thanks a bunch, Mer! 😉

Apparently he took Merri’s instructions seriously because he took me through a cardio circuit/core workout that rocked the ol’ bod. The hour I was at the gym felt like 20 minutes because the workout was non-stop and fast-paced. No room for boredom!

We did everything from jump roping and bear crawls to box jumps and sprints. I was sweaty, challenged and LOVING it.

Though I absolutely adore my gym, this facility offers so much personal attention and designs workouts to specifically meet your individual goals. Unfortunately it also comes with a hefty price tag that this poor writer cannot afford at the moment, but I loved every minute of my workout there (even when I was cursing Rob in my mind for the pain I was experiencing). Spectrum Sports Performance = A+.

Breakfast

I earned a breakfast that will really stick to my ribs this morning and oatmeal seemed like the perfect post-workout meal.

Cake Batter Oats

My oatmeal totally hit the spot. I mixed half a cup of oats with a scoop of All the Whey cup cake batter protein powder. I love eating breakfasts when, as I’m eating, I’m thinking “This is so flippin’ delicious.” This was one of those meals. Maybe I was just extra hungry, I dunno.

Thursday's Breakfast

I enjoyed a hot cup of Yogi Mayan cocoa spice tea along with my oats and am sittin’ here with a warm and full belly.

Happy Friday Eve everyone!

Bargain Baby Food Breakfast

Today’s breakfast was a “bargain breakfast.”

Greek Yogurt, Banana Puffs and Dried Banana and Pineapple

I am a bargain hunter, a coupon clipper and a sale shopper. Buy one, get one free deals are my best friend. Ryan and I always compare the “How much did you save?” number at the bottom of our Publix grocery store receipts.

(Surprisingly the cashiers can get really into our little competition, too. One time the bagger ran to the back of the store to get me a bag of frozen large shrimp instead of the jumbo ones I selected since the large ones were on sale. I won that particular savings competition. 😉 )

During our most recent trip to the grocery store, an item I typically bypass was on sale: baby food. The discounted price caught my eye and when I saw “whole grains” on the label of one of the items, I began looking at the products more closely.

Gerber Graduates Banana Puffs

The Gerber Graduates Puffs (banana flavor) are made with whole grains and real banana and have only 25 calories per one half-up serving. I put them in my cart.

Next I spotted Gerber Graduates Mini Fruits (banana pineapple flavor).

Gerber Graduates Dried Banana and Pineapple

The ingredients were very simple: freeze-dried banana and pineapple. Into my cart they went. (They were only $1!)

My breakfast this morning was a cup of Chobani Greek yogurt topped with my two bargain baby food purchases.

Greek Yogurt and Baby Food

A Delicious Combo

I also brewed a hot cup of Mighty Leaf chocolate mint truffle tea to enjoy with my crunchy yogurt creation.

Monday's Breakfast

Who knew an adult could love baby food so much?

Question: Are you a bargain hunter? What are your favorite stores for great deals?

Oats and a Lizard Hunt

I’m slowly getting over the fact that fall weather is still avoiding Florida. Though I stare longingly in my closet at my new boots that I have yet to wear every morning, I know the autumn air will come… eventually.

I Love You, Boots

While I wish I could wear a cute scarf or fuzzy sweater some days, I am grateful for the warmth because it makes my morning walk with Sadie much more enjoyable. Walking her with cold air whipping around my face = no fun.

This morning Sadie was in true crazy-dog mode, picking up each and every piece of trash, then looking at me as if to say “Look, Mom! A treasure!” I knew our normal 40 minute loop wouldn’t cut it today, so while I was preparing my breakfast, I let her out back to hunt for lizards.

"Ooooh lizards... Come out, come out wherever you are!"

"Stop taking my picture and come help me, Mom!"

She didn’t catch any lizards this morning. Next time, Sadie!

After a good workout and fun doggie play time, I was ready for mah breakfast! Hot oatmeal sounded perfect and since I’ve had a box of Kashi instant creamy vanilla oats sittin’ pretty in my pantry for months, I decided to prepare a packet.

Kashi Creamy Vanilla Oats

I dumped the dry mixture into my bowl, added water and microwaved it until I got a thick and creamy bowl of oats.

Dry Oats

Cooked Oats

I added a heaping spoonful of pumpkin mixed with a quarter of a scoop of cinnamon protein powder to the oats and stirred away.

Pumpkin and Cinnamon Protein Powder

Vanilla Oats Topped with Pumpkin

Pumpkin Swirl

Eventually I had a vibrant bowl of cinnamon vanilla pumpkin oats!

Cinnamon Vanilla Pumpkin Oats

Last night during our trip to Whole Foods, I picked up a box of Mighty Leaf chocolate mint truffle tea that was anxious to try this morning as part of my breakfast.

Box o' Tea

I love the intricate tea bags!

Beautiful Tea Bag

After admiring the wonderful craftsmanship on the tea bags, I got around to actually brewing a cup.

Hot Chocolate Mint Truffle Tea

My super-hot breakfast hit the spot!

Wednesday's Breakfast

Question: What’s your favorite kind of tea?

Would You Like Some Yogurt with That Granola?

After polishing off my homemade granola in one weekend, I snagged a bag of Udi’s natural granola to munch on throughout the week.

Udi's Granola

This stuff if so delicious, it’s dangerous!

Though I was initially attracted to the yummy look of the granola, I bought it after reading its simple list of ingredients: Thick-Cut Rolled Oats, Wildflower Honey, Canola Oil, Raisins, Banana Chips, Walnuts, Cashews, Almonds, and Pistachios. It doesn’t get much more natural than that!

This morning I topped my Greek yogurt with sliced strawberries and lots o’ granola.

Yogurt! Are you in there???

I stirred in a lot of the granola because I adore the crunch from the nuts and the flavorful banana undertones and wanted the granola to be the highlight of my breakfast. Boy was it ever.

Yummers

To complete my breakfast, I made myself a hot cup of Yogi Tahitian Vanilla Hazelnut tea. Delish.

Thursday's Breakfast

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In other breakfast news, some of you may remember my post on childhood cereals and the crazy amounts of sugar in our old time favorites. Well, here’s a zero-calorie way to enjoy Froot Loops for you lovers of the colorful o’s:

Cereal Light

This is a cereal light! Looks delicious, but I wouldn’t eat it…

Question: What’s your favorite kind of granola?