Day Off = Cookies, Day On = Carrots

Sundays are often my day off from they gym and yesterday was no different.

Last night I tweeted about something I’ve noticed on my workout-free days:

Tweet, Tweet

(Side note: Please excuse my terrible grammar… that was a fly-by tweet. I’m literally cringing right now.)

Apparently I am not alone in this feeling, because several people  tweeted back that they feel the exact same way when when they take a day off from exercise.

I think there’s something about a “break” from the gym that makes us want to take a “break” from our healthy lifestyle. When I say that I crave sweets on my off-days from the gym, I don’t mean I want a cookie… I mean I want an entire batch.

Since I don’t deny myself sweets throughout the week, I know my day-off cravings are not due to deprivation. I simply want cake. And cookies. And ice cream.

Thank goodness I got back in the gym this morning and my body wanted some healthy food again! 😀

Workout + Hurtin’ Heel Update

This morning I took my typical Monday-morning BodyPump class. We’re still working on the new release, which I really enjoy. It’s so challenging!

Can one of you BodyPumpers out there confirm that the lunge track on this release is re-flippin’-diculous!? It’s the hardest one yet and I love it, in a sick and totally twisted way.

Post-Pump, I came home and decided to test out my hurtin’ heel and take Sadie on a one mile walk.

My heel is actually feeling a lot better today, though it’s definitely not 100 percent. I’ve been icing it, stretching and and babying it all weekend. The one mile walk  with Sadie wasn’t pain free, but my heel felt a lot better than it did on Friday.

All those well-wishes you guys sent my way seem to be working a bit. Don’t worry though, I’m not going to jump the gun and run (it still hurts too bad to do that anyway). Healing and preventing further injury is my priority!

Breakfast

Since I made it into the gym today, my body wanted healthy food for breakfast (though I’m sure it would’ve happily accepted an ice cream sundae).

I decided to make myself a healthified Egg McMuffin on a toasted Thomas’ light multi-grain English muffin.

Canadian Bacon + Egg Whites

My modified McMuffin contained two egg whites, a slice of Canadian bacon and a wedge of Laughing Cow light original Swiss cheese.

Healthified Egg McMuffin

I enjoyed my breakfast sandwich with a dark chocolate Adora calcium disk for a little sweetness.

Breakfast is Served

Sadie was quite jealous.

"Ooooh. That looks goooood."

Lucky for her, she got to enjoy the yolks from my egg whites. 🙂

Yum, Yum Yolks

(Kinda looks like she’s puking, no?)

McDonald’s ain’t got nothin’ on my healthified breakfast sandwich!

Healthy & Delicious

Yum!

Question of the Mornin’

Do you find it easier to eat healthy on days that you work out or on days that you take off from the gym?

Modified McMuffin

I owe my lunch today to my mama.

Whenever I was really nervous about a big test or a diving meet in high school, my mom would make me a hearty and delicious breakfast as a special treat.

I’d come downstairs, ready to heat up a packet of instant oatmeal or throw a Toaster Strudel in the toaster, and be wonderfully surprised by a homemade breakfast. It was the best!

One of my favorite breakfasts was her take on a McDonald’s Egg McMuffin®.

She made her own version of the fast-food breakfast staple by toasting an English muffin and adding a slice of Canadian bacon, reduced-fat cheese and an egg on top.

I paid tribute to her modified McMuffin at lunch today.

My lunchtime breakfast sandwich included a Thomas’ light multi-grain English muffin, a wedge of Laughing Cow light original Swiss cheese, an egg and a slice of Canadian bacon.

Thomas' Light Multi-Grain English Muffins

Canadian Bacon + Egg

This breakfast sandwich is so easy to make and definitely takes a lot less time to construct at home than it would to drive through a fast food restaurant and place an order.

Open-Faced McMuffin + Green Pepper Slices

Modified McMuffin

By making my own Egg McMuffin, I saved loads of sodium (the original has 820 mg!) and didn’t ingest the “liquid margarine” or “pasteurized processed American cheese” that may be found in McDonald’s version.

On the side I snacked on freshly sliced green pepper and a small banana.

Selecting a Wedding DJ/ Officiant

This weekend Ryan and I would like to schedule some appointments to meet with potential DJs and possible wedding officiants.

If any of you are from the St. Pete/Tampa/Sarasota, Florida area and have any recommendations, please send ’em my way!

For those of you who are married or have been to several weddings, please share your advice with regard to selecting a DJ or wedding officiant!

I must admit, I feel a little clueless about the whole process!

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PB & P

I’m sure it won’t surprise you to know that I am a big fan of peanut butter and jelly sandwiches.

After all, I eat several peanut butter fingers a day…

Looove PB

Peanut Butter Fingers Make Me Smile

When I was in middle school I used to eat peanut butter and jelly sandwiches with mint jelly. My mom served mint jelly when she would make lamb and I fell in love with it. I figured mint jelly shouldn’t be reserved for special occasions involving lamb, so it became a staple in my lunches. Don’t knock it ’til ya try it! 😀

I didn’t have jelly on hand today, but I did have a big, juicy pear and figured a couple of slices of the fruit would make a yummy (and more nutritious) jelly substitute.

Pear Slices

I topped half of a Thomas’ light multi-grain English muffin with the pear slices and spread creamy peanut butter on the other half.

Spreadin' PB

Open-Faced PB & P

Tuesday's Breakfast

My pb & p breakfast sandwich was delicious!

I’ve made this same sandwich with apple slices before, but I think the softer texture of the pear worked better as a jelly substitute. YUM.

Workout

Today’s workout was a doozie!

I started with 30 minutes on the treadmill, following this workout:

30 Minute Treadmill Workout

The gym felt like it was 5,000 degrees today, so I was a sweaty mess by the end of that workout! I finished up my cardio session with 20 minutes on the elliptical.

Questions of the Day

Are you a fan of peanut butter and jelly sandwiches? Are you a creamy or chunky peanut butter lover? What kind of jelly is your favorite?

I love all kinds of peanut butter. I refuse to limit myself to just one choice (but if I really had to pick, I’d say chunky). As for jelly, I’ve always loved grape or blackberry jelly.