Sadie Loves Animals, Animals Don’t Love Sadie

Good morning!

Wake Up, Orlando!

Isn’t downtown Orlando pretty before 7 a.m.?

Workout

This morning Ryan and I headed to the gym and split up do do our respective workouts. We workout together, but not together. 😉 While I took a BodyPump class, Ryan hit the stair-stepper, bike and treadmill for a cardio workout. Ryan almost always does weights only at the gym. He gets his cardio during weekly soccer games and soccer practices, but is on a mission to integrate more cardio into his daily workouts.

Just like many women seem to struggle with integrating weights into their exercise regimen, I think many men may struggle with incorporating more cardio into their routines. It’s kinda funny how each gender seems to have a different “go to” exercise.

After our respective workouts, we came home and gathered up the pup for a 2.5 mile walk.

Walk, Walk, Walk

No Standing??? Psssh. Such a Rebel.

It was nice to enjoy some calm with Ryan and Sadie before the workday madness sets in.

Sadie seemed to enjoy the walk as well… though she seemed to prefer stalking the birds and squirrels to actually walking.

"Oh Swanyyyy. Come Out and Plaaaay..."

Much to her chagrin, the animals didn’t seem to reciprocate her interest and all made a beeline for treetops or the lake at the sight of her gangly body and the sound of her overly-excited wheezes.

Maybe next time, Sadie. 😉

Breakfast

Breakfast once again paid hommage to Tuesday’s delicious pumpkin peanut butter French toast.

I made myself a pumpkin peanut butter sandwich that included banana slices since I had a banana that basically had one foot in the grave and needed to be used.

PB & P & B

Before inhaling this breakfast, I dusted the sandwich with pumpkin pie spice because it make it look so perdy and taste that much better.

Open Faced

Eat Me!

I wonder when I’ll get sick of this pumpkin and peanut butter combo? If it’s anything like my love of peanut butter, I don’t see it fading any time soon.

Healthy Eating in College Follow Up

Before signing off, I want to take a minute to thank you guys for sharing some amazing tips for eating healthy while away from home at college. If you’re looking for more quality tips and advice, definitely check out the comments section of yesterday’s post. You readers are so wise. 🙂

I also received some additional requests for posts about the following topics:

• How to maintain an exercise regimen in college
• How to eat healthy on the cheap

Stay tuned! 😀

Of Possible Interest

• 5 Healthy Squash Recipes That Celebrate Fall (My butternut squash pancakes are mentioned!) – FitSugar.com
• The Facebook Workout – FitBottomedGirls.com
• The Importance of Rest – FaithFitnessFun.com

I Worked Out and Had Dippy Eggs

Post title explanation: After typing up this post, I turned to Ryan and said, “What should I title my post? I worked out and had dippy eggs. Whadda ya got?”

His reply: I Worked Out and Had Dippy Eggs

The man is clearly an un-tapped blogging genius. 😉

On to today’s post!

Workout

I give myself leeway when it comes to working out on the weekend, but if time permits, I love sneaking in a sweaty workout first thing in the morning.

To say today’s 9 a.m. gym session was sweaty is quite the understatement.

This was the sight that greeted Ryan when he came to find me after his workout was over.

I definitely worked up a sweat thanks, yet again, to Jessica’s At Home Cardio Blast workout.

Before completing two rounds of the Cardio Blast circuit, I did 30 minutes of cardio, split evenly between the stair master and the elliptical.

As if the circuit isn’t hard enough by itself, doing two rounds after already completing 30 minutes of cardio made me sweat like a monster!

Needless to say, I worked up quite an appetite.

Breakfast

My pre-workout quesadilla held me over fairly well, but after that workout and a 2.5 mile walk with Ryan and Sadie, I was ready for a real breakfast.

I made myself a dippy egg, seasoned with salt ‘n’ peppa, to enjoy with a toasted Arnold multigrain sandwich thin and two strips of Morningstar Farms veggie bacon (one went directly into my mouth and didn’t make the picture).

I loved every last yolky bite!

So good!

Once we were finished licking our plates, Ryan and I spent some time in the backyard, soaking up some sun and playing with Sadie.

Now it’s time for lunch before we head out for the day.

Catcha lata! 😀

On the Fly

Between my morning workout, dentist appointment and commute back to Orlando from St. Pete this morning, I didn’t have time to put together a morning post.

I ate breakfast on the fly and didn’t snap any photos, but you don’t need a camera to document a good workout now, do ya?

Today’s workout included some light cardio interspersed with total-body weight training that looked like this:

• 10 min. stair master
• Leg extensions
• Squats
• Hamstring curls
• Deadlifts
• Bicep curls
• Tricep extensions
• Shoulder raises
• Tricep pull-downs
• 10 min. run

I completed the entire workout in about an hour and was showered and sitting in a chair at the dentist’s office before I knew it.

Good news: No cavities!

The dental hygienist said I’ve been doing an excellent job on my flossing.

About a year ago I learned the secret to receiving this compliment from the dentist. Simply floss right before you go to the dentist. It makes your gums less sensitive and less likely to bleed, which basically screams “This is the first time I’ve flossed in months!”

Not that I advocate not flossing or tricking your dentist or anything… 😉

Once I got to work, I had a bunch of things on my plate and was a busy little bee until I broke to enjoy this meal.

'Dilla!

Peach Greek Yogurt

Not a bad grab-whatever-you-can meal!

My lunch included a quesadilla prepared on a whole wheat tortilla with kidney beans and steamed broccoli and a cup of peach Greek yogurt.

It wasn’t anything mind-blowing, but it was tasty and nutritious. A successful lunch in my book!

Question of the Afternoon

Would you rather visit the doctor or the dentist?

I hate needles and basically anything medical, so I’d pick the dentist every time!

I still see the dentist who cleaned my teeth throughout college back in St. Pete because I trust him and know he won’t hurt me. He’s filled a few cavities in my mouth, which involved shots, and used this numb-y stuff that made it painless to numb my mouth before the shot (I just felt pressure), so I no longer get nervous about trips to the dentist! HUGE victory for me.

Neglected

I just realized something this morning. I’ve been severely neglecting my love of Greek yogurt.

For some reason, I’ve been bypassing the creamy, protein-packed lil’ cups every day for the past week or so.

It was high time to change that!

Hello Again, Old Friend

I made myself a bowl of yogurt mousse, using a cup of plain Greek yogurt and a big spoonful of instant chocolate pudding mix.

I then topped the chocolate-flavored yogurt with a sliced frozen banana.

Naner

Time for a Bite

Neglected, no more! 😀

Workout

Today’s workout had me sweatin’!

I took a BodyPump class, followed by 10 minutes of cardio split between the stair master and the elliptical.

The teacher at my gym this morning annoyed me a little because she was pretty negative and was a stickler for form. I totally understand the importance of proper form, but I could tell her intense focus on the improper form of certain class participants made some people uncomfortable.

It’s all about the delivery!

Had she harped on the proper way to do certain exercises with a positive tone, it would’ve made all the difference. I don’t think most group exercisers want to feel like they’re back in school and getting reprimanded. A polite correction is appreciated, but a condescending one is not. I even saw three people leave before the third track was over.

Question of the Morning

Have you ever had a bad experience with a group exercise instructor?

I think my worst experience was during a spinning class several months ago.

The instructor was a big, beefy guy who never got on the bike, played screaming heavy metal music and danced like he was in a club the whole time (as in he never moved his feet, but grooved in one spot like a mega-tool). You could tell he thought he was a hottie tottie. Not my cuppa tea!

Cocoa Overload

Over the weekend, I just couldn’t get enough of the mocha green monster smoothie I made for breakfast on Sunday and figured I would recreate the delicious concoction for breakfast this morning.

That was the plan, anyway.

I dug out all the necessary ingredients and threw them into the blender.

Spinach: A Green Monster Requirement

I left out the packet of instant coffee, thinking I would add it in at the end.

When I tasted the smoothie about half-way through the blending process, the chocolate flavor sparked a desire for a cocoa overload smoothie. Move over mocha!

I added 1.5 tbsp. of cocoa powder to the mix to intensify the flavor and a yummy, chocolatey smoothie was born.

As with every green monster, it looked revolting…

Cocoa Overload Green Monster

… but it tasted great!

Pour it Oooout

To Eat or to Drink. That is the Question.

Drink it is!

My smoothie contained:

• 1 frozen banana
• 2 handfuls fresh spinach
• 1 scoop chocolate protein powder
• 3/4 c. milk
• 3 ice cubes
• 1.5 tbsp. cocoa powder
• 1/2 tsp. xanthan gum (for thickening)

I inhaled this smoothie within 5 minutes, which left me feeling really full. That’s a lotta liquid!

Workout

I was craving a cold breakfast after getting quite overheated at the gym this morning.

I started off my workout with 25 minutes on the treadmill. I did a slightly modified version of a workout I saw on Holly’s blog.

My version of her workout looked like this:

25 Minute Incline Treadmill Workout

This workout was hardcore! I think I only looked at the speed of the workout, and not the incline and figured it would be a breeze.

False.

This workout seriously kicked my butt. I was huffin’ and puffin’ and red faced by the time 25 minutes were up.

Phew!

I wanted to browse through Betty Crocker’s new fall mini recipe book, so I finished up my workout with 25 minutes on the elliptical while drooling over the most delicious looking cake pops (submitted by Bakerella) and turtle brownies.

Maybe that’s what inspired my chocolate craving for breakfast?

…But then again, when don’t I want chocolate for breakfast? Or for every meal, for that matter? 😉

Annnd now it’s time to work. See ya fo’ lunch!