my less serious day: first day

So I wore purple tights on my first day teaching as a college professor. That either makes me super cool or completely awkward and inappropriate. Let's just go with super cool...
 

Wearing.

Dress: Macy's; cardigan: J Crew; tights: unknown; necklace: Loft; pumps: Miz Mooz.

Doing.

Before teaching, I did a 35-minute ramp interval workout on my stationary bike. After work, despite my post-teaching headache, I hit the gym for a 60-minute Turbo Kick class.Ten minutes in and my headache was gone and I felt great. Ah, the power of a good workout....

Eating.

Breakfast was a bowl of Kellogg's All Bran, Arrowhead Puffed Wheat, cocoa powder, a banana, and a combination of cow and almond milk.

Lunch was a chocolate-vanilla-peanut butter green smoothie.

My snack was a bowl of plain Greek yogurt with Cascadian Farms Ancient Grains granola.

Dinner was sweet potato chips dipped in agave nectar alongside roasted Brussels sprouts mixed with eggs (2 whites + 1 whole egg) and 1/2 avocado.

Dessert was SOO an (un-pictured) pudding cup with whipped cream.

Note: this post represents what happened in my world on Tuesday, January 8. 

my less serious day: soul mate

I was at this Christmas party Saturday night and had spent 3 solid hours packing away creamy sausage dip, piles of baked brie, and glasses of red wine. I was just about to succumb to another drink when my boyfriend turned to me and said, "Hey, you want to get out of here and go get some broccoli?"

Soul mate.
 

Wearing.

Jeans: GAP; top & belt: Loft; necklace: Talbots; pumps: Miz Mooz.

Doing.

Over lunch, I attended a 60-minute Body Pump class. After work, I went back to the gym for a 60-minute Zumba class. Life has interrupted my workouts lately and I hadn't been to the gym in an entire week - so going twice in one day seemed like a good solution today.

Eating.

Breakfast was a bowl of Kellogg's All Bran, Arrowhead Puffed Wheat, cocoa powder, a banana, and a combination of cow and almond milk.I also had a oatmeal peanut butter ball as a morning snack.

Lunch was a spinach salad topped with fresh parsley, grape tomatoes, carrots, slivered almonds, an Amy's Sonoma burger, and cottage cheese. I topped this salad with salt, pepper, Italian seasonings, balsamic vinegar, and ketchup. I had an apple and almonds for afternoon snack.

Dinner was roasted eggplant, broccoli, and red pepper tossed with a Trader Joe's Chicken sausage alongside wild mushroom couscous (Near East).

Dessert: Chocolate Chex for the win.

Note: this post represents what happened in my world on Monday, December 10. 

my less serious day: fall back

A brief history of what I do with my extra hour.

15 years ago: an extra hour of sleeping (noon wake up time at my parents house, to be exact).

10 years ago: an extra hour of studying (early morning cell biology reading at Barnes & Noble with caramel lattes, to be exact).

5 years ago: an extra hour of partying (late night of beer drinking and pool playing at various bars, to be exact).

This weekend: an extra hour of cooking (7 AM bread dough kneading, to be exact).

Time. Change.
 

Wearing.

Dress: J Crew outlet; cardigan: unknown (old); boots: Steve Madden; short necklace: LOFT; long necklace: gifted via Mom.

Doing.

This morning I went on a 30-minute pace run followed by a short cool down walk with L. I walked to and from my car to my lunch destination in the middle of the day. Finally, I finished the day with a 60-minute Body Pump class.

Eating.

Breakfast was this messy bowl (x2) of Kellogg's All Bran, Cheerios, banana, and cow's milk. A healthy breakfast, indeed.

Mid-morning snack was this banana.

I had lunch out with friends. I ordered and enjoyed this tuna salad (tuna tossed in lemon, parsley & caper vinaigrette on a bed of fresh garden greens with roasted new potatoes, green beans, roasted plum tomatoes, olives & farm fresh soft-boiled eggs).

Dinner was roasted eggplant discs on top of raw spinach and drenched in homemade tahini goddess dressing and a side of Ezekiel 7 Sprouted Grains toast topped with smashed avocado and kosher salt. Yuuuummm.

Dessert was 1/2 pint of chocolate Arctic Zero. And yes, that is whipped cream peeking out of the top...

Note: this post represents what happened in my world on Monday, November 5. 

my less serious day: hungover

Today was my dog's first day in doggie day care. When she finally got home she walked in, stumbled to her food bowl, voraciously drank a bowl of water, and crashed in the corner without moving for the entire night. She wouldn't even lift her head when I called her name. Reminded me of coming home in college after a full night of partying. 

Doggie hangover, indeed.
 

Wearing.

Dress (worn as skirt): J Crew outlet; top: Loft; belt: Anthropologie; pumps: Tsubos.

Doing.

This morning I hit my at-home stationary bike for a 35-minute ramp interval ride followed by a short walk. After work I hit the gym for a 60-minute Body Pump class.

Eating.

Breakfast was a bowl (x2) of Post Shredded Wheat, Quaker Whole Hearts, a banana, and cow's milk. Can you spy a heart?

Lunch was a spinach salad topped with cucumbers, grape tomatoes, carrots, sunflower seeds, and cottage cheese with a side of carrots sticks and peanut butter.

My afternoon snack was homemade peanut butter granola and a Gala apple.

 

Dinner was leftover polenta, a runny egg, 1/2 avocado and a zucchini and grape tomato saute.

 

Dessert was dulce de leche pudding and whipped cream.

Note: this post represents what happened in my world on Wednesday, October 24. 

my less serious day: death by salad

Some people risk death for drug addictions. I risk death for over-topped salad beasts.
 

Wearing.

Dress: Loft; cardigan: Gap; pumps: Miz Mooz.

Doing.

This morning I hit my at-home stationary bike for a 35-minute ramp interval ride followed by a short walk with the pup. Despite my troubled tummy, I have really been enjoying ditching work early and hitting double afternoon workouts at least once a week: a 45-minute spin class followed by a 60-minute Body Pump class.

Eating.

Breakfast was a bowl of Kellogg's All Bran, Cheerios, Chocolate Chex, banana, and cow's milk.

Mid-morning snack was this ripe banana. 

This salad just looks like trouble, doesn't it? At the time it seemed like a brilliant idea. Romaine lettuce topped with tomatoes, portobello mushrooms, carrots, sharp cheddar cheese, leftover bbq chicken, and leftover sauerkraut. Delicious, but dangerous. This thing put me under for the rest of the day...

As a result, dinner was this bowl of plain Greek yogurt mixed with vanilla protein powder, Quaker Oatmeal squares, Post Great Grains, and cashews. I went back for more cereal and cashews and a glass of milk later on. 

Dessert was sugar-free vanilla pudding.

Note: this post represents what happened in my world on Wednesday, October 17. 

my less serious day: doggie balance

My sweet little pup is on a diet. The other night I made bacon for dinner and burned it. I fed my her a piece and her eyes lit up with sheer delight. Everyone, even my chunky pup, deserves a bit of balance in her life.

Wearing.

Dress: Old (TJ Maxx maybe?); cardigan: J Crew; boots: Steve Madden.

Doing.

This morning I hit my at-home stationary bike for a 35-minute ramp interval ride followed by a short walk with the pup. My skipped workout yesterday and stress-induced state encouraged me to leave work a bit early for a double afternoon workout: a 45-minute spin class followed by a 60-minute Body Pump class. I needed it.

Eating.

Breakfast was a bowl (x2) of Kellogg's All Bran, Cheerios, banana, and cow's milk.

Lunch (Part 1) was a romaine lettuce salad with grape tomatoes, carrots, sunflower seeds, and an Amy's Sonoma burger topped with ketchup and balsamic vinegar. Part 2 of lunch was celery and carrots sticks and peanut butter (un-pictured).

 
My afternoon snack was a homemade pumpkin-spiced granola and honey-Greek yogurt.

Dinner was basil and olive oil pearled couscous (Near East) tossed with a mixture of sauteed fresh corn and grape tomatoes topped with fresh basil and avocado. Delicious! A spinach salad topped with fresh figs, goat cheese, balsamic vinegar, and agave nectar on the side.

Dessert was Cascadiam Farms vanilla-almond granola.

Note: this post represents what happened in my world on Wednesday, October 10. 

my less serious day: tick tock #2

I'm an academic, which means that the structure of my days is completely up to me and changes depending on what I'm working on and how many meetings I have scheduled. I spent this entire day working on one of my research grant proposals (exciting, I know). I thought I'd change things up and take you through a day in my life with my second 'tick tock' my less serious day post (check out my first [very different] tick tock post here).

6:00 AM. Woke up.

6:00 - 7:00 AM. Fed the dog, made coffee, uploaded my blog post, checked e-mails/pinterest/facebook, and read blogs in my PJ's at the dining room table.

@6:36 AM. Breakfast Phase I: All Bran, Kashi 7 Whole Grain Puffs, 1/2 banana, and cow's milk.

7:00 - 11:00 AM. Worked on my research grant proposal at home while sitting at the dining room table in my PJ's and drinking black coffee and water. Because this kind of writing is a painful task, I take plenty of pinterest/twitter/walking/blog breaks. This is my (somewhat unconventional) writing process and I've learned to embrace it.

@7:27 AM. Breakfast Phase II: All Bran, Kashi Simply Maize, 1/2 banana, and cow's milk.

  

@10:21 AM. Mid-morning snack: Gala apple.  Followed by a 15-minute walk around the block with my pup.

11:00 AM - 12:30 PM. Workout: 35-minute stationary bike ride + cool-down walk with the pup. Followed by showering, gym-bag packing, lunch-bag packing, getting dressed (finally), and driving down the street to my office.

@12:11 PM. Got Dressed. Jeans: Gap; tank and sweater: Banana outlet; blazer: Target; shoes: Miz Mooz.

12:30 - 4:45 PM. Worked on my research proposal in my office and one afternoon meeting.

@1:45 PM. Lunch: a romaine lettuce salad with grape tomatoes, carrots, raw zucchini, cottage cheese, raw almonds, Craisins, and balsamic vinegar.

 
@2:38 PM. Afternoon Snack Phase I: carrots sticks and peanut butter. I've learned that depending on what I'm working on - I get really snacky (i.e., bored and desperate to procrastinate) in the afternoon. On days like this I try to break my afternoon snacks up into multiple eating sessions.

 
@3:37 PM. Afternoon Snack Phase II: 100-calorie pack kettle corn.

4:45 - 5:30 PM. Drove to the gym and changed into workout gear.

5:30 - 6:30 PM. Workout: 60-minute Body Pump class.

6:30 - 8:00 PM. Drove home, chatted with the neighbor, did the dishes, showered, and put PJ's on. Cooked dinner while catching up with the boyfriend.

8:00 - 10:00 PM. Relaxed on the couch with the boyfriend, ate dinner and snack, watched Here Comes Honey Boo Boo and Top Chef Masters. I usually pass out on the couch about 9:45 and miss the end of my favorite shows...

@8:09 PM. Dinner: leftover spinach and cheese quinoa casserole and roasted eggplant.

@9:00 PM. Dessert: Envirokidz Koala Crispies, ricotta cheese, and whipped cream.

10:00 PM. Goodnight. 

And that, my friends, was all you ever wanted to know and more about my less serious day on Wednesday, September 26.

my less serious day: wisdom

I was driving home from work when I saw this old man standing frozen in his yard leaning on his shovel. It wasn't until I saw the voluminous smile on his face and his eyes gazing upward that I realized he had stopped his work to enjoy the setting sun.

 

Wisdom.

Wearing.

Jeans: Gap; top: LOFT; necklace: JCrew outlet; flatforms: Blowfish.

Doing.

Late this morning I went on a 30-minute run at working pace. After work I hit the gym for a 60-minute spin class. I also included two 10-minute walks during the day.

Eating.

Breakfast was a bowl (x2) of Post Shredded Wheat, Rice Chex, banana, and cow's milk. 

Mid-morning snack was a pear.

Lunch was a spinach salad with grape tomatoes, carrots, sunflower seeds, dried cranberries, cottage cheese, balsamic vinegar, and agave nectar.

My afternoon snack was a carrot sticks dipped in peanut butter and pretzels.

Dinner was leftover pasta with oven-roasted eggplant, goat cheese, and mint and roasted green beans.

Dessert was Cascadiam Farms vanilla-almond granola with peanuts.

Note: this post represents what happened in my world on Tuesday, September 18.