I do not recommend blisters. I woke up this morning, put on my alternative pair of running shoes and OWWWWW. It was like a needle in my arch. I pretty much can’t put on any shoes with arch support 
What to do!?
You might think this would have been a good time to crawl back in bed, but I was not going to let this blister stop me from some exercise since the rest of my body was fully functional and awake! I tried in a few pairs of squishy shoes and considered my options. Cycle class (those shoes have low arches) and …the Stairmaster! I determined by climbing my stairs that you climb on the ball of your foot and my blister was non-existent in this motion. (Next stop would have been a yoga podcast or upper body weights at the gym)
So I headed to the gym in my squishy Nike slip on shoes and did 35 minute on the Stairmaster! Highly recommended. I ended with a good set of weight lifting and headed home.
I would not recommend trying to pack for a trip, clean your house for sale, getting ready for work, breakfast, blogging and blister care all in one sweep. Still feeling rushed + stressed!
I do recommend overnight oats for mornings when you know you will be pressed for time!!
SOAK
- 1/3 cup TJ’s Euro yogurt (greek is best, but any kind of yogurt works for overnight oats)
- 1/3 cup raw oatmeal
- 1/3 cup vanilla soy milk
- Pinch salt (always helps!)
- Half tbsp chia seeds
- Half banana
TOPPINGS
- Nuttzo sauce!!! (Nuttzo heated and stirred with soy milk) <—- Highly recommended!
- Crofter’s sauce!! (Crofter’s just heated so it melts a little) <—- Highly recommended!
- Galaxy Granola (CRUNCH!) <—- Highly recommended!
This morning I heated my bowl for 45 seconds to take off the chill. Otherwise, NO COOKING!
I do recommend spending the time to cook up some French press coffee!! Particularly some Creme Brulee Caftea!! HEAVENLY aroma!
You can get your own for $15 through tomorrow morning!!! 7 are bought – 19 more to make a deal at the Open Sky Group Shop.
If that’s my foot, then that ball of fire is my BLISTER!
Workin’ till noon then I’m headed to Charlottesville in the car of the famous Great Harvest CEO Mike! We’re having none other than GH sandwiches on the trip, so I’ll be visiting you guys via iPhone post after lunch.
HAPPY BIRTHDAY to my Grandmother Younger, who turns 90 today!!!!
I also recommend doing the Friday Dance!!
Adios!
{ 98 comments… read them below or add one }
Ouch, I hate blisters! Great idea to use the Stairmaster instead
I love the Nuttzo sauce on your overnight oats- I have some Nuttzo in the fridge, so I wish I hadn’t already eaten breakfast! Happy Friday!
blisters are the devil!!! yuck!
I hope your grandma has a wonderful 90th birthday!
you are so cute.
you need moleskin! you can get it at the drugstore and it’s excellent for preventing and covering blisters.
happy birthday grandma kerf!
Your blister coffee cracks me up! Happy bday to Grandma Younger!
HAHAHA I thought that little red blob in your coffee was really there… i was like wow, that’s a new one!!! lol
LOLOLOL love that pic in your coffee
Aw 
I hope you get a chance to relax sometime today or tonight!
I, too, am doing the Friday dance! Woot woot
Happy B-Day to your Grandmother! 90?!! What a great age!
Happy B-Day to your Grandmother!
I hope your foot is feeling better soon! At least you were able to fit in a good, sweaty workout. The stairmaster is my new form of energy outlet. It’s such a killer (in a good way!)
Oh, and I am taking your lovely recommendation and doing the FRIDAY DANCE. Wahoo!
I’m doing the Friday dance!!!
Well good for you for still working out! Just take lots of deep breaths and listen to fun music on the ride! Have a great time in Charlottesville!
Yay, you are back in my RSS feed. I knew something was missing from my day yesterday.
Ouch! I have a blister on my finger from putting together my flower bed last weekend. It HURTS!!!
90? So cool! Happy Birthday to her!
::Friday Dance!::
Have a great time!!! And Happy Birthday to your sweet grandmother!!!
Happy Birthday KERF grandmother!
Have a save trip to C’ville!
Awhh. Happy Birthday, Gma KERF!
Hope your blister heals up quickly, Kath! 
Oooh bad luck on the blister
nasty!! It’s been a while since I had a big one, I think I’m due for one soon!!
something to look forward to over the weekend 
Loovee your oats ever so – now you’ve explained how to make a proper nut butter sauce for oatmeal, I can’t wait to try!! Yay
Have a good day!
Go Grandma Younger! What a great age! Happy, Happy DAY and lots of hugs.
So sorry about your blister. I rarely get them and when I do, I’m such a baby. Good for you to get up and go with it.
Love the blister representation in the coffee although, it sure didn’t give the same appeal as your coffee photos usually do. Hope that sore foot gets better quickly.
Hi Kath! Hope you have a great trip! I was just wondering why you always add a pinch of salt to your morning oatmeal/overnight oats concoctions? What exactly does it contribute to your glorious bowls of oats in the morning?
P.S. I’m loving your idea for PB sauce on overnight oats. I’ve started using it on pancakes as well since I’m not a big syrup person, and this sauce makes the PB much more spreadable on the pancakes than the PB alone would be. Highly recommended!
Kath, please correct me if I’m wrong, but I find that adding just a touch of salt helps to bring out the flavor of the oats. It doesn’t make the oats taste salty, really…just more “oat-y,” if that makes sense!
You’re right Katie, if you’ve ever had oats without salt – overnight or cooked – they just are blah. Just a couple shakes of salt brings out the flavor. And adding it after doesn’t do it. I was once served a bowl of cooked in a restaurant and there was no salt. Nothing rescued that bowl of oats.
It gives them UMAMI! Lots of depth and a really round flavor. Bland without it!
Hi Kath, I have a recommendation for you! Socks can make a HUGE difference in blister prevention when running. I’m not sure what kind you usually wear, but I love Wrightsocks: http://www.wrightsock.com/running.html The double layer really cuts down on friction. Ballega also makes good, cushioned running socks.
I am looking into new socks!
What a lovely bowl of overnight oats!! Yours looks super fluffy – I might have to start adding a little almond milk in mine, and maybe mixing in a half a banana. Usually I just slice a whole banana right on top and mix it in. Ahhh, the possibilities.
Happy Birthday to your Granny! Mine just turned 91 – they are so amazing, huh?!
TGIF!
It’s the chias that make them fluffy!
happy birthday to your beautiful grandmother! awesome job working out even with the blister
I like the idea of just “taking the chill off”–I like cold things in summer, but right now overnight oats seem nonsensical with snow on the ground.
Wow–you are one busy bee this morning. Enjoy your trip this weekend and Happy Birthday to your grandmother!
Phew, your morning sounds a lot like mine. Better get back to cleaning/packing/eating/blogging/addressing wedding invitations!!
Happy birthday to your Grandma! Your post just reminded me that I need to call mine.
Beautious overnight oats, thanks for the tip about heating them up briefly. I always find overnight oats a bit too cold when first popped out of the fridge.
Ouch! Blisters are painful. Sorry you have had such a rushed 24 hours. I hate mornings where I feel like I have no time to just be and wake up. Hope the day slows down a bit for you. Can’t wait for your trip posts. Happy Friday!
Sorry to hear about the blister, yuck! Happy birthday to grandma!!!
I’m doing the Friday dance too! I’m so excited about the weekend. Great post, Kath–you get an A+ for looking on the bright side of things
Happy, happy Friday!
Hope your foot feels better! Have a safe trip and good luck this weekend on your GH adventure!
Blisters are the worst! Have you tried putting moleskin over the area? I’ve heard they really help protect the area so you can still get a run in. Of course, you still found a way to get in an awesome workout
Good luck with everything this morning and have a wonderful Friday!
Sounds like a busy morning! Oats look tasty, as always. And that coffee sounds deelish!
I still need to get my Spring Blend!!
Happy Friday!
creme brulee cafe ssounds amazing right now! i recently started using the bandaids that are made specifically for blisters and they are AMAZING! i’ve had blisters for like 2 weeks straight for some reason (don’t recommend them, either) and those bandaids have saved me from daily tears
Happy b-day to your grammy!
re: blisters — have you tried NEW SKIN? it’s a godsend!
I’m also doing the F-R-I-D-A-Y happy dance over here
I haven’t seen New Skin!
I second the new skin recommendation. Before a long race 2 years ago, I started using new skin and it worked brilliantly no blisters! And considering how long I ran, that is saying something. Also, I would recommend better socks. Drymax socks are the best for avoiding blisters.
Happy Bday to your grandmother!!!
I tried your technique for the pb sauce in my overnight oats yesterday – amazing!
Yikes about the blister.. but at least you still got an awesome workout in!
I am blister queen, get them a lot and the Band-aid blister pads work well to help them heal and protect them.
You shouldn’t be pushing with the ball of your foot on the stairclimber, that is bad form. The whole foot should be flat on the pedal with weight distributed evenly. I learned this the hard way from a case of plantar fascitis. Foot should be flat and you should be able to stand upright.
I do stand upright and step through my foot – but was exaggerating the motion compared to walking.
haha your recommendations made me laugh. thanks for warning me about blisters!
This post made me smile… My Grammie would have been 90 today! Always tell your Grammies you love them
Kath,
You should try that product made from the skin of moles, appropriately called moleskin. Moles have adapted to their environment of running through tunnels in the soil by developing frictionless skin.
90? Gee that’s funny: GramY told me yesterday that she was turning “sweet 16″.
Have fun in Cville!
Dad
She did!? How cute.
Ugh blisters!!!! Take care of it and it should be gone in no time. Moleskin is definitely a HUGE help.
Now I’m hankering for overnight oats. Gosh do those look delicious! I’m introducing them to my mom this weekend!
Your grandmother is fabulous!
Happy birthday to KERF’s grandma!
I am always rushed in the morning – I keep meaning to do overnight oats but seem rushed in the evenings too!
Happy Birthday to your grandma!! Mine turned 93 last Saturday!
After reading your blister post I immediately put a bandaid on my heel where my work shoes were rubbing. I’m already so behind in my 8K traning I can’t handle another setback.
Some moleskin should definitely do the trick! Happy Friday to you!
Love the post even though you are rushed and stressed. I always try to fit in workouts on days when I’m running all over and stressed enough as it is…probably not the best idea, hehe. Oh well!! Blisters are the worrrrrrrst..blegh! Can’t wait for weekend updates while you’re on the road
Definitely a frustrating morning, but I’m glad you made it through. Those overnight oats look so good!
Happy Birthday Grandma!! I LOVE YOUR OATS!!!!
great job tinking of soemthing to do to not aggravate the blister!
My husband always uses a bit of petroleum jelly, then a bandaid, then a sock.
I am sorry that you are feeling stressed
I hope things start to slow down for you soon.
Your overnight oats stomp mine!! I ate them for breakfast this morning as well and they were way too runny. I soak my oats in milk overnight, perhaps I should try soaking them in milk and yogurt to see how they turn out.
Glad you got a good workout in despite the blister!! Enjoy your Friday! Hopefully stress free
Definitely try the moleskin and don’t rupture the blister because it can get infected!!
Good luck with everything and I think you’ll really like Charlottesville! It’s a great little town with a fairly low cost of living but with so much to do. The shopping is good plus there’s a Whole Foods!
aw, happy birthday to your grandmother! that’s such a cool birthday to celebrate
i can’t wait to hear about y’alls lunch trip today 
Happy birthday to your sweet little grandma KERF! 90 years old- amazing! Good luck getting rid of the blister
what a whirlwind of a morning! have a great day!
Kaaath your recommendations are THE best!! I’m especially intrigued by Nutzo, but their jars are so expensive for a nut butter itself.
I tried making overnight oats a few times and YES I totaaaaallly think it’s the best thing ever when you’re short on time! I also made slow cooker double-boiler oats one time that only makes 1 serving in a 6 quart slow cooker. You wake up to warm oats and all you have to do is top with your own toppings!! Plus, no extra clean up is required.
That would be my recommendation and I think you’d love it!!! If you have time, I’d be honored if you wanted to check out the method! 
http://luckytastebuds.wordpress.com/2010/02/23/double-boiler-slow-cooker-banananut-oats/
There is no better way for coffee than French press! Have a wonderful day, I must try overnight oats sometime. I see them on so many blogs but have yet to think ahead that far to make them myself!
There is no better way for coffee than French press! Have a wonderful day, I must try overnight oats sometime. I see them on so many blogs but have yet to think ahead that far to make them myself!
Good for you finding an alternative, instead of not getting any exercise in (though I do like rest days!). You’re lucky you have a gym to go to – I probably would have gone with yoga since I work out at home (and have challenged myself to 31 consecutive days of yoga this month!).
I really haven’t been feeling oats lately! I’ve been craving fresh breakfasts, like yogurt and fruit. It must be the nice and warm days we’re having. It’s so odd for this time of year!
K
PS – Happy Birthday to your Grandma!!
Hi Kath! Your oats look soooo yummy this morning – especially with the melted Nuttzo!!!
This may be a silly question but is that your sister in the pic? You two are identical!! So pretty! And I noticed that her hubby looks just like Matt?! Is that just a coincidence or are they related too?!
Hope your Friday becomes less stressful and enjoy your fun-filled weekend!
Coincidences!
yeah for fridays! hope your blister heals soon so you don’t have to do the one footed dance.
My grandma turns 93 tomorrow!
Happy Birthday to your G-Ma!
Blisters are the worstttt and they’re so underrated! Yes, a tiny pain under the skin can affect your running performance. I got these new bandaids especially for blisters and they’re awesome!
Have so much fun on your trip Kath!! I am so excited to hear all about your new bakery
Wash your blister, put on moleskin (this will probably hurt), then put a bandaid on top. You wont even feel it when you exercise.
I’m ssssooo sorry you have a vindictive blister, but happy birthday to your sweet grandmother! I hope you have a great Friday and weekend, and congrats on not giving up on your workout!
i’ve been nuking my overnight oats lately too. surprisingly tasty!
Props to you for still workin out with the blister!!
I don’t know if I’d have had the same drive. The oats look gorgeous. Yumm. Happy birthday to your grandma!
Great recommendations! I especially like how you don’t recommend blisters. I think I’ll take your advise on that one!! Those overnight oats look like heaven. I love the colors of the yogurt and crofters together. It reminds me of dessert
Happy Birthday Grandma Younger!!
Oooh, ir’s funny how that Nuttzo sauce can look so unappealing and so yummy at the same time!
Enjoy your trip to Charlottesville – you are rolling with the big guns, aren’t you? 
Kath, congrats (and kudos!) to you for not letting your blister get in the way of your exercise! That’s awesome!
Happy Birthday to your Grandma Younger!!
Testing testing 1, 2, 3,
I have been posting and they arent showing up
Show up post!!
Steph~ http://www.eatpaintsweat.com/
Yippy!! It appeared!
Wanted to say thanks for the “congratulations” you sent me yesterday. you deserve the same so: Congratulations on your success in health and in life!
you are an inspiration to all of your readers and I hope that one day my blog will do the same for others who have struggled with weight loss like I did.
Steph~ http://www.eatpaintsweat.com/
Thanks Steph!
You and your sister look so much alike (I assume it is your sister because you do look so much alike)! Happy Birthday Gram!
I hate feeling rushed too. Hope you can decompress on your trip and that your blister heals fast! Great rec. on the stairmaster.
Happy Birthday to Grandma.
You and your sister are a lovely pair.
Sorry about the blister. I am a complete wimp when it comes to blisters. However, I find that covering them tightly with something helps tremendously.
Get Moleskin-it is how I got through blisters when training for a marathon. You cut out a hole in the shape of your blister and put over your foot-it is magic and you can still run!
I’ve had the exact same blister issue – cover your blister in petroleum jelly when you exercise, it really helps!
I am doing the Friday dance too!
Happy B-day to Gram.
Have a great lunch with the CEO…..How exciting!
I just had to laugh at the successful use of the word “recommends” so many times in your post. Thanks for the recommendations!
Happy bday to your grandmother! Hope your blisters heal fast.
Exciting about the GH CEO – can’t wait for the follow up!
hope you take a few good deep breaths and relax!
Moleskin for the blister is a lifesaver! When I was in the Army I always used this for my blisters when we ran in combat boots.
OMG I started cracking up at the fireball on your “foot” shape in the coffee bahaha
Have you tried Moleskin?
Sorry about the blister though
Wow, you are SO busy! Your overnight oats look heavenly though.
Happy 90th birthday to grandma Younger!!
That is fantastic!
Jenn
Ouch- I hate it when I get blisters! I hope yours heals soon. Here’s a nifty trick- try using duck tape in lieu of moleskin. Not only is it cheaper, but it stays in place! I love ducktape for blisters- we never leave home without it when we go on an extensive hiking trip, and it’s always in our first aid kit.
I’ve never tried overnight oats, but it sure looks yummy! Can you use other types of milk? I personally like cow’s skim milk, but have not tried soy milk before, let alone vanilla…
Good luck with your Great Harvest meeting
Re. MOLESKIN: I don’t think it would work! My problem is the pressure – not the rubbing. The arch of the shoe is putting too much pressure on my arch!
Thank you all for your kind words about Kath’s Gram Younger. I don’t think she’d understand if I explained the blog to her, but I bet she feels the happy vibes. Thank you again!
Your morning oats look amazing, as usual! I love making overnight oats (thanks to your recommendations!) and I, too, heat them just enough to take the chill off and melt the nut butter that I almost always add. So good!
Have a fabulous trip – looking forward to hearing about it.
Happy birthday, G-ma Younger!
Ouch, I got a giant blister yesterday, too! On the ball of my foot
Hope yours feels better soon! I have to gimp to the store and get some moleskin! Oh – and I finally tried overnight oats (by your glowing recommendations), and it was awesome – a super time saver! Thank you! And happy b-day to gram!