My very [very] loose workout schedule is a tricycle of this:
Run, yoga, cross train. Run, yoga, cross train.
I don’t do it intentionally – those are just the order of exercises I seem to enjoy most.
When I joined my new gym, I promised myself I wouldn’t take the easy route of doing boring cardio machines on days I wasn’t running or going to yoga. I hate how blah they make me feel (even the super challenging stairmaster), and since I live in a town with plenty to do outside, there’s no reason I should waste time on cardio machines. I prefer running outside, biking, hiking, yoga cycle classes, and the pool!
So today, I made a mental plan to swim.
I have to say, right before I left, I was VERY tempted to just keep on my warm clothes and do the elliptical. It would have been easier than packing up dry clothes, shampoo, goggles, a towel. I do not like the process of swimming! But I DO always love it once I’m in the pool and doing it.
[You can read some of my swimming sentiments in this post as well as what I found worked really well in this post when I took it up again this spring. (The Hot Shower Trick is golden!)]
I ended up having a nice 30 minute swim. No counting laps – just zoning out for 30 minutes of nonstop strokes. I showered there and biked on home.
And I made it home just in time for lunch with Cashews and Hummus!
May I present, Cashews and Hummus
Wait, wrong photo. Here she is!!
Miss Cara.
She works just around the corner from our house, so I invited her over for a lunch break. Of course we had to serve up her faves 
These Yumnuts were sent as a sample to try, and they are really tasty. Especially the Chocolate and Coconut flavors!! The Honey and Cajun are good too. We were all impressed during the lunchtime tasting. Cara liked them a lot because they are dry-roasted and not oily.
Matt made the hummus, but it wasn’t the best (texture wise) so I’m not printing a recipe. It’s just chickpeas with lots of lemon and garlic gold.
We served a huge salad
With a side of roasted squish-a-squash! I think this was Buttercup kind?
Cara brought fruit! Pears + figs
Filler’ up!
I’m going to a food talk this afternoon with Faith. Packing needs to happen too!
{ 68 comments… read them below or add one }
You roast the squash with the skin, but don’t eat it right?
Yes. You CAN eat the skin. And I LOVE eating the skin, but it’s one food I’ve found I just can’t eat or my stomach gets too gurgley.
I always eat the skin too but agree that it can make my stomach a bit funny. Lunch looks awesome: cashews, hummus, squash – all yum!
That squash has me craving it for dinner tonight!
I love swimming but not when it’s chilly outside! I had the same question about the squash!
What a fun post
I am going to check out Cara’s blog 
That is officially the best lunch spread I have seen in a LONG time!
I share your sentiments on swimming, hard to make the commitment, great once your going. But between the extra effort and not liking the effects of the chlorine on my skin and hair, it’s something I haven’t done in awhile now. I want one of those chlorine-free pools — I think they use an ozone filter?
I’ve never done swimming as a workout. I don’t know how much I would enjoy it. Glad you got to do something you like though. I think thats so important in fitness.
I feel the same way about exercise and have been making more of an effort to due what I really ENJOY. For me, it’s running outside, yoga class, spinning, or something else outside (i.e., hiking, kayaking). I am trying not to get too bummed out with the sun setting earlier or the cooling temperatures … I don’t just want to give in to the elliptical too often! I made a deal with myself that I’ll never do cardio machines like that two days in a row.
Looks like a beautiful lunch! I’m loving figs lately, too!
Yipes, twisted neck. Not sure what happened there!
I know what you mean about the swimming. I want to swim, I just don’t want to do all the stuff that goes along with it. Will have to try you trick with the hot shower cause sometimes – most times – when I get in that pool it seems so COLD.
The lunch looks great.
I’d love if someone would invite me over for lunch like that as a work break:-) looks like fun!
You + Goggles = Nerd Alert!
I like the boring cardio machines on days I don’t run…
I like them on my “lighter days” and find it’s a good way to sneak in some magazine or book reading.
Don’t get me wrong, I love biking and running too, but the elliptical is nice for some days.
What a lovely lunch! Everything looks absolutely delicious:)
Living somewhere where I can exercise outside most days is high on my list of priorities. I love playing in the outdoors!
I would love to get into swimming — but the time factor is a turn off. That and the fact that I hate being in water!!!
I must be one of the few people who hates hummus on salads — I want crisp veggies in a salad, not a ball of mush
I love the chili-lime cashews. They’re so great in tuna salad
I have similar annoyances with swimming! Right now, I just don’t want to get in. The pool I use is outdoors, and it was great in the hot summer, but now I just want to enjoy the temperatures. Agree about the bathing suit annoyances, and I reward myself with a few minutes in the outdoor jacuzzi!
OH, I LOVE to swim. It’s such a great workout. Heck, I’m having trouble getting downstairs to get on the treadmill in the mornings, let alone thinking about jumping into a wet pool. HA!
mmm I love roasted squash! I especially love when the skin gets all crispy – it’s my favorite part
That whole spread of food looks fantastic. That is definitely my kind of lunch!
Y’all make me miss Charlottesville!!!! Wish I could have been there, too.
I haven’t had a good swim in a while, I could do that this weekend.
Lovely lunch, so much yummy food!
Your lunch looks delicious! Squash and hummus are among my favorite foods – and hummus on squash is a surprisingly tasty combo as well. That squash looks like an acorn one to me, based on the color.
Love the goggs Kath!! I also wish I did more swimming, but it’s the whole process of physically getting to the pool, stripping down, and experiencing the few minutes of “OMG i’m so friggin cold why the hell did i do this” part that puts me off!
you should put cashews IN your hummus- SOOOO DELISH!!!!
seriously though, i through them in the food processor with my hummus- makes an amazing texture and is SO delicious my husband requests it!
That sounds really good, Tina!
You gotta have tahini in hummus to make it have the proper texture (and flavor)…
He put tahini in I just didn’t highlight it
I can’t remember if I’ve shared this recipe before, but we don’t use tahini at all, and it is so yummy. http://livewell360.com/2009/07/roasted-red-pepper-hummus/ We’ve made a jalapeno lime version as well that is insanely good. If you try this one out, def roast the pepper yourself vs buying jarred ones… way more flavor.
I don’t swim for those same reasons, but I do love it when I am in the water.
You need tahini in the hummus!! Do you make it in your Vitamix. I promise it make the creamiest, tastiest hummus I have ever had.
Lunch date! The meal looks yummy! Enjoy your food talk and get to packing!
Love the goggles
Mine are HOT pink. Love swimming too but it does get harder to do when the weather cools down (even if it is a heated pool). Lunch looked yummy!
Do fresh figs taste like dried figs? I absolutely despise dried figs and fig newtons — I am wary of trying the fresh ones!
No they are totally different!! Fresh ones have a grassy taste
I love YumNuts! They sent me a sample a few months ago and I devoured those things in a day
I love roasted squash! The skin is so delicious, but I can only eat a bit before my stomach goes all nutzo on me.
I’m dying for fresh figs, but just can’t find them locally.
I confess I’m a fan of the elliptical – I’m a local too and go to the same gym. I love multi-tasking – watching a rerun of Friends AND working out? Sold.
It’s always funny to hear what different people like in a workout. I go through phases where I actually really love cardio machines, but it’s definitely something that comes and goes in waves.
Yummy squash lunch! I love eating the skin, and it doesn’t mess with my stomach (but I can see why it would– ALL that fiber!!!)
what a fun lunch!
Such a FUN lunch! Jealous of those figs.. I can’t find them around here now!
Swimming is the ONLY exercise that I actually zone out in. Love it.
That green salad looks so divine and uber FRESH!
Where can I find figs?? I don’t think I’ve ever tasted one plain but they look AMAZING…I would at least want to photograph them
I would most likely want to eat them too since I was obsessed with Fig Newtons when I was little…
I cut down on the dressing/undressing for swimming by putting on my suit at home, then pull on some sweats and I’m good to go. Afterwards, a quick shower to get all the chlorine off, dry off, pull on the sweats and home to dress in real clothes.
That’s what I do too!
Where do you get your bowls and spoons? There are the coolest utensils!
I’ve been totally into the roasted squash on a salad thing the last few days..SO good.
Cathy B. @ brightbakes
I love to swim…but have to convince myself to do it regularly. For some reason the thought of getting into moderately cool water is not exciting. But once I get there I love it.
Question about the squash…do you cook it whole or chop it and then roast it?
Chop then roast
How often do you lift weights?
Rarely. I absolutely hate it. But I do strengthen with lots of yoga (which has toned my arms) and swim and do housework, which is all I feel is required of me at this point.
And I do intend on giving BodyPump a try. I just don’t think I should waste any more energy on weight lifting solo because I find it so dull
It would take a lot to swim straight for 30 minutes! That’s a ton of energy
For some reason I don’t find swimming to be tiring at all!!
Swimming is one of my favorite workouts, although it’s kind of a hassle to get to the gym and change and shower beforehand and afterward. BUT, I always enjoy it and it provides a great workout every time.
P.S. Cute goggle pic : )
What a perfect lunch!
And great tips re swimming – I think I am going to try your ‘hot shower’ tip as feeling the cold water when I first get in is always the worst part!
Oh I bought some of those nuts a couple of months ago. I really like the coconut flavor…My mom thought they tasted sour. LOL
Check out my POST on NUTRITION FOR HEALTHY HAIR
I have seen those nuts and they look so tasty, but very expensive in the stores.
OO fun! I haven’t gone swimming in so long. It’s such a great workout though. I love your plate full of deliciousness.
That salad looks so fresh and beautiful!
lol @ the name Yum Nuts, that’s awesome.
I really want to work swimming into my exercise routine, but I wayyy prefer the warmth of working out on the cardio machines.
Maybe I’ll give it a try in the summer!
I’m the same way with swimming! I always enjoy it once I’m doing it, but the process of getting ready for it, and getting ready AFTER it is so annoying! GOod job for making it through!
Whenever I see figs on your posts, I simply can’t think about anything else. One day I have to have my own house and plant fig trees!
just read on janetha’s (meals and moves) blog that the secret to great hummus is removing the skins from the chickpeas. what, you didn’t remove all the skins? how lazy of you.
How funny I am the exact opposite with swimming. I always think it is going to be a ton of fun and I think about how calm and peaceful it will be. Then when I’m actually doing it I remember that I am not a fan at all, it is boring to me, and then it hits me anew I am allergic to chlorine!