It was so strange this morning having the ‘gotta get to work on time’ rush but it wasn’t on me!!! When the husband worked at the insurance company he was basically self employed and never had that “be on time” rush. I certainly did – and I had a busy commute too. I have to say I’m 100% glad it’s him doing it this time and not me!! We do have to make some time changes in the AM – he barely had time to eat his oatmeal and we had to cut our workout a little short. I think that means we’ll need to set the alarm back to 4:45 am again. Too bad because I was enjoying my later lifestyle, but at least it gets me up and going too.
Snack
And had half a potato bun with PB before my workout. I love how chewy these are!
Workout
I did 45 minutes ET today followed by some upper body lifting (biceps, shoulders, push-ups, triceps, deltoids) – all before 6:30! Off to a good start!
Breakfast
OK, I take it back. Vanilla hemp milk DOES make a big difference in oatmeal taste!! We’re low on skim so we used 1/4 hemp, 1/4 skim, and 1/2 water and I could definitely taste the hemp milk compared to yesterday. Sounds like it will become a regular addition – at least in small doses so as not to use too much expensive ingredient at once.
Made with half a small banana and topped with toasted pecans, flax, almond butter, and a drizzle of maple syrup (to go with the pecans!!)
Along with some hot Earl Gray tea –
The husband didn’t have time to finish his oats and left a few bites. Do you really think I could throw away oats!?!?!?!? I don’t think so. I happily ate those two bites 😉 I think I’ll have trouble when I have kids one day and they leave delicious bites on their plates! Maybe I should start working on this habit NOW!
Here his is all dressed up and rushing through his breakfast. Don’t you just love men in ties!? I can’t wait to hear about his day at dinner!
Awareness
A reader brought to my attention that it’s National Eating Disorder Awareness Week. I spent some time on the Association’s website and think we can all benefit from the message of this week’s campaign:
“Be comfortable in your genes. Wear jeans that fit the TRUE you.”
Take a moment to be thankful for the body you’ve got. And make an extra effort today to feed your body REAL food so it gets the optimal fuel and nutrients you need.
Another mention of awareness comes from Laura Bzowy’s CFS Squared, a blog written to increase awareness and support for those with Chronic Fatigue Syndrome. Laura asked me to write a guest post as someone who has found benefits from eating whole foods. Here’s a link to the post if you’re interested: A Little Planning Goes A Long Way. Thanks to Laura for the opportunity!
Have a great Monday everyone!!
My dad wakes up super early, and unfortunately it wakes me up too… yuck! 5:00 AM isn’t easy, but I find it’s so much easier to get things done in the morning.
That’s a great combo for your oatmeal! (I would’ve eaten his too if he didn’t finish it, it sounds too good to let up!)
I think it’s great you point out that it’s Eating Disorder Awareness week. It seems to affect far too many people, more than we even know, and I believe that helping just one person makes all the difference.
happy monday, I can’t wait to hear all about Matt’s job! Breakfast looks great, no surprises there!! 🙂
Random question, Kath – where did you guys find your dining room cabinet (behind the husband in the photo)? We have been searching for “the perfect” cabinet, about that size, style with glass front doors…. thanks!
Mmm…I love pecans. Looks like a grat breakfast. Good luck to your husband at his new job!! 🙂
Ugh, I too had to cut my workout short-John McCain is speaking this morning at my rec center hall, so I had to park half up on a snow bank unless I wanted to walk a mile! Half the place was blocked off and there was a LONG line! I was in and out in under 30 minutes, which wasn’t bad, but I wanted more. But I wanted to get out long before he got there more than working on my legs!
Hope the husband has a good first day!
Awww, your husband was so cute all dressed up for his first day of work! I love men in ties! And suits! And uniforms! 🙂
Thanks for the awareness message. I love your blog because you eat real food and don’t deprive yourself. It’s very inspirational for healthy eating and self image.
I just found your blog a week ago, and I have to say, it has been totally inspiring to me. I know how I’m supposed to eat, but I needed a kick to start doing it again.
Speaking of leftover bites of kid food–this is what has done me in! I have two little boys, and I’m working hard at throwing away leftovers–I’m worth wasting a bit of food!
Ahh, best of luck to Matt this morning, at his new job!! How exciting!! Glad to see you guys started the day with a proper breakfast (love the pecans in the oatmeal!), despite having to worry about being on-time :0)
Thank you for bringing awareness to those awareness weeks – it’s crucial for our society to recognize these detrimental conditions, since they affect so many people.
Have a glorious Monday!!
Ahhh, it seems like you and the husband are on my kind of schedule now. I’ve really found that getting up 15 minutes earlier makes all the difference in the morning!
I have exciting news: I made my very first spaghetti squash yesterday. It smelled absolutely delicious while it was in the oven – I can’t wait to try it out! Other than the yummy looking recipes Kath has posted, does anyone have any other suggestions on what I can do with it? I’m so anxious to dive into it.
Thank you in advance and have a happy Monday morning!
I was wondering what time you go to sleep to be able to work out before the sun even rises. I’ve tried to do the early morning workout and it feels like torture! I would love to be able to work out before I start my day but I can’t find the energy in the wee hours. Any tips?
Kath, I love oatmeal but I’ve been wondering why yours always look so much fluffier than mine. It just doesn’t seem that tough to make. Well after watching the video yesterday, I gave your method a try this morning and man, what a difference! Now I don’t know if it’s because of the banana or because I added the oats before the water boiled (didn’t used to) since I made both changes at once. I’ll have to experiment and find out. Anyway, thanks again for a great new way to eat the foods I already love!
Hey kath and husband, you might try putting the husband’s oatmeal in a to go container of some kind and eating it in the car or when he gets to work. That way he doesnt have to rush as much I know thats what I like to do.
Michaela,
I go to sleep around 9:30-10:00pm and wake up anytime between 4:45-5:00am. It was a tough routine to adapt to at first, but now I can’t imagine working out any other way.
I don’t work in the same city that I live in, so I’ve personally found that working out in the morning is best for me – I just don’t have the energy for it in the evening times. I’d prefer to spend the evenings with my boyfriend/family/friends and the mornings at the gym – when my boyfriend/family/friends are all fast asleep in bed! I guess it’s all about personal decisions and the proper motivation/determination.
As Kath has mentioned before, I feel better when I work out in the mornings – both physically and mentally. It gives me a sense of accomplishment and confidence to get my day started on the right foot!
If you’d like, I’d be happy to share some helpful tips with you on getting out of bed – I know Kath listed some on her FAQ page! Hope this helps!
Oh Matt… You’re all growsed up.
You growsed up and you growsed up and you growsed up!
Michaela- check out Kath’s faq section for tips on waking up early.
Personally, I have more energy after work and do my workout then. Even though I’m up early in the mornings, doing my workout then is not my preferred method. Everybody’s different and if it’s torture to workout in the morning, then don’t. Exercising should be invigorating and fun.
pinklilly,
I would be interested in your tips,as it seems you are able to get up that early with less sleep than kath! While I respect Kath, I know that if I were to wake up at 5am to work out, I would not be able to get 8hrs more like 7 (I have learned by body is ok with that anyway). thanks
Hi Kath (and Husband),
Hope the first day of work goes well!
Kath, thank you for posting that inspiring quote in recognition of National Eating Disorder Awareness Week. I’ve unfortunately suffered from an ED for many years, but have finally made a real effort in the past year-and-a-half to get well. A huge part of getting well is accepting your body for what it is, and *treating* your body well by giving it the good, balanced, and healthy (and even, sometimes, not so healthy) food that it needs and craves. Thanks for your post!
Good luck to the husband on his first day!
Thanks for the note about National Eating Disorder Awareness Week. I am planning to return to school to become a RD too (I hope to start this summer!), and I want to work with people who have EDs when I’m finished. I’m definitely going to go check out the association’s website!
On another note, Kath, I wanted to let you know not only have I become addicted to your oatmeal pancakes, but I have gotten 3 of my friends addicted to them as well! 🙂
Goodmorning everyone! Wow, there is something really comforting about seeing Kath’s bowl of oatmeal every morning isn’t there?? Aw, and the husband looks admirably handsome in his work clothes, I must say 🙂
Hey I have a question for kath or anyone who might know regarding pork products…my cousin told me yesterday that 2 ounces of pork takes 2 weeks to digest, and it lines your digestive tract so that nutrients cannot be absorbed…I have never heard anyhting like this before now, but I wanted to know if anyone else had and whether or not it’s true?? If it is, I am never eating pork again, gross!
Last but not least, there was an interesting article on MSN this morning regarding 10 things you can do to eat healthier, so I thought I would post the link in case anyone wanted to read it…they have some great tips! I think i am switching from coffee to green tea! 🙂
http://health.msn.com/nutrition/articlepage.aspx?cp-documentid=100193322>1=10914
Best of luck to Matt on his first day of work! Kath, your oats look great as always…and so does your husband. That tie and color combo really brings out his eyes.
Here’s my tip for waking up early, girls (and guys!) – sign up for a class you have to pay for!! I have to wake up at 5:45 am every Monday for a pilates class, and if I don’t go, I still have to pay for it ($25 – it’s on the machines)! This morning I really wanted to stay in bed but didn’t want to lose my $$, so I was forced to get out of bed. I know this may not be economical for every day, but it’s a good way to start off the week.
Oh, and that pork thing just does not sound right at all to me, especially the part about it lining your digestive tract. I was pretty interested in this so I did a quick search – here’s an interesting site with FAQs from the Oprah docs, which does say that meat digestion takes longer than other foods (part of why protein/fat of any kind keeps you full) – I would also really be interested in knowing if Kath has learned anything on digestion/nutrient absorption in her classes yet that she can share! http://www.oprah.com/health/yourbody/youdocs/youdocs_faqs_di.jhtml
Love your blog and learned some interesting things. I am one of your mom’s gym friends and she informed me of this website. Keep up the good work!
Molly,
I’d love to share some tips that work for me. Here they are:
* I never hit the snooze button. Ever. The extra five minutes of sleep that I would gain from it would really only allow me extra time to talk my way out of getting up.
* I lay out my gym clothes the night before I need to wake up. By doing so, going to the gym is one of the last things on my mind before bed and one of the first when I wake up.
* I always bring a good magazine with me to the gym or upload a new song to my Ipod. Doing so gives me something to look forward to when I wake up. I love having something fun to read or listen to – it gives me that extra boost to get out of my warm bed.
* I always, always, always get into bed thirty minutes before I ideally want to fall asleep. Usually for me, it’s anywhere between 9:00-9:30, so I fall asleep between 9:30-10:00pm. That gives me the time to lay in bed and watch tv, read or play on the computer – and not feel like I’m being forced to fall asleep earlier than I want to.
Please let me know if you have any other questions – I’d love to answer them!
Re: mileage/timing
I am training for a half marathon with my boyfriend and although we have been using MapMyRun.com it just isn’t cutting it- we want to know EXACTLY how fast we are going each mile and EXACTLY what our distance is… Does anyone know of a product similar to the “Nike + iPod Sport Kit ” that does not need an iPod Nano or Nike shoes (I know we can buy a pouch for the shoes, but we haven’t been able to find a solution for the Nano problem)
Any suggestions would be great! Thanks!
Liz,
It’s from Crate and Barrel – I LOVE it. http://www.crateandbarrel.com/family.aspx?c=914&f=22298
Ser,
Welcome to KERF!
Michaela,
I talk about when I go to bed in the FAQs – along with those tips. Unlike pinklilly, I HAVE to snooze at least once – but only at 2 minute intervals! (My clock has 2 alarms and I set them 2 minutes apart). The typical programmed 9-minute snooze would never get me up. We all find what works for us 🙂
Brynn,
I’m SO happy you got your oats fluffy! That makes me smile! Everyone should have access to good oats.
Chandra,
Thanks for spreading the pancake vibe!!
Christin,
Everything I have learned about the digestive tract would say this is an urban legend. We studied all the layers and physiological processes of the intestines and my professor never mentioned a “meat storage area” in the intestinal wall lining. And why would you single out pork and not chicken, beef, etc.? That to me suggests even more so an urban legend. What MAY be true (and I’m just not 100% sure) is that meat takes longer to be absorbed because of higher protein and fat content, but I wouldn’t it sticks to the lining for 2 weeks. But you know, even if a scientist told me this was true, I’d still eat pork because I like the way it tastes and it provides fuel for my body and least of all, it is regarded as safe to eat by human beings.
Karen,
Welcome to KERF too!! Make sure my mom works on her intensity at the gym and isn’t talking too much – you might want to sneak on her treadmill and increase the incline when she’s not looking!
Kath
rhodeygirl, I’m not sure if people read the comments once the next meal is posted, so i’ll post this after lunch too, but you could try a gps watch. garmin makes a great one – the advanced model (more expensive) has a heart rate monitor, but i think the base model is $99 on Amazon and it tells you how far/how fast you’re going. there are other brands, but i’m only familiar with the garmin and think it’s great! you can also store your runs and get mile by mile breakdowns of your speed.
Thanks for your feedback on Pork, Kath and Serena…that’s what I was hoping to hear, because I really like pork! I’m going to share the info with my crazy cousin now… 🙂
rhodeygirl ,
I would suggesst getting a good pedometer. You can usually translate the steps into miles, just calibrate it while you run instead of walking.
I’d be interested in what you guys have to say about pedometer brands, I bought one a while back at Target but it’s horrible. (Sometimes it would count a step as 3 steps) I’d be willing to spend around $40 -$50 on something good. Is that a reasonable price?
Thanks Serena! That is the EXACT type of product I was looking for… (although I MAY sell my ipod on craigslist and then buy the nano + the kit… have to see how much someone will spend on a used ipod!)
Thanks again
yay – glad I could help, rhodeygirl!
Aimee H. — I agree with you, morning workouts have never been my thing. I think some people have this idea in their head that they HAVE to torture themself and workout first thing, when in fact they might be a better afternoon or evening exerciser. To each their own!
I know I will never personally start making myself get up at 5am to workout because I enjoy staying up until 10 or 11 at night.
Thank you Kath.
I really appreciate that you let everyone know its eating disorders awareness week. I am currently in therapy for anorexia nervosa and am fighting the urges to go back to my old, unhealthy ways, but so far I’m getting better. I really use your blog as positive motivation to continue a healthy and balanced lifestyle, and am starting to feel more “normal” about food and weight. Thanks for being such a positive role model and letting men and women know that a size zero DOES NOT mean a thing.
Hello Kat,
I calculated the macros for the oatmeal-what’s your take on how much protein one really needs? The amount of calories is right for me but I am afraid it might be too low in protein (I lift weights and am trying to build muscle) :O(
Thanks,
-Susa
Thanks again for such a great post on my blog. It’s making people think about how they can take an active part in living with their illness ~ and not let it control them. I am all about that…and I love that you were able to give a similar message in your own way.
Besides you have helped kick start my motivation again – and that was totally needed!
Hey, I was in treatment for EDAW one year and we did an awesome project I suggest others look into. A lot of treatment centers decorate old jeans and hang them up as a means of moving on and accepting your shape, and they look for people all over to donate, so if you have some, it’s a great idea!
Susa,
Most Americans get way more protein than we need. The recommendation is 0.8 grams per kilogram of body weight. Divide your weight by 2.2 and multiply by 0.8. It’s not nearly as much as you might think. My requirements are about 45 grams – sometimes I get that in my lunch alone (not intentionally, just because of the foods I choose). If you prefer protein to hold you over longer, you could add a higher percentage of milk, stir in egg whites, stir in yogurt or add more nuts.
Laura,
Glad I could help out!
Kath
Thanks a bunch!
I read you like Ezekiel-have you tried their cereal? I eat it hot with pumpkin, soymilk and spices, topped with ground almonds-so good! (I used to be all over oatmeal too but this beats oatmeal :O) )
You inspired me to go to World Market yesterday and buy a bunch of pretty dishes. I never thought of making much of an effort as far as “food presentation” goes. Wow.
Have a fab day!
Susa,
I haven’t tried the Ezekiel cereals. I don’t normally buy such calorie-dense cereals because I like to eat lots of bites! 190 per half cup is quite high, however, I do want to try it – perhaps that half cup is so delicious and filling I wouldn’t mind only having the little amount.
So fun about your new dishes!!
Kath