Breakfast #1
Started the day with Ezekiel Sesame toast and PB while reading your comments from last night. Thanks for all the great questions! I’m really busy through 2pm today, but hopefully I’ll get to them then.
Workout
I had a GREAT workout this morning (with my new Shape Magazine!). 30 minutes stairmaster, 10 minutes ET, 15 minutes strength. I used the resistance bands today and really enjoyed them. It’s funny how my muscles look different when I use bands vs. free weights vs. machines. I’d say that bands make them look the most toned (I’m just talking about while I’m lifting – not long term since I use all kinds on a regular basis). Anyways, I combined squats and lunges with some upper body for more of a burn. 470 kcal gone!
Breakfast #2
This breakfast was SO great. First off I started with an oatmeal pancake. Sometimes I make the batter the night before and just mixed in 1/3 of a freshly mashed banana in the morning and other times I make the batter right before I put it in the pan. I’ve found that the baking powder, which controls the fluffiness of the pancake, seems to deactivate (or something) when I let it sit overnight. So I guess to get a fluffier pancake I either need to add the BP at the last minute or make the batter in the mornings. Or just eat flatter pancakes!!! Despite the texture being flat, it tasted great!! Topped with walnuts and 2/3 of the mashed banana.
On the side I had grapefruit sections. I find there is something really satisfying to the palate about grapefruit. Plus it’s super heavy with water, which means it helps you feel full fast. I LOVE grapefruit and need to remember to eat it more!! I find eating it in the skin (like a bowl) is way too annoying and takes too long to cut the sections. So I just peel and eat it like an orange. Eating it without sugar takes a little getting used to, but now I don’t mind the sour/tart flavor.
Lastly, I traded my coffee today for a hot chocolate! I made this with a cup of skim milk plus 1 tbsp no-sugar-added Nesquik (half the recommended 2 tbsp for 35 calories). I can’t find CIB in a canister around here and hate used half the packet all the time (I don’t need the full packet – I’d rather get 2 uses out of it!) but this Nesquik seems to be very similar to the CIB. It’s a little less calories because I don’t think it has quite as much in it, but it sure is chocolately and makes a great sugar-free hot chocolate!
(I have no idea why my mug shots are always blurry. I can’t seem to find the problem. Maybe too much white??)
All together for 470 kcal (a little higher than usual but REALLY satisfying and filling. I’ll surely make it until noon without needing a snack)
Breakfast calories: ~590
TC says
Great blog–I've gotten a lot of wonderful meal ideas from you. Thank you. I just have one question. I was ready about your pre-healthy lifestyle days and you said you were consuming 5,000 calories per day. How did you arrive at that number?
Thanks!
Christie says
I bought the Nesquick after i saw u had bought it and i think it is great, there really is no added ingredients and it is good hot or cold, def a nice treat and I think tastier than the carnation instand breakfast! I wonder how it woudl taste in oatmeal??
AA says
hi kath,
i just recently started reading your blog and i LOVE it! i love how you eat "real" food and u NEVER deprive yourself. and i also love that you base your calories on an avg… so somedays are higher than others, but on the avg its about 1230! ur also an inspiration… im a college student and i get up at 7AM to go to the gym… i kno its not 4:30AM but i try to get it done so i have the rest of the day for myself! =)
oh yea… ur photography is awesome! you have a great eye!
thanx again for the great blog.
Kath says
Hi AA!! Thanks for the nice comments. Great job getting to the gym!! Just wanted to make sure you understand that I average 1230 calories NET – which means gross calories minus workout calories. I usually eat between 1600 and 1900 total calories per day, depending on my exercise.
Aimee says
Just wanted to say that I tried the banana and natural PB sandwich on whole wheat yesterday and it was so yummy and filling. Thanks for the inspiration.
On another note, this really is a good blog and it's nice to see other people who don't necessarily have a nutrition degree become excited about eating and living healthfully. I have an Art History BA and MA and personally, I've been getting much more into the mechanics of nutrition and food lately and absolutely loving it! I was also inspired to hear you're taking a nutrition class.. this is something I'd like to do soon as well!
Kath says
TC,
Can you point me to where I said this? I was definitely not eating that much (although perhaps every now and then) and need to correct the page if there’s a mistake. I’d say I was eating around 2,000-2,300 kcal per day during the week and 2,500-3,000 on the weekends. I’m sure there were weeks where I averaged less and weeks where I averaged more, but 5,000 was definitely not average.
Kath
hk says
i was under the impression that you were shooting (and meeting) towards 1800-1900 calories on an average day..no?
ps-Another really yummy addition to the pumpkin pie “cake” recipe is a little bit of banana and/or a sprinkle (about 10 pieces) of heart-to-heart kashi cereal..YUM!
TC says
I think I figured it out. You said you were eating like 5000 calories a day when you were on a cruise, but perhaps it was just during the actual cruise and not at all times. Sorry I should really pay more attention when I read! 🙂